Newberg: Wine, History and Trails

Newberg combines wine, history, art and trails to create a variety of vacation experiences. You can begin your stay with a tasting, explore historic sites, stroll through downtown or plan a family-friendly evening at the drive-in theater. When looking for a vacation rental in Newberg, it is therefore worth deciding first what you want to focus on: Should the trip primarily center on wine and culinary experiences, culture and history, or outdoor activities?

Wine and Regional Culinary Experiences

The Newberg Downtown Wineries district can easily be explored on foot over a distance of one mile and includes nine tasting rooms. This makes it especially easy to plan a stay around various wine experiences. At Et Fille Wines, the tasting room in Newberg offers three experiences, available from Thursday through Sunday. The Wine 101 Flight is a 45-minute guided experience that teaches the basics of winemaking and the tasting process. The 90-minute Legacy Experience includes six wines, including wines from the archive, and is accompanied by a small charcuterie selection.

Domaine Lumineux also has a permanent place in the historic downtown: The tasting room is located directly on U.S. Route 99. Anacréon Winery offers a special culinary option with a privately hosted experience in which a glass of wine and a five-course menu featuring local products, products grown at the winery and proteins are paired with the wines.

History, Art and Creative Discoveries

The Hoover-Minthorn House was built by Jesse Edwards in 1881. It is considered the first residence built in what is now Newberg that is still preserved. From 1885 to 1889, it was home to Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States. The bedroom furnishings are one of the vivid details: The furniture is actually the set Hoover used as a boy.

The Newberg Carnegie Library opened on March 29, 1912. It is one of eleven Carnegie libraries in Oregon that are still used as libraries today. Mapping Our History offers digital access to the city’s history. The downtown maps make historic land use, buildings, events and artifacts visible through overlays.

The historic downtown is also home to the ART Elements Gallery. Its collection includes landscapes, contemporary art, ceramics, blown and fused glass, woodwork, outdoor sculptures and jewelry. The offerings often include hands-on monster workshops, artist demonstrations and monthly changing exhibitions with artist talks. Those who want to plan their travel around events can also make note of the annual Willamette Valley Lavender Festival & Plein Air Art Festival at the Chehalem Cultural Center or the Lavender + Vintage Festival at Wayward Winds Lavender Farm on the second weekend in July. The farm also offers lavender u-pick.

Trails, Bicycles and Excursions

The Central Newberg Urban Trails connect cultural attractions via streets and sidewalks in downtown and the surrounding residential area of Newberg. The 0.32-mile Herbert Hoover Trail connects the Hoover-Minthorn House Museum, Hoover Park and shopping in downtown at 1st and 2nd Street. This information helps you independently structure days around cultural destinations and short trail sections without limiting your stay to a single activity.

For cycling, the Chehalem BMX Track is available. The track is nationally certified by USA BMX, the American Bicycle Association, and features five straightaways, four turns including a U-turn, a complete rhythm section and numerous jumps into the turns. The Willamette River Water Trail at Rogers Landing offers a different focus: Along the route from Springfield to Portland, there are opportunities for canoeing and kayaking as well as hiking, camping and exploring.

As a family-friendly evening option, consider the 99W Drive-In, an outdoor movie theater in Newberg with accessible activities for people with ADA access needs. This allows you to vary the daily rhythm between culture, exercise, wine and a shared movie experience.

The Right Accommodation for Your Travel Plans

When choosing a vacation rental or vacation home in Newberg, your planned itinerary should be the deciding factor. Those who want to combine tasting rooms, the historic downtown and galleries can make the city’s destinations the focus of their daily planning. For a more active stay, the Urban Trails, Herbert Hoover Trail, BMX Track or Water Trail can take center stage. If you are traveling with children, the 99W Drive-In can provide a distinctive element.

More Destinations for Your Planning

You can also include Mcminnville, Carlton, Amity and Willamina in your further travel planning.

For the main travel overview: Yamhill County.