What better time to book a getaway that focuses on renewal and self-care than spring, when our energy returns as nature begins to bloom. Wine country’s premiere resort, The Allison Inn, just completed an update of their iconic restaurant and spa spaces to invite visitors in with a fresh look and feel. Check in and spend a few days treating yourself and start the season off with a spring in your step.
Day 1: Rejeuvenate
Enjoy breakfast in The Allison’s casual eatery, The Livingroom of The Valley, which shares a kitchen with JORY but where meals are served around the fireplace in a relaxed atmosphere. Next, head downstairs to the spa to enjoy the sauna, lounge and steam room before a massage or facial treatment (advance reservations required). Afterward, stroll around the grounds to take in the blooming foliage and outdoor sculpture collection.
Next, head to REX HILL winery for your reservation at the “Somm’s Table,” an immersive tasting experience of their biodynamic wines paired with a four course chef-prepared lunch ($125 per person, advance reservations required), while learning about this storied property (also home to A to Z Wineworks).
Afterward spend the afternoon shopping in downtown Newberg’s charming established boutiques like Lineage, Little Bird Boutique, Pulp & Circumstance and Nikki Jane’s as well as new shops like Minthorn Mercantile (American-made goods for the modern man), Shoemates (high quality footwear), and Lauretta Laynnie Boutique to update your wardrobe with fresh looks for the season. End the day with dinner at Rosmarino, a family-run Italian restaurant helmed by chef Dario Pisoni, who hails from Northern Italy and recreates many of his nonna’s recipes.
If your visit includes a weekend, make sure to reserve tickets to a performance at the La Joie Theater, a brand-new state of the art performance art hall in downtown Newberg. The venue hosts a wide range of music, dance, comedy and theater.
Day 2: Artful Living
Enjoy coffee and pastries at Lyrics Cafe and spend the morning exploring the arts. First, stroll through the Chehalem Cultural Center’s free art galleries, featuring changing exhibits by Oregon artists, then visit downtown art galleries Art Elements and Blue Trout Gallery to appreciate painters’ perspectives of this beautiful state of Oregon. Stop into the new Glass Girl Studio to see how owner/artist Charity Stewart crafts whimsical gifts from colorful fused glass. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, head to the Newburgundian Bistro for lunch.
This afternoon is all about exploring the art of winemaking by way of a short list of notable wineries that have made their debut in the past year. If you’d like to try all four, we recommend the services of Black Tie Tours to take you there. Start in the Chehalem Mountains AVA at Balsall Creek, a 35-acre winery estate run by two generations of a family that goes back eight generations in Oregon. They’re dedicated to sustainable stewardship of the land and hospitality: the new tasting room offers three unique indoor spaces as well as a covered outdoor patio with a fireplace. Next, head up the hill to CHO Wines, the first Korean-American owned winery in Oregon founded by wife-and-husband team Lois and Dave Cho, named 2023 “Future 40 Tastemakers” by Wine Enthusiast. Their 77-acre vineyard was planted among native Oregon White Oaks, and their modern tasting room boasts sweeping views of the valley below. Head back down the hill to Ambar Estate in the Dundee Hills AVA. This is the Willamette Valley’s first Regenerative Organic Certified® vineyard. Enjoy a tasting in their stunning glass-walled tasting room designed by Juancarlos Fernandez of Signum Architecture and take in the landscape design by Hoichi Kurisu (renowned for his designs of the Portland Japanese Garden), while sipping wines from renowned winemakers Kate Payne Brown and Bryan Weil.
After a full day out and about, tuck into the cozy yet elegant dining room at JORY at The Allison Inn for a seasonal meal by Executive Chef Jack Strong and his culinary team, sourced from around the Pacific Northwest, as well as the resort’s own organic vegetable garden.
Day 3: The Old is New
After breakfast, lace up your walking shoes and head to Champoeg State Park, just a little over 10 minutes drive from downtown Newberg, for some “forest bathing.” Explore the paved trail system along the Willamette River, through ancient oak tree groves and Douglas Fir forest, a habitat home to over 130 species of birds. Champoeg is a State Heritage Area, as it was the location where settlers formed the first provisional government in Oregon.
Next, visit the Hoover-Minthorn House Museum, the only presidential museum in the Pacific Northwest. Built in 1881, it was the childhood home of President Herbert Hoover, and contains artifacts from the late 1800s as well as history of the early days of the town. Visitors learn about the work of President Hoover, such as the Children’s Bill of Rights, as well as his wife, First Lady Lou Henry Hoover, a notable woman and humanitarian in her own right.
Enjoy lunch a couple of blocks away at Lemon & Olive, a charming Mediterranean restaurant built into what once was a former brick auto garage. Order a spread of mezze plates to pair with a glass of wine curated from Valley Wine Merchants next door.
Next, walk over to Domaine Lumineux, housed in an elegant restored Victorian home. Domaine Lumineux is one of Francis Ford Coppola’s wineries, an homage to his love for science. Finally, to cap off your wine country getaway, indulge in an unforgettable dinner at The Painted Lady. This storied wine country fine dining establishment helmed by chef Alan Routt is also set in a restored Victorian home, creating an atmosphere meant to put all the attention on the culinary artistry contained on each plate.
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