Spring Blooms

Photo courtesy of Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival.

Trees adorned with white and pale pink flowers line Portland’s downtown waterfront and Northwest 23rd Avenue to welcome spring. Brighter hues abound just south of town in Woodburn, Ore., where colorful fields reminiscent of Holland burst with acres of tulips in full bloom. Each spring we spend a day wandering the fields and enjoying a picnic (food available on site as well) at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival (through May 1, 2011, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.).

The owners have expanded beyond the flowers, gift shop and café in recent years to feature family fun in the form of a kids’ area complete with a cow train for rides through the fields, rubber ducky races and pony rides. Gardeners enjoy ordering bulbs for fall planting, and even the most amateur of photographers can capture amazing photos – you just can’t go wrong when you get 40 acres of tulips, a windmill and Mount Hood in the frame.

Daily field reports complete with photos highlight conditions (muddy or dry) and bloom updates (early to full bloom). Insider tip: if you have time, make it a day trip and head to nearby Silver Falls State Park, the Oregon Garden or the Aurora National Historical District, which features antique shops and an architectural salvage shop.