18 overlooked attractions on Oregon 18 worth a visit on your way to the coast

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

Oregon 18 is a highway that runs from Newberg to Lincoln City, connecting the Willamette Valley wine country with the Oregon coast.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

In a rush to get to the Oregon coast, we often overlook the journey itself.

Those of us who drive to the ocean via Oregon 18, the highway that runs from Dundee to Lincoln City, have a wealth of options for side-of-the-road shops and attractions that get missed in our hurry to get to where we’re going.

These are more than just places to stretch your legs – they’re local farms and vineyards, fascinating museums, beautiful parks, historical sites and funky shops. Many have been around since the times when pulling off the highway was more commonplace, and some still hold out hope that people will once again slow down long enough to re-discover them.

Of course, not all of these places are “overlooked” exactly. Some, like the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, are destinations in their own right. Others, like Farmer John’s, draw a steady stream of customers in the spring and summer. (The Spirit Mountain Casino, one of the most popular destinations in Oregon, is not included on this list because it cannot in any way, shape or form be considered “overlooked.”)

But even those who pride themselves on pulling over at every farm stand and little park will likely have missed a place or two along the highway – those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it businesses that seem hidden in plain sight.

For those places, and for all the people who pass them by, here is a handy list to carry with you on your next trip to wine country or the coast: 18 overlooked attractions on Oregon 18, listed from east to west along the 60-mile highway.

HONORABLE MENTION: I was unable to visit a few businesses that were either closed for the day or temporarily closed due to the pandemic on my latest trip down Oregon 18. Those spots deserve mention here at least: the Yamhill Valley Heritage Center in McMinnville, as well as the Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center, and Bonanza Antique Mall, both in Grand Ronde.

Exterior of a rustic winery with grape vines in the background.

Siltstone Wines tasting room on Highway 18, Dayton. (Photo by Michael Alberty)Photo by Michael Alberty

1. Wineries

There are dozens of wineries along Oregon 18, which cuts directly through the heart of Willamette Valley wine country. Stopping at all of them on one trip is both infeasible and unwise, but Michael Alberty, who writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive, has been kind enough to highlight his favorite spots along the highway.

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

C&H Family Jewels and Lapidary is a rock and gem shop on the side of Oregon 18 in Dayton.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

2. C&H Family Jewels Rock and Lapidary

A rock and gem shop that also offers lapidary services (cutting and polishing stones), C&H Family Jewels is a great stop for rock hounds or anyone looking for something colorful and shiny to take home. Even browsing is a fun excursion, with crystals, orbs and precious stones tucked into every nook and cranny of the shop.

Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wed-Sun.; 4270 N.E. Blanchard Lane, Dayton; 503-583-5030.

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

Strawberries are for sale at Fulton Family Farms in Dayton, one of many farm stands on the side of Oregon 18. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

3. Fulton Family Farms

One of the newest farm stands along Oregon 18, Fulton Family Farms offers fresh produce, flowers, preserves, and home and travel goods at the intersection of Oregon 99W. The farm has been hosting barbecues this spring and plans to offer a pumpkin patch come fall.

Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wed.-Mon.; 3005 S.E. Dayton Bypass, Dayton; 503-864-2337.

The Vintages Trailer Resort

The Vintages Trailer Resort, an RV park in the middle of wine country in Dayton, Oregon.Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian

4. The Vintages Trailer Resort

Offering the “quintessential glamping experience,” The Vintages Trail Resort is a kitschy campsite filled with vintage trailers for those looking to stay a night in the Dayton area. Each trailer comes with a pair of cruiser bikes, and some trailers have soaking tubs. A communal fireside area and seasonal pool offer opportunities for those looking to relax at the resort.

$119 to $218 per night; 16205 S.E. Kreder Road, Dayton; 971-267-2130; book online at the-vintages.com.

Video: Guests ‘rough it’ with Wi-Fi and crushed velvet at The Vintages resort in Oregon wine country

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

The Fort Yamhill Blockhouse was originally built at the site of Fort Yamhill in 1856, erected to limit contact between white settlers and the Indigenous communities in western Oregon. Today, the historic building stands in Courthouse Square Park in Dayton. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

5. Fort Yamhill Blockhouse

The Fort Yamhill Blockhouse was originally constructed in 1856 at the site of Fort Yamhill, but these days the historic building resides at Courthouse Square Park in downtown Dayton. Originally built to limit conflict between white settlers and local Native American communities, the blockhouse was later used for storage and as a jail on the Grand Ronde Reservation.

Park open 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; blockhouse is at the corner of Main Street and Southeast Dayton-Salem Highway, Dayton.

Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum

The Hughes H-4 Hercules, or Spruce Goose is on public display at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville.Stephanie Yao Long/The Oregonian

6. Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum

It might not necessarily be overlooked, but the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is easily one of the biggest and best attractions on Oregon 18. You can spend all day exploring the massive buildings that house Evergreen’s aircraft, including the famous Spruce Goose, a Wright Flyer replica and a Titan II SLV booster rocket. Evergreen is also home to the Wings and Waves Waterpark, which will soon be reopening at limited capacity for the 2021 season.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fri.-Sun.; 500 N.E. Captain Michael King Smith Way, McMinnville; 503-434-4180; $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and veterans, $10 for kids.

Galen McBee Airport PArk

A mushroom-shaped shelter is the highlight of Galen McBee Airport Park in McMinnville.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

7. Galen McBee Airport Park

Known for its mushroom house sculpture and whimsical fountains, Galen McBee Airport Park is a fascinating little park beside the McMinnville Municipal Airport. First opened in 1977, the park began to fall into disrepair in recent years, but was rehabilitated in 2018 thanks to help from the local Sunrise Rotary Club. The short, forested trails offer a small adventure just off the highway.

Open one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset daily; 375 S.E. Armory Way, McMinnville; 503-434-7310.

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

The Joe Dancer Park Trail runs through a small section of woods along the South Yamhill River in McMinnville. The park is found on the side of Oregon 18 on the edge of town. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

8. Joe Dancer Park Trail

Most of the 100-acre Joe Dancer Park is taken up by sports fields, but there’s also the 1.2-mile Joe Dancer Trail, which leads through a wooded area above the South Yamhill River. It’s a nice place to get out and stretch your legs or take your dog for a walk (leashes are required). The parking area at Kiwanis Marine Park just off the highway gives easy access to the trail, as well as a small picnic area across a wooden footbridge.

Open one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset daily; 1650 S.E. Brooks St., McMinnville; 503-434-7310.

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

Schmidt Farm in McMinnville is one of many farm stands on the side of Oregon 18, selling fresh hazelnuts and walnuts every fall. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

9. Schmidt Farm

Unlike most other farm stands, Schmidt Farm is open only seasonally, selling fresh hazelnuts and walnuts in the fall. Stop by in October when you can buy nuts in enormous quantities, with bags ranging from five to 100 pounds.

Closed for the season; 13940 S.W. Oregon 18, McMinnville; 503-472-8234.

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

Farmer Johns Produce & Nursery is one of many farm stands on the side of Oregon 18. At Farmer Johns, customers can find fresh produce and canned goods as well as ice cream, flowers and more. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

10. Farmer John’s

Selling fresh fruit, vegetables, canned goods, ice cream and other treats, Farmer John’s is a reliable stop for produce and snacks on your way to the coast. Their U-pick berry field can also turn your pit stop into a longer adventure.

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; 15000 S.W. Oldsville Road, McMinnville; 503-474-3514.

Erratic Rock

A short paved trail leads to the main attraction at Erratic Rock State Natural Site in McMinnville: a large glacial boulder from the northern Rocky Mountains, deposited in the Willamette Valley by the Missoula Floods at the end of the last Ice Age.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

11. Erratic Rock

Erratic Rock is a 90-ton boulder that researchers believe floated 500 miles in an iceberg before landing in the Willamette Valley sometime between 12,000 and 17,000 years ago, courtesy of the Missoula Floods that helped shape the region. Today, it’s found at an Oregon state park site off Oregon 18 near McMinnville.

Open dawn to dusk daily; trailhead found on Oldsville Road near Southwest Dusty Drive, .8 miles from Oregon 18; 503-393-1172.

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

Bernards Farm in McMinnville operates one of many farm stands on the side of Oregon 18, theirs specializing in plant starts and flowers. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

12. Bernards Farm

Recognizable by the big white barn on the side of the highway, Bernards Farm is a farm stand that specializes in plants, selling vegetable starts, flowers and hanging baskets. The farm also has U-pick fields and sells hazelnuts, honey, eggs and other farm-fresh goods.

Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; 18755 S.W. Oregon 18, McMinnville; 503-472-4933.

Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center

Canoes are stored on display at the Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center in the winter, and taken out on the water the rest of the year. The museum is designed to teach about the culture of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, and to serve as an active center for the community.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

13. Chachalu Museum

Chachalu wasn’t designed for tourists. But as curious visitors stop by on their way between the Willamette Valley and the Oregon coast, the Northwest Oregon tribal museum opens its doors to them all the same.

The museum and cultural center run by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde sits in a renovated school building on a piece of the tribe’s scattered reservation lands in the town of Grand Ronde, just off Oregon 18.

Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday at 8720 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde.

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

Mill Creek winds through Stuart Grenfell County Park in Sheridan, found on the side of Oregon 18. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

14. Stuart Grenfell County Park

A small park along Mill Creek, Stuart Grenfell County Park is perhaps most commonly used as a rest stop for both people and pups. The tree-lined park is also a nice spot for a picnic lunch, and if you follow the perimeter you’ll find paths that lead down to the shallow creek.

Open one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset daily; found on Harmony Lane just off Oregon 18, Sheridan; 503-434-7515.

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

Many shelves of used books line the inside of Jim's Trading Post, a shop on the side of Oregon 18 in Grand Ronde. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

15. Jim’s Trading Post

Stock up on your beach reading at Jim’s Trading Post, a used book store that also sells tools, toys and housewares. First opened in 1968 by Jim and Lillian Hosley, the business is known for its massive collection of books, including classic comic books, old westerns, cookbooks and so much more.

Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 29335 Salmon River Highway, Grand Ronde; 503-879-5411.

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

A walkway passes through the open meadows of Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area in Grand Ronde. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

16. Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area

You won’t find many historic buildings at Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area, but you will find an open meadow with small signs telling you what used to be there. That might be one reason why the park site gets overlooked, ranking it among the least-visited state parks in Oregon, but with nice scenery and some local history, the quiet park site still makes a nice stop on a sunny day. To see the historic blockhouse that once stood at the site, head east to Courthouse Square Park in downtown Dayton.

Open dawn to dusk daily; found off Oregon 22, one mile from the junction with Oregon 18, Grand Ronde; 503-879-5814.

still unidentified remains of a young girl were discovered in the

An old growth forest lines the Salmon River at the H.B. Van Duzer State Scenic Corridor along Oregon 18.

17. H.B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor

With twin rest stops on each side of the highway, the H.B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor is best known as a place to pull off for a pit stop in the Coast Range. The southern rest area also has a wide-open meadow with picnic tables and trails that lead down to an old-growth forest along the Salmon River.

Open dawn to dusk; on Oregon 18 between Grand Ronde and Rose Lodge; 541-994-7341.

Overlooked attractions on Oregon 18

The Drift Creek Covered Bridge is found on the side of Oregon 18 in Otis. The bridge was first built in 1917, but in 1997 it was dismantled and moved to a nearby private property where the public are allowed to see it.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

18. Drift Creek Covered Bridge

The Drift Creek Covered Bridge was originally built in 1914, serving locals on an old north-south route along the Oregon coast. The bridge became obsolete by the 1960s, was closed to the public in 1988 and in 1997 was dismantled and moved to a private property just off Oregon 18. The property owners have given the public permission to visit the bridge, which now spans Bear Creek in the Coast Range.

Open dawn to dusk daily; found on Bear Creek Road off Oregon 18 at Rose Lodge; 541-265-5747.

--Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB

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