Step back in time and experience the fascinating history of the towns and cities that dot the landscape of Southwest Washington.  Starting in Vancouver, the Southwest Washington Heritage and Wine Trail is a great way to see the beautiful scenery of the Pacific Northwest while you uncover museums, waterfalls, Native American history, boutique wineries and the one of-a-kind special places that have drawn travelers here for centuries.

DAY 1:  Southwest Washington Heritage Trail
Start the day with tea in the old carriage house at the historic Pomeroy House and Living History Farm.  This interactive educational museum depicts domestic farm life in the Pacific Northwest during the early 20th century.  Listed on the National Register of Historic Properties, this farmstead includes a two-story log home built in 1920, period furnishings, a working blacksmith shop, a barn and heirloom herb and vegetable gardens.

The route continues through the rural logging towns of Yacolt and Amboy.  A brief stop at Moulton Falls Park offers majestic views of several cascading waterfalls. Get an even closer view of the area aboard the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad.  This notable steam train once hauled logs to Columbia River ports. Today it will take you on a 10-mile round trip through the scenic Lewis River Valley. Also in Amboy is the North Clark Historical Museum housed in the historic 1910 United Brethren Church.  The museum preserves Native American, settler and logging history of the region. 

The next stop is the picturesque Cedar Creek Grist Mill for a “working tour” of this fully restored mill; registered as a National Historic Site.  Built in 1876, this mill is the only grain-grinding mill in Washington that has maintained its original structural integrity, grinds with stones, and is water-powered. Visitors get to take home samples of the freshly ground grain.

The trip continues to Ridgefield and the Cathlapotle Plankhouse, a full-scale replica of a Native American cedar plankhouse and Lewis and Clark historical site. Visitors to the Plankhouse can learn about the culture and habitat of this area’s original inhabitants.  The Plankhouse is located on the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, a 5,000 acre refuge for waterfowl and also has a year-round 4-mile auto tour.

DAY 2:  Southwest Washington Wine Trail
Washington is now the nation’s second largest wine-producing state and is ranked among the world’s top wine regions.  The legacy of winegrowing in the Pacific Northwest first sprouted in the rich alluvial soils of Southwest Washington.  Start the day with a guided tour at Fort Vancouver National Site to see where the first European wine grapes were planted in the early 1800s. Built in 1825, Fort Vancouver served as the headquarters to the Hudson’s Bay Company's vast fur trading network and was the earliest non-native settlement in the Pacific Northwest.

From Fort Vancouver, head out to visit some of the area’s boutique wineries while taking in the surrounding scenery.  The handcrafted wines have distinct characteristics and flavor based on the unique local growing conditions. With a wide range of wines to sample from it will be easy to treat your palate to wines that are distinctly Pacific Northwest. 

The quaint European-style buildings, towering trees, and seasonal flowers make English Estate Winery a perfect setting for tasting wine. Next, visit Rusty Grape Vineyards in the country; a winery with an outdoor seasonal amphitheater. Continue to Three Brothers Vineyard & Winery, which is surrounded by lush young vineyards. Then take a lakeside stroll at beautiful Bethany Vineyard and Winery. Bethany offers a scenic backdrop for a picnic lunch that can be arranged for visiting groups. Afterwards visit Confluence Vineyards & Winery, a unique winery that focuses on high-quality wine at smaller production levels. Your final stop is at East Fork Cellars; a winery specializing in creating wonderful blends of red varietals. Visitors can try their hand at blending their own wine and East Fork will bottle and private label it for them to take home. Many of these wineries host wine dinners, concerts and special events throughout the year and a tour can be scheduled to coincide with one of these events. A tour map and schedule of events are also available.

For more information please contact our Convention and Group Sales Manager at grouptours@VisitVancouverUSA.com or 877-600-0800, ext. 16.