Hood River

About this city

Also known as: Windsurfing Capital of the World

Commanding a spectacular and strategically critical position at the convergence of the Hood and Columbia rivers in northern Oregon, Hood River is the county seat of Hood River County and the undisputed action-sports capital of the Columbia River Gorge. Incorporated in 1895, the planned city originally developed as a wealthy global capital for premium apple, pear, and cherry orchards, driven by the fertile volcanic soils of the Hood River Valley. In the late 20th century, the city underwent a phenomenal sports revolution following the discovery that the gorge’s high-pressure thermal wind funnel created the absolute premier windsurfing conditions in North America. Today, the city is a sophisticated cultural and outdoor powerhouse, seamlessly pairing its historic brick downtown with world-class wind sports, pioneering craft cideries, and elite mountain biking.