Much windier here. Stopped by after having lunch nearby. There's plenty of parking. Saw many families and people flying kites & a surfing. There are restrooms. Nice park to just enjoy the water & people watch. read more

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Known as the 'Windsurfing Capital of the World', Hood River is a small city in Oregon, on the banks of the Columbia River. It is known for its concentration of craft breweries in the downtown area, and the ability to consume alcohol publicly on open sidewalks and parks. My wife, mother-in-law, and I drove intentionally to see the city during our visit to the Gorge, and stopped by the famous Park next to the River. It was drizzling and cold this day, so finding free street parking was easy. We found a place to sit, and admire the brave souls surfing. There is a small beach area, and children life jackets to share. And a nice grassy area with playground equipment. read more

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Spotted this place on Maps just after visiting one of the local taquerias, so I decided to stop by. This park seems to be a very popular place for locals to hang out on a Sunday. I was lucky enough to snag a free parking spot right across the street, but there aren't any empty spots left. This park is a very popular spot for wind sailing due to its ideal location near the convergence of the Hood River and Columbia River Gorge. According to signs at the park, wind gusts can reach up to 100mph. People come here from all over to participate or spectate. Wind surfing schools and shops are set up on the waterfront and across the street. Hmmm... I might need to learn how to wind surf this summer... The park also features a small children's playground near a beach, walking trails, and access to bike trails. Dogs are allowed, and cleanup stations are provided. There is no camping or overnight parking allowed at the park, but there are several state parks and private campgrounds nearby. The river around the park is an important fishing area for Native Americans. Signs around the park remind people to be respectful and steer clear of equipment that doesn't belong to them. Parking is available for a small fee at the park, or across the street for free on a very limited basis. Overall a great place to chill on a Sunday and witness the local culture. read more

Visiting Hood River is a must on its own!! But you cannot beat what you're going to get at the waterfront park !! A small cove cut out for the beach , kite surfing or watching, beautiful water views, Mt. hood, beautiful people watching, playgrounds, it's all here and worth the visit! A couple of things to keep in mind, the bathrooms are very clean and accessible spread throughout . They have a lifejacket lender station !!! It was so nice to be able to let the kids just hop in the water and swim freely! (because I sure as heck I'm not gonna pack lifejackets on my trip who does that?!) Within walking distance, there are so many food options. We always visit Solstice (see that review if you're looking for some great pizza in town). read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Beach cutout where we swam - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

The Hood River waterfront is always full of excitement. It has a great family atmosphere with plenty to see and do. They are an assortment of amazing restaurants to choose from whether you want breakfast, lunch or dinner. And let's not forget desert. My personal favorite is to grab an afogado and watch the wind surfers. read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

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Hood River Waterfront Park has been a treasured destination in my family since the park was founded. We live in Portland and love taking the one-hour road trip through the Columbia River Gorge to listen to audio books and eventually, relax and enjoy the sunset from the riverside park. Offering paved and gravel paths for strolling, water fountains, restrooms and play structures, the park has something for everyone. However, my favorite feature is one of the best designated swimming areas on the Columbia River. The Sandy beach is easily accessible, and is in a protected cove with a roped off area to help protect from the river's current. Swimming there is a truly delightful experience in the mid to late summer months when the water temperature warms up. In addition, Hood River is a significant kite boarding destination, so it's always fun to watch all the activities on the water. Parking is plentiful, but even so, on weekends it can be difficult to find a parking space at the popular destination. Be sure to check out all the amazing restaurants facing the park, and definitely get yourself some delicious gelato at Romeo! They have dairy and dairy-free options available. I can't stress how much I love Hood River Waterfront Park. I hope you do too! read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

I love everything about Hood River. There are so many places to eat, rest, read, run, board, play, fly a kite, exercise walk a dog, you name it. We watched the people on the water boards. And kites. I love that you can just come and play. Or hang out. So gorgeous and clean and inviting. read more

We had not originally planned to stop here. However, we stopped for lunch in Hood River and had been told it was a great place to watch wind- and kite-surfing. We noted this park on the map and decided to take a few minutes after lunch to check it out. This was on a Friday at around 1 p.m. Our first challenge was parking. There are pay-to-park spaces all along the road adjacent to the park, but there are also a lot of restaurants and bars on the street. Between the park and the eateries, all the spots were full. We eventually managed to find a spot on a side street, apparently just outside the sewage facility... We walked the 2 blocks to the park. It was crowded with surfers of various types and their audience. Apparently this is one of the premier wind- and kite-surfing spots in the area (maybe in the state or the U.S., for all I know). There were a LOT of people out on the river, and a steady stream entering and exiting. We stayed for about 20 minutes watching before heading back to the car to resume our day-trip to Mt. Hood. If you are in the area, this is worth a quick stop to see. read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Wind surfers - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

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This is a beautiful walk along the waterfront. Catch it at the right times of year and you can see the Hood to Coast race. There are some shops and restaurants across from this gorgeous park. Great play area for the kids and a lot of open area for picnics or just enjoying the view. read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Waterfront park is beautiful with tons of people wind surfing - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

Love coming to this park to watch the kite sailers and wind surfers; it's amazing what they can do! With dozens and dozens of colorful kites against the backdrop of a blue sky, and the river and mountains, it's truly a beautiful sight. The park is well maintained, there are clean, public restrooms, several picnic tables and lots of grassy areas if you want to bring chairs or throw down a blanket. Parking is plentiful (they charge) but it does fill up on a sunny day, especially during tournaments. Along the street there are several restaurants and during festivals or competitions, food trucks are plenty. Remember, it is windy here which is why it's one of the top wind surfing spots in the world. So ironically the best day to see lots of surfers doing their thing is on a very windy day. Whenever I drive out to Hood River, I always stop here. Either for a picnic lunch while watching wind surfers or at the end of the day to take in a magnificent sunset. read more

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Summer heaven for all humanpower watersports. Spent hours picnicking watching the live artwork display of hundreds of kitesurfing & windsurfing miraculously weave in-between each other. Swimmable beach perfect for children and pups. Top rated breweries, coffee & scrumptious pizza literally just a few feet away. Kayak & SUP rental next to parking lot far right of the park. Public restrooms, plenty of public parking, strolling sidewalks with benches to people watch. Highlight ~ discovering a beautiful monument sponsored by the Hood River Rotary Club scripting in multiple languages "May Peace Prevail on Earth." read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

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Splendid park along the river in the heart of Hood River, Oregon, with a wonderful view of the Gorge. There's a paved path the length of the park that's ADA accessible, and benches along the way. There's a small public beach area and plenty of open grassy areas for lounging or play, as well and a couple of restroom facilities. Plus there are a number of excellent breweries, restaurants, a coffee shop and some food trucks directly across the street from this park. Depending on when you come parking may be challenging, as it's a popular place. read more

Very popular water sports park on the Columbia at Hood River. Parking to unload your gear, but then you have to find another parking space elsewhere in the park and walk back. This is the place to see and do kite surfing, batwing surfing, hydrofoiling, etc.. Didn't see many windsurfers. Must be passe by now. No sailboats either. All sorts of stuff happening here. We ran into a big organized paddle board course competition. Steady strong winds here. This is the place to see in Hood River in the summer. read more

Hood River Waterfront park is heaven. Right across the street from Pfriem and other restaurants, coffee shops and breweries. Plenty of FREE street parking. Lots of shade for warmer days, CLEAN bathrooms, clean playground. Free loaner life preservers for kids, a small protected Beach area, I don't know what ELSE to tell you to convince you it's great and you should check it out. We love coming here for a day at the "beach" with the kids, there is no place I'd rather be on a warm spring day! read more

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We stopped at the Hood River Waterfront Park for lunch after the Columbia River Gorge. All of the restaurants had long waits. I received a parking ticket after 15 minutes while looking for food. Oregon is beautiful, but I am disappointed in the Port of Hood River. read more

What a gorgeous day to do a road trip to Hood River! I got to see so many kite surfers! It's a must visit. read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

This park is a stunner! What a location and what a nice river beach. This gives some amazing views and with a warm and shallow water good for swimming and kayaking. We always had some awesome fun and some great views. Perfect family picnic spot and it's more fun when there is a summer festival going on. Ample parking place, decently clean public bathrooms. My the 3 year old had a cool swim with us in shallow waters. It's not too cold in summer time. I just love this park! read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

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This is a lovely park overlooking the Columbia River with a handful of food/drink options adjacent including a coffee shop and brewery. The park feature a children's playground with natural designs that blended it directly into the scenery. We noticed several benches, picnic benches and areas that offered shade. There was also an amphitheater shaped beach with sand and a stash of life jackets for the community to borrow for free (nicely done!). The beach couldn't not have a more scenic backdrop between the mountains and river. Parking is easy along the street and you'll find a paved trail that weaves throughout the park making it easily accessible. read more

This place is very nice. I don't like that they charge for parking but it's a definitely a nice place to check out the Columbia River. It offers park essentials for families and boating etc. It's a great place to spend the afternoon for a picnic and or to visit some of the newer eateries right across the street. The park offers a dedicated areas for swimming, park events, biking, and boating. What's more impressive, the park was inspired by the community of Hood River and has relayed on mostly donations for its creation. read more

A place where wind is a good thing. Hood River is THE place to windsurf and kiteboard in Oregon. Waterfront Park is a great place kick back and watch the action or join in the fun. This location has gone through dramatic changes in the past ten years. We spend most of our time by "The Spit" which is the launching area for kayaks and surfers. There is lots of activity and a great view of the Columbia River. There is a sandy beach, sloping grassy area and a couple of restaurants and food trucks nearby. They've spent a lot of time and money upgrading the amenities in Waterfront Park so it is very family friendly. The winds are intimidating, so part of the park is a sheltered cove called "The Hook" where beginners can take classes or brush up on their skills before braving the mighty Columbia. read more

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This park is amazing, especially on a warm sunny day. Right along the river. Lots to do & see - water, playground, kite surfing, kayaking, dog walking, running, eateries/coffee/beer, and more. We've spent many hours here and will be back lots! read more

There are so many beautiful points of interest when traveling in the Columbia River Gorge. I want to do a trip up the Oregon side and down the Washington side but figured I'd give myself a "taster". Hood River was the perfect place for such a thing. The park area and the town itself is a little "nickle and dimey" as a lot of tourist destinations can be. The parking along the park is almost all paid parking but if you're lucky you might score a few free parking spots but the likelihood of those getting snatched up quickly is quite high. Once you do figure out the parking situation you can really kick back and enjoy the waterfront park. Summers here are fantastic to come here... and everyone else has the same idea too! The views at this park are great. You get an excellent view of the Columbia River and if it's a gusty day you get to see a bunch of people on the river doing kite sailing. I believe around the park area as well you can rent the equipment to go sailing like this too. There are lots of the traditional style kites in the park as well which ranged all the way from your typical types of kites to very sophisticated and elaborate ones. If you are ever playing tourist in Hood River be sure and make the Hood River Waterfront Park a destination as you tour about. read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - A couple types of sailing on the Columbia River. The kite sailers are fun to watch! - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

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Lots and lots of humans walking around with their doggies - made me really happy since I was on a trip without my pup. Even saw one that looked a lot like him, only puppy-sized. So soft and fuzzy! The views are beautiful and the park is well-kept. Very nice way to spend a sunny day. read more

Straight up, this is probably the coolest Park has ever seen! It's located in the town of hood river right along the waterfront - as you would expect from the name - and has tons of cool areas to hang out in. In the summertime there are a number of claiming areas that are open. Unfortunately we came in the winter so everything was closed. Worry not though! Other stuff to keep us busy. We went straight down to The beach where a number of makeshift teepees had been constructed as well as a number of other wooden flooring sticks. read more

Our first introduction to this 6 acre waterfront park was one evening when we went to Pfriem Family Brewers located immediately across the street. The park was very busy with young families enjoying the play area while others sat at park benches having a picnic. The area of the river in front of the park was also a beehive of activity with many people either kiteboarding, sailing or windsurfing. The morning following I walked around the park and saw several people walking their dogs or jogging. There were also several attractive sculptures that further enhance the park's attractiveness. read more

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Can't believe I haven't been there before! This is such a great spot to stop and enjoy the water. This was an unexpected stop on our day trip around mt hood. It was a great way to cool off on a nice warm day. We got to enjoy watching the windsurfers(I think that's what it was). My dog got to play in the water with some other dogs. The water was not as cold as I thought and you could walk pretty far in(you could see the sand bar below). The is plenty of parking all around. Lots of sand to wiggle your toes in...although wear shoes until you get past all the tiny rocks. There is also a spot to rent equipment for that windsurfing. Plenty of open air to fly a kite. Don't forget there's a spectacular view of the gorge! I'm sure I will be back, maybe even while the sun is still warm enough for me to dip my toes in the water. read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - This was awesome to see! There's a windsurfing class/school. It was like a free show. - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

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Like what all the other Yelpers said, Hood River Waterfront Park embodies what a hidden gem is in a tourist flooded state. When people come to Oregon, they check out places like Portland and sights like Multnomah falls. But when I'm going to think about Oregon, I will remember the little spots like this waterfront park. As the name suggests, it's a nice and huge park right next to the famous Hood River. We actually came across this park by accident. We google mapped Hood River and it took us to the middle of Hood River City. And so we high-tailed it back to the coast and came across this park. On the day we came (saturday), there were bands playing, food trucks lined out, and plenty of kids on the playground. My friends and I (we are all young adults) had so much fun playing around with the kids and checking out the playground. It was definitely reminiscent of our younger days. This is such a clean and friendly park. A must see if you are ever in the area. Don't worry about losing track of time because in the end, it'll be well worth it! read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

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Nice spot for a stroll or a dip in the river. Too cold for a swim in the spring, but refreshing in the summer.

Such a gorgeous spot! Come here around once a year to watch all the parasails and other fun activities going on. I also love the scenery and the fact it's just a quick jaunt over to the downtown area. Nice picnic spot and good area to be on a hot day. This same area is housed to the Harvest Festival every year. I love seeing the changing leave colors and getting to sample some of the areas great eats, produce, and wineries! read more

Cute little park that's really well maintained. The downside is it's next to the waste water treatment plant, so if the wind is blowing East it can get pretty stinky. read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

Very fun spot for the family. I commonly take my daughter to the other side of the park where the playground/ swim beach is located. Its my#1 go to place for tanning while my daughter has the time of her life. read more

Hood River Waterfront Park - Fun on the swim beach - Parks Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

This park was awesome! I had never been before and talk about an amaze ball experience. There is much to see and do there. From sitting on the waterfront tanning to water activities. It does get pretty windy, so I would suggest a one of those wind tent things. The sand will blow into your eyes otherwise. Other than that, you must try this spot out on a warm day! read more

Since my dad had never been to the area, I wanted to show him more than downtown. I hadn't ever been to this particular part of Hood River, but always feel compelled to see the water. It was quite windy and a little on the cold side, so we didn't spend more than ten or fifteen minutes taking in the view -- which was beyond gorgeous. On a warmer day, I would love to have a picnic here. As with most parks, there is ample parking available and there wasn't a fee to get in. If you're in the area, this is definitely a must. read more

Well, the map on here is wrong. It's showing the event site, and so are some of the pictures for that matter. To get to Waterfront Park continue driving towards The Hook and it's on your left, hard to miss. That said, it's an awesome park. For those of us who remember the old Marina days in the late '80s this will take you back. There's a huge lawn for rigging and stairs that take you into the river. On any given weekend in the summer the lawn is wall to wall rigs and boards, but there always seems to be room for one more. I'd like to point out though that the launch area at the bottom of the stairs is limited so unless you're a hotshot who can pop up and take off please head east, down wind, to gain your bearings and waterstart. The bottom is sandy/muddy and about chest deep so it's easy to walk your gear up and down wind. The park is great for non-sailors too, with a little climbing wall and some park-type-accessories for the kiddies. There are some canopies for shade and real bathrooms. On a relative down note, please don't bring a kite here thinking it's a good launch. As I said above the launch area is limited and there's really no place to set up a kite when it's busy. The Event Site seems to be moving towards kiting as this place takes off, so please leave this little park for sails. read more

Great place to enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery. My kids loved the play area!

Amazing location by the river, sheltered picnic tables for blustery days, a kids playground to inspire and awe- what more do you need? Food.. there's that too. A distillery cocktail bar, a wood fired pizzeria and a brewery. And free parking to boot! read more

Great spot to bring the family during warm days. There's great playground with slides and rock climbing. There's a small sandy beach for swimming. We arrives at 1030am on a Sunday with plenty of parking. After 1130am it began to fill up, so get there early. Parking is free too! We pitched our sun shade and blankets and spent the whole day playing in the water and sand. The water is really cold but refreshing on warm days. Dog friendly beach and park. Public restrooms are also available. Across the street are several restaurants and cafés. It's about 40_50 minutes from Portland. Beautiful drive in along the river. read more

Gorgeous area and fun to watch all the wind surfers on this beautiful afternoon. People & dog friendly.

What a wonderful surprise on my birthday. We at pizza across the street and went for a walk to explore the area. We had our dogs and everyone had a blast. We will be coming back this summer with my granddaughter. The play ground is so clean too. read more

Great place to spend an afternoon. You can lay out on the beach, swim in the Columbia, watch kite surfers, take lessons, get great food at one of the restaurants within walking distance or try one of the food carts. Family friendly. read more