McMinnville Travel Guide

McMinnville is the largest city in Yamhill County, Oregon. It’s situated in the Willamette Valley and boasts mild temperatures, dense forests, and an abundance of greenery. Famous for its delicious wines, family-friendly activities, and charming, pet friendly vacation rentals, McMinnville is a great place to spend a family vacation.

Things to Do in McMinnville

Those looking for an exciting outdoor adventure can challenge themselves to bike the McMinnville Wine Loop -- a 46-mile journey that takes riders up steep hills and into the low valleys of Oregon wine country. To relax in the great outdoors, visitors can take a walk on the boardwalks of Tice Woods where they can go bird watching and take photographs of ponds, marshes, and streams full of fish.

Wortman Park is appealing to sports lovers, as it features softball fields, disc golf, picnic shelters, and a number of easy walking trails. Some of the other popular McMinnville activities include a helicopter tour of McMinnville with Jerry Trimble Helicopters, admiring the art at Lawrence Gallery and Mason-Rivera Sculpture Garden & Art Gallery, enjoying a movie at McMinnville Cinema 10, painting or pottery at Jack Potter Art Lounge, and getting a facial or massage at Spa Cha Cha.

Best Time to Visit McMinnville

The best time to visit McMinnville is during the off-season. June to August is when McMinnville sees most of its tourists, making the city crowded and cost of rentals to go up. The off-season means lower rental costs and less tourists.

Best Events in McMinnville

The McMinnville Scottish Festival, McMinnville Recycled Arts Festival, Downtown Holiday Stroll, Trick or Treat on 3rd Street, Wine Country Thanksgiving, and Night at the Museum are a few of the city’s annual events. The UFO Festival, however, is one of the most iconic. It features a UFO parade, live indoor and outdoor music, a pet costume contest, a 5K run, shopping and food vendors, wine tasting, and live speakers.

Things to Do for Families in McMinnville

The McMinnville City Parks Tour is ideal for families with limited time for checking out the city’s parks. The tour takes participants on a scenic route that avoids the major roads and highways of the city and makes stops at many of the local parks.

McMinnville’s aquatic center is located across from downtown and is a good place to go swimming when the weather is too warm to engage in outdoor activities. It offers swimming lessons, a fitness center, and family-friendly fitness classes. Shopping is always a fun way to entertain the family -- and McMinnVille makes it easy by offering unique shops such as NW Food & Gifts, McMinnville Antiques Mall, Liquid Light Glassworks, and Found Objects among many more.