recommendation for inexpensive place to stay in Hood River

We will be spending one night at Timberline Lodge (big expense) and then are thinking about two nights in Hood River so we can drive the gorge, and hopefully, do some hiking. Even chain hotels like Best Western seem outrageously expensive. Any recommendations for the best clean, well-kept motel that would be convenient to the town? We%26#39;d consider a bed and breakfast as well.

As well, is Hood River the best central place to stay for a couple of days in the Gorge area?

recommendation for inexpensive place to stay in Hood River

You can check out my review of Prater%26#39;s if you%26#39;d like. It was a pretty honest review and the place was pretty cheap.

I%26#39;ve never stayed at the Vagabond, but they are quite inexpensive and that%26#39;s where we%26#39;re going to try next month.

Guess it depends on if you want to be within walking distance of town or not, and what time of year you%26#39;re visiting.

recommendation for inexpensive place to stay in Hood River

Try Inn of the White Salmon. It is across the river from Hood River in the town of White Salmon. Not too expensive. Cute little town, and close to everything in the gorge. That is unless you absolutely want to be in Hood River proper.

Thanks for the tips. Has anyone stayed at the Sunset Motel? (It is listed on Expedia at a good rate.) How far is it to get into the town from there?

I was going to suggest the Sunset but looks like you have already looked it up.

I stayed there one night for a friend%26#39;s reception and it was nice. Rooms were clean and basic. You can walk into HR but it is a bit of a walk. Sounds like you will have a car so it might be perfect for you!

There are some great hikes very close to Hood River and a stop at the fish hatchery and Bonneville Dam may also be interesting. Make sure to spend some time at Event Park to watch the windsurfers and kiters.

I highly recommend eating and having a couple of micro brews at Double Mountain. Great food and beer! You can also visit some wineries in the area or across the river on the Washington side.

Hood River is a nice place to spend a couple of nights as there is some nightlife but it is also beautiful.

Thanks for giving me more info re Sunset Motel, and for the suggestions of what to do in Hood River. Sounds like a good bet. Are there any specific hikes that you would recommend near Hood River given the time frame of being in the area for a couple of days?

There is a paved trail that was once a road from Hood River to Mosier. It is very wide and has some nice vistas and wild flowers. I think it is called the Mosier Trail.

Eagle Creek is nice. It is a short hike to Tunnel Falls or you can go all the way to the higher falls, which is probably about 13 miles round trip.

Multnomah Falls is a must for any visitor to The Gorge. You can do a very short hike to the bridge or go all the way to the top. For an even longer hike head up the trail to Larch Mountain.

Angels Rest is also very nice with great views at the top.

Across the river is Dog Mountain, which is VERY steep and what I call a 5 on a scale of 1-5 for both views and difficulty. It is about 6.4 miles round trip, if I remember correctly.

Hamilton Mountain is easier than Dog but longer at about 8-9 miles round trip. The views along that hike are also very nice.

When hiking on the Oregon side you have lots of shade and greenery. On the Washington side there it is more exposed to the sun so you could choose your hikes depending on how warm it is.

The time of year will also play into consideration regarding wild flowers. You may see chocolate lilies, balsam root, lupine, Indian paintbrush, bleeding heart and more!

The Gorge is stunning with varied scenery so you really can%26#39;t go wrong.

Thanks for the hiking info. Sounds great! We%26#39;ll be there in July, and I guess we%26#39;ll have some decisions to make, but it sounds as if no matter what we can%26#39;t go wrong.