Hood River, OR

Hood River is a Columbia River port city in Oregon, set against the Columbia River Gorge and the Cascade Mountains. The post office opened in 1868, and the city later became a center for orchards, river trade, tourism, windsurfing, kitesurfing, and outdoor recreation. Its setting is the main event: river, cliffs, Mount Hood views, and fruit country all close together. Hood River feels energetic and outdoorsy, but still practical, with a working downtown, farms nearby, and year-round weather that makes the landscape impossible to ignore.