The Dalles: Discover Hotels and Culture

When looking for a hotel in The Dalles, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip. The options range from murals and historical collections to a market featuring local products and the Riverfront Trail along the Columbia River. You can then consider whether cultural history, meeting local producers or outdoor activity is most important to you. The differences below can help you explore The Dalles based on specific interests, without assuming a fixed itinerary.

Cultural history and historical collections

The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum is the official interpretive center for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The Fort Dalles Museum and Anderson Homestead offer a different way to explore history through the buildings and objects they showcase: two residences, a barn, historic vehicles, tools and personal items from the period. Alongside the interpretive center, you can see actual historic buildings and collection pieces.

The Fort Dalles Museum offers self-guided tours, group visits and excursions. These formats are distinct from the exhibits themselves: you can explore the collection through the buildings, vehicles, tools and personal items, while the tours and excursions offer additional ways to engage with the museum.

Another historical landmark is The Dalles Civic Auditorium and Veterans Memorial. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This brings different historical connections together: the Fort Dalles Museum and Anderson Homestead collection of items from the period, and the auditorium’s 1978 listing in the register.

Murals and voices of The Dalles

The murals of The Dalles tell stories of Indigenous communities, the journey of Lewis and Clark, the pioneers of the Oregon Trail and other cultural milestones. Many murals feature audio commentary with historians, members of Indigenous communities and artists sharing their perspectives. The images and the different voices on the topics depicted come together. If you’d like to explore cultural history through a form of storytelling other than museum collections, the murals offer a distinct perspective.

Market and connections with local producers

The The Dalles Farmers Market offers a different focus. It features locally produced goods, meat, artisan products and handmade crafts. Visitors can also connect with the people who grow the foods and make the products on offer. Here, the focus is on the products and the people who grow or make them. Unlike the museums and murals, the market is about food and craft rather than historical collections or cultural storytelling.

Riverfront Trail and Seufert Park

For outdoor activity, the Riverfront Trail near The Dalles is a specific option: it runs for eight miles along the south bank of the Columbia River. The paved trail is suitable for cyclists, people walking with dogs or strollers, and joggers. Most of the trail is ADA-accessible. The stated accessibility applies to most of the route.

Seufert Park in The Dalles has a historic rose garden and provides access to part of the Riverfront Trail. The park brings together two distinct features: the rose garden and access to a section of the trail. The eight-mile trail and access via the park refer to different scales. This helps you distinguish a longer route from a point where you can access part of the trail.

Explore more destinations: Dufur.

Return to the main travel overview: Wasco.