McMinnville

Named after founder William T. Newby’s Tennessee hometown, McMinnville’s initial growth was spurred by his construction of a flour mill in 1853. In the years since incorporation in 1876, McMinnville has grown into the largest city in the charming Yamhill Valley, a region which is home to a flourishing wine industry.

With a population of 33,000, McMinnville is ideally located between the coast and Portland, and is the seat of Yamhill County. Historic Downtown McMinnville’s Third Street has been buzzing with small-town charm since the late 1800s. Today, downtown McMinnville is a wine-lover’s paradise with tasting rooms and wine bars aplenty, not to mention countless shops, galleries and renowned eateries. 

There’s a never a dull moment with annual events from the SIP McMinnville Wine & Food Classic in March to the International Pinot Noir Celebration in July (held on the picturesque Linfield College campus, a private liberal arts college on the southern end of town).

But there’s more to McMinnville than just wine: each May the McMenamins UFO Festival proudly showcases the otherworldly side of the town’s history (the famous Trent UFO sighting of 1950),  while the Turkey Rama community festival in July has been a town tradition for more than 50 years. The city also comes together every week with outdoor concerts during the sunny months as well as a weekly farmers' market brimming with locally grown produce. 

Indeed, “Mac town” residents aren’t shy about the fact their town is home to Oregon’s favorite main street. One could argue this fact was proven in 2014 when Third Street took second place in Parade Magazine’s “America’s Best Main Street” contest.

On the edge of town, the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum is home to Howard Hughes’ famous wooden airplane, the Spruce Goose, as well as an IMAX theater and the Wings and Waves Waterpark.

McMinnville is located about an hour from Portland by car via I-5 S to Highway 99 W and 30 minutes from Salem by way of OR 221 N to Highway 99 W. The Oregon Coast can be reached in under 2 hours via Highway 22 E.