Evergreen Aviation Museum

Leaving Anne Marie Vineyards, turn left to return to 99W and turn right on 99W toward McMinnville. From here, if you’ve had enough, you can turn right on 47 North to loop back to Portland, or venture bravely past the strip malls and turn left on NE 3rd Street to the historic downtown district of McMinnville. The town has two claims to fame: the UFO sighting of May 10, 1950 (stop in at the pub inside McMenamins Hotel to check out the UFO articles) and the Evergreen Aviation Museum. Just southeast of McMinnville via 99W South, directly off Hwy 18 (watch for the signs), this aviation museum houses an impressive collection of vintage aircraft. The centerpiece of this collection is the Hughes HK-1 Flying Boat, the Spruce Goose, now making its permanent home here. The Spruce Goose, completed in 1947 by famed billionaire/eccentric/aviator Howard Hughes, is the largest airplane ever built, with a wingspan of 320 feet! The entire museum—made largely of glass—was built specifically to house this amazing giant. Also on display beneath the soaring wings of the Goose are several fully restored classic airplanes and jets. See a replica of the Wright brothers’ 1903 Flyer, several WWII-era fighters and trainers (a P-38 Lightning, a P-51D Mustang, a Supermarine Spitfire, a Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10), as well as Korean War-era jets (a MiG-15 Midget). This museum is a must-see for any aviation buff. (3685 NE Three Mile Lane; open from 9 am to 5 pm, daily except holidays.)