I once attended the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival with a pregnant friend, and the winding line of traffic leading to the parking lot was so lengthy that she bolted out of the car and ran all the way to a neighboring farm to pee. What I'm saying is this: prepare yourself for an all-day affair, and if you're going on the weekend, bring plenty of car snacks. But 40 acres of tulips arranged in neat, color-coded rows against the majestic backdrop of Mount Hood makes it all worth it. Tickets are only available online this year, so snag yours in advance to recuperate from the winter doldrums with some well-deserved Willamette Valley magic. by Lindsay Costello