Visit WAAAM, Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum, on the Second Saturday of the month, when volunteers, who love flying and driving these wonderful artifacts, open the huge hangar doors and start pushing and pulling antique cars, airplanes, motorcycles and more, getting them ready to fire up and show you a bit of old technology in action. The museum collection is housed in over 3.5 acres of indoor hangar facility.
Step back in time with the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum. Second Saturday runs between 10am and 2pm. Each of WAAAM’s action days have a different theme.
February 14 – Second Saturday – For the Love of History – See the New Space!
March 14 – Second Saturday – March Through Time: The Sensational 1960s
April 11 – Second Saturday – Green Cars
May 9 – Second Saturday – Local History Spotlight: Stories from the Oregon Air National Guard Through the Ages
June 13 – Second Saturday – Gliders and the World of Silent Flight
July 11 – WAAAM Traffic Jam – A Car Show, WAAAM Style
August 8 – Second Saturday – See America: Cars, Camping, & Travel
September 12 & 13 – Annual Hood River Fly-in
October 10 – Second Saturday – Farm to Table – Moving our Food
November 14 – Second Saturday – Military Vehicles
December 13 – Second Saturday – Flying Around the World
The Burma-Shave signs were a series of small roadside advertisements that became an iconic part of American road trips from the 1920s through the 1960s. We discovered quite a few while road tripping down Route 66. Volunteers at WAAAM created 4 sets of Burma Shave signs.
Instead of one big billboard, they appeared as a sequence of 5–7 red signs with white lettering, spaced along the highway. Each sign revealed part of a short rhyme, and the final sign delivered the punchline—followed by the brand name: Burma-Shave.
The Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum (WAAAM) is much bigger than most people expect.
- Main exhibit space: about 95,000 square feet across two large hangars
- Additional restoration space: roughly 37,000 square feet in other hangars
- Total indoor footprint: around 132,000 square feet combined
Another way to picture it:
- That’s over 3.5 acres of indoor space
- Roughly the size of 2–3 football fields indoors
It’s not just one building—you’re walking through multiple connected hangars packed wall-to-wall with airplanes, cars, motorcycles, and artifacts. Most visitors end up spending 2–4 hours there without trying. If you’re thinking about sending guests or writing about it, it’s fair to describe WAAAM as one of the largest and most immersive museums in the Columbia Gorge region.
Thank you for trusting us to be your home away from home. We’ve posted our Hospitality and Health Policy on our website. Purchase a gift certificate for yourself or someone you know would enjoy time at the Old Parkdale Inn.
We invite you to read online reviews for the Old Parkdale Inn. And then we encourage you to go directly to our website and Book Direct for all the right reasons.
We’re your home base for exploring and enjoying the Hood River Valley and beyond. After a full day, you’ll love the peace and tranquility of the Old Parkdale Inn. Relax in the gardens, perhaps with your favorite beverage, by the bonfire, roast some s’mores, weather permitting of course.
What’s to do
The Hood River Fruit Loop is located in the beautiful Hood River Valley at the foot of majestic Mt. Hood offering you a variety of wines, fruits, vegetables, flowers, ciders, and food. Many outdoor adventures, such as kayaking, windsurfing, skiing, snow boarding, and hiking, await. Mt. Hood Meadows, Cooper Spur Mountain Resort, and Timberline Ski areas are only a short drive away, as is the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood National Forest where trails and wildlife abound.
Book your stay at the Old Parkdale Inn and take advantage of our partnerships:
Wet Planet Whitewater Adventures – A 10% discount will be applied at checkout when you use the code we provide to book online.
Cascade Canyon Guide – request code for 10% off trips
