Portland,OR trip suggestions?
Oct 26, 2000, 4:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 48
Portland,OR trip suggestions?
Folks,
I'll be visiting Portland,OR for the first time next weekend (11/2-5). I am considering relocating here. While I'm there I would like to see what Portland has to offer and get a true feeling of what life would be like should I move. Any suggestions from tourist things to do/see as well as any in-sights re moving to Portland would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
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I'll be visiting Portland,OR for the first time next weekend (11/2-5). I am considering relocating here. While I'm there I would like to see what Portland has to offer and get a true feeling of what life would be like should I move. Any suggestions from tourist things to do/see as well as any in-sights re moving to Portland would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
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Oct 26, 2000, 5:50 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Boston
Programs: UA 1K, 2MM
Posts: 956
Kells Bar! I go there every time I'm in PDX-land. Great time to be had, if you're into that sort of thing. 
. A mighty fine establishment. The original one in SEA is just as good.
http://www.kellsirish.com/portland/pdx.html
. A mighty fine establishment. The original one in SEA is just as good.http://www.kellsirish.com/portland/pdx.html
Oct 26, 2000, 6:31 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,456
Check out the Hawthorne district for interesting restaurants, bookstores and people. Nice neighborhoods in the NW area too, restaurant row is on NW 21st, Wildwood is a winner. NW 23rd has nice shops and restaurants. Portland has a great downtown, walkable and good tram service. They have done some good planning, unlike Seattle.
SW Portland is nice too. I really like the Sellwood area for antiques. We go to Portland once a year to shop for books (Powells) and look for new lighting fixtures (rejuvenation hardware 1100 se grand).
Have fun, its always warmer and dryer in portland than seattle.
lala
SW Portland is nice too. I really like the Sellwood area for antiques. We go to Portland once a year to shop for books (Powells) and look for new lighting fixtures (rejuvenation hardware 1100 se grand).
Have fun, its always warmer and dryer in portland than seattle.
lala
Oct 26, 2000, 6:42 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 987
Originally posted by lalala:
We go to Portland once a year to shop for books (Powells) and look for new lighting fixtures (rejuvenation hardware 1100 se grand).
We go to Portland once a year to shop for books (Powells) and look for new lighting fixtures (rejuvenation hardware 1100 se grand).
Alright enough drunk posting...
Oct 26, 2000, 8:55 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 146
The Oregon History Center is well worth visiting. Also, "PAM" (Portland Art Museum) is among the better "major city" art museums.
I've been impressed with the restaurant at the Heathman, especially in terms of appetizers/salads. Higgins is also very good. In the Sellwood area, Caprial's Bistro is very well known. I think the food is on par with other restaurants in the price range. Perhaps one expects a bit more from a "celeb chef," but its easy to set the expectations too high.
I've been impressed with the restaurant at the Heathman, especially in terms of appetizers/salads. Higgins is also very good. In the Sellwood area, Caprial's Bistro is very well known. I think the food is on par with other restaurants in the price range. Perhaps one expects a bit more from a "celeb chef," but its easy to set the expectations too high.
Oct 27, 2000, 1:00 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Portland, Oregon; seat 3A
Programs: UA 1K 2021-22-23-24;Formerly a longtime UA Premier Exec; NW silver (legacy), Alaska Gold (way back)
Posts: 2,318
If you like fine French food, have dinner at Le Bouchon (NW in the Pearl District). Check out OMSI, the science museum on the east bank. Shop on SE Hawthorne between about 30th and 39th. Go to a movie at the Mission or the Bagdad (combination of old movies and brewpubs, with pizza or hamburgers). Walk NW 23rd Avenue and squeeze into Papa Haydn's for a slice of too many calories. Have fun and bring an umbrella!
Oct 27, 2000, 2:43 am
#8
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: PDX
Programs: TSA Refusenik charter member
Posts: 15,978
Higgins, Wildwood, Heathman, Jake's Caprial's ... all terrific suggestions.
To get a good hit of one of the most typical scenes of PDX life, I would highly recommend visiting the city's many brewpubs. Portland, as you may know, is considered to be the microbrew mecca of North America. Local hopheads, such as myself, refer to our hometown as Munich on the Willamette and Beervana. Brewpubs here range from yupscale taverns to the more post-Grateful-Dead roadie hangout. It really depends on your taste. There are more than 100 breweries in the state, many with multiple pubs or brewpubs.
Just 30 minutes southwest of PDX is the gateway to Oregon's pinot noir country. Pinot noir, a rather tempermental varietal from Burgundy, thrives in the mild climate of Oregon's Willamette Valley in the north as well as in the drier Umpqua Valley towards the southern end of the state. Most vineyards within an hour of Portland have tasting rooms open year round. Memorial Day and Thanksgiving weekends are big tasting weekends, so if you come in early November you won't have to fight the crowds and will still be assured that almost every place will be open.
Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gerwurtzaminer and other varietals also grow here with greater or less success. Right across the Columbia River in Washington state you'll find many examples Merlot, Cabernet, Savingnon/Fume Blanc and Reisling. You'd think proximity would yield similar successes in winemaking but ... well, go figure. Oregon and Washington are so different on that count.
In addition to all of the Portland city adventures mentioned above (strolling TrendyFirst and TrendyThird avenues, as locals sometimes call them, and the not-to-be-missed Powells Bookstore), Portland is also about playing outside. Greenspaces, parks and forests abound within the city limits.
Forest Park, straddling the northwest boundary of the city, is the largest wilderness area within a municipality in the U.S. It's loaded with multi-use trails (running, biking, equestrian), including the beloved Wildwood Trail: 26+ miles long, which crosses a major downtown thoroughfare and continues into Washington Park, itself less than 20 blocks from the downtown core. Head there for a postcard view of Mt. Hood, a stroll through the serene Japaense Gardens, a game of tennis on the several (free) city courts or to check out the International Test Rose Garden. (But you'll have to come back in June if you want to smell some blooms, not to mention see free concerts and theatre in the park's amphitheathre.) Otherwise, wander up to the Oregon Zoo and catch the train that goes around the park. It's at little kitschy but fun and scenic.
About 20 minutes east of Portland on I-84 is the beginning the Columbia River Gorge recreational area, which snakes along both the Oregon and Washington sides of the river. It is laced with thousands of miles of hiking trails, dozens of state parks and national forests, and a goodly number wayside waterfalls. Plus, the Columbia River canyon itself invokes wonder at what it must have been like for Lewis & Clark the first time they set eyes on this beautiful, fruitful land.
The other really, really neat thing about living in Portland is that it's almost exactly equidistant to either the Pacific Ocean or Mount Hood. You wanna downhill or snowboard or telemark or snowshoe the afternoon away? It's just 60 minutes to the east. You wanna surf, fly kites, dig for clams or just walk on the pretty white sand? Go 60 minutes west. FYI, only insane natives like me actually swim in the ocean.
But only on an incoming tide and never, EVER at a beach with lots of logs within water's edge.
I'd like to clear up a long-running myth about the precipitation levels here. Portland averages around 41 inches of rain per year. New York City averages about 44 inches of rain per year. So why does PDX get the bad rap? Two factors.
One, we don't get the sheer downpours that New Yorkers get, but rather periods of mist, drizzle, showers-turning-to-rain or rain-turning-to-showers (yes, there is a difference), mostly from October to March. And two, these wet episodes sometimes last a few minutes, a few hours or days and days on end (unlike elsewhere). The precip levels really depend on what time of year you're talking about. From June to September, we get less than an inch of rain; New York City gets _three_ times that amount. Oregonians would balk at the inconvenience!!! Sheesh. <g>
If it's real defined seasons you want, Oregon is the wrong place to be. We don't get snow (okay, maybe a half-inch that melts by the morning commute ), and we also don't have real crisp, colorful autumns. Unfortunately, we tend not to have really pretty Springs either - it's wet and overcast more often than not.
But, oh, the summers ... Summer here is incomparable. No humidity to speak of and the days above 90 are few. The sky is a deep, brilliant blue, no clouds. It doesn't get dark til 9 or 9:30 and it's perfectly balmy. The city just buzzes. And it smells just wonderful: clean, green and fresh.
Just when the first snow hits the rest of the country the days here are still in the 50s to 60s, you're walking around in shorts and Tevas, and wonder what the rest of the country is yapping about. And just when you think winter will never hit...
By Halloween it's definitely sweater/overcoat weather and by Thanksgiving it's time to pull out the fleece. PDX'ers are big on clothing that allow them to stay warm and dry while being outdoors. Oregonians joke that they don't own umbrellas and in fact will confiscate them from unsuspecting visitors.
I have lots of info on the city that I'd be happy to mail you, including walking maps, info guides, etc. Just let me know. And if I can buy you your first pint of Oregon microbrew, I would be so honored to.
[This message has been edited by essxjay (edited 10-27-2000).]
To get a good hit of one of the most typical scenes of PDX life, I would highly recommend visiting the city's many brewpubs. Portland, as you may know, is considered to be the microbrew mecca of North America. Local hopheads, such as myself, refer to our hometown as Munich on the Willamette and Beervana. Brewpubs here range from yupscale taverns to the more post-Grateful-Dead roadie hangout. It really depends on your taste. There are more than 100 breweries in the state, many with multiple pubs or brewpubs.
Just 30 minutes southwest of PDX is the gateway to Oregon's pinot noir country. Pinot noir, a rather tempermental varietal from Burgundy, thrives in the mild climate of Oregon's Willamette Valley in the north as well as in the drier Umpqua Valley towards the southern end of the state. Most vineyards within an hour of Portland have tasting rooms open year round. Memorial Day and Thanksgiving weekends are big tasting weekends, so if you come in early November you won't have to fight the crowds and will still be assured that almost every place will be open.
Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gerwurtzaminer and other varietals also grow here with greater or less success. Right across the Columbia River in Washington state you'll find many examples Merlot, Cabernet, Savingnon/Fume Blanc and Reisling. You'd think proximity would yield similar successes in winemaking but ... well, go figure. Oregon and Washington are so different on that count.
In addition to all of the Portland city adventures mentioned above (strolling TrendyFirst and TrendyThird avenues, as locals sometimes call them, and the not-to-be-missed Powells Bookstore), Portland is also about playing outside. Greenspaces, parks and forests abound within the city limits.
Forest Park, straddling the northwest boundary of the city, is the largest wilderness area within a municipality in the U.S. It's loaded with multi-use trails (running, biking, equestrian), including the beloved Wildwood Trail: 26+ miles long, which crosses a major downtown thoroughfare and continues into Washington Park, itself less than 20 blocks from the downtown core. Head there for a postcard view of Mt. Hood, a stroll through the serene Japaense Gardens, a game of tennis on the several (free) city courts or to check out the International Test Rose Garden. (But you'll have to come back in June if you want to smell some blooms, not to mention see free concerts and theatre in the park's amphitheathre.) Otherwise, wander up to the Oregon Zoo and catch the train that goes around the park. It's at little kitschy but fun and scenic.
About 20 minutes east of Portland on I-84 is the beginning the Columbia River Gorge recreational area, which snakes along both the Oregon and Washington sides of the river. It is laced with thousands of miles of hiking trails, dozens of state parks and national forests, and a goodly number wayside waterfalls. Plus, the Columbia River canyon itself invokes wonder at what it must have been like for Lewis & Clark the first time they set eyes on this beautiful, fruitful land.
The other really, really neat thing about living in Portland is that it's almost exactly equidistant to either the Pacific Ocean or Mount Hood. You wanna downhill or snowboard or telemark or snowshoe the afternoon away? It's just 60 minutes to the east. You wanna surf, fly kites, dig for clams or just walk on the pretty white sand? Go 60 minutes west. FYI, only insane natives like me actually swim in the ocean.
But only on an incoming tide and never, EVER at a beach with lots of logs within water's edge. I'd like to clear up a long-running myth about the precipitation levels here. Portland averages around 41 inches of rain per year. New York City averages about 44 inches of rain per year. So why does PDX get the bad rap? Two factors.
One, we don't get the sheer downpours that New Yorkers get, but rather periods of mist, drizzle, showers-turning-to-rain or rain-turning-to-showers (yes, there is a difference), mostly from October to March. And two, these wet episodes sometimes last a few minutes, a few hours or days and days on end (unlike elsewhere). The precip levels really depend on what time of year you're talking about. From June to September, we get less than an inch of rain; New York City gets _three_ times that amount. Oregonians would balk at the inconvenience!!! Sheesh. <g>
If it's real defined seasons you want, Oregon is the wrong place to be. We don't get snow (okay, maybe a half-inch that melts by the morning commute
), and we also don't have real crisp, colorful autumns. Unfortunately, we tend not to have really pretty Springs either - it's wet and overcast more often than not.But, oh, the summers ...
Summer here is incomparable. No humidity to speak of and the days above 90 are few. The sky is a deep, brilliant blue, no clouds. It doesn't get dark til 9 or 9:30 and it's perfectly balmy. The city just buzzes. And it smells just wonderful: clean, green and fresh.Just when the first snow hits the rest of the country the days here are still in the 50s to 60s, you're walking around in shorts and Tevas, and wonder what the rest of the country is yapping about. And just when you think winter will never hit...
By Halloween it's definitely sweater/overcoat weather and by Thanksgiving it's time to pull out the fleece.
PDX'ers are big on clothing that allow them to stay warm and dry while being outdoors. Oregonians joke that they don't own umbrellas and in fact will confiscate them from unsuspecting visitors. I have lots of info on the city that I'd be happy to mail you, including walking maps, info guides, etc. Just let me know. And if I can buy you your first pint of Oregon microbrew, I would be so honored to.
[This message has been edited by essxjay (edited 10-27-2000).]
Oct 27, 2000, 7:56 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 48
Many, many thanks for all the suggestions on Portland, especially essxjay. I'm really looking forward to returning to the West Coast, having just temporarily moved to Chicago from San Francisco. I may be staying at the Benson or the Marriott City Center, so I hope either is fine in its own way. I'm wondering, if I have the time to rent a car, should I drive to the coast or along Columbia Gorge?
Thanks again for all the help!
Thanks again for all the help!
Oct 27, 2000, 8:57 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: West Seattle, WA
Posts: 10,469
essxjay... what a wonderful post on PDX! I feel like I may be able to repeat what you said (inserting SEA for PDX), when people ask me why I moved.
I got to experience my second visit to the Rose City just two weeks ago and I was utterly amazed (again). I had some really good pizza at the Bridgeport Brewing Co. and I had an enjoyable time watching Elvis (among others) at the market on saturday afternoon.
I got to experience my second visit to the Rose City just two weeks ago and I was utterly amazed (again). I had some really good pizza at the Bridgeport Brewing Co. and I had an enjoyable time watching Elvis (among others) at the market on saturday afternoon.
Oct 27, 2000, 10:28 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 27
Rogues88 -
The Gorge vs. the Coast . . . hmmm. Depends on how much time you have. You can see some nice parts of the gorge (including lots of falls) in a couple of hours. If you're heading to the coast you will need more time -- But it's worth it. The State Park at Cannon Beach is pretty close and has some amazing vistas -- worth the drive.
If I had the time I'd take a day and do the coast. Then on departure day -- if I had a later flight I'd do a quick run up the Gorge and back, as time allowed.
The Gorge vs. the Coast . . . hmmm. Depends on how much time you have. You can see some nice parts of the gorge (including lots of falls) in a couple of hours. If you're heading to the coast you will need more time -- But it's worth it. The State Park at Cannon Beach is pretty close and has some amazing vistas -- worth the drive.
If I had the time I'd take a day and do the coast. Then on departure day -- if I had a later flight I'd do a quick run up the Gorge and back, as time allowed.
Oct 27, 2000, 11:31 am
#13
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: PDX
Programs: TSA Refusenik charter member
Posts: 15,978
Spongenose, excellent advice. You sound very knowledgable about the area. Former native or frequent visitor?
chexfan, Bridgeport is just about my favorite brewpub. It's so quintessentially Portland to me. Just a really comfy place to hang out on a rainy afternoon or on a Saturday night with friends to play darts and talk trash.
chexfan, Bridgeport is just about my favorite brewpub. It's so quintessentially Portland to me. Just a really comfy place to hang out on a rainy afternoon or on a Saturday night with friends to play darts and talk trash.