Weekend in portland in august (house, live, price)

[pbergen]

i'll be portland next weekend with several friends (all 20- & 30-something guys). we're not interested in most of the overly touristy things; we'd rather go to places where locals hang out and that will provide us with a good overview of "everyday" portland.

i saw another thread on this topic but wanted to create a new post just in case there's anything we shouldn't miss next weekend (e.g. any special events such as live music, exhibitions, performances). in other words, is there something that we absolutely have to do while we're in town that's unique to the city/region? i ask because during the summertime, many cities have outdoor festivals, parties, and so forth.

also, i'd love to hear the locals' recommendations for the following:

*a good coffeehouse: somewhere with excellent bean quality/selection that preferably has a decent, comfortable seating area.

*a quality microbrewery or a bar/pub/lounge with a great selection of local microbrews. doesn't have to be slick or fancy - more concerned with the beer's quality before atmosphere. ideally we'd prefer a laid-back pub/tavern feel.

*a good, reasonably-priced locals' place to eat that is representative of the city's cuisine. doesn't have to be a sit-down place; if there's a reputable take-out spot that serves great, cheap eats, we'd be interested. we're not looking for anything too expensive or slick.

one place i heard about is called apizza scholls. for those who have eaten there, does it live up to the hype? i've eaten some of the best pizza in nyc, new haven, chicago, etc and am very intrigued by this place. is it a must-visit for us?

*any good nightspots for a bunch of young guys? i'm talking about clubs, lounges, that are more popular with the locals.

*and again, are there any other cultural spots/events that are not to be missed? it could be anything from live performance to museums to parks to whatever.

is there anything outside of the city proper that is worth a visit despite being in town for only a couple of days? i'm thinking along the lines of hiking, go-kart racing, photo opportunities of scenic vistas from the mountains, etc.

given our time constraints, is it worth going to the coast, or should we stay in or near the city the entire time?

thanks in advance!

[Wicked Felina]

Bite of Oregon at Tom McCall Waterfront Park (Friday August 7, 2009) - Upcoming

This will give info on the Bite Fest at Waterfront Park next weekend. The park is on the Willamette River, in downtown Portland. There's a map on the site showing nearby breweries, etc.

I don't know what to tell you about clubs downtown.

It will take you at least two hours to get to Mount Hood. Maybe you could take a trip out to the Columbia River Gorge, along I-84. Beautiful views out there.

Columbia River Gorge Visitors Association

Hopefully someone else will chime in with info on clubs & things to do downtown.

Have fun ~

[Wicked Felina]

I contacted a friend of mine who knows about such things as pubs, the good, bad & the ugly.

*Kell's Irish Pub - live music
SW 2nd, downtown

*Dirty
*Barracuda
*Agency

*Silverdao's
SW 3rd, downtown

If you want a very trendy, fun place they have great music & good food. It's a gay club, so if you're offended by that, it's not for you.

[pbergen]

thanks seebee, those are great suggestions - especially "bite of oregon".

anyone else have some tips for next weekend?

[Élan vital]

Originally Posted by pbergen

thanks seebee, those are great suggestions - especially "bite of oregon".

anyone else have some tips for next weekend?

you could take an air balloon ride.

[Leisesturm]

Well I've been here a year and haven't seen any but Portland is supposed to be lousy with... let me get the spelling right... tiht tee bars. If you and your mates like balloons that fly at a somewhat saner altitude... personally I think travel is overrated. A pizza in another city is going to be better? Worse? Hmmm you could get that by trying a new joint across town. There is, however, only one Columbia River Gorge. Only one Portland Rose Test Garden. Only one Mount Hood. See where I'm going? The natural sights and sounds... oops SeeBee already beat me to it... well drunken testosterone enhanced patrons enjoying enhanced tihtee's count as natural sights and sounds in my guidebook. Enjoy your upcoming trip.

H

[suncat]

If you go to The Bite, try to go early on Friday afternoon to avoid the worst of the crowds.

Perhaps they've improved the crowd control, but I haven't been since 2005. It was the Saturday night that the Violent Femmes were playing and it was just a mad house. The food booth lines were so long that they met and crossed in the middle. People trying to make their way through had trouble doing so. I split up with my friends, because we all wanted different things to eat, and we couldn't find each other, despite cell phones.

[OregonDaisy]

Best coffee house is Stumptown Roasters. They have several locations and are well worth it. Saturday Market can be fun and there is always live music happening in the beer garden.

[pbergen]

Originally Posted by OregonDaisy

Best coffee house is Stumptown Roasters. They have several locations and are well worth it. Saturday Market can be fun and there is always live music happening in the beer garden.

is this what you're referring to?
Portland Saturday Market

if so, it sounds great! thanks also for the coffeehouse recommendation.

thanks also to seebee for the great tips.

[pbergen]

Originally Posted by suncat

If you go to The Bite, try to go early on Friday afternoon to avoid the worst of the crowds.

Perhaps they've improved the crowd control, but I haven't been since 2005. It was the Saturday night that the Violent Femmes were playing and it was just a mad house. The food booth lines were so long that they met and crossed in the middle. People trying to make their way through had trouble doing so. I split up with my friends, because we all wanted different things to eat, and we couldn't find each other, despite cell phones.

yikes...thx for the heads-up.