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Old 09-10-2019, 12:32 AM
 
Location: Sandy Eggo - Kensington
5,291 posts, read 12,739,493 times
Reputation: 3194

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Hey City-Data,

It's been over 20 years since the last time I was in Portland, and I'm heading there this weekend. Some memories from my last visit are the Portland Art Museum (Was there for a wedding), Multnomah Falls and 23rd St (?) and not much else. I can only imagine how much the city has changed since then.

Just here looking for suggestions on what to see and do while in town. I've done some research and some of the things i want to check out are Powell's Bookstore, the Saturday Farmer's Market, Forest Park, the tram, Alberta St, the Rose and Japanese Gardens. Anything else I shouldn't miss?

For neighborhoods, I plan on checking out the Pearl District, Downtown, Chinatown, Hawthorne and Nob Hill, but I'm sure there are many more areas that are worth exploring.

I'm also aware that Portland is a great restaurant city and would appreciate any recommendations you may have. Where can I find the best gathering of food trucks and carts, and on what day? I'll be there from Thursday night to Monday afternoon. We've got two locations of Salt and Straw down here that always have lines out the door. And i know I need to hit Voodoo Doughnut once before I leave.

About me: I live in San Diego and will be travelling solo. I'll have a car so getting around won't be a problem, and I'll be staying just north of downtown and west of the airport.

Feel free to suggest anything else that shouldn't be missed. I look forward to your responses.
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Old 09-10-2019, 02:43 AM
 
483 posts, read 354,201 times
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Welcome back. Portland has indeed changed considerably the past 20 years.

Other interesting neighborhoods are:

Williams between Monroe and Skidmore. Eems is my favorite new restaurant in town. It's a Thai/BBQ fusion place.

Mississippi: 20 years ago this area was full of crack houses. Now it hip and safe. The happening stretch is between Fremont and Skidmore.

Division: between 29th and Chavez

Belmont. between 30th and Chavez

Inner SE: Revolution Hall and a bunch of great restaurants within a few blocks of that.

There are a lot of other great streets and neighborhoods. The biggest problem in Portland is the amount of homeless people but being from San Diego you're probably very used to that. Despite that Portland is very safe. Stuff gets stolen to pay for drugs but people rarely get killed by each other.
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Old 09-10-2019, 08:56 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,712 posts, read 58,054,000 times
Reputation: 46182
Art Museum is $5 after 5pm Fridays (IIRC)
Happy Hours are many and often 3 - 6 and 9pm to close. (Sometimes Friday excluded, but Sunday all day in some places)
Jake's Crawfish has a good happy hour (Near Powell Books)
Oregon Historical society is good for a rainy day (across from Art Museum)
Check out concerts and performers
Parks (Many are great) Peninsula Park near where you are staying should have roses remaining.
Rebuilding Center and Hippo Hardware and Rejuvenation Hardware for eclectic rebuilding (remodeling) culture of Portland
McMenamins *(several) for events and interesting buildings (Kennedy School and Edgefields are historical sites)

Look into events at Hollywood Theater.

There are food truck 'central' areas with bunches of choices. Weekends may have limited hours. The centers are easy to search for in maps. (in various regions of town).

For rural State parks (Columbia Gorge) be sure to buy a parking permit.
Hood River, OR and Stevenson, WA have many brew pubs. (one hour east)

Coast will have exceptional sunsets if clear (Hug Point or Cannon Beach (1 hr west) )
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Old 09-10-2019, 10:17 AM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
10,990 posts, read 20,567,401 times
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If you do the Columbia Gorge loop (Mult. Falls, Bonnieville Dam, Hood River) drive around Mt. Hood and go the Timberline Lodge for dinner.
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Old 09-10-2019, 12:38 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
10,990 posts, read 20,567,401 times
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The Japanise Garden (near the Rose Garden).
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Old 09-11-2019, 12:39 AM
 
Location: Sandy Eggo - Kensington
5,291 posts, read 12,739,493 times
Reputation: 3194
I've planned many trips and City-Data never fails me. Thanks for the great suggestions, all. Many things and places were mentioned that I had never heard of before, which is awesome. I'm gonna print this thread out and use as a guide during my trip.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pavlov's Dog View Post
Welcome back. Portland has indeed changed considerably the past 20 years.

Other interesting neighborhoods are:

Williams between Monroe and Skidmore. Eems is my favorite new restaurant in town. It's a Thai/BBQ fusion place.

Mississippi: 20 years ago this area was full of crack houses. Now it hip and safe. The happening stretch is between Fremont and Skidmore.

Division: between 29th and Chavez

Belmont. between 30th and Chavez

Inner SE: Revolution Hall and a bunch of great restaurants within a few blocks of that.

There are a lot of other great streets and neighborhoods. The biggest problem in Portland is the amount of homeless people but being from San Diego you're probably very used to that. Despite that Portland is very safe. Stuff gets stolen to pay for drugs but people rarely get killed by each other.
Would have never known about the neighborhoods mentioned above and will be sure to check them all out. Thai/BBQ fusion sounds interesting since I love both. And yes, as a fellow West Coaster, I'm very familiar with seeing homeless people every day so that won't bother me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit
Art Museum is $5 after 5pm Fridays (IIRC)
Happy Hours are many and often 3 - 6 and 9pm to close. (Sometimes Friday excluded, but Sunday all day in some places)
Jake's Crawfish has a good happy hour (Near Powell Books)
Oregon Historical society is good for a rainy day (across from Art Museum)
Check out concerts and performers
Parks (Many are great) Peninsula Park near where you are staying should have roses remaining.
Rebuilding Center and Hippo Hardware and Rejuvenation Hardware for eclectic rebuilding (remodeling) culture of Portland
McMenamins *(several) for events and interesting buildings (Kennedy School and Edgefields are historical sites)

Look into events at Hollywood Theater.

There are food truck 'central' areas with bunches of choices. Weekends may have limited hours. The centers are easy to search for in maps. (in various regions of town).

For rural State parks (Columbia Gorge) be sure to buy a parking permit.
Hood River, OR and Stevenson, WA have many brew pubs. (one hour east)

Coast will have exceptional sunsets if clear (Hug Point or Cannon Beach (1 hr west) )
I was planning on hitting the Portland Art Museum again, so thanks for the heads up about Friday night. May as well save a few dollars and enjoy the extended hours. I checked out the events calendar but nothing caught my attention other than Louis Katz at the Helium Comedy Club. The Hollywood Theater looks pretty cool. Will do some research on the food truck gatherings. Lots of good stuff here....


Quote:
Originally Posted by Neil Plotts
If you do the Columbia Gorge loop (Mult. Falls, Bonnieville Dam, Hood River) drive around Mt. Hood and go the Timberline Lodge for dinner.
Just Googled Columbia Gorge Loop and couldn't find a map for it..... Does one exist? Looking at the weather through the weekend, it looks like a chance of showers every day I'm there. Just my luck....
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Old 09-11-2019, 05:18 AM
 
Location: Mountains of Oregon
17,635 posts, read 22,639,503 times
Reputation: 14413
This might help you.
Maps
https://www.bing.com/search?q=columb...-US&v=1.4.27.0


Have a wonderful adventure...
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Old 09-11-2019, 10:57 AM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
10,990 posts, read 20,567,401 times
Reputation: 8261
Click on Hawk J's map link, choose Maps - Columbia River Gorge, on the list is the loop map. Enjoy.
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Old 09-11-2019, 08:20 PM
 
Location: Sandy Eggo - Kensington
5,291 posts, read 12,739,493 times
Reputation: 3194
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hawk J View Post
This might help you.
Maps
https://www.bing.com/search?q=columb...-US&v=1.4.27.0


Have a wonderful adventure...
Thanks, not sure why I wasn't able to find the maps in your link on my own. I printed out the one for the Columbia Gorge/Mt. Hood loop. Looks like it will take about 3.5 hours without any stops. Depending on how motivated I am, might have to stick to the gorge itself.
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Old 09-11-2019, 10:43 PM
 
Location: Unhappy Valley, Oregon
1,083 posts, read 1,036,420 times
Reputation: 1941
To add, avoid driving in downtown (parking is expensive and driving downtown sucks) by parking at a park and ride and take TriMet. Day passes cap at $5 per day for light rail, bus, and street car. Kiosks for the day passes are set up near every light rail stop. Also, Blue Star Donuts is far superior to Voodoo although I do recommend both for your culinary comparison. Trimet stops in Washington Park so you do not need to drive to the Rose Garden.
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