Portland, Oregon - Travel Ideas and Recommendations

[Ace9]

Hey, I'm going to be going to Portland late this month. I was just wondering if anyone's been there: what are the must-do's in the town? I'll only be there for 3-5 days, and while I enjoy nature and stuff I'd like to see some city hotspots. Especially if anyone has recommendations for a good hotel (I'm willing to spend the money, just not too much), a good restaurant, and some attractions. Thanks, much appreciated. :downspin:

[Summers]

PM tlong... I think he lives there, or nearby.

[Ace9]

PM tlong... I think he lives there, or nearby.


tlong, is that his whole username? And thanks.

[tlongII]

Yes, I live here. I recommend that you use Hotwire.com to get your hotel and select downtown Portland as the area. Be careful about this, because there is also an area called downtown Portland - Rose Garden which isn't where you want to be. It's the most expensive, but very affordable via hotwire and it's right next to all the action downtown. Let me know when you are going to be here and I'll tell you what's happening at that time. There is always something happening downtown during the summer in Portland. You should have a good time.

[Ace9]

Yes, I live here. I recommend that you use Hotwire.com to get your hotel and select downtown Portland as the area. Be careful about this, because there is also an area called downtown Portland - Rose Garden which isn't where you want to be. It's the most expensive, but very affordable via hotwire and it's right next to all the action downtown. Let me know when you are going to be here and I'll tell you what's happening at that time. There is always something happening downtown during the summer in Portland. You should have a good time.

Thanks. I PM'ed you.

[Wild Cobra]

Well, I live in SE Portland.

Depends on what you want. You say you like nature. You may want to drive east on the Old Highway and visit the various waterfalls up to Multnomah Falls (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multnomah_Falls) There are trails all around the area.

As for beer, we have more breweries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_breweries) than anywhere else in the world, per capita. I'll be going again this evening to the Deschutes Brewpub on NW 11th, downtown Portland. The 22 oz. bottles in my current sig are from there.

It's not a long drive to the Pacific Ocean if you like beaches (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_beaches_in_Oregon).

If you really like nature, there are two nude beaches. One at Rooster Rock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooster_Rock_State_Park), and one at Sauvie Island (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauvie_Island). They are not well marked, so you'' have to ask directions likely. Other places (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_nudity_places_in_North_America#Oreg on).

There are many "Gentleman's Clubs" if you're into that. The better ones change from time to time. I will assume that Club 205, Cabaret II, Exotica, and The Acropolis are still the better ones, but I don't know. There are also more strip clubs in Portland per capita that anywhere else in the USA.

What are you looking for?

[baseline bum]

As for beer, we have more breweries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_breweries) than anywhere else in the world, per capita. I'll be going again this evening to the Deschutes Brewpub on NW 11th, downtown Portland. The 22 oz. bottles in my current sig are from there.

Echoing what WC said, Rogue is another incredible brewer in the area (Newport, OR). It's about a 140 mile drive or so from Portland though. Still, it may be worth it if you're a huge beer fan because their stouts are some of the best in the world; especially if you like stouts that aren't that bitter (as opposed to Sierra Nevada Stout or Guinness Extra Stout which are a bit). I highly recommend either of the following stouts to try whenever you hit the bars out there:

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/132/1118
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/132/359

I don't drink their other ales though, so I can't offer an opinion there.

[Wild Cobra]

Here's a short lost I can think of off the top of my head:

Nightclub:

Harvey's Comedy Club (http://www.harveyscomedyclub.com/)

Good bars:

Dukes (http://www.dukesbar.com/dukes) (don't forget to ride the mechanical bull)

Deschutes Brewpub (http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brewery/brew-pubs/portland-pub/default.aspx)

Pub 181 (http://portland.citysearch.com/profile/8424679/gresham_or/pub_181.html) (most pool players use BCA rules)

Claudia's Sports Bar (http://www.claudiaspub.com/) (nice 8 ft tables)

Great Dining:

Joe's Crab Shack (http://www.joescrabshack.com/locations.php?state=WA&city=Vancouver&zipCode) (across the river in Vancouver)

SALTY'S on the COLUMBIA RIVER (http://www.saltys.com/portland/)

Greek Cusina (http://portland.citysearch.com/profile/8456475/greek_cusina.html)

Again, what are you looking for.

[PuttPutt]

Here's a short lost I can think of off the top of my head:

Nightclub:

Harvey's Comedy Club (http://www.harveyscomedyclub.com/)

Good bars:

Dukes (http://www.dukesbar.com/dukes) (don't forget to ride the mechanical bull)

Deschutes Brewpub (http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/brewery/brew-pubs/portland-pub/default.aspx)

Pub 181 (http://portland.citysearch.com/profile/8424679/gresham_or/pub_181.html) (most pool players use BCA rules)

Claudia's Sports Bar (http://www.claudiaspub.com/) (nice 8 ft tables)

Great Dining:

Joe's Crab Shack (http://www.joescrabshack.com/locations.php?state=WA&city=Vancouver&zipCode) (across the river in Vancouver)

SALTY'S on the COLUMBIA RIVER (http://www.saltys.com/portland/)

Greek Cusina (http://portland.citysearch.com/profile/8456475/greek_cusina.html)

Again, what are you looking for.


I'd pass on SALTY'S & Joe's Crab shack.

Salty's has decent food that is IMO overpriced for the ambiance.

If you have a chance, make the drive to Hood River, OR. Beautiful area on the Columbia in the shadow of Mt. Hood. Lots of excellent, but pricey, restaraunts. I live in central WA & have been making 2-3 trips a week down there the past few weeks for work.

One thing to take in mind while driving in rural areas of OR & if you make it into WA is the "radar by aircraft." Cops nail people by air all the time.

[Extra Stout]

Echoing what WC said, Rogue is another incredible brewer in the area (Newport, OR). It's about a 140 mile drive or so from Portland though. Still, it may be worth it if you're a huge beer fan because their stouts are some of the best in the world; especially if you like stouts that aren't that bitter (as opposed to Sierra Nevada Stout or Guinness Extra Stout which are a bit). I highly recommend either of the following stouts to try whenever you hit the bars out there:

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/132/1118
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/132/359

I don't drink their other ales though, so I can't offer an opinion there.
Well, dammit, I think I'm entitled to be bitter.

[Wild Cobra]

Joe's Crab Shack?

:rofl
I know they are various places, and like any franchised business, quality varies. The one in Vancouver is great. They also have an outdoor patio for tables overlooking the Columbia River.

[Wild Cobra]

Well, dammit, I think I'm entitled to be bitter.You know what...

Obsidian Stout on nitro tap at the Deschutes Brew Pub is way better than Guinness!

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x262/Wild_Cobra/Misc/ObsidianStout.jpg

Want a great bitter? Try the Inversion IPA, or the Red Chair IPA in my sig.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x262/Wild_Cobra/Misc/InversionIPA.jpg

[scott]

This thread has progressed nicely. If you care about beer, I think Hair of the Dog is the highlight if you can schedule a tour/tasting. In any event, you should seek out their beers somewhere, anywhere. All previously mentioned choices are great as well. Deschutes Black Butte Porter is the second best porter available in San Antonio.

[Wild Cobra]

Deschutes Black Butte Porter is the second best porter available in San Antonio.
How can there be a better Porter?

What is it?

[scott]

How can there be a better Porter?

What is it?

There exists a Porter made right in San Antonio that is delish. Of course, it's all subjective opinion... but I looked up just for giggles on BeerAdvocate...

Black Butte Porter reader avg 4.08
The Porter of Which I Speak reader avg 4.12

win!

[Wild Cobra]

There exists a Porter made right in San Antonio that is delish. Of course, it's all subjective opinion... but I looked up just for giggles on BeerAdvocate...

Black Butte Porter reader avg 4.08
The Porter of Which I Speak reader avg 4.12

win!
I agree it's subjective. The thing with this part of the North West is we have about the softest water in the world. Because of this, any style of beer can be made. We are not limited to the minerals in the water, all we have to do is add what is missing. Who cares what amateur reviewers think. Read a few of the reviews. One thought a porter should be thicker. Another reviewed the wrong beer. I noticed that those writing reviews for that site tend towards giving more potent beers more points. I also wonder how a Oregon beer tastes after being shipped for so many miles, under various temperature changes.

It's awesome local, on tap.

How does it compare to this:

Ratings, Awards & Notables
Best Porter
2007 Readers' Choice Awards, Northwest Brewing News

Gold Medal, Porter Category
2007 Australian International Beer Awards

Silver Medal, Porter Category
2006 Australian International Beer Awards

Silver Medal (88 - Highly Recommended)
2005 World Beer Championships

Gold Award, Porter
2005 European Beer Star

Bronze Medal, Brown Porter Category
2004 North American Beer Awards

Gold Medal, Porter Category
2004 Australian International Beer Awards

Gold Medal, Brown Porter Category
2003 North American Beer Awards

Silver Medal, American Dark Ales
2003 Real Ale Festival, Individual Category Awards

Best Porter, People's Choice Awards
2003, 20th Annual International Beer Festival, San Francisco, CA

Bronze Medal, Brown Porter Category
2002 Great American Beer Festival

Gold Medal, Brown Porter Category
2002 North American Beer Awards

Silver Medal, Dark Milds, Stouts & Porters Competition Class 3
2002 Brewing Industry International Awards (B.I.I.A.), London, England

Gold Medal, Bottled American Brown Ales & Porters Category
2001 Real Ale Festival

Gold Medal, Brown Porter Category
2000 North American Beer Awards

Gold Medal, Brown Porter Category
1999 North American Beer Awards

Bronze Medal, Brown Porter Category
1998 Great American Beer Festival

Silver Medal, Brown Porter Category
1998 World Beer Cup

Gold Medal, Brown Porter Category
1996 Great American Beer Festival

[Wild Cobra]

Black Butte Porter reader avg 4.08
The Porter of Which I Speak reader avg 4.12

No name, no link...

I think it's in your head.

[Ace9]

Wow...looks like a lot of good beer places! :toast Thanks for all the info. I'm down for any type of cuisine (exluding Indian, not much of a fan of that), this Greek place; do they have some kickass gyros? I love me some good gyros. :lol Basically I want to plan this trip as much as I can, and leave little to having to stop at a McDonald's for lunch, which I can do anywhere...:wakeup I only have money for one fancy/over $80 spent restaurant. Ton of bars and clubs; and here I thought Portland was a goodie-goodie city! :lmao If the Falls are worth my time I wouldn't mind taking a trip, the drive to Portland will be pretty long so I'd rather not have to drive to places 2 hours out once I get there, call me lazy haha.

In particular, I love Italian, Chinese, and good burger joints. Also like thrilling amusement parks and fun things like indoor skydiving. Thanks, guys. :)

[scott]

No name, no link...

I think it's in your head.

LOL at you taking this even a fraction of how seriously you have. Relax, have a cold one. I have friends who actually work for Deschutes who take this conversation less seriously than you already have.

Cheers.

[Wild Cobra]

Wow...looks like a lot of good beer places! :toast Thanks for all the info.

There are. The Deschutes Black Butte Porter is available in most places. In fact, most bars now have good microbrews.


I'm down for any type of cuisine (exluding Indian, not much of a fan of that), this Greek place; do they have some kickass gyros? I love me some good gyros. :lol

There's another good Greek restaurant in downtown Portland I think it's called "Greek Cuisina." I don't know about Gyro's. Both The Acropolis and The Pallas (strip clubs) are Greek themes. I don't know how good the food is, but The Pallas I know used to serve Gyros. I go for stuff like the Calamari.


Basically I want to plan this trip as much as I can, and leave little to having to stop at a McDonald's for lunch, which I can do anywhere...:wakeup

McDonalds sucks.


I only have money for one fancy/over $80 spent restaurant. Ton of bars and clubs; and here I thought Portland was a goodie-goodie city! :lmao

Wow... This is an expensive area. Not long ago I spent $120 at a Red Lobster with tip. $80 at Joe's Crab Shack. About that at The Outback as well. You'll have to shop a bit or stick with regular places.

The bars generally have good food here. I like to eat at Pub 181 at times, or Puff's. Been a while since I went to Puff's but they have a large menu, and is good. Pool tables, dancing, outdoor patio. I'm sure there are other good places, but I in no way know them all.

Wichita's Puff's Pub
22200 SE Stark St
Gresham, OR 97030
(503) 665-1098

Pub 181

18415 SE Division St
Gresham, OR 97030
(503) 666-4457

I like the burgers at "Cheers to You" also.

Cheers to You

12131 SE Holgate Blvd
Portland, OR 97266
(503) 762-2857

So many places. Funny, I haven't eaten at Dukes or other places I mentioned except for "The Woodshed." I haven't been there since Jody sold it, so It may have changed.

Woodshed
16015 SE Stark St
Portland, OR 97233
(503) 256-9022

He still own's "Jody's" and they still have good meals. I seldom go there with little money though. It's a strip club:

Jody's Restaurant & Lounge
12035 NE Glisan St
Portland, OR 97220
(503) 255-5039

If you know address grids, notice the Gresham addresses I listed are on the Portland grid. They are all not far from where I live.


If the Falls are worth my time I wouldn't mind taking a trip, the drive to Portland will be pretty long so I'd rather not have to drive to places 2 hours out once I get there, call me lazy haha.

I'm not going to look it up, but it's about 1/2 drive from Portland. Not too far out. Again, take the old highway rather than the Freeway. I-84 only has an exit for Multnomah Falls. The old highway has stops for about a half dozen falls on the way, and a historical site at Crown Point.

Map: Multnomah Falls (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=multnomah+falls&sll=45.483244,-122.618408&sspn=1.987303,3.90564&g=12150+S+Highway+211+Molalla,+OR+97038&ie=UTF8&ll=45.606352,-122.11853&spn=0.991477,1.95282&t=h&z=9&iwloc=A)


In particular, I love Italian, Chinese, and good burger joints.

Plenty of these around. For Chinese, where they cart things around to the tables, maybe try:

Hung Far Low
2410 SE 82nd Ave
Portland, OR 97216
(503) 223-8686

I haven't been there in years. Really don't think it changed much.



Also like thrilling amusement parks and fun things like indoor skydiving. Thanks, guys. :)
There is always Oaks Park.

Oaks Amusement Park: Roller Skating & Thrill Rides
7100 SE Oaks Park Way
Portland, OR 97202
(503) 236-5722‎

I would guess that for skydiving, you can find someone out of either the Hillsboro Airport or the Troutdale airport. I've seen billboard signs.

I just looked at 411 dot com. I found this place. Google paps does show the address as a small airfield:

Skydive Oregon Inc. (http://www.skydiveoregon.com/). Not too far out of Portland. Probably as far away as Multnomah Falls.

Map: Portland Area; Skydive Oregon location (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=12150+S+Highway+211+Molalla,+OR+97038&sll=45.472196,-122.660976&sspn=0.003694,0.007628&ie=UTF8&ll=45.483244,-122.618408&spn=1.987303,3.90564&t=h&z=8)

[Wild Cobra]

LOL at you taking this even a fraction of how seriously you have. Relax, have a cold one. I have friends who actually work for Deschutes who take this conversation less seriously than you already have.

Cheers.Well, is he a brewer? I am a former home brewer. I simply don't brew any more because I can as good of stuff than I make, about the same cost, without the time involved. I made some pretty good stuff. I think about making my "Cran Razz" again, or some mead. I'm happy buying from Deshutes though. I swear, they use my "Onyx Supreme" recipe for their Obsidian Stout. Tastes identical, but mine was 7.5%.

Well, "It's the Water, And allot more."

No place beats the Northwest for beer quality. I simply have a hard time with as hard as San Antonio water is, a good Porter can be made. I wanted to see you back it up.

From the USGS (http://water.usgs.gov/owq/hardness-alkalinity.html):

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x262/Wild_Cobra/Misc/waterhardness.jpg

Note the 0-60 area. I've seen breakdowns of that. The area I live is so much softer than the other areas in the 0-60 range. We are near zero!

[IceColdBrewski]

I was there for about a month. I remeber me and my friend going on some hiking trails with waterfalls and shit. That was pretty cool. Very long hike, and we only did a portion of it. Other than that, all I remember is rain. A lot of it. And one of the locals telling me they look for shrooms by flipping over dried cow shit. After hearing that, I was ready to go home to Vegas.

[Wild Cobra]

I was there for about a month. I remeber me and my friend going on some hiking trails with waterfalls and shit. That was prety cool. Very long hike, and we only did a portion of it. Other than that, all I remember is rain. A lot of it. And one of the locals telling me they look for shrooms by flipping over dried cow shit. After hearing that, I was ready to go home to Vegas.
We don't tan in Oregon, we Rust!

[scott]

Well, is he a brewer? I am a former home brewer. I simply don't brew any more because I can as good of stuff than I make, about the same cost, without the time involved. I made some pretty good stuff. I think about making my "Cran Razz" again, or some mead. I'm happy buying from Deshutes though. I swear, they use my "Onyx Supreme" recipe for their Obsidian Stout. Tastes identical, but mine was 7.5%.

Well, "It's the Water, And allot more."

No place beats the Northwest for beer quality. I simply have a hard time with as hard as San Antonio water is, a good Porter can be made. I wanted to see you back it up.

From the USGS (http://water.usgs.gov/owq/hardness-alkalinity.html):

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x262/Wild_Cobra/Misc/waterhardness.jpg

Note the 0-60 area. I've seen breakdowns of that. The area I live is so much softer than the other areas in the 0-60 range. We are near zero!

San Antonio is definitely water disadvantaged for a lot of styles - but porters and stouts do really well to stand up against hard water - in fact a lot of times it's preferred. London and Dublin both have pretty hard water, though still not nearly as hard as San Antonio.

In any event, water chemistry can and is adjusted to compensate for local difficiencies. At our brewery, we use any combination of hard, softened, RO, or charcol filtered water depending on what we're brewing. Heck, the blend for brewing water is just a big part of the recipe as the grain bill.

Either way, Deschutes is a great brewery and not because I have friends there. So the very fact that our porter gets the respect it does from their employees (which it does) is a big enough honor. Book a flight to Denver for GABF and come taste them both for yourself. ;) Cheers.

PS: I work in a brewery, so the "2nd best" comment was in reference to my own being better. A little self-promotion humor.

[sabar]

San Antonio has water? I haven't seen rain in months. I mean rain, not a 10 second shower that pushed the aquifer a whole 0.01 inches.

[Ace9]

WildCobra and tlongII and the other guys- thanks a ton. You really racked up a lot of good information, I can't wait for the vacation!

[Wild Cobra]

If you're still in the area, if you like Aviation, the Spruce Goose is in McMinville at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen_Aviation_Museum). They have a SR-71 under one of it's wings. Several other planes, space capsules, even one of the two the X-38's built.

[Extra Stout]

I just was in Oregon for a week and can make recommendations.

We stayed in downtown Portland at a boutique hotel called Hotel Lucia. We got a terrific rate. The hotel was very good and we got terrific service. The concierge was helpful.

On the other hand... there is not that much to do in Portland itself. Washington Park has a very nice Japanese garden with a good view of Mount Hood towering over downtown -- on a clear day. It also has the famous Rose Test Garden with probably hundreds of different kinds of roses. I also hiked a few miles through an arboretum to get to those gardens. Powell's Bookstore and the Deschutes Brewery are worth seeing. We ate at a place called Jake's that was pretty good and had breakfast at someplace called Mother's Cafe that was alright. Other than that... I can say the city compares very poorly with Seattle. There aren't as many good places to eat, it's dirtier, and most notably -- the people are astonishingly unfriendly. Maybe it's just because they were having record heat, but man, you mention you're from Texas, and you get back a sneer, or something about George W. Bush, or some other rude comment. Seattle is just as liberal, but people there apparently still have some vestige of basic hospitality towards visitors from 'flyover country.'

Despite the city's myriad shortcomings, it is well situated for a variety of day trips, which also provide the opportunity to get away from the a-holes in town.

1) The North Coast -- the town of Astoria on the mouth of the Columbia River has a museum about the history of navigation and shipping along the River. Driving down the coast, there are several misty public beaches. The water is cold but shows lots of wave action. Seaside, further down the coast, is full of tourist attractions and is quite crowded. Even further down is Cannon Beach, which has several ridiculously scenic beaches and a shopping area with a somewhat more refined feel than Seaside.

Further down to places I didn't go, there is a cheese factory in Tillamook and apparently Newport is nice. Also somewhere along there US 101 drives along the coast.

2) Mt. St. Helens -- didn't do it. Should have. Only 30 miles from the city.

3) Willamette Valley -- take Highway 99W southwest of the city and tour multiple wineries. You can do five or six in an afternoon. The ones in Dundee are the best. Terrific views. Eat lunch in McMinnville and tour the little farmer's market. There is a French bistro which a sommelier recommended that was closed, so we ended up eating at another little place.

4) Columbia Gorge -- spectacular views. Along the historic highway, there are pulloffs for trails to waterfalls every few miles, culminating in the grand Multnomah Falls which are something like 600 feet high. There is a hiking trail up the side of the gorge that goes on for several miles up to an old volcano called Larch Mountain, which supposedly allows grand views of the Gorge and Mount Hood. Leading into Hood River, there are more wineries (some even better than in the Willamette Valley), and in Hood river itself there are some good restaurants and both the Full Sail and Double Mountain breweries. The Columbia at Hood River has some of the best windsurfing in the world. 3 Rivers Bistro had good food. Sixth Street Bistro allegedly is also good. Or, eat at one of the breweries.

5) Mount Hood -- this 11,000+ foot volcano towers over the region, and offers a myriad of outdoor opportunities. The town of Sandy is in the area and has some shops and eateries. A good scenic tour entails taking Highway 35 out of Hood River around the mountain, and then taking US 26 from Government Camp back towards Portland.

[DarkReign]

Ace9 has died of dysentery.

[leemajors]

As for beer, we have more breweries (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_breweries) than anywhere else in the world, per capita. I'll be going again this evening to the Deschutes Brewpub on NW 11th, downtown Portland. The 22 oz. bottles in my current sig are from there.

too much hop extract in that Red Chair, although it was good. It was just lacking in bitterness. I preferred their Hop Henge IPA, which was excellent. Gotta wait till next year on that though.

[Wild Cobra]

too much hop extract in that Red Chair, although it was good. It was just lacking in bitterness. I preferred their Hop Henge IPA, which was excellent. Gotta wait till next year on that though.
Yea, I finally drank it a few nights ago. I didn't care for it much either.

Are you saying they use extract instead of hops? They might on that one. I haven't tried Hop Hedge. Inversion is my favorite of all IPA's I've ever had. Three types of hops initially, then dry hopped for seven days... I love the flavor.

I like the write-up they have on Hop Trip. I'm going to have to try some when it's in season:
This Fresh Hop Pale Ale is all about celebrating the hop harvest in the fall. Fresh picked hops have to be added to the brew immediately and in abundance. Roughly 680 pounds of Crystal hops from Doug Weathers' farm outside Salem, Oregon will be added to each 120 barrel batch in addition to some dry kilned whole flower hops. That adds up to approximately 5.7 pounds of hops per barrel brewed. Another deliciously interesting beer in our Bond Street Series.

[Wild Cobra]

Powell's Bookstore and the Deschutes Brewery are worth seeing.

Yes, I believe Powell's is the biggest used book store in the world. You can find just about anything there. They also have a rare books store and a technical bookstore at other locations.

I assume by your name, you like stouts. Did you try the Obsidian on nitro tap at the brewery?


Despite the city's myriad shortcomings, it is well situated for a variety of day trips, which also provide the opportunity to get away from the a-holes in town.

You should have stayed outside the city. Downtown is a dump.


Further down to places I didn't go, there is a cheese factory in Tillamook and apparently Newport is nice. Also somewhere along there US 101 drives along the coast.

You should have visited the cheese factory. They have some pretty good tours.