Time for another travel guide! And this time to one of my favorite cities to visit in the States – Portland, OR. I’ve been to Portland about 4 times already and I fall in love every time. From the laid back vibes and all the nature-y activities that are so easily accessible it’s definitely somewhere I could see myself living for an extended period of time for sure!
Portland Coffee Shops are the BEST!
You all know by now that I drink more coffee when I’m on vacation than when I’m at home/ during the work week. And Portland has some of the best coffee shops around. Check out my yelp list here. Some of my favorites are:
Stumptown Coffee
Heart Coffee
Presso Coffee
Hiking Activities
Alrighty, once you’re fueled up and ready to take on the day there are A BUNCH of hiking options that I recommend doing early in the day before the crowds. Unfortunately due to the fires last year in 2017 a lot of the trails are closed. HOWEVER, a few you can still access are Multnomah (limited trails), Latourell Falls (an easy 3ish mile loop trail photo below) and Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail. For when the other trails are open after the wildlife has rehabilitated – I suggest: Oneonta Gorge and Eagle Creek Trail.
Other non-outdoorsy things to do
If you’re not an outdoorsy hiking type, don’t worry! There’s plenty of other things to do that don’t involve nature. If you like to get crafty with your hands, you can go to DIY bar to create a cool souvenir while you sip on some beer. OR if you like reading like Kevin and I, you can head over to the largest independently owned bookstore in the US (maybe in the world? but don’t quote me on that) Powell’s! It’s in a convenient location around downtown so if you have some time to kill before dinner like we did – head over there, grab a book and a cup of coffee at their cafe and enjoy!
Cathedral Park is a park underneath the St. John’s bridge and is a pretty cool location to chill and have a picnic. Or if you’re like me, you use it as an opportunity for a photoshoot! 🙂
Another great place for a photo op is the HUGE Portland theater sign in front of the Arlene Schnitzer Theater. The angle can be kind of tricky and you have to go during a time where shadows from the other buildings don’t make the lighting funky.
I stopped by this cute little plant shop called Solabee Botanicals to buy a new home for my baby Sansevieria named Richard. And they have the cutest little pots and knick knacks.
And last but not least, if you’re lucky enough to have a hookup to either the Nike or Adidas employee store – DEFINITELY check them out. The Adidas store recently upgraded their employee store and they now have a HUGE selection of ultraboosts. If you do plan on visiting these places, I recommend bringing a collapsible duffle bag in your luggage because trust me – you’ll need it. (see pic below)
Food and Brews!!
Okay yes, I know you must be screaming in your head, when is she getting to the good part – THE FOOD!! I saved the best for last duh~ So let’s go:
Grassa –Â No joke, Kevin and I ate here twice during our short trip and I cannot yell this louder via blog post but – GET THE PORK BELLY MAC AND CHEESE!!!
Tasty and Sons – or their other sister restaurants Tasty and Alder etc. for brunch. Get there early preferably before 12PM or even 11:30 as the line can get long.
Lechon – For our anniversary dinner Kevin booked this tapas place and I love the small plates to share style food. You get to taste more plates! hehehe. The best dishes were the bone marrow and empanadas!
Afuri – Our good friends Alan and Sarah were in Portland the same weekend as well and we joined their group for lunch at this new ramen spot straight from Japan. Known for their Yuzu Tsukemen, but honestly their appetizers were bomb as well.
Cascade Brewing Barrel House – If you have time after Afuri, then head right down the street to this brewery! They have outdoor seating and great line up of sours.
Other suggestions that I wasn’t able to visit this trip are:
- Andina
- Pine State Biscuits
- Pok Pok
- Kevin loves Luc Lac
- Blue Star Donuts
- VooDoo Donuts
- Le Pigeon
- Whiskey Library (needs reservations!!)
- Toro Bravo
- Screen Door
- Deschutes Brewery
So as you can see there are PLENTY of things to do in Portland that would make a weekend trip worth your while! My trip last weekend definitely did not disappoint and will definitely not be my last. 🙂
Hope this inspired you all to make a trip out there!
Till next time,
#WheresRaychow
