Small confession since I'm half-way through my Portland trip description: prior to spring break, I was a little hesitant about the Pacific Northwest. See, I lived in Seattle for three months (February, March, and April) for a graduate school internship. Before I left for Seattle, everyone said to me, "It's going to be really rainy. I hope you like rain." And, in my head, I thought, "I like rain! I'll curl up with a book and a blanket, listening to the sound of the rain on the roof." Then, I arrived in Seattle and all those rainy day dreams were washed away. First, when it's always rainy, you have to run errands, go to work, and do real life things. You can't just curl up with a book all day. Second, the rain in Seattle is not like rain I have experienced in any other location. It doesn't rain down for 2-3 hours and then clear up. Instead, the rain hangs over the city in a misty drizzle all day, making everything damp and chilling you to the bone. Also, I didn't have many friends, since I was only there for 3 months, so I was either hanging out inside by myself, waiting for the misty drizzle to pass, or running errands by myself in the misty drizzle. However, I am so glad that I gave the Pacific Northwest another chance during our trip to Portland. Even though it was the same time of year and it was still rainy, we powered through with our raincoats, not caring if we got wet. On this trip, I was able to admire how everyone continues to play in Portland even in wet weather. And, you know what? I learned that there is a sense of camaraderie in braving the rain together for the Shamrock Run or the Timbers game. The rain even added to the experience in certain instances. In the previous post, I described all the coffee shops we tried, Powell's City of Books, the Shamrock Run, and the Portland Timbers game. In this post, I will cover the Columbia River Gorge and all the restaurants we tried. Our group decided to take advantage of the glorious weather (60s and sunny) to accomplish another item on my "must do" Portland list: hiking. One of the best things about the Pacific Northwest is the abundance of outdoor activities within easy distance from the major cities. My friend recommended that we head to the Columbia River Gorge and hike to Angel's Rest. The drive to Angel's Rest from southeast Portland took us less than 45 minutes. It's a 2.3 mile hike one way. I wouldn't describe the hike as "easy", since it is uphill for 2.3 miles and there is a small portion of the trail near the top where there are rocks to walk over rather than a well-defined dirt trail. As we hiked up, I was in awe of the vibrant green colors, the sound of nearby waterfalls, and the amazing scent of the Douglas Fir trees. Let me tell you, pine scented candles are nice, but nothing compares to the real thing in the crisp Oregon air. The views of the Columbia River are gorgeous from the top as well. If you need convincing, just take a look at the photo on the top of this post. There are also some wonderful natural spaces within the city limits of Portland, such as Mt. Tabor Park. Mt. Tabor Park is on a hill overlooking Portland and contains many trees as well as green space within the city. We also visited Multnomah Falls, which was near the trailhead to Angel's Rest. For those who don't want a long hike but still want to see some of the natural beauty of the area, Multnomah Falls is a great choice. The walk up to the bridge that crosses the falls is only a quarter of a mile, and you can feel the spray from the falls. It's really amazing to see and hear the power of the water thundering down! Another great aspect of Portland is the variety of delicious healthy and ethnic foods available at restaurants. We appreciate options for allergy-friendly dining, since I am gluten-free and Brett has a severe dairy allergy. Luckily, our friends knew some great places to take us for good food. Portland has some huge food truck parks as well, where there are options for everyone and an outdoor dining area in the middle of the food trucks! Here is a list of the restaurants we sampled during our trip:
It was hard to say goodbye to Portland. I truly enjoyed my time there, despite the rainy days. I enjoyed seeing my college roommate and her husband. I loved the healthy, delicious food options and amazing coffee shops. I cheered with the Timbers Army at the game. I hiked up to Angel's Rest and soaked in the views of the Columbia River Gorge. I relished browsing the shelves and shelves of books at Powell's. The people in Portland were friendly and eclectic, and, even in the city, the plants are vibrantly green. They say "Keep Portland Weird" (a familiar slogan to those of us here in Austin), a reference to the eccentricities of the city as well as individuality in expression and lifestyle of its residents.
The last picture that I took on the trip is below. It features the famous carpet at the PDX airport. When we arrived, my husband and I commented that the carpet was ugly. During our trip, we learned that it's beloved in Portland, and it is a tradition to take a picture of your feet on the carpet. We learned that it's kind of a symbol of the city. Something familiar and comforting to send people off on a trip and to welcome them back home to Portland. People have PDX carpet tattoos. They make PDX carpet socks and other gear. They're tearing out the famous carpet and replacing it, so it will be gone by November 2015. By the time we left, after experiencing the city, it was a little bittersweet to see the PDX carpet under my feet. It did feel a little like an old friend saying goodbye. The next time we fly to Portland, the PDX carpet will be gone, but I have no doubt that the spirit - something weird, cool, and uniquely Portland - will still be there to welcome us back.
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Portland, Oregon. Stumptown. PDX. Rip City. Rose City. Bridgetown. Beervana. My husband and I decided to take a spring break trip to Portland for a few reasons. First, my college roommate lives in Portland now with her husband. They were married here in summer, but we were unable to come to the wedding, so we wanted to visit with them as well as see the city. Second, my husband, Brett, LOVES the Pacific Northwest. I lived in Seattle for three months, and, when he flew out to visit me, he fell in love with the region. It offers its residents and visitors many of the things that we both love: great coffee, natural beauty, hiking, gluten-free beer (a key factor for someone who is gluten-free by necessity, like me), delicious ethnic food, and the list goes on. Third, Texas is crazy right now with thousands of people descending on Austin for SXSW and hordes of college students road-tripping to South Padre Island. Thus far, we have spent two full days in Portland, exploring the city, walking in the rain, and drinking cups upon cups of coffee. Portland is known for having some excellent coffee roasters and coffee shops. We have visited quite a few during our time, especially given that my college roommate and husband drink coffee throughout the day like it's water. Brett is very into studying coffee flavors, brewing methods, and equipment. Here is a quick run down of some coffee shops that we visited:
Powell's City of Books was on my "must see" list, since I adore books. Everything about them is appealing to me: the smell, the feel of the pages, the cover art, the fictional worlds I can explore, and the new information available. Powell's Books is a gigantic, multi-level bookstore in downtown Portland, divided into various rooms based on genre. I could easily spend days in a bookstore that takes up an entire city block! One of the most interesting rooms to peruse is the rare book room, which displays and sells a variety of rare volumes, including first editions and signed copies. There was a first edition of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the 1800s. Also, there are staff recommendations in every section. On the shelves, new and used books were mixed in together, so the customer can choose their price and condition for some books. Highly recommended for avid readers. Make sure to go to the downtown location rather than some of the other, smaller locations around the city. We also drove up to Pittock Mansion, which is on a hill overlooking the city of Portland. It was originally the home of The Oregonian publisher and his wife, but it is now owned by the city's Parks and Recreation department. We did not explore the inside of the house (Cost: $10 per person), but the grounds are free and offer spectacular views of the city's skyline and Mount Hood on a clear day. Unfortunately, our day was not clear, so we couldn't see much. When we decided on the dates of our visit, my college roommate asked if I would be interested in doing the Shamrock Run with her. She told me that it's a big race, since it kicks off the running season in Portland. The Shamrock Run offers a variety of race lengths, including 5k, 8k, 15k, and a half-marathon. We signed up for the 8k. It started at Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park along the Willamette River and continued along the waterfront and through downtown Portland. I have only run two other races in my life and have never signed up for one as part of a vacation, but, I have to say, it ended up being a great way to see the city. In true Pacific Northwest fashion, we ended up running in the rain, dodging puddles and questioning whether our dampness was due to sweat or precipitation. In the afternoon following the Shamrock Run, our group went to the Portland Timbers game. We learned that the Timbers are a big deal in Portland, as one of the two professional sports teams in the city (along with the Trailblazers). Walking to the game, we saw many groups of people in green and gold with Timbers jerseys and scarfs. Our seats were around midfield, but the exciting place to sit is in the Timbers Army, if you can get seats there. The Timbers Army is responsible for much of the game day atmosphere, leading cheers for almost the entire game, waving flags, and throwing streamers. They were playing the LA Galaxy, so it was a big game and excitement was high. It ended in a tie (2-2). I had never been to a Major League Soccer game before, and I absolutely loved it!
'WHEN I ROOT, I ROOT FOR THE TIMBERS!" One last note for this post: Portland has a great public transportation system. Anyone who spends any time with me has probably heard about my dislike of cars and car maintenance. I would love to live somewhere that allows me to get around solely by public transportation, biking, and walking. I got around Portland, between my friend's house, the Shamrock Run, and downtown Portland for the Timbers Game, using the bus system. The bus cost me just $5 for an all-day pass. I found it cheap and easy to use. Once downtown, we were able to walk everywhere we needed to go. There is also a light rail system (MAX) that connects the city with suburbs and the airport. Stay tuned for my second Portland blog post, featuring all the restaurants we sampled and hiking the Columbia River Gorge! |
AuthorMy name is Alyssa Good and I have a passion for travel, adventure, culture, and new experiences! I focus on budget friendly travel, trip planning resources, and seeking out new experiences. Archives
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