July Travel

[dcseain]

I don't think any of you are near there, but tomhundleyrn and i are going to be in Portland, OR from the evening of Monday, 21 July through the morning of Saturday, 26 July.

Any suggestions from any of you as to what to do while we're there?

If feasible, i'll try to bring back a vegan donut or so for ksatyr.

Comments

[dmiley.livejournal.com]

Powells main bookstore is a must. Hawthorne district is very touristy and nice to walk around. South of Portland are some really fine wineries with tours.

David

[tovahs.livejournal.com]

I'm leaving on July 30th for Portland, OR and will be back Aug 4th. (family reunion) So please let me know if you find anything of great interest.

[dcseain.livejournal.com]

Will do! dmiley's suggestions are good. I look forward to what the pope not_the_pope has to suggest, other than teh vote for Powell's i know she'll have.

[elegaer.livejournal.com]

Powells Powells Powells Powells Powells!

Multnomah Falls are amazing, and about 20 minutes outside the centre.

If you like fish, Jake's famous crawfish is the most amazing restaurant (but I can't remember if you're vegetarian or not).

And there's a fab sex shop over the road from Powells LOOOOL.

[elegaer.livejournal.com]

And Mt St Helens is nearby, and the crater-most observatory is open now.

There's OMSI for science fun stuff (http://www.omsi.edu/) as well.

[elric-dewisant.livejournal.com]

Voodoo Doughnuts has vegan doughnuts. You can find them downtown, middle of the block, just off Burnside on SW 3rd (Riverside tobacco, the str8 porn theatre with the anime looking marquee, Voodoo, then Berbatti's Pan: You can't miss it).

I live only a few blocks from there, so if you need a tour guide, I do a mean Tour Guide Barbie act. :)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[elric-dewisant.livejournal.com]

They do. It's awesome. THey also have a giant creme-filled thing called the "Cock and Balls" that I've been dying to try....but it's expensive. $5.25 each.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[ksatyr.livejournal.com]

Ooooooooooooh :) The secret is in the hole! Thankee, that would be most wonderful of you!

[herdarkmistress.livejournal.com]

If you are vegan you need to buy Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World. BEST cupcake book ever. (Specially the 'chocolate' ones)

[herdarkmistress.livejournal.com]

YAH Road trip. Have fun.

[not-the-pope.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, of course. You simply *MUST* go to Powell's. That goes without saying, although of course I've said it.

Let's see, what else is there to do in Portland?

Assuming you have/can score transportation: Multnomah Falls (actually more than one falls) has some great hiking trails. The Grotto is gorgeous and very peaceful. Mt. Hood is visible (on a good day) and may be within driving distance for you. Downtown should be worth a wander through, especially on the waterfront. I seem to remember there's some good restaurants down there. Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is cool -- there used to be some light shows at the observatory there that were pretty cool. It's too late in the year for the Rose Festival...although the Botanical Gardens are very nice. The Portland Zoo isn't a rival for the National Zoo, but it's nice. You might like the Farmers' Market downtown as well. A quick check of the first Google search results link (http://www.travelportland.com/event_calendar/) shows that the Oregon Brewers Festival will be going on while you're there. That might give you a chance to taste not only some Henry's (Henry Weinhardt's if you're unfamiliar) but also other Oregon brews. Oh, make sure you get a chance to try Henry's root beer, especially if you like Dominion. Henry's uses vanilla rather than the honey that Dominion uses (or is it the other way around, I never remember) but they're a very interesting contrast.

Anyway, that's a quick off-the-cuff list. :-) The link might provide you with more interesting info. I hope you enjoy the trip. Portland is a pretty nice place to visit, and most Oregonians are nice folks. Just remember that Portland does not equal the entire state of Oregon, and you'll be fine. :-) Have fun!

[selki.livejournal.com]

There's a lovely Japanese garden I visited 15 years ago: http://www.japanesegarden.com/
It has a great view of Mt. Hood from the balcony of the tea house.

[keystricken.livejournal.com]

Hey there! I'm a Portlander vvalkyrie knows -- she's sent me over here to weigh in on your question. Looks like your friends are on top of things: Powell's, Multnomah Falls, and the Japanese Gardens are probably the three places you most need to see. The Rimsky-Korsakoffee House is one of Portland's better-kept secrets; I can also recommend the Pied Cow as an excellent coffeeshop. If you like bubble tea (or you want to learn to like it), Townshend's on NE Alberta is exactly where you should go. You could ride the aerial tram just for kicks. Try our microbrews (I don't drink beer, so I don't know what to recommend) and bring some Stumptown-brand coffee back with you as bribes for friends.

Also just take time to walk around the downtown! Don't drive everywhere you go; bikes and public transit are a large part of the Portland scene. Be relaxed! I hope you have a wonderful time, and if you need any more suggestions while you're there, feel free to drop me a line.