Portland- A fascinating city that is completely different from any other US city. Travel here to grasp the strength of local business and a tight community.
Background
Caitlyn and I went to Portland for our Christmas gifts to each other. We spent 3 full days roaming the city and discovering its identity. We can agree that there is no place quite like Portland. I mean this in both good and bad ways. Portland is a perfect city to eat, drink, and bike around. It has so many hidden breweries, bars, bowling alleys, shops, and cafes. The layout of the city is brilliant. The infrastructure in the city is a uniformed 200 by 200-foot blocks, making it super simple for walking and biking everywhere. This also allows for small businesses to thrive because the buildings are not big enough for big-box stores. We had the perfect time taking advantage of these benefits and walked everywhere we went.
The city also has a downside. In 2021, the city allowed for tents to be pitched by anyone and anywhere in the city. This sounds like a beautiful idea for the less fortunate people of our society, but it has negative repercussions for the majority of the residents. It created a very dirty city center. Many blocks of the city have been taken over by tents and they become unwalkable. We read that Portland was an “unsafe” place at night, but we only met kind people. It probably depends on where exactly you are in the city, but from our experience, these tents did not create an unsafe feeling to the city. Do not let this factor deter you from visiting Portland, as every large city has the same issue in some sense. Find out about how to travel to Portland on a budget!
Favorite Activities
The absolute best thing to do in Portland is hop around all day trying its food, beer, and donuts. The city is rich in food culture and the beer is the backbone to Portland society. I recommended some local places to check out in the section below.
The famous sport clothing company, Nike, started its fame in Portland and you can definitely tell. You can rent a BikeTown bike in every other block. All you have to do is create a Lyft account and connect the bike to the app. They are slightly motorized, so you are not working as hard as you would on a traditional bike. We picked these bikes up and rode them across the city to another park station. They are commonly used by people of Portland.
Some of the coolest natural urban parks I have ever been to have been in Portland. The city does a good job at maintaining their public spaces that surround the city. they are a little bit out of the way, but the TriMet bus system takes you to any park in the city. These parks are lush with green and flowers. They are also littered with Redwood trees (which was a nice surprise).
Recommended Places
Restaurants/brewers
The Toffee Club & Away Days Brewing (106 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214)
This little spot is a brewery on one end, and nice pub restaurant on the other. They serve the best British nitro beers I have ever had. The restaurant is known for showing European football games, so they serve brunch for early morning games. We went in the afternoon and has some tasty appetizers.
Cartopia (1207 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214)
This is one of Portland’s many food-truck courts. They have little fire pits outside that are covered for when it gets cold at night. This one specifically was close to our Airbnb, so we visited for food often.
Pine State Biscuits (1100 SE Division St #100, Portland, OR 97202)
This place is super famous and you probably have heard about it on another blog. We went to check out the hype. Prepare to not feel very good after going here, as it is super filling. It was worth it. It reminded me of the Denver Biscuit Company. It is very busy (especially on weekends) so prepare to take your food to-go.
Grand Central Bowl & Arcade (808 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214)
This place is kind of pricy, but a lot of fun. They only have 10 or so lanes, so make sure to make reservations. The food is also pretty good.
HOME, A Bar (719 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214)
If you are looking for a local spot where locals go when they get off work, go here. Super friendly environment. It is just another little divey bar, however we met some of the coolest people in Portland here. They gave us recommendations and were overall just real people. If you’re looking for a local experience, go here.
Creepy’s (627 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214)
Creepy’s really engulfs the eerie side of Portland. It is a dive bar with basic cocktails, but the aroma is strange and … Creepy. I was entertained by the decorations they had up in this place. Super weird and even weirder people.
Helium Comedy Club (1510 SE 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97214)
Go to Helium Comedy Club if you want a cheap comedy experience. We bought $10 tickets and had a blast. This is a true local activity.
Outdoor Activities
Hoyt Arboretum
The Hoyt Arboretum was probably the coolest of the outdoor spots we went to. You can take the train from the central district to the park. It takes you on an underground tunnel and then you can take an elevator to the ground level. Pretty neat experience getting there. It is very accessible, but also out of the way. This park had so many huge trees. They had recently built the “Redwood Deck” and it is a must see inside of the park. It overlooks countless Redwood trees. It was a mini redwood forest. You can spend all day getting lost in this park. It is even cooler when it is raining.
Portland Japanese Gardens
This is in the same area as the Zoo, Hoyt, and other attractions. We thought it would be cool to see some of Portland’s famous gardens. This was the funniest mistake of our trip. Remember, we went in February. Tulips do not grow in the middle of the winter in the Pacific Northwest. However, I added this to the list because it is a must-see are of the city that is well-kept and gorgeous (with or without flowers)
Red Fox trail (1843-1889 Boca Ratan Dr, Lake Oswego, OR 97034)
This area of Portland is well out of the way, but still only a short bus ride to access. The trails start right next to the Lewis and Clark College. We walked around the campus and into the forest next to it. The hike is gorgeous, and we forgot that we were in Portland. Absolutely must see this because no one else is doing it.
Multnomah Falls
This is one of the tallest waterfalls in North America. With that, comes loads of people. We went in February and still ran into crowds of people. Nonetheless it is a must-see if you are in Portland. We took an hour-long bus from the city center to the outskirts of the city. I recommend that when visiting to follow the trail behind the waterfall. The trail is paved from top to bottom of the falls, but once at the top there is another trail that is less traveled. Give yourself 3ish hours to explore the entirety of this pretty area.
Traveling on a Budget to Portland
The best way to do this is get off the beaten path. Do not go to all of the most hyped up places in Portland. Do not get a $7 donut every morning just because you hear the Portland is famous for donuts. The reality of it is that there are fancy donut places in every big city. The coffee is also kind of over priced. There is nothing special about the coffee itself, but the cafes are kind of fun to check out.
Do NOT take a Uber, Lyft, or taxi anywhere. The public transit (TriMet) pass for a day is around only $5 for the day. You can get anywhere in the city in under 45 minutes using public transit. You will see what I am talking about when you are there. It is amazing.
Always stay in a local Airbnb. When trying to find a cool neighborhood to stay in, remember that every neighborhood has its share of bars, pubs and strip clubs. Try to find a cheap Airbnb, and it will work out no matter what part of the city you are staying in.
Conclusion
Portland is a city like none other. This well-designed city is perfect for a nice weekend trip. This article provides various places to within Portland and how to travel here on a budget. With countless bars, restaurants, and entertainment, you will never be bored with the city’s offerings. Travel to Portland if you want to experience small-business America.