Downtime on Cannon Beach.
Sometimes Portland seems almost too good to be true. Just try to get locals to stop rhapsodizing about the cuisine, the liveability and bike-ability, the great neighborhoods, the nearby mountains and ocean, the beer and wine and coffee and—see what I mean? Once a gritty younger sibling to Seattle, the City of Roses has roared into its own in recent years, becoming a nationwide magnet for creative, outdoorsy folks young, old, and in-between—anyone who wants a vibrant, forward-thinking city that’s also manageable. Now Portland swings far above its weight class in everything from coffee roasting to sustainability. Here are just a few of the highlights.
❶ Browse Powell’s City of Books. The world’s top independent bookstore fills an entire city block (and that’s just this branch) with over 1.5 million new and used books. It’s pure bibliophile nirvana. See p 77.
Cycling across the Hawthorne Bridge.
❷ Bike over the Hawthorne Bridge. Bikes are a way of life in Portland, and there’s no better way to join the rolling masses than to take a spin across the Hawthorne Bridge over the Willamette River, especially in the evening. See p 93.
❸ Gaze on Mt. Hood from the International Rose Test Garden. The flowers are gorgeous and the views are even better up here in Washington Park. On a clear day you can see multiple snowcapped volcanoes on the eastern horizon, with Mt. Hood at center stage. See p 13.
❹ Stock up at the Portland State University Saturday Farmer’s Market. Local organic produce, baked goods, food carts, and family-friendly entertainment make the Saturday-morning market at PSU a weekend must-do from March through December. See p 82.
The International Rose Test Garden.
❺ Enjoy a moment of quiet meditation at the Portland Japanese Garden. The most authentic of its kind outside of Japan, the Portland Japanese Garden offers countless serene nooks for contemplating the meticulously manicured rocks and greenery—or your own navel. See p 15.
❻ Venture into the Shanghai Tunnels. Take a guided underground tour for a peek into Portland’s sordid past, when drunken sailors and drifters were “Shanghaied”—kidnapped and forced to work on oceangoing ships. See p 34.
❼ Go to Alberta Street for Last Thursdays. In the rest of the city, it’s the first Thursday of every month that brings the gallery openings. Up on Alberta, though, they go with the “Keep Portland Weird” theme and turn the whole street into one big party of art, music, and eccentricity on the last Thursday. See p 59.
❽ People-watch at Stumptown. The quintessential Portland coffee roaster runs a handful of coffee shops that double as primo spots for eyeballing and tattoo-spotting. The downtown branch has the best field of view. See p 62.
Vintage flicks at the Bagdad Theater.
❾ Have lunch at the original food cart “pod.” On SW 5th Avenue between Oak and Stark streets, the line-up of food carts offers you a choice from a global variety of dishes including Cuban, Thai, Indian, pizza, or “Bulkogi Fusion” (that is, Korean tacos), to name just a few. See p 69.
❿ Watch river traffic on the Willamette. The Eastbank Esplanade’s floating walkway is a great place to spot barges, sailboats, dragon boats, and other water craft. Plus it offers a primo view of the downtown skyline at sunset. See p 67.
⓫ Ramble through Forest Park. Eight square miles of wild forest, streams, gorges, and fern-covered hillsides wait on the west side of the city, with more than 70 miles of hiking trails and fire roads to explore. See p 86.
⓬ Catch a movie at the Bagdad Theater. Order a microbrew and a slice of pizza and enjoy a second-run movie in this fully restored 1927 movie palace in the lively Hawthorne District. Stay for dinner or a drink afterward, or venture down the block for dozens of other nightlife options. See p 127.
⓭ Taste a local pinot noir in the Willamette Valley. South of Portland, the mild climate and volcanic soil of the Willamette River Valley is ideal for growing wine grapes, which translates into more than 400 wineries. See p 148.
⓮ Go skiing on Mt. Hood, no matter what the season. It’s the only place in the country with lift-accessible skiing year-round. Or just enjoy the views from the 1927 Timberline Lodge, whose snowbound exterior doubled for the hotel in The Shining. (The service here is much better, though.) See p 140.
⓯ Hike to a waterfall in the Columbia Gorge. There are plenty to choose from, but from the Oneonta Trailhead, one easy loop leads you to four waterfalls, including a cascade that you walk behind. See p 144.
Pony Tail Falls in the Columbia Gorge.
⓰ Fly a kite on the beach at Manzanita. The ocean may be too chilly up here to enjoy without a wet suit, but Oregon’s shoreline is as spectacular as any on the West Coast, and the charming beach town of Manzanita is within day-trip distance of Portland. See p 157. •
