About this time last year, we headed up to Portland, Oregon for a friend’s wedding. It’s safe to say that most Arizonans have an obsession with the Pacific Northwest. It’s probably something about the rain and actual greenery. It has certainly been on our “to check out” list for a while. The wedding was set to take place in Downtown Portland so we opted to stay in that area. We had friends coming from all over the states, so we piled everyone into a airbnb with far-less-than-advertised beds for 2 days of exploration. 

See + Do 

Karen’s Pick – Donut Tour! Ok, so this wasn’t really an activity we could find but as two donut lovers, we made up our own. Not knowing the Portland areas, we stuck to places that were within walking distance of our apartment downtown. The itinerary was Coco Donuts (a local chain), Blue Star, NOLA, and Voodoo. Voodoo is of course a Portland institution, at least for tourists. My favorite was likely Blue Star. It had a minimalist, industrial vibe with some interesting flavor combinations. Overall, this was a fun activity to introduce us to Portland. It had us walking all over downtown and allowed us to get a real sense of the city… which was surprising quiet for a Friday morning. A Google search showed that a couple of companies do walking food tours including some with a focus on donuts. They seem to be right around $30 to $50 and include some interesting information on Portland. If you don’t want to spend too much time googling and mapping options, these companies may be a good choice. However, we found it easy to identify a ton of options around us and on the plus side our tour was free! 

Paul’s Pick – I also loved our home grown Donut Tour! Karen did an amazing job finding a few donut shops that were all within walking distance. We got a quick introduction to Portland and ate our haul in a park on the river side. Overall it was a wonderful day and we had leftovers to bring to our companions staying at the apartment with us. My favorite was NOLA donuts, we got amazing beignets with a plethora of different dipping sauces. These folks really knew what they were doing and had plenty of other pastry options and coffee. This location was also closest to Powell’s Books which we took some time to visit in for a while during our stay and you can read more about in the “Of Note” section. 

See + Do Of Note – While donuts ranked highest on our list of activities in Portland, there was no lack of cool things to do. We managed to stop in to Powell’s Books twice during our short weekend here. The flagship store was short walk from our Airbnb and though we’d already been the friends we were with wanted to go back. It is a neat place to look around and maybe pick up something good to read. The staff was friendly and helpful even to browsers like us. Be sure to head up to the 3rd floor to check out the rare books collections. Another spot we enjoyed was the Japanese Garden. Just a short light rail ride from downtown is this wonderful garden on top of a hill. Though busy, it still seemed very calm and boasted amazing views of Mt. Hood and a stunning collection of very old bonsai trees. We had wanted to get in hike or forest walk while we were here but with limited time and no wish to pack yet another pair of shoes, we opted for the Japanese Garden. It was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours outside. 

Eat + Drink 

Karen’s Pick – I’m going to sound like a broken record here and it may come as no surprise but my pick goes to donuts! One donut in particular stood out and that was the Blueberry Bourbon Basil donut at Blue Star. This thing was amazing and I still have dreams about it. You can actually taste the basil in it. The flavors were complex and it was just the right amount of sweet. Even if you don’t have time for a tour, I recommend stopping by Blue Star for one of their tasty creations. 

Paul’s Pick – We had an amazing brunch our second morning in Portland at a local stop called Tasty n Adler. This was an american brunch restaurant that specializes in small plates. The six of us sat outside on a beautiful August morning. We shared everything from potatoes bravas to sausages to korean fried chicken. It was all delicious!  My personal favorite was the bim bop bacon and eggs. Be sure to get there early as the line starts forming before they even open! 

Eat + Drink Of Note – It may be clear at this point that we love food! We aren’t traditional foodies with impossibly high standards. We’re more the type who watch way too much Food Network and want to eat everything we can find. Portland was a wonderland of good spots. Our first night in town, we waiting for hours to get into Luc Lac Vietnamess Kitchen. It’s easy to see why this place stays so busy. It was amazing. It has a strange set up where you have to ask for a table (they don’t take reservations) and then wait for your party to be called. From there you order at the counter and you are taken to your table to wait for your food. It was super tasty… just don’t try to go on a Friday night with 10 people if you don’t like to wait. Portland also has a huge food truck culture. On our ride from the airport, we noticed a full city block of food trucks next to our Airbnb. We didn’t manage to make it here while these trucks were open, but a collection of trucks were parked on a little square a few blocks in the other direction. By this point, both of us were suffering from a huge sugar rush and were desperate for something savory on our way to the Japanese Garden. We opted for the grilled cheese truck and sat and ate it at some little tables nearby. It was a nice lunch break that allowed us some good people watching. The trucks seem to always be set up in groups so there are always plenty of options to try in one place. We got some more outside time and caught up with our friends in the area when visiting a cool rooftop bar at the Nine’s Hotel. Here we spent a few hours catching up with old friends enjoying the Portland skyline. Something we were really interested in but weren’t able to swing was Multnomah Whiskey Library. This super exclusive whiskey bar boosts a huge collection of different whiskeys and serves a smaller selection of beer, wine, cocktails, and food. Typically, Multnomah requires a membership of $650 for access. They do allow walk-up reservations but it is no guarantee you’ll get in, especially with a larger party. Alternatively, you can buy a “hall pass” for $25 and request a reservation 72 hours in advance. There are limits on the date, time, and capacity, so you’ll have to be flexible. With a large group and limited time, we weren’t able to organize a trip Multnomah Whiskey Library. We have a soft spot for speakeasies, so this place will be on our list for next time!

Local Insights 

We stayed in an Airbnb in the heart of downtown Portland. It fit our needs and was only a few blocks from the hotel where the wedding took place; however, it wasn’t the nicest area for tourists. Friends of ours stayed at another Airbnb on the east side of the Willamette River that runs through town. This side boasts the neighborhoods of Hawthorne, Belmot, and the Central Eastside. While they had more traveling to get to the venue and other areas of attractions and nightlife, there were plenty of cute coffee shops and eateries around them. When we make it back to Portland, we will aim to stay on the eastside. Airbnbs in the area run from about $75 to $250 per night. The hotels are almost all in downtown or the Pearl district. There is an almost unlimited selection of hotel brands and boutique options to fit any budget. 

Portland’s airport is pretty far outside of town and the cab or rideshare into town is not super cheap. However, there is not a ton of parking in much of Portland either. We wouldn’t recommend renting a car unless you are intending to head out of actual Portland. Once actually in Portland, there are plenty of options for public transport like the light rail, tram, and busses. We also saw a huge number of rentable scooters. Though they were banned for a period since our trip (and tons of other cities are looking to curb these companies operations), they have since been returned for a pilot program. The number of units will be limited and you are supposed to wear a helmet under certain laws. With the number of train tracks and cars, especially in downtown, we would hesitate to rely on this method of transport too heavily. Look for public transport and ride share as better options. 

Have you visited Portland or live in the Portland area? We’d love to hear your thoughts and recommendations on what to see, do, eat, and drink in the comments!