A Very Weird Weekend in Portland, OR
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After going to Portland, Maine a couple of weeks ago, we followed up by spending a weekend in Portland, Oregon, which is named after the Maine city. In fact, the story goes that the founder of Portland, OR were from Portland, ME and Boston, MA and they filled a coin to see whose city the Oregon town would be named after. Portland’s motto is “Keep Portland Weird” (they stole it from Austin), and weird is the best word to describe our weekend. So many things about this trip were unexpected or odd, but we still had a great time in spite (or because?) of it all.
This trip was weird for me before it ever began because it was the first trip Thomas and I have taken where he planned the trip instead of me (I only served as a consultant but didn’t really do the planning I promise!). He felt he had big shoes to fill and was nervous, but truly he crushed it. There was more spontaneity built into the trip than I may have planned, but that flexibility was great for the way this trip unfolded.
When we got to Portland late on Friday night, we found out that the streets were blocked off a block in every direction of our hotel. As it turns out, President Biden was visiting Portland and was staying at our hotel. I joked that this was probably the safest night of our entire lives with so much security everywhere. We had to present our hotel reservation in order to be allowed past the police barricade and then had to go through airport-like security to get to our hotel (through a side entrance only).
The Duniway Hotel
As best I can, I’ll review our stay at The Duniway Hotel in downtown Portland. A lot of things were different with the President around, but the hotel is well designed with lots of dark leather furnishings in the lobby that lent itself to a sophisticated masculine theme. The hotel had a café, bar, and restaurant, which was modified slightly to be a buffet for breakfast when the White House staff were around. There were other amenities on site, like the gym, but I didn’t venture to see them. This hotel was pretty reasonably priced and I would definitely recommend it if you’re coming to Portland.
I booked this hotel through the Amex travel portal to take advantage of the $200 hotel annual credit that the Amex Platinum card offers. That credit card also gets me automatic Hilton gold status, which got us a free upgrade to a corner king room which featured the biggest TV I’ve ever seen in a hotel room. We also received a $30/person breakfast credit and a $100 food & beverage credit, both of which we put to good use. Perks like these $360 in savings are important to factor in when choosing credit cards because those with high fees like the Amex Platinum may pay for themselves very quickly in benefits.
Day 1
Watching Secret Service officers
I woke up on Saturday at 5:30AM thanks to jet lag and went down to the lobby for coffee, but it really turned in to people watching the Secret Service and other White House staff for hours. From men in suits with earpieces to armed guards with snipers on their backs to bomb sniffing dogs and the press, it was fascinating to see the sheer volume of people involved with a quick presidential visit. Of course I was hoping to see the president, but had no such luck – they probably whisked him out an alternate entrance instead of having him walk through the lobby. It was once in a lifetime experience though and as a project manager, it left me wanting to know more about the logistics of presidential travel.
Keep Portland Weird Sign
“Keep Portland Weird” is the iconic phrase of the city and there’s a mural that bears the words near Chinatown. We walked ~15 minutes from our hotel to see the sign and were disappointed to find that it’s on the back of a building overlooking a parking lot that was full of dumpsters and homeless people. It wasn’t quite what we expected and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone coming to Portland.
Voodoo Donuts
Everyone we talked to in Portland overwhelmingly agreed that Voodoo Donuts is overrated and that there are much better options in the city. We were already in the area since it’s near the Keep Portland Weird sign and the line was short, so Thomas got a donut and said he enjoyed it but said it was very heavy (I wasn’t hungry + Voodoo has an Austin location so I have tried it before when I lived there).
Greenleaf Juice
After Voodoo Donuts we walked along the riverfront and back to our hotel. Despite it being October, it was really hot, so we stopped for lunch at Greenleaf Juice for an açai bowl and smoothie. I got the Sunrise Açai Bowl without the coconut and Thomas got the Berry Fix Smoothie (which I also ordered the next day). Both were delicious and didn’t take too long to make, but we didn’t have anyone in front of us in line. There are only 2 stools inside to eat at, but it’s across the street from a public square where you could sit and eat. We also ended up running into some of the same Secret Service agents here who I’d seen earlier in our hotel.
Portland Japanese Garden
After lunch we got a Lyft and headed to the Portland Japanese Garden. We had pre-purchased tickets so we were able to walk right in, but others waited in line and were able to buy tickets on-site. It took us about 45 minutes to stroll through the garden and it was incredibly peaceful. Also, because of the way the garden is situated, it was noticeably cooler in some areas, which was a welcome reprieve on a hot day.
International Rose Test Garden
Right across from the Japanese Garden is the International Rose Test Garden, which is free and you can just walk right in. October isn’t peak rose season, but there were still a good amount of flowers. We had expected a more beautifully laid out, manicured garden but instead just found rows and rows of flowers, so we only stayed a couple of minutes.
Cell phone service in Washington Park is pretty spotty, so it was a bit difficult to call a Lyft.
Pittock Mansion
Originally built in 1914 as a home for the Pittock family, the Pittock Mansion is now a museum showcasing the history of the home, the family, and the city of Portland. It reminded me of the Victoria Mansion we toured in Portland, Maine. We pre-purchased tickets in advance, but you could also buy them onsite. The visit to the home is a self-guided tour and there are signs in each room explaining everything. The first 2 floors showcase the home and its history, while the basement is dedicated to telling the stories of former slaves who came to Oregon. The mansion sits high on a hill and has a stunning view of downtown Portland, which is worth seeing even if you don’t want to pay to go inside the house. Between walking the grounds and going through the house, we spend about an hour at the mansion.
Dinner at Mayrose
We hadn’t planned a dinner reservation in advance and ended up choosing to eat at Mayrose, the restaurant inside The Duniway Hotel partly out of convenience and partly to use the $100 Amex food/beverage credit for a free dinner. The restaurant had mixed reviews on Yelp, but we really liked just about everything we ordered and it came out to less than $100 even with tip. We got the salmon toast, a side of bread, the burger, ratatouille pasta, and a side of green beans. The only thing I wouldn’t order next time would be the green beans, but I’d eat here again. I didn’t get photos of any of the food because Thomas and I left our phones to charge in the room, allowing for a distraction-free dinner together.
Panic! at the Disco Concert
We had not originally planned to see a concert when we were in Portland, but we had purchased tickets to see Panic! at the Disco (one of the few bands both Thomas and I both like) in Chicago, but the concert was postponed due to Covid. We looked at the calendar to see where else they were playing and it turned out they were in Portland the same day we were, so we swapped our tickets and went to the show. I love P!ATD and Brandon Urie is incredibly talented, but it was strange that they played the entirety of their new album all the way through in the middle of the concert bookended by their biggest hits.
Day 2
Blue Star Donuts
Blue Star Donuts came highly recommended by both locals and the internet, so we made it our first stop of the day after picking up a rental car. They have several locations throughout the city (including a mini location in the airport), so we just picked the one that was closest to our route out of town. We arrived pretty early on a Sunday morning and were the only customers, so we took our time looking at the flavors and asked the employee at the register what she recommended. She told us that the Blueberry Bourbon Basil Donut is one of their most popular flavors, but her personal favorite is the Chocolate Old Fashion – we ended up taking her advice and ordering one of each.
Both donuts were delicious, but I completely understand why the Blueberry Bourbon Basil is so popular. This strange-sounding combination of flavors blend perfectly together and the donut itself is light and airy, making for the perfect consistency. The Chocolate Old Fashion was great too, but I prefer lighter donuts over dense ones, so I let Thomas have most of it. Thomas said Blue Star was definitely better than Voodoo.
Multnomah Falls
Our first stop outside of town was Multnomah Falls, which is the iconic waterfall in Oregon with the bridge in front. We got there early and didn’t have any trouble parking, but when we were leaving about an hour later, the lot was packed. We chose to climb up the mountain to the top of the falls via 11 switchbacks. The hike is on a paved path, but if it was rainy, it would have been a bit slick and dangerous. We lucked out with dry weather and because we went in the morning, the sun was on the other side of the mountain, allowing us to hike in the shade and not have to worry about the heat or sunburns. The hike came out to about an hour round trip for us, approximately 35-40 minutes up and 20-25 minutes back.
The view from the top of the falls was incredible, but as soon as we started making our way back, we had a really terrifying near death experience. Over 100 feet above us, a strong gust of wind snapped off a large portion of a tree, sending it tumbling towards us. I’m pretty sure my soul briefly left my body watching it tumble towards us, but thankfully it came to a stop only 2 switchbacks above us. Needless to say, we were incredibly shaken up and basically ran back down the mountain as fast as our knees would let us.
Multnomah Falls is very popular, so I recommend getting there early, as the trail will get crowded as the day goes on. There is a restaurant, bathrooms, and a gift shop located at entrance, but admission is free and you don’t need to make reservations in advance.
Bridal Veil Falls
After a long hike at Multnomah Falls, I was glad that the hike to see Bridal Veil Falls was only about 7 minutes from the parking lot. The path wasn’t paved most of the way, so be careful on the gravel, especially if it’s wet.
Latourell Falls
Finding parking at Latourell Falls was a bit of a challenge, as the lot of was full when we got there. We almost skipped it, but luckily we were able to find a spot on the other side of the bridge.
There are 2 main paths at Latourell Falls – one takes you to the base of the waterfall and the other takes you to the top. We opted for the lower path. This was probably my favorite waterfall of the day and the rock face of the cliff was so cool. It felt similar to photos I’ve seen of waterfalls in Iceland.
Vista House at Crown Point
Our next stop was the Vista House at Crown Point. As we pulled up, we immediately noticed how windy it was. Our car was being shaken by the wind and the other visitors all looked like they were struggling to stay upright. We got out of the car to enjoy the views and worked hard to steady ourselves against the wind. Unfortunately, the high winds meant that the Vista House was closed, but the views at Crown Point were worth the stop. We had incredible views of the Columbia River and of the wildfire that was happening just to the north across the river in Washington.
Our very last stop in the Columbia River Gorge was at the Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint where we could see the Vista House in the distance, but the view wasn’t as good as at Crown Point. If you’re short on time, this is the first thing you should cut.
Urban Farmer
On our way back to Portland, I quickly looked up places we could go for lunch and found a reservation at Urban Farmer, located on the 8th floor of the Nines Hotel next to Pioneer Square and walking distance from our hotel. There weren’t many people there, but the food was good. I ordered shrimp & grits and Thomas got the steak & eggs. Our waitress was really nice and brought us fruit to hold us over when she realized our order was taking a while.
After lunch I grabbed a smoothie and headed back to the hotel to shower and pack. Late checkout is a perk I didn’t even know I needed until I was able to take full advantage of it. I was so glad to be able to shower after our hike and before meeting up with a friend that wouldn’t have been possible with a typical 11AM checkout.
Tōv Coffee
One of my friends from high school reached out when she saw I was in Portland and asked if we could meet up for coffee. Being a local, I definitely wanted her to recommend a place and she suggested Tōv Coffee. Portland has tons of local coffee shops, but what makes Tov Coffee unique is that it’s inside an old double decker bus and that it features Egyptian- and Turkish-style coffee. The first floor is where you place your order and they make the drinks and upstairs there’s a seating area (with more seating outside). It was a really unique location that definitely fit into Portland’s funky weird vibe in the best way.
At my friend’s recommendation, I ordered “The Mint Thing,” which is their iced coffee option (perfect given the high temperature). It was absolutely delicious and I could have ordered 4 more if the caffeine wouldn’t have had me bouncing off the walls.
Dinner in the Airport
After coffee, we went back to our hotel to return our rental car and then got a Lyft to the airport. We didn’t leave ourselves quite as much time we planned, so we were in a rush to grab some food before boarding the plane. Much like the airport in Portland, Maine, most of the restaurants were closed before 6PM on Sunday. Luckily, Jamba Juice was open so we grabbed smoothies for dinner, but I recommend grabbing food before you head to the airport if you can.
Overall, this was one of our most memorable weekend getaways.
Tips/Key Info
- Get a rental car! We spent a ton on Lyfts and only got a Turo for 1 day when we were leaving the city, but the cost of the Lyfts added up quick. In fact, Lyft was our single biggest expense of the trip (more than our hotel, food, activities, Turo, etc.). It ended up only being the right decision because of the road closures due to Biden’s visit, but 99% of the time a rental car is a better move.
- It’s pretty easy to find parking everywhere, including downtown.
- Portland experienced over 100 straight days of rioting following George Floyd’s murder in 2020. The downtown area still hasn’t fully recovered from the damage, so the area felt largely deserted most of the time, except for there being a lot of homeless people.
- You can’t pump your own gas in Oregon. We didn’t know this and were very confused at first. You have to hand your card to an attendant and they pump your gas for you.
- Download Google Maps for offline use if going out towards the Columbia River Gorge or Washington Park. We didn’t have great service (if any in some areas) and it made finding our way between various waterfalls difficult.
- While it does rain a lot in Portland, they also experience a lot of wildfires. It’s pretty normal for residents to own air purifiers. Be sure to check the air quality reports for each day and only venture outside if it’s in a safe range. We lucked out and had no issues even with nearby wildfires, but just a day before we arrived the air quality was in a dangerous zone.
- The famous neon White Stag Portland sign is best easily seen while you’re driving along the highway, but it’s difficult to get a photo out the window of a moving car. I wouldn’t bother going out of your way to get a good photo of this.
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