This past Labor Day weekend, Andy and I explored Portland, Oregon and enjoyed what the Pacific Northwest has to offer. We spent three days eating our way through the city, getting taster flights for everything, hiking along the gorge, and shopping tax-free! Here is our itinerary for all the spots we visited and dined at.
Stay:Crowne Plaza Portland Downtown
Only a few minutes from downtown, this hotel has many amenities to make your trip easier! I’m a Spire Elite IHG member so we got complimentary drinks at the bar at arrival. The front desk agents were very accommodating and worked out a few kins we had about transportation and the room. They have a hot tub and pool on site, which was the perfect way to wind down after a long day exploring the city. The best part was the complimentary shuttle service that takes you anywhere and picks you up within 3 miles of the hotel. This saved us a ton of money since we didn’t have to uber much!
Day .5 - Night
Base Camp Brewery: We tried the Taster Log which consisted of 6 beer samples. My favorite was the S’mores Stout! They added a marshmallow garnish to the rim of the glass. It tasted like the perfect blend of smoke, chocolate, and campfire goodness.
Voodoo Donuts Too: Definitely had to try the hype! This location is on the other side of town so the lines were a lot shorter. They have a huge menu listing all of their confections, if you need a tip on which to get, try the Voodoo Doll, Captain My Captain, Double Bubble, and the Bacon Maple Bar. If you go towards the back by the parking lot, there’s a mural perfect for taking photos with your new treats!
Day 1
Multonamah Falls: If you only want to explore these falls, I highly suggest you buy a ticket for the Columbia Gorge Express online. It’s super affordable, and it takes you straight to the falls from downtown! The falls were beautiful, and you can take a 1 mile hike to the top (consists of 11 switchbacks). It’s worth it if you want to touch the water, it’s closed off at the bottom.
Brunch at East Burn: They have a few swinging chairs available, try to snag those if you want a unique dining experience. We tried out their Brunch Cocktail Flight, mini glasses of mimosas, coffee shot, greyhound, and a bloody mary!
OMSI: We ended up going on a $2 admission day, so check out the specials they have ahead of time! This museum is a coolinteractive place for kids and kids at heart.
Keep Portland Weird Sign: Pics at this wall mural is a must! Photo moment to document all the weird stuff you did in Portland haha.
Dinner at Portland City Grill: If you was a good deal and an amazing view, go here for happy hour. You can see Mt. Hood and perfect sunset skies.
Deschutes Brewery: Definitely hit this place up if you’re walking downtown, it’s one of the popular ones so it does get crowded. They have a lot of good brews on tap! And a taster flight as well.
DAY 2
Salt & Straw Ice Cream - Get an ice cream flight to share, you get 4 kids size scoops for about $9. We tried the cocoa coffee cocanu craque, honey lavender, almond brittle salted ganache, and strawberry honey balsamic with black pepper. They have so many unique flavors available, ask for samples! My favorite was the honey lavender, so refreshing!
Next we took an Uber to The International Test Rose Garden. Admission is free! There are rows and rows of roses in different shapes and colors.
Shopping in downtown near Pioneer Place: Portland is tax-free so take advantage of shopping!
Food Carts: There are a lot of food carts lining the streets of Portland, some were closed on the weekend, but we were able to try out two. The first one was SawasdeeThai, which had yummy and a surprisingly sweet pad thai. The second one was The Grilled Cheese Grill, where we got the glorious Cheesus. Two grilled cheese sandwiches as the bun, ⅓ lb burger patty, lettuce and tomato.
Ground Kontrol: Next was this super cool barcade, perfect for all the video game lover. They have a bunch of retro arcade games and pinball machines! Drinks are reasonable and games start at 25 cents. Such a fun place to kill some time.
Bailey’s Taproom: So many craft beers on tap here. I tried out the Sasquatch Watermelon Degeres and the Mother Earth Cali Creamin. Great place to hang out!
Ex Novo Brewery: This non-profit brewery blends craft beer and social change! We ordered a flight, and they had an $8 special for a beer and a whisky shot.
DAY 3
Brunch at Tasty N’ Sons. The food here is simply amazing, it’s one of the popular brunch spots in Portland so try to go early! Our starter was the Potatoes Bravas, next we ordered the Shasuka and the Burmese Red Pork Stew! Everything was so flavorful and delicious. We got to sit at the bar overlooking the kitchen, it was so cool to see your food being prepared fright in front of you!
Nike Factory Store: Bought some Nike Free Runs for $70 and no tax! If you have a little bit more time to shop, check out this oulet store for deals on shoes, clothing and accessories.