More than trees in Portland, OR?

[chimmytime]

Hey guys, just wondering if there were any suggestion on things to do in Portland, or its surrounding cities? I'm going up during 4th of July weekend to visit an old friend, but she's a workaholic and doesn't get out too much. Im really not one for sight seeing, but i like visiting interesting places, for photography also.

Any good shopping, because i hear there's no sales tax? Nike is up around there?

 

[Scarpozzi]

You can always take up logging.....I dunno.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Nike is in Beaverton... I'm sure they have a store at the headquarters...I know they have one for employees.

Maybe check out Mt. Hood and do some outdoors things.

 

[dderidex]

What more do you need than TREES?

If she's into shopping, obviously check out 23rd street or the Pearl District (awesome! Pho Van in the Pearl has this Vietnamese Coffee - get it iced - that is TO DIE FOR!)

But, if she's FROM the area (can't really tell from the post?) then she probably has already seen enough of that. EDIT: I see you do mention shopping, though. YES. Lots of VERY cool shopping. And no sales tax, indeed! Like I said, 23rd Street (AKA 'Nob Hill') or the Pearl District.

Very, very cool shopping areas. Lots of boutique and import shops in both areas - although 23rd is a lot easier to navigate (it's just one street, whereas the Pearl is blocks and blocks of stuff. For the Pearl, you'll want to pick up a map of the shopping district in any of the local shops you get into.)

You aren't too far from the coast (Astoria, Canon Beach, etc) - which is always worth checking out.

What kind of 'old friend'?

 

[scorpmatt]

lots of traffic, then lots of cars in those trees you find. a cool rail system that runs around. no idea what else their is to do their though

 

[gopunk]

apparently portland is a really well designed city? that's what i hear, at least

 

[Juice Box]

RossMAN...paging a Mr. RossMAN......

 

[dderidex]

Originally posted by: gopunk
apparently portland is a really well designed city? that's what i hear, at least

Yup - very nice public transportation system. Nice rail system throughout the city that services all the nice condos and shopping districts.

FWIW - I mentioned the Pearl above. It has, surprise, surprise, a website with a map you can download.

Worth mentioning is a bookstore across from Anthropologie - "Powell's City of Books".

OMFG, if you like books, you'll LOVE that place. Four stories - big floors, too - of books. Every topic imaginable, and rows and rows and rows of books on them. And a decent coffee shop, as well. (But Pho Van's Iced Coffee > *)

 

[RossMAN]

http://portland.citysearch.com/

 

[alien42]

i am going to be up there the same weekend for my cousins wedding, which is actually on mt hood. we are planning on taking a tour of the rogue brewery if we have the spare time.

 

[dakata24]

trees and fred meyer. that's about it.

 

[dderidex]

Originally posted by: alien42
i am going to be up there the same weekend for my cousins wedding, which is actually on mt hood. we are planning on taking a tour of the rogue brewery if we have the spare time.

FWIW, McMenamins brews > Rogue's

They do not, however, bottle their beers - AFAIK, all their restaurants are also their own breweries - so there aren't really any facilities to tour.

Still, the chain exists throughout all of Oregon and several are in Washington.

That is one of the goals of the wife and I in the PacNW - visit all the McMenamins in restored buildings. (They've recently started putting the pubs in some strip malls here and there - which are not that visually impressive. Traditionally, they started putting their pubs/dining rooms/theaters/etc in restored buildings and THOSE McMenamins are VERY WORTH CHECKING OUT!)

 

[Rumpltzer]

I spent a summer in Portland and went to Tillamook over the July 4th weekend. It's on the coast, and there are more cows than people there. It's not really Portland.

There's lots more to Portland than just trees. I like the trees, though.

 

[Spike]

We do occasional weekend trips down to portland (from Seattle) and find it to be a fun city. I prefer Seattle for actual living but nothing beats tax free shopping

-spike

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
http://portland.citysearch.com/

*sigh* Ross, man, I came in here to post that and you beat me to it.

Oh well.

Chimmytime can always come with me and Viper GTS and drive over to RossMAN's house and peek in the windows :evil:

 

[cavemanmoron]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
http://portland.citysearch.com/

 

[IronWing]

As someone already posted, the coast is close. Cannon Beach is nice with a very scenic state park just to the north of town.

In the other direction is the Columbia River Gorge, very pretty. Mt Hood is nice, Hood River is cute.

Portland itself is Cincinnati with pine trees.

 

[Juice Box]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: RossMAN
http://portland.citysearch.com/

*sigh* Ross, man, I came in here to post that and you beat me to it.

Oh well.

Chimmytime can always come with me and Viper GTS and drive over to RossMAN's house and peek in the windows :evil:

:thumbsup: Nik!

 

[FoBoT]

go to seaside and mt hood

if you have enough time, drive down to crater lake, that might be too far away, but if you can get there, i think you'll enjoy that

if you like volcanos , mt st helens is close enough

 

[shenaniganz]

Drive the coastline.

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: Juice Box

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: RossMAN
http://portland.citysearch.com/

*sigh* Ross, man, I came in here to post that and you beat me to it.

Oh well.

Chimmytime can always come with me and Viper GTS and drive over to RossMAN's house and peek in the windows :evil:

:thumbsup: Nik!

LOL I didn't even notice that, thanks for pointing it out

I second driving along the coast, I wanna say the scenic highway is 101?

 

[chimmytime]

Originally posted by: dderidex

But, if she's FROM the area (can't really tell from the post?) then she probably has already seen enough of that. EDIT: I see you do mention shopping, though. YES. Lots of VERY cool shopping. And no sales tax, indeed! Like I said, 23rd Street (AKA 'Nob Hill') or the Pearl District.


What kind of 'old friend'?

She's originally from Los Angeles, where im from, and now she's writer at the Oregonian. We actually got trained together when we worked at disneyland years back. She's still somewhat new to the area, and hasn't had much time to go explore. Except for some stripclubs i hear.

Originally posted by: dderidex
FWIW, McMenamins brews > Rogue's

Is there any specific beer i should try when im out there?

 

[ironcrotch]

If you like sushi go to Saburos.. MMMMMMMMMMMM.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: Juice Box

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: RossMAN
http://portland.citysearch.com/

*sigh* Ross, man, I came in here to post that and you beat me to it.

Oh well.

Chimmytime can always come with me and Viper GTS and drive over to RossMAN's house and peek in the windows :evil:

:thumbsup: Nik!

LOL I didn't even notice that, thanks for pointing it out

I second driving along the coast, I wanna say the scenic highway is 101?

Confirmed, but the beach sucks unless it's dark and raining.

 

[dderidex]

Originally posted by: chimmytime

Originally posted by: dderidex

But, if she's FROM the area (can't really tell from the post?) then she probably has already seen enough of that. EDIT: I see you do mention shopping, though. YES. Lots of VERY cool shopping. And no sales tax, indeed! Like I said, 23rd Street (AKA 'Nob Hill') or the Pearl District.

What kind of 'old friend'?

She's originally from Los Angeles, where im from, and now she's writer at the Oregonian. We actually got trained together when we worked at disneyland years back. She's still somewhat new to the area, and hasn't had much time to go explore. Except for some stripclubs i hear.

YIKES!

Portland stripclubs for teh "OMG SCARY!!!"

Seriously, though, shopping around the Pearl and 23rd is nice - definitely something to check out.

I'm also a BIG fan of the Japanese Gardens and the Rose Garden (both on the hill fairly near 23rd street). Japanese Garden you have to pay to get into - but it's worth it if you are at all into checking out decorative landscaping and/or plants. Rose Garden will be in bloom right now - in fact, Portland just finished their Rose Festival week - and it's something to behold.

(Hey, Oregonian, huh? Do they need any HR/management positions filled? Wife has been managing multi-million dollar retail stores for years now, and wants to get into something different...)

Originally posted by: chimmytime

Originally posted by: dderidex
FWIW, McMenamins brews > Rogue's

Is there any specific beer i should try when im out there?

I'm a fan of dark beers, so their Terminator Stout is a great choice.