OT-Portland, OR

[STATEgrad04]

So the wife has a work conference in Portland next week and we will be there from Tuesday - Sunday. Any suggestions on what to do/see? We will likely rent a car for at least one day and go check out the Pacific coast, but what is there around the city that offers good outdoor experience? Looks like there is also a beer festival during that time, so that will make the list as well, but I've never been anywhere near the PNW. Any tips are appreciated.

I know all about the tent cities and the drug use there and am admittedly nervous/concerned with that , but from everything I've read, it still appears to be a safe city...We shall see.

 

[dawgphd]

Powell's Books

Yeah I know, a bookstore?? I'm not book person and I was amazed.

 

[L4Dawg]

Astoria is cool.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

Day trip over to Cannon Beach or Seaside for sure. I prefer Seaside, but I have kids that need to be fed and entertained.

Portland isn't a place you are going to get mugged or shot. But they will steal yo shìt in a heartbeat and man has that city gone down hill. I went there a lot for work 08-11' and it was pretty awesome. Drove through last year and was blown away at how far it has fallen.

Things I used to enjoy were the Japanese Gardens, Multnomah Falls, and walk through Hoyt arboretum. In fact, the drive all the way out to Hood River is pretty cool. I mostly stayed downtown back then and went to nice dinners for work, so no help on food other than one tip. The Original Pancake House is the best chain breakfast place in the country (fight me if you dare.) And the Original, Original Pancake house is on the Southside of town right off of I-5.

Pro tip, I just got back from Oregon last week and it's expensive. Fast food was about 30% more expensive as soon as we crossed the state line and gas was $4.69 a gallon. No sales tax, but no matter. Also, add 5-30 minutes to your expected time to fill up for gas as there is no self serve and the full service attendants are understaffed... I guess they are all out being bums now. Fun game is count the homeless. Bet you hit 1000.

 

[eckie1]

So the wife has a work conference in Portland next week and we will be there from Tuesday - Sunday. Any suggestions on what to do/see? We will likely rent a car for at least one day and go check out the Pacific coast, but what is there around the city that offers good outdoor experience? Looks like there is also a beer festival during that time, so that will make the list as well, but I've never been anywhere near the PNW. Any tips are appreciated.

I know all about the tent cities and the drug use there and am admittedly nervous/concerned with that , but from everything I've read, it still appears to be a safe city...We shall see.

Go for the beer culture and stay for the “mostly peaceful” Antifa/BLM riots!! Target has a “break in/take it all for free” night those nights!!****

 

[hdogg]

Yes you gotta do the Columbia River Gorge. Multnomah falls is the most famous (and for good reason) but there are a lot on that drive. Loutrell falls is the other one that's pretty close to Multnomah, less crowded, short hike.
If you can make a day trip to the mountains, go thru Hood River and drive up to the Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood. There is some hiking around there , and that's the lodge where they filmed the outdoor scenes from The Shining.
If you want some great whitewater, there is a town on the Washington side of Hood River, called White Salmon. THere is a rafting company called Zoeller's , it's about a 2hr rafting trip that is great fun. My cousin's husband used to work there, we've been 2-3 times and it never gets old.

We go to the NW about every 3 years, have some good friends who live there and we do backpacking stuff. It's really nice for a week or so in the summer, but there is no way I could live there. But you'll have a good time while you're there and there is a ton to do, you won't get bored.

 

[57stratdawg]

Only been once or twice, but it seems like a decent spot. There was great Raman downtown. Also, check out Nike.

 

[WrapItDog]

Portland has more strip clubs per capita than any other city in the United States.

Casa Diablo is the “world’s first vegan gentleman’s club.” Here, customers can enjoy a hummus veggie wrap while watching performers shed their non-animal-based g-strings.

 

[National Champion Chip]

Powell's Books

Yeah I know, a bookstore?? I'm not book person and I was amazed.

Presumably you’re a PhD while not being a book person.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Day trip over to Cannon Beach or Seaside for sure. I prefer Seaside, but I have kids that need to be fed and entertained.

Portland isn't a place you are going to get mugged or shot. But they will steal yo shìt in a heartbeat and man has that city gone down hill. I went there a lot for work 08-11' and it was pretty awesome. Drove through last year and was blown away at how far it has fallen.

Things I used to enjoy were the Japanese Gardens, Multnomah Falls, and walk through Hoyt arboretum. In fact, the drive all the way out to Hood River is pretty cool. I mostly stayed downtown back then and went to nice dinners for work, so no help on food other than one tip. The Original Pancake House is the best chain breakfast place in the country (fight me if you dare.) And the Original, Original Pancake house is on the Southside of town right off of I-5.

Pro tip, I just got back from Oregon last week and it's expensive. Fast food was about 30% more expensive as soon as we crossed the state line and gas was $4.69 a gallon. No sales tax, but no matter. Also, add 5-30 minutes to your expected time to fill up for gas as there is no self serve and the full service attendants are understaffed... I guess they are all out being bums now. Fun game is count the homeless. Bet you hit 1000.

Of course, it's all relative. Anybody who thinks Portland or Seattle suck, need to come chill in Memphis or Birmingham for a while, to reset the perspective.

There's a reason the purple-headed antifa morons chose to set up their little no-go zones there and not in Atlanta. And that the homeless prefer it.

 

[RiverCityDawg]

Of course, it's all relative. Anybody who thinks Portland or Seattle suck, need to come chill in Memphis or Birmingham for a while, to reset the perspective.

There's a reason the purple-headed antifa morons chose to set up their little no-go zones there and not in Atlanta. And that the homeless prefer it.

Cause it's not as hot/humid as Satan's anus for half the year?

 

[dawgstudent]

Let me see if I can get @Oregon Tiger to respond.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

So the wife has a work conference in Portland next week and we will be there from Tuesday - Sunday. Any suggestions on what to do/see? We will likely rent a car for at least one day and go check out the Pacific coast, but what is there around the city that offers good outdoor experience? Looks like there is also a beer festival during that time, so that will make the list as well, but I've never been anywhere near the PNW. Any tips are appreciated.

I know all about the tent cities and the drug use there and am admittedly nervous/concerned with that , but from everything I've read, it still appears to be a safe city...We shall see.

Largest piece of chocolate cake I've ever been served was at a Claim Jumpers restaurant there. I don't recall anything else about the meal, so it was probably average. Pretty sure it is a chain out there. Customer's choice, not mine...

 

[notthisshitagain]

Here's my take after a few trips to Portland:

1) Mt. St. Helens for day trip. Difficult to describe in words the beauty and terror of seeing half the mountain blown away.

2) Cannon Beach + Astoria - Goonies museum and the Astoria Column and climb to the top (Amazing views of the Columbia River & Youngs Bay)

3) Columbia River Gorge

4) Mt Hood - pretty damn cool.

Food:
-Ken's Artisan Bakery (the guy literally wrote the book on baking bread)

Flour Water Salt Yeast — Ken's Artisan

kensartisan.com

-Ken's Artisan Pizza - be sure to line up *before* they open

-VooDoo Donuts

-Lots of great Ramen and Dim Sum places


I was there the night of the 2016 presidential election. Flash bangs are cool, and Portland PD don't play.

A pretty liberal buddy of mine was there last week with his wife and daughter. He said the number of people shooting up on the sidewalk is pretty jarring.

 

[Dawgg]

Just don't make any friends. There are rules here, ya know.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

Of course, it's all relative. Anybody who thinks Portland or Seattle suck, need to come chill in Memphis or Birmingham for a while, to reset the perspective.

There's a reason the purple-headed antifa morons chose to set up their little no-go zones there and not in Atlanta. And that the homeless prefer it.

It is relative, sure, but Portland has gotten pretty bad. Wal-Mart, Rei, and Cracker Barrel have all closed up shop and left Portland this spring because of theft primarily. REI is one thing, but how bad does it have to be to get Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel to pull up stakes? I have several new friends that moved here in the last 18 months from Portland. And while you might be less likely to get clipped in a drive by vs Memphis, you are 10x more likely to explain to your kids why that man is shooting up over there on the park bench.

The shocking thing is how quickly its gotten so bad. Cities like Jackson, Memphis, and B-ham were pretty rough 20 years ago. Hell, first time I went to Portland I lived in Austin and they were making fun of me for our homeless problem. Now it's reported that there are over 800 homeless camps in the city. Not homeless people, but camps. They gave away 22,000 tents and 70,000 tarps to the homeless over the last few years. The 20 year homicide average in Portland is 28 per year, the last three years there have been 55, 90, and 103 homicides respectively. It's gotten pretty wild I'd say.

I take this stuff for granted, but ya'll probably don't see much of this. It's gotten so bad in Portland with their policies that effectively rule the entire state, all of the eastern half of Oregon has now voted to secede from Oregon and is lobbying to join Idaho. Think about that... Imagine North Mississippi seceding from the state lol.

Greater Idaho Movement Get's 12th County

 

[FrontRangeDawg]

Portland is great. You need to go to this spot for a good tasting experience.

Multnomah Whiskey Library | Portland, Oregon

mwlpdx.com

There's so much good food that it's hard to miss.

 

[pacificnwdawg]

I moved away 15+ years ago so I can' offer much advice on stuff to do in the city like restaurants. When i lived there it was a food wasteland, but I think it is much better now. They had a huge homeless issue even back in the day so I can only imagine what it is like today. Don't let that scare you off. Portland is legit weird - embrace it.

Oregon Coast is really nice, but if you only have limited time I would definitely do a loop down the Columbia river gorge, passed Multnomah falls, down to Hood River and back up to Timberline Lodge instead. Very unique scenery.

The beer festival on the waterfront was always really good.

If you are looking for a cool place to stay check into one of the McMinamens properties. https://www.mcmenamins.com/

 

[Dawgg]

 

[Faustdog]

So the wife has a work conference in Portland next week and we will be there from Tuesday - Sunday. Any suggestions on what to do/see? We will likely rent a car for at least one day and go check out the Pacific coast, but what is there around the city that offers good outdoor experience? Looks like there is also a beer festival during that time, so that will make the list as well, but I've never been anywhere near the PNW. Any tips are appreciated.

I know all about the tent cities and the drug use there and am admittedly nervous/concerned with that , but from everything I've read, it still appears to be a safe city...We shall see.

Ride over to the Columbia River Gorge area. If you go to Multnomah Falls and you're in decent shape, do the Wahkeena Falls loop. You get like four more waterfalls, and to me Wahkeena was prettier than Multnomah from up close. It's steep for the first couple of miles though.

Eat at Janken in Portland. You'll spend some money, but it's one of the better meals I've had. Good sushi and a DIY hot stone wagyu that they are popular for.
Did the Cape Falcon hike on the coast. It was beautiful, but extremely muddy. Ecola Point is a cool spot near Cannon Beach.

 

[vhdawg]

So the wife has a work conference in Portland next week and we will be there from Tuesday - Sunday. Any suggestions on what to do/see? We will likely rent a car for at least one day and go check out the Pacific coast, but what is there around the city that offers good outdoor experience? Looks like there is also a beer festival during that time, so that will make the list as well, but I've never been anywhere near the PNW. Any tips are appreciated.

I know all about the tent cities and the drug use there and am admittedly nervous/concerned with that , but from everything I've read, it still appears to be a safe city...We shall see.

Cannon Beach is really cool. It's fun to see the location where nearly 40 years ago a group of local youths discovered a long-lost pirate treasure ship.

 

[L4Dawg]

I was on a cruise on the Columbia a few years ago. The scenery around the river is really cool. Stevenson, Washington was my favorite stop.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Catch a Portland Mavericks game!*

But seriously, if you haven't seen the true story documentary, Battered Bastards of Baseball you need to. It's on Netflix.

 

[onewoof]

Hand out razors and deodorant for the females that live there. And a brush

 

[HuskyBDawg]

While in Portland, please do your best to keep plenty of space between yourself and people who may lack control over their faculties (like drug addicts and schizophrenics). Their behaviors are erratic and unpredictable. I don't keep up with all the crime in Portland, but Seattle has its share of disheartening stories where an unsuspecting person has been the victim of an unprovoked attack or robbery. Stay alert.

On a better note, the current weather forecast for Portland during next week is high temps in the mid-70s and lows in the low 50s. Bring a light jacket or sweatshirt (avoid having to buy anything with a duck on it). Hope ya'll have a great time. The natural scenery here is something worth seeing.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

It is relative, sure, but Portland has gotten pretty bad. Wal-Mart, Rei, and Cracker Barrel have all closed up shop and left Portland this spring because of theft primarily. REI is one thing, but how bad does it have to be to get Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel to pull up stakes? I have several new friends that moved here in the last 18 months from Portland. And while you might be less likely to get clipped in a drive by vs Memphis, you are 10x more likely to explain to your kids why that man is shooting up over there on the park bench.

The shocking thing is how quickly its gotten so bad. Cities like Jackson, Memphis, and B-ham were pretty rough 20 years ago. Hell, first time I went to Portland I lived in Austin and they were making fun of me for our homeless problem. Now it's reported that there are over 800 homeless camps in the city. Not homeless people, but camps. They gave away 22,000 tents and 70,000 tarps to the homeless over the last few years. The 20 year homicide average in Portland is 28 per year, the last three years there have been 55, 90, and 103 homicides respectively. It's gotten pretty wild I'd say.

I take this stuff for granted, but ya'll probably don't see much of this. It's gotten so bad in Portland with their policies that effectively rule the entire state, all of the eastern half of Oregon has now voted to secede from Oregon and is lobbying to join Idaho. Think about that... Imagine North Mississippi seceding from the state lol.

Greater Idaho Movement Get's 12th County

So I assume that this is a problem only in certain areas of the actual city, same as Anywhere, USA? And you'll be safe and sound as soon as you hit the burbs or basically anywhere else?

When I was in DC all the time, I never too much minded the homeless, unless I walked through a camp one morning and literally had to dodge their turds on the sidewalk.

 

[dorndawg]

- If you're someone who likes visiting Nola/NYC/Chicago etc you'll probably mostly like it; if Branson is more your speed you probably won't. It's been 10 years since I went & I'd love to go back. I have heard from reasonable-minded folks that the hard drug/homeless problems are rough in places (as they are in many cities, but seems PDX is worse maybe?).

- Yes the scenery is gorgeous & so is the food/beer. Plenty good recs from others here.

- If you're a book person at all, Powell's is a must. Try to make sure you have at least a couple hours. PRO TIP: get them to ship your books to your house so you don't have to lug them around the rest of the trip. No idea what it costs now but remember it being reasonable.

- Yes marijuana is completely legal, and for good measure so is psilocybin ("shrooms"). https://www.opb.org/article/2023/05...-link-in-legal-psychedelic-mushroom-pipeline/

If legal MJ issomething you want to try, I recommend edibles if you're a rookie. They take an hour or so to kick in, so take it easy to start with. Some Sixpackers may be surprised to know how wide-spread legal MJ is these days:

 

[dorndawg]

Astoria is cool.

 

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

Just don't make any friends. There are rules here, ya know.

Are there still rules? I thought switching to on3 brought on a new covenant.

 

[Dawgg]

Are there still rules? I thought switching to on3 brought on a new covenant.

The rules are still there, posted as recently as October 2022 by the Godfather himself:

Rules/Lexicon/Schedule Links

Schedules Football - https://hailstate.com/schedule.aspx?path=football Basketball - https://hailstate.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball Women's Basketball - https://hailstate.com/schedule.aspx?path=wbball Baseball - https://hailstate.com/schedule.aspx?path=baseball

www.on3.com

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

So I assume that this is a problem only in certain areas of the actual city, same as Anywhere, USA? And you'll be safe and sound as soon as you hit the burbs or basically anywhere else?

When I was in DC all the time, I never too much minded the homeless, unless I walked through a camp one morning and literally had to dodge their turds on the sidewalk.

I am sure most of the suburbs are fine, but the city is in a sad way compared to what it was a few years ago. Portland is going downhill quick. This isn't just my opinion, one of our local channels we picked up was out of Portland. We get news out of Boise, Salt Lake, and Portland. It's fascinating to see how much different the mood is with folks out in Portland. The locals come across as somewhere between píssed off and heartbroken about what has happened to their city. The other 2 cities are just complaining about high rent, city council gossip, and other nonsense. I watched a story a while back about a bike shop in Portland... It said something like 8 out of 10 restaurants in Portland have been broken into in the past year. I'll post it below if I can find it.

Again, its not how bad it is compared to Detroit, Memphis, Jackson, or other cities that have been declining for 30-50 years... What's shocking is that one of the fastest growing idillic cities in the country flipped the switch so fast in the other direction. I am guessing it turns around soon enough though, they are voting people out and bringing in new leadership so we shall see.

So would I visit for vacation on my dime, nope. Would I go for a work trip boondoggle without the kids, sure if nothing else just for the restaurant scene. Would I move there, absolutely not. Seattle area is in a much better place these days if you are looking at the PNW.

ETA Bike shop story.

Portland Bike Shop Story

 

[Spotdawg]

Keep your head on a swivel and make sure you look directly east every 5 to 10 seconds. All of a sudden out of the clouds, you will see Mt Hood and it will surprise the hell out of you! Gorgeous. I was there for 3 days before I finally saw it...

 

[onewoof]

- If you're someone who likes visiting Nola/NYC/Chicago etc you'll probably mostly like it; if Branson is more your speed you probably won't. It's been 10 years since I went & I'd love to go back. I have heard from reasonable-minded folks that the hard drug/homeless problems are rough in places (as they are in many cities, but seems PDX is worse maybe?).

- Yes the scenery is gorgeous & so is the food/beer. Plenty good recs from others here.

- If you're a book person at all, Powell's is a must. Try to make sure you have at least a couple hours. PRO TIP: get them to ship your books to your house so you don't have to lug them around the rest of the trip. No idea what it costs now but remember it being reasonable.

- Yes marijuana is completely legal, and for good measure so is psilocybin ("shrooms"). https://www.opb.org/article/2023/05...-link-in-legal-psychedelic-mushroom-pipeline/

If legal MJ issomething you want to try, I recommend edibles if you're a rookie. They take an hour or so to kick in, so take it easy to start with. Some Sixpackers may be surprised to know how wide-spread legal MJ is these days:

View attachment 348334

People openly smoke it out at the reservoir in Ridgeland area parks. Skunk weed. Nasty and unmistakable

 

[Oregon Tiger]

Let me see if I can get @Oregon Tiger to respond.

I have lived in the Portland area for about 30 years, so I have probably hit most of the tourist spots over the years. Most of the posters have mentioned the major stops, but I'll add my comments

As for day trips, there are really three big ones. You can do a trip out to the coast. I tend to like Cannon Beach the best, but Seaside and Astoria are ok as well. Lots of shops, but the water is pretty cold so you probably won't be swimming. If you decide to venture down the Columbia Gorge, Multnomah Falls and Bonneville dam are good stops. If you head up to Mt. Hood, you should definitely visit Timberline Lodge. The lodge also has a nice restaurant for lunch/dinner as well, and you get great views since it is located at about 6000 feet. You may also recognize it from "The Shining" since the exterior was used in some of the scenes. I would recommend the trip north to Mt St Helens. If you can get a clear day, the view from the closest observatory (Clearwater Ridge) is fantastic, and there are several stops along the way as well.

To be honest, I have not been downtown as much lately. As some of the posters say, drug use is widespread and the homeless situation is still terrible. The city is starting to clean things up a bit, but there is still a long way to go. I don't think you should have any issues in the daytime walking around, so just ignore them. I live on the west side in the suburbs and there is no issue at all. As for downtown sites, I would recommend visiting the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. Portland also has a nice art museum as well. Lots of places to eat, but if you want a view, I would suggest the Chart House, Portland City Grill or the McCormick&Schmick's Harborside on the waterfront.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

 

[FrontRangeDawg]

If you're in the Overlook neighborhood/Mississippi District, which is a cool funky area, you might want to check out this completely weird store-

Paxton Gate: Curiously Mind-Expanding Treasures & Oddities

Ethically sourced taxidermy, butterflies, skulls, bones & curio from around the world. One of a kind fossils, minerals & crystals. Home decor inspired by the natural world.

paxtongate.com

My wife and I were there last November and spent most of our time walking the neighborhoods, and we ducked in here for about 2 hours. There's also a really good biergarten across the street, Prost-

Prost!

Prost is your neighborhood pub specializing in German bier, with a huge Bier Garden and Food Cart Marketplace.

prostportland.squarespace.com

As to the crime/homelessness, this neighborhood is still in town but far enough away from downtown to be clear of most of the issues.

 

[dawgstudent]

Mt. St. Helens is a must. It was amazing to see a side of a mountain that was obliterated in person.

 

[maroonmadman]

I was stationed in Seattle when Mt. St. Helens blew up. That is the single most impressive display of Mother Nature I've ever personally witnessed. Words cannot adequately describe the scene that day.
Go up the coast to Ilwaco, WA, that is home to the US Coast Guard Motor Life Boat training school. Sit on the bluff and watch them "practice."
They don't call that place Cape Disappointment for nothing.