There is so much to do and see in and around Portland!
Located just a block or two from our venue, this Packer bar is the first place that Jeff and Kelly went when he met her parents. They serve “midwestern fare”, including pasties and fried cheese curds, and have an excellent beer selection. You can also walk down the street to Jeff’s favorite bar Up North, also owned by a Wisconsin native.
Tulip Shop Tavern
Also located a block from our venue, this cute bar has the best smashburger in Portland, and great cocktails.
Interurban on N Mississippi Ave
Interurban was Jeff and Kelly’s first date spot, and is only a block from her first house in Portland. On Mississippi, there are lots of great food options: Matt’s BBQ at the Food Cart Pod, Tartuca, Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, Por Que No?, and our venue’s sister spot, BarBar. If you are on this street, you must pop in to Paxton Gate, a very weird shop that scared Heidi when she first came to visit.
Eem
This North Portland spot is so fun and delicious- the theme is “Thai BBQ and Vacation Drinks”. We recommend the White Curry especially, and a slushie.
Ranch PDX
Our favorite pizza in Portland (although it’s a very tough call…). The pies are Detroit-style, and they have multiple locations throughout the Portland area. Be sure to add the ranch dip on the side, duh!
Kachka
This place is very unique- Russian fare and styled like a Soviet- Era home. Some of the food is very weird but their Vareniki and Pelmeni dumplings are one of Kelly’s favorite dishes ever. Get a shot of their homemade vodka too!. Afterwards, you should walk over to A Roadside Attraction.. An interesting bar that we will let you discover for yourselves :)
Podnah’s
Very good BBQ spot that is close to the Kennedy school and Alberta area. It is on a strip with another excellent restaurant, Hat Yai.
Boke Bowl
We love this place- ramen and fried chicken steam buns are a must!
The Sandy Hut
This is a Portland staple dive bar.
Breakside Brewing
Good beer and good food!
This in-town park is the largest park in a major city in the US! It has over 50 miles of hiking and biking trails. Wildwood Trail to Pittock Mansion is a popular route, but you can’t go wrong!
Powell Butte
Powell Butte is an extinct cinder cone butte. It is part of the Boring Lava Field, which includes more than 80 small volcanic edifices and lava flows. The region around Powell Butte has a cool climate, and the butte and its surroundings feature meadows, rivers, and mixed forests. Powell Butte hosts the Powell Butte Nature Park, which includes about 612 acres (2.48 km2) of trails for biking, hiking, and horseback riding.
Mount Tabor
Mount Tabor is the name of a volcanic cinder cone, the city park on the volcano, and the neighborhood of Southeast Portland that surrounds it. The name refers to Mount Tabor, Israel.
Powell's City of Books, claims to be the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. Powell's City of Books is located in the Pearl District on the edge of downtown and occupies a full city block between NW 10th and 11th Avenues and between W. Burnside and NW Couch Streets. It contains over 68,000 square feet (6,300 square metres), about 1.6 acres of retail floor space.
The International Rose Test Garden and/or Japanese Gardens in Washington Park
The Portland Japanese Garden is a traditional Japanese garden occupying 12 acres, located within Washington Park in the West Hills of Portland. It is operated as a private non-profit organization, which leased the site from the city in the early 1960s.
Portland Art Museum
The Portland Art Museum (PAM) is an art museum in downtown Portland. It has 240,000 square feet (22,000 m2), with more than 112,000 square feet (10,400 m2) of gallery space. The museum’s permanent collection has over 42,000 works of art. PAM features a center for Native American art, a center for Northwest art, a center for modern and contemporary art, permanent exhibitions of Asian art, and an outdoor public sculpture garden. The Northwest Film Center is also a component of Portland Art Museum.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a science and technology museum in East Portland. It contains three auditoriums, including a large-screen theatre, planetarium, and exhibition halls with a variety of hands-on permanent exhibits focused on natural sciences, industry, and technology. Transient exhibits span a wider range of disciplines.
Oregon Coast
Favorite cities: Cannon Beach, Astoria
The Columbia River Gorge
Waterfalls! Multnomah Falls is the famous one.
Mt. Hood
Timberline Lodge, hikes galore
Wine Country
McMinneville, Willamette Valley
Our Favorite Restaurants and Bars:
SaravezaLocated just a block or two from our venue, this Packer bar is the first place that Jeff and Kelly went when he met her parents. They serve “midwestern fare”, including pasties and fried cheese curds, and have an excellent beer selection. You can also walk down the street to Jeff’s favorite bar Up North, also owned by a Wisconsin native.
Tulip Shop Tavern
Also located a block from our venue, this cute bar has the best smashburger in Portland, and great cocktails.
Interurban on N Mississippi Ave
Interurban was Jeff and Kelly’s first date spot, and is only a block from her first house in Portland. On Mississippi, there are lots of great food options: Matt’s BBQ at the Food Cart Pod, Tartuca, Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, Por Que No?, and our venue’s sister spot, BarBar. If you are on this street, you must pop in to Paxton Gate, a very weird shop that scared Heidi when she first came to visit.
Eem
This North Portland spot is so fun and delicious- the theme is “Thai BBQ and Vacation Drinks”. We recommend the White Curry especially, and a slushie.
Ranch PDX
Our favorite pizza in Portland (although it’s a very tough call…). The pies are Detroit-style, and they have multiple locations throughout the Portland area. Be sure to add the ranch dip on the side, duh!
Kachka
This place is very unique- Russian fare and styled like a Soviet- Era home. Some of the food is very weird but their Vareniki and Pelmeni dumplings are one of Kelly’s favorite dishes ever. Get a shot of their homemade vodka too!. Afterwards, you should walk over to A Roadside Attraction.. An interesting bar that we will let you discover for yourselves :)
Podnah’s
Very good BBQ spot that is close to the Kennedy school and Alberta area. It is on a strip with another excellent restaurant, Hat Yai.
Boke Bowl
We love this place- ramen and fried chicken steam buns are a must!
The Sandy Hut
This is a Portland staple dive bar.
Breakside Brewing
Good beer and good food!
In-Town Hiking
Forest ParkThis in-town park is the largest park in a major city in the US! It has over 50 miles of hiking and biking trails. Wildwood Trail to Pittock Mansion is a popular route, but you can’t go wrong!
Powell Butte
Powell Butte is an extinct cinder cone butte. It is part of the Boring Lava Field, which includes more than 80 small volcanic edifices and lava flows. The region around Powell Butte has a cool climate, and the butte and its surroundings feature meadows, rivers, and mixed forests. Powell Butte hosts the Powell Butte Nature Park, which includes about 612 acres (2.48 km2) of trails for biking, hiking, and horseback riding.
Mount Tabor
Mount Tabor is the name of a volcanic cinder cone, the city park on the volcano, and the neighborhood of Southeast Portland that surrounds it. The name refers to Mount Tabor, Israel.
Other Portland Activities
Powell’s City of BooksPowell's City of Books, claims to be the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. Powell's City of Books is located in the Pearl District on the edge of downtown and occupies a full city block between NW 10th and 11th Avenues and between W. Burnside and NW Couch Streets. It contains over 68,000 square feet (6,300 square metres), about 1.6 acres of retail floor space.
The International Rose Test Garden and/or Japanese Gardens in Washington Park
The Portland Japanese Garden is a traditional Japanese garden occupying 12 acres, located within Washington Park in the West Hills of Portland. It is operated as a private non-profit organization, which leased the site from the city in the early 1960s.
Portland Art Museum
The Portland Art Museum (PAM) is an art museum in downtown Portland. It has 240,000 square feet (22,000 m2), with more than 112,000 square feet (10,400 m2) of gallery space. The museum’s permanent collection has over 42,000 works of art. PAM features a center for Native American art, a center for Northwest art, a center for modern and contemporary art, permanent exhibitions of Asian art, and an outdoor public sculpture garden. The Northwest Film Center is also a component of Portland Art Museum.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a science and technology museum in East Portland. It contains three auditoriums, including a large-screen theatre, planetarium, and exhibition halls with a variety of hands-on permanent exhibits focused on natural sciences, industry, and technology. Transient exhibits span a wider range of disciplines.
Day Trips From Portland
If you are in town for a while, consider a day trip! These places are under 2 hours from Portland. Let us know if you plan to head out to any of these areas and we can give you more specific recommendations!Oregon Coast
Favorite cities: Cannon Beach, Astoria
The Columbia River Gorge
Waterfalls! Multnomah Falls is the famous one.
Mt. Hood
Timberline Lodge, hikes galore
Wine Country
McMinneville, Willamette Valley