Fun and exciting things to do in Portland, OR
valeryce
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Registered User regular
I've been in a 3.5 year long distance relationship with my boyfriend, who lives in Portland. The weekend of the 13th-15th of February I am visiting him for his birthday.
For his last two birthdays we've gone to see a lot of interesting things in Portland. We've been to the Japanese gardens, OMSI, around the downtown area, to the touristy Portland favorites like voodoo doughnuts and Powell's, and to nifty gamer places like Ground Kontrol, the retro arcade.
We're now looking for new and different things to do in the Portland area. It should be noted that neither of us have cars and that we are both poor-ish college students, but as it's my boyfriend's birthday I'm willing to drop a little extra on him. Are there any fun events, places, concerts or other interesting things to go and see that we have not already seen? We are also interested in trying clubbing as neither of us have ever done it before. I have tried searching the internet for new and interesting things but I have not had much success, so I am hoping a forumer can help me out here.
Additionally, if any forumers can suggest a awesome restaurants to take him out to dinner at- especially seafood or steak places- please let me know. Nifty hotels to stay at that aren't especially expensive would be good knowledge to have, too.
Thank you PA!
For his last two birthdays we've gone to see a lot of interesting things in Portland. We've been to the Japanese gardens, OMSI, around the downtown area, to the touristy Portland favorites like voodoo doughnuts and Powell's, and to nifty gamer places like Ground Kontrol, the retro arcade.
We're now looking for new and different things to do in the Portland area. It should be noted that neither of us have cars and that we are both poor-ish college students, but as it's my boyfriend's birthday I'm willing to drop a little extra on him. Are there any fun events, places, concerts or other interesting things to go and see that we have not already seen? We are also interested in trying clubbing as neither of us have ever done it before. I have tried searching the internet for new and interesting things but I have not had much success, so I am hoping a forumer can help me out here.
Additionally, if any forumers can suggest a awesome restaurants to take him out to dinner at- especially seafood or steak places- please let me know. Nifty hotels to stay at that aren't especially expensive would be good knowledge to have, too.
Thank you PA!
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I like drawing, cartoons, cookies, and shiny pointy objects.
I like drawing, cartoons, cookies, and shiny pointy objects.
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Also OMSI is great. Good fun.
And I don't know if it's year round (I doubt it), but there was an outdoor market on the weekend when I drove through once a few years back. That was kinda neat, if nothing else for the people watching.
3DS FC: 4699-5714-8940 Playing Pokemon, add me! Ho, SATAN!
Also OMSI is great. Good fun.
And I don't know if it's year round (I doubt it), but there was an outdoor market on the weekend when I drove through once a few years back. That was kinda neat, if nothing else for the people watching.
3DS FC: 4699-5714-8940 Playing Pokemon, add me! Ho, SATAN!
Neither seafood nor steak, but I fucking love this place.
Clubbing? Well, if you want to dance you could hit up the Fez on the weekends. Usually a couple different DJs on different floors. Mostly 80s, New Wave, etc kinda stuff. You could check out Rotture as well. Your best bet is to just look in the Portland Mercury. They're generally not going to recommend anything too douchey. There'll be a "star" by their recommendations.
Hotel wise I'd say stay at The Ace Hotel. Definitely got that "hip" "funky" vibe you want. Great restaurant/bar right below it too. Clyde Common.
If anyone has any other ideas or suggestions, let them be known
I like drawing, cartoons, cookies, and shiny pointy objects.
Also the Greek Cusina is fun for an evening, make sure to go for the dinner and show. You eat dinner then this dude comes out, breaks plates on the floor, does other traditional greek festive type stuff. Then a belly dancer. Then they take all the tables away and it becomes a little nightclub. Very fun as well.
I've heard Ruth's Chris steakhouse is pretty good as well. Never been there though.
Also the zoo is great any time of year and can be reached on the MAX, and its not too expensive. They have a new ape/monkey house thats pretty neat.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
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The Greek Cuisina closed down weeks ago. The clientele at night was super fratty/gangstah as well. If you want really good Greek food, go to Alexis on Burnside between 2nd and 3rd.
Ruth's is a chain restaurant. Portland is a great food town. Go somewhere out of the ordinary.
The Cusina didn't used to be like that. It's been over a year since I was there though. Too bad. Thats what happens when your not a native though
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
ditto this! I still dream of the strawberry lemonade
I thought Salvadore Molly's closed? there's something else there on belmont now. unless they moved.
It's out in Hillsdale now apparently. Webguy20 is 0 for 3. :P
OP, places to eat:
* Le Pigeon, on E Burnside. everything is good but if you get there early you can get a burger which is so good it will make your face fall off
* Belly Timber, on SE Hawthorne. a lot of complicated food (a lot of things are infusions of other things, or reductions, or whatever) but also really amazing. and they also make a great burger. detecting a trend yet?
* food carts. doesn't matter which, but the ones on SE Hawthorne at like 12th are all amazing. you can get crepes and fried pies and amazing tacos and all kinds of thoroughly excellent stuff.
* bars. any bars. doesnt matter which, if you are coming to portland you should go to bars and get druuuuuunkkkkk
Don't forget the carts on Hawthorne are open till like 3 something AM. I don't know how late the downtown ones stay open, but I tend to avoid that part of SW like the plague on the weekends.
And yes, so many bars...
EDIT: I also second all those ideas.
Fun to walk around that area as well. The one on 23rd, that is.
http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=48 Rock Creek Tavern is awesome too.
I'd definitely suggest the zoooooo too!
Typhoon is good thai, but nothing you can't get anywhere else. For amazing and offbeat Thai you want to go to Pok Pok on Division or Ping which is downtown on 4th and Couch. The guy who owns both of them, Andy Ricker, is a beast in the kitchen. He was on Good Morning America fairly recently cooking for Al Roker. His aim for authenticity is unparalleled. Both restaurants are nationally recognized. Seriously, Pok Pok has a wait almost every night and it's been there for several years if that tells you anything.
Why eat the same thing you can get in any other city when Portland has such amazing variety?
EDIT: The McMenamin's restaurants are fun to look at, but the food is the same at all of them. Decent pub fair.
Planning on moving to Portland in June, so I love suggestions for when I go.
How do you pronounce Couch by the way? Like the piece of furniture or the crudely sounding way? My girlfriend says the crude way, however I can't help but laugh.
They're fine and dandy, but if you're looking for a unique/new dining experience, those are definitely not it.
It's Cooch, but if you get giggly about it in Portland people will look at you funny.
John H. Couch
Go to roller derby at the Hangar on the 13th
you won't regret it!!
Couch and Glisan - Two commonly mispronounced streets downtown are "Couch" and "Glisan". Newcomers may wonder why we named a street after a piece of living room furniture. The street names are actually pronounced KOOCH, and GLEE'sen.
Couch was the last name of somebody, yes, the pronunciation is funny. You might recognize some of our other streets like Flanders and Lovejoy (and more) as Simpsons characters. Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons and Futurama, is originally from Portland.
OHIO!
The waterfront is cool for walks, but that's kind of obvious. Some people take the gondola/tram up to OHSU for good times. It's like 6 dollars per person (or something like that), and I'm not sure it's that cool, but some people do it.
State? Guess which town.
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Seconding this, they have some really excellent desserts/coffee. Plus it's open until midnight if your day is already full. The Holocene is also a decent club, looks like they have a few good DJ's there that weekend.
It's in Washington, about 45 minutes from Portland though.
Just to clarify; neither of us have a car so places that we can get to via the MAX line/bus are probably the best.
Oh, and if anyone can recommend a place that has excellent cheesecake I would be very appreciative. It happens to be the boyfriend's favorite.
I like drawing, cartoons, cookies, and shiny pointy objects.
Regarding cheesecake, the above mentioned Rimsky's has excellent stuff, or if you don't mind riding the bus for a bit there's a Cheesecake Factory out in Washington Square (near Beaverton).