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Visiting Portland, OR and Olympia/Tacoma/Seattle - Need suggestions!
Murphy
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
The BF and I are heading out to Portland Oregon and Olympia Washington in the first week or so of August (8/1 - 8/12). We'll be spending about half of our time in each place. He used to live out there, but this will be my first visit ever. He has a few things he wants to do, but I want to find a few things on my own that I might like to check out, as he and I have fairly disparate tastes, and I'd definitely like to check out some things that he might otherwise not show me.
In my cursory internet research I've found a few things I'm definitely going to do, but does anyone have any other suggestions?
On my list (not sure what we're doing when we're in Washington state, so I haven't started compiling that list):
Powell's City of Books
Portland Art Museum
Pittock Mansion
First Thursday (event that will be happening while we're there)
On his list:
The Columbia River Gorge (though to be fair, this would have been on my list too)
The Rose Garden
Lincoln City and the coast in general
We originally had this whole itinerary set up where we'd go down to Crater Lake, and go White Water Rafting near Eugene and spend a few nights in a hotel, but he's cutting way back because he's already done all of these things, and doesn't feel like doing them again. So I've had to kind of scramble to find things to do in and around Portland to fill the time.
What are some great places that I can't (or at least, shouldn't) miss?
In my cursory internet research I've found a few things I'm definitely going to do, but does anyone have any other suggestions?
On my list (not sure what we're doing when we're in Washington state, so I haven't started compiling that list):
Powell's City of Books
Portland Art Museum
Pittock Mansion
First Thursday (event that will be happening while we're there)
On his list:
The Columbia River Gorge (though to be fair, this would have been on my list too)
The Rose Garden
Lincoln City and the coast in general
We originally had this whole itinerary set up where we'd go down to Crater Lake, and go White Water Rafting near Eugene and spend a few nights in a hotel, but he's cutting way back because he's already done all of these things, and doesn't feel like doing them again. So I've had to kind of scramble to find things to do in and around Portland to fill the time.
What are some great places that I can't (or at least, shouldn't) miss?
Murphy on
0
Posts
Fish Tale Brewery is located in downtown Olympia and has a good restaurant. Good beer, and live music on the weekends.
There is a 24 hour tea place in downtown oly as well. It's a popular college hangout/homework spot. Full of people at all hours of the night. I think it's on 4th between cherry and chestnut, but it doesn't show up on google maps and has no website that I can find. It has an unpronouncable name: Zisizis, or something. Anyway it has great tea and atmosphere.
Do you guys like comics/RPGS? There's a ridiculously large (for olympia) comic shop, as well as the more cozy danger room comics.
Olympia's pretty small. If you can get up to Seattle, I recommend it because there's a lot more to do there. Pike Place, Seattle Symphony, etc.
Voodoo Doughnuts for sure.
Chinese Gardens are right downtown as well.
If you're up at the Rose Garden, you might as well stop into the Japanese Gardens.
If you're looking for really amazing cocktails, stop into Clyde Common. The food is amazing as well.
Record stores. Hit up Everyday Music (tons of used) and Jackpot Records.
This is all downtown. If you want to just wander and shop, hit up SE Hawthorne (from about 30th and up) and NW 21st and NW 23rd.
Where are you staying in Portland?
Rocco's pizza on 9th and Oak/Burnside has good pizza and is right next to the new Zoobomb monument, which is awesome.
If you're craving Mexican food head out to the Los Gorditos cart on SE 50th and SE Division. They have veggie/vegan options if you desire.
If you're coffee nuts Billy Wilson, who won the NW barista championships, opened his own shop called Barista. They use local roaster Stumptown but dabble in other roasters too, including Ritual from SF.
Ummm, it'll probably be sunny so hang out in the many parks, go for a hike in Forest Park, head up Mt. Tabor for a nice view of the city, cross a few bridges, drink a lot, etc.
Portland is split up into five sections (NW, SW, SE, NE, N) and you should maybe try a different coffee shop/bar/park/bike shop/clothes boutique/art gallery/restaurant in each one. You could do that without much guidance.
I will second the Los Gorditos cart. Amazing and cheap. You can probably skip North Portland though. Not much going on. NE, yes. North is still kind of a shitty place to hang out.
but they're listening to every word I say
Pretty much any bar/restaurant in Portland is going to have great beer. Don't limit yourself to the touristy and boring breweries.
To imply that Rogue is boring and touristy is slander. SLANDER!
Hit up the Widmer Brewery too. And get their beer sampler.
but they're listening to every word I say
Esh, as a beer lover, would like to help keep portland weird. There are plenty of more independent breweries to go to. Widmer and Rogue are fun, but it's good to support smaller craftsmen brewers too.
By all means, go to those too.
but they're listening to every word I say
But I second lots of the craft places are fun, although most bars around town are going to have lots of local beers from around town on tap, anyway. My favorite local place is HUB Brewery on Powell, in the SE, near 32nd, I believe. Good pizza, good beer, I recommend it.
One of the best retro arcades in the west coast (if one of the last remaining) Worth a visit. If you like cool toy stores there is finnegans toy store.
http://www.finneganstoys.com/
Its a standard toy store but it has a very unique feel and a nice selection of odd candies that I used to love as a kid.
http://www.montageportland.com/
I met Khoo and some of the pax enforcers there. I heard about a certain rivalry between one of the enforcers and Khoo over air hockey. Pretty neat actually. Food is awesome. The old mac is the best!
The arcade has a bar in it. That should lure him in.
Its a super cool arcade. I always tell people about it. They have the most fantastic selection of pinball machines.
but they're listening to every word I say
Open late. Decent food. Leftovers wrapped up in foil animals. I got a muppet once.
They were probably high/drunk out of their minds. The staff that is. I have friends who have worked there. There are some serious coked out hipsters working there...
Also there is a minor deity of dancing ladies, there's some good high class* burlesque shows and other freaky fun, I'll go into more detail if you want.
Alberta and hawthorne are good streets.
*May or may not be true.
I'd do Mississippi over Alberta in that area. More shops. Alberta is more eating.