PORTLAND:
Arlington Heights:
International Rose Test Garden: There’s a reason Portland is known as “The City of Roses,” this is it! Roses grow exceedingly well in the volcanic soil that surrounds Portland & the Test Gardens are a testament to that! Completely FREE to go visit with some incredibly complex colorations of flower. Worth the stop!
Oregon Zoo: A quant little zoo, but incredibly charming at the same time. The Oregon Zoo is not by any means a walking zoo (If you’ve been to the KC zoo you know what I mean.)
Portland Japanese Gardens: About $10 to enter, the Japanese Gardens feature native Japanese vegetation as well as many other traditional forms of Japanese Gardening. Very peaceful & uplifting, it’s almost halfway between an art exhibit & a garden!
Beaverton:
Nonna Emilia’s Ristorante Italiano: Huge Portions of excellent Italian Food! All of it is your pretty basic fare but it’s all solid & you’ll have plenty to share or take home!
Downtown Portland:
Blueplate Lunch Counter & Soda Fountain: Featured many times across the Food Network, Blueplate is a solid Diner. Serving anything from Pancakes to Sandwiches, you really can’t go wrong here!
Little Bird Bistro: The sister restaurant of Le Pigeon, still a bit on the nicer side but a little less pricey! Try the Duck, get a Charcuterie Board to share, don’t skip the Deviled Eggs!
Hillsdale:
Chart House: A chain, I know but the Portland location is unique because of its position. It sits on a hillside overlooking the entire city. The view is breath taking & the food is always reliable!
Mulitiple Locations:
Pizza Schmizza: Found all over Portland is this quirky Soda Shop meets Pizzeria. Entirely UFO themed, the Schmizza features hundreds of interesting types of Bottled Beverages as well as very quirkily topped pizzas sold by the slice!
Pok Pok Wing: Similar to the normal experience of Pok Pok just cut out the sit down restaurant aspect! The wing locations took what made Pok Pok famous, their wings, & trimmed down the menu to revolve around them in a “to-go” setting!
Salt & Straw: Dotted up & down the west coast Salt & Straw started in Portland & remains a staple! Each month the Ice Cream shop picks a new theme to debut 5-6 ice cream flavors around along side their consistent 12-15 other menu items! Go in & be adventurous! You’d be surprised what you like!
Sesame Donuts: Come to Portland with Voodoo in mind & the locals will send you to Sesame. Sesame is more your straight forward doughnut shop, but it is none-the-less amazing!
Pearl District:
PB&J’s Grilled: Top 10 restaurants in the country right here. Used to stop here all the time with the band, we’d load up on about three sandwiches each before going off to the airport to fly back to Nashville! It sounds simple but their menu consists of several different twists on the PB&J formula! I recommend the Oregonian, the Spicy Thai (w/ Shrimp), & the Hot Hood!
Powell’s Books: One of the US’s most famous bookstores! Powell huge, yet still retains its warmth! A great place to spend a rainy PNW afternoon!
Voodoo Doughnuts: Located in downtown Portland next to a Porn Theater, Voodoo is a Portland Institution. Ask anyone for Portland recommendations & most of them will list Voodoo amongst them! I recommend a Portland Cream, a Memphis Mafia, the Original Maple Bacon Bar, & The Cock-n-balls!
Richmond/Sunnyside:
Bröder Cafe: A must stop Breakfast spot! Get there first thing in the morning, they will have a long wait otherwise. I recommend the Aebleskivers & the Daily Skillet. For those who have never tried Norwegian food, run, don’t walk.
Le Pigeon: The parent restaurant of Little Bird Bistro. Le Pigeon is a little more on the upscale side but the French cuisine is incredible!
Nong’s Khao Man Gai: Started as a food truck on PSU campus, Kong’s specializes in Chicken with Broth & Sauce. Sounds really simple, which it is, but it’s truly incredible & cheap. Get there early, there’s usually a line.
Pok Pok: One of my favorite stops in the country! Incredible Authentic Thai/Vietnamese Food with well Crafted Cocktails all set in a chill yet funky vibe. Be sure to get Wings, Flank Steak Salad, the Spicy Boar Collar, & whatever else your heart desires! Everything is great, order family style!
Stumptown Coffee Roasters: You can find several Stumptown Coffee shops dotted all around Portland which in their own right are must stops in the PNW. However Portland, or as it was originally known “Stumptown,” is home to the national Roasterie for all Stumptown products! They offer Coffee Tasting Tours, Latte Art Classes, etc. Be sure to book in advance, they fill up quickly!
Rose City Park:
Ohana Hawaiian Cafe: Get you some P.O.G., a Hawaiian Sampler Platter, & some Spam Musabi & you’re set!
ADJACENT:
Florence:
The Dune Sea: Just South of Florence is a Dune Sea! Rent a Dune Buggy or an ATV & have a blast! If you’re not feeling up to the challenge, grab a guided tour!
The Hukilau: Traditional Hawaiian food with an Oregonian twist. A must stop along the Oregon Coast. Spam Musabi, Mac & Rice, & The Ahi Fish & Chips are a must! DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE!
Hillsboro:
Heritage Farms: A wide selection of Seasonal Produce farmed right at the source! Huge Apples of every variety, Pumpkins, Pies, etc.
Smith Berry Farm: You-Pick Berries of every variety! Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries the size of a quarter, all sold by the pound!
Newport:
Chowder Bowl at Nye Beach: The Best Bowl of Clam Chowder you’ll ever have, I guarantee it! I get the Slumgullion, Chowder with Pacific Bay Shrimp on it.
Local Ocean Seafood: A constantly changing assortment of some of the Freshest Seafood on the Coast! Local Ocean is half restaurant/half fish market, located right on the docks where the fish are brought in after they’re caught! The menu is always innovative & inspired & I’ve never left disappointed!
Oregon Coast Aquarium: I for one am a sucker for a good Aquarium & the aquarium in Newport is a GREAT Aquarium! All of the exhibits are housed fairly close together so you won’t end up walking too far, though the venue is a bit of a maze to accommodate all the wonderful things they’ve placed in this quant space!
Yaquina Head Lighthouse/Outstanding Natural Area: One of my favorite spots in the world! Yaquina Head is home to a stunning Cobblestone Beach as well as a wide assortment of Tide pools & Wildlife filled areas! Check the tides before going & plan accordingly!
Tillamook:
Tillamook Cheese Factory: Do the Cheese Tasting Tour & get you some Ice Cream. DO NOT MISS THIS ON THE WAY TO THE COAST!!!!
Troutdale/Columbia River Gorge:
Horsetail Falls: Definitely a hike. Horsetail Falls & the accompanying trail lead in a circle around to a series of 12 Waterfalls! Definitely a longer hike, but totally worth it.
Latourell Falls: Not as crowded as Multnomah and a little more of a hike but Latourell features some really interesting Rock Formations as well as a Stunning Waterfall that you can walk right up to!
Lookout Mountain: A short hike of maybe half a mile…maybe. That leads to a vista point where you can see clearly all of the major mountains of Oregon & Washington!
Multnomah Falls: One of the most iconic waterfalls in the world. Multnomah may be a bit touristy at times, but there’s a reason for that. It somehow seems to incapsulate the entire spirit of the Pacific Northwest in one location.
Sugarpine Drive-In: Seasonal, ever-changing menu. Sugarpine has been a staple of Troutdale for almost 100 years! Don’t skip Dessert! Get the Larch Mountain Sundae or the Sugarpine Cone.
Vista House: Perched on a cliffside overlooking the expanse of the Columbia River, it makes for some great photo opportunities
Willamette Valley:
Dundee Bistro: A great place to sample Local Cuisine as well as the wines of the region. Offering inspired Bistro Dishes as well as a sampling of the vineyards that surrounds it it’s a good spot for a flight & a bite!
Rex Hill: Willamette Valley Vineyard specializing in Pinot Noir & Chardonnay, excellent Tasting Experience especially when it comes to their reserve wines!
Sokol Blosser: Modern Vineyard overlooking the Willamette Valley. A great place to grab a glass of wine, sit and chill!
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS:
Mo’s: If you can make it, hit the Chowder Bowl, if not Mo’s has a pretty bangin’ cup of Clam Chowder themselves!
Pig N’ Pancake: Cozy Breakfast Joint dotting up & down the Oregon coast!