Portland: 2008

July/August 2008

My boyfriend and I took a trip to Portland, Oregon. We went there to see the Red Bull Flutag as the primary reason and then found other exciting and educational things to do while visiting. So firstly, I highly recommend going to see a Red Bull Flutag event! It varies where it's hosted at, but various major cities sponsor an event every year and it is the most fun you and thousands of other people could have together. No matter where it's at, get there early to get a good seat, don't take lawn chairs because then the people behind you can't see... just take a blanket (don't forget the sunscreen!) and enjoy a full day of people making fools of themselves.

***Lodging***

We went cheap and stayed at the Days Inn Gresham/Portland, which I predicted would be slightly unclean and definitely not fancy from the one picture on the website. However, the website photo was either wrong or they rebuilt the place because it was a nice-looking little motel, very clean, with excellent rooms for the price. They even provided free breakfast which was much more than coffee, juice, and pastries and they re-stocked it often while it was open in the morning. The location was great, right off the freeway, simple to get to and very easy to get back onto the freeway as well.

***Food***

~Macaroni Grill in Portland... national chain restaurant that's always yummy.

~Driftwood Inn on Cannon Beach...quaint little restaurant right on the beach, pretty crowded so expect a wait or make a reservation. Very intimate dining experience and their clams are served in a bucket and are fantastic!

~Western Culinary Institute in Portland... this is a school to learn to become a chef and everyone from the cooks to the servers are students. Subsequently, their prices are reduced yet their food is innovative and delicious. The menu changes from day to day, but you can get a 5 course meal for the same price of an entree elsewhere. I suggest wearing something more dressy than a t-shirt and jeans to this place, although you'll see a range of wardrobes worn to it.

***Activities***

~Bungee Jumping in Amboy, W.A.... Amboy isn't too far outside of Portland plus it was on our way to go see Mount St. Helens. This is currently the tallest bungee jump in the United States from what I've heard and it is amazing. If for nothing else, the drive to get to it is gorgeous as it's located on some back road near the mountains. The owners were cordial and knowledgable and made you feel relaxed (well, as relaxed as you can be when you're bungee jumping!) You need to book ahead because they're not out there everyday: http://www.bungee.com/

~Mount St. Helens... Not a terribly long drive from Portland if you don't mind seeing the non-exploded side. The side with half the top gone is on the other side, so we didn't have time to drive to see that. However, we were able to go into Ape Cave which is a lava tube cave that you can rent a $5.00 lantern and walk through. Wear warm clothes and good shoes though, there were two different ways to go, and long and a short one, but I wasn't dressed for a cave so we took the short one. They say you might see various cave-dwelling bugs and animals but all we saw were some mice. Nonetheless, it was a fun and inexpensive experience and the trail to it was through a beautiful wooded area with numerous hiking/walking trails you could take as well.

~OSMI Museum... A nifty museum, I think it would entertain kids endlessly as there are numerous interactive exhibits. They had a good collection of dinosaur fossils some of which I had never heard of before then.

~Shanghai Tunnels Tour... I had never heard of "Shanghaiing" before we looked up this tour. It goes over the dark history of Portland's past in being the largest city to have drunken or drugged young men imprisoned underneath the city, waiting to be sold as slaves to the ships which came to port. They offer 2 different tours, one based more on the history and culture and the other based on the haunting factor of the tunnels' past. It was definitely worth the money!

~Mt. Gleall Castle... Not really a castle, but was built by a man for a woman he loved. Supposedly one of the most haunted places around those parts. We drove up to see it, but couldn't go inside as it's now someone's house. The view from the mountainside it's perched on is a gorgeous sight to see as well.

~Cannon Beach... Portland is not known for it's 90 degree weather, so be prepared for on the beach front any type of weather might roll in. The day we went it was overcast and chilly but made for a unique experience on the beach. This beach is occupied with gigantic boulders that loom in the surf and it has a much more earthy feel to it than say, Newport Beach. There are quaint little shops to buy souveniers in and a homemade candy shop with sweets that are to die for! There's also little motels/condos you can stay at right off the beach, but beware...they are pricey.