Portland is a place I’ve heard about for a while now. It keeps popping up on “Best X” lists; food, coffee, beer, natural beauty. There’s a lot of cool things to know about Portland, that’s for sure.
It’s also very far from Florida. Across the entire country, in fact. Though I hoped I would get to see it someday, I thought chances weren’t very high in the near future.
My very dear friends, Matt and Meghan, moved to Portland right after they wed last May, and I was searching for a way to go see the new life they have built out west. It seemed like every time I would ask Meghan, “What are you guys up to this weekend?” it was either hiking up another mountain, or going to yet another not-your-grandma’s artisan craft fair. The options sounded endless!
About two months ago, the occasion arose at last. I was asked to attend a digital marketing conference for work in Las Vegas. Within hours of realizing Portland was only a two hour flight away, there was a ticket booked to Portland, OR on March 17 with Andrea Barnhill’s name on it.
I really couldn’t fathom what Oregon would be like. Was it rainy like Seattle? Portland sounded like a big city to me, so would it look like New York City at all? Is the altitude similar to Denver? These thoughts made me stop and pause to acknowledge how little I knew about Oregon, especially Portland.
Let me just start with this: upon arrival. Portland is nothing but a delight. Pine trees, kind gestures, charming neighborhoods, breweries and neat eateries on every corner.Thanks to my gracious hosts, I learned a lot about Portland in just 4 days.
The physical surroundings of Portland are worth making the trip alone. With hills (to me, they’re more like mountains, but what do I know as a Floridian?) rolling all over and lush green trees, even during the winter time, it is the epitome of pure natural glory.
But in the midst of this, there sits a bustling and rapidly growing downtown city area! I truly loved the small town vibe that embraces big city elements. It is inviting and makes you forget that you are a visitor, not a local.
For those who have not been before, these are the 11 cool things to know about Portland that I learned (and if you want to check out my entire Oregon itinerary, take a look!):
1. The rainy season does not deter people from being outdoors, active, and happy about it.
The winter time is Portland’s rainy season, but it truly does not keep people indoors from what I saw. I loved seeing how active folks were out and about, despite the gloomy weather at times.
This picture features the view from halfway up the hike to the top of Multnomah Falls at the Columbia Gorge which lies very close to the border of Washington – it’s that mass of land right across the river. Because I had a limited time period, I knew that rain or shine, we would be hiking at the Gorge.
To my surprise, the Gorge was absolutely packed with hikers, visitors, tourists and locals alike. Everybody was out and about as if the sun was shining bright – just with waterproof shoes and raincoats on. It was around 50 degrees and raining. I was soaked head to toe and not properly prepared, but loved every second because it was still just so beautiful.
2. Portland is not a huge, big city.
When I flew into the Portland Airport, I was fooled into thinking that Portland stretched on and on. I later learned that yes, there are suburbs nearby, but that the city itself is not huge. And after just a couple of days, I could feel that was the truth. It had a small town feel with big city elements, like a skyscraper-filled downtown and endless options of places to go and quite a diversity of choices, too.
3. Coffee and beer are more than just beverages of choice.
This latte you see here was from Upper Left, a roastery located in the northwest quadrant of Portland. It was tastier than it was beautiful. Hard to believe, right?
The best way to put it is that this coffee did not even resemble a beverage I had previously had. It does not even classify as coffee in my mind because it just tasted so different!
Rich and just plain delicious, the coffee in Portland is a big deal. There are a lot more questions asked when you place your order. I had no idea which blend to choose, but I figured I would not go wrong with anything on the menu.
Same story with the craft beer. We visited Base Camp Brewery and purchased a flight of 10 beers to try. I have never enjoyed every single beer featured in a flight before. I’m not a beer snob by any means, but it’s hard to appease an individual’s taste with a porter, saison, pale ale, IPL, etc. and have somebody like them all. SO great.
4. The city is divided into four quadrants.
This is a well known fact about Portland, apparently. There’s a lot of neat artwork that illustrates the city layout that you can find in local stores, boutiques, and book shops. It makes it really easy to understand where you are in relation to other areas, and to get to know the city quickly. It is by no means overwhelming. And it is interesting when you talk with locals to hear them address something being in the “northeast side” and immediately get an understanding nod of the head from the correspondent.
Personally, I appreciated how I could be there for only four days and felt like I left having a familiarity with the city.
5. Food pods are a real thing, and are everywhere and I love whomever came up with them.
They’re like food trucks, but better. Driving around you see clusters of smaller looking food shops and they serve up all types of cuisine. I could bet that if you walk up to a food pod, there will be some sort of food you’ve never tried before. This was a Scandinavian potato wrap, and was only $6 for an amazing lunch! Going back to a food pod again before I flew out was my only request of the weekend. I wish these were everywhere in Florida, too!
6. The population is growing tremendously.
This came as no surprise to me. Within a day you know it is a place people want to be. Kind people, great food, gorgeous scenery, things to do. It really has it all. Portland is having trouble keeping up with the rapidly boosting population. But even still with all of the attention it is getting, it does not feel like a tourist attraction whatsoever. I learned that Portland feels like a hidden gem despite the popularity of the place.
7. The winters are not as harsh as you’d expect.
Is this how you pictured Portland in March? No? Me either! I should add, however, that this was the prettiest day Portland had seen in a few months.Like I previously mentioned, it does rain quite a bit but snow only touched the ground twice this past winter.
Being a Floridian, I assume a state way up north, like Oregon, has some serious snowfall. But because of the mild cold, I learned that Portland is a beautiful destination to visit all seasons of the year.
8. You can see Mount Hood from almost anywhere around town.
I am so unaccustomed to seeing mountains in the distance. But being able to see Mount Hood and Mount Saint Helens from almost anywhere was just way cool. Snow capped and all, you can actually even drive all of the way up to the peak of Mount Hood. Imagine the view you’d see from there!
9. Cuisine options are endless.
That being said, I personally think brunch is Portland’s specialty. What is this on my plate you ask? Biscuits, oysters, hollandaise, and bacon. Basically all of the amazing things of the world in one meal.
In South Florida, it makes sense to me that there is so much food diversity since the residents come from all over the world. Portland definitely rivals the incredibly diverse food options, which I did not expect.
Something unique about the food is the value of the people who lift up quality of anything else. I did not recognize a single brand in the grocery store; everything is locally produced and sold. My friends’ refrigerator looks like a farmer’s market, no joke.
Also, if you have any issue with a food group, restaurants are very accommodating and understanding of this. It is convenient for vegetarians and vegans, or those with food allergies.
10. Biking is just as legitimate a form of transportation as driving a car.
There are separate bike roads! Talk about safety. Bikers are all over the place and it is because there is so much consideration for their well-being and safety. There are roads parallel to the very busy streets for biking only to accommodate bikers and allow more people to commute to work by bike, making for a more environmentally-friendly transportation method and also a money saver on gas.
11. It’s amazing.
This clearly goes without saying. I truly missed Portland upon departure. It has made a home in my heart, and I already look forward to the next time I can get back over to this unique and inviting city.
-AB
