Years ago I read an article in The Globe & Mail about Portland's interesting vibe and culture and that made me so curious to check it out one day. Since I was heading to Vancouver/Whistler this January, I booked a multi city flight to Portland for 3 nights on the way! I had been excited to see the city and the forests and they did not disappoint. I even managed to dodge most of the rainy weather that Portland is known for.
The food and drink options in Portland were everywhere, and overwhelming at times. Everyone had a suggestion on where I could find the best of this and that, but it was so fun to eat my way through every day. The donuts, the beer & cider, the ice cream, the breakfasts.....everything was delicious.
A few things I loved about Portland:
Every area of the city had something interesting, or somewhere amazing to eat
Transit was so great and easy and day passes were only $5!
Food trucks (or carts) were embraced and were all over the city, including circling an entire block downtown
Forest Park (where all these forest photos were taken) was just a short ride away on transit and held a gigantic network of trails of all skill levels.
Portland has the world's largest independent bookstore. Powell's City of Books is so fun to walk around and get lost in.
Bike lanes were everywhere, Portland is referred to as "Bike City USA"
Everyone drives a Subaru!
There are around 70 microbreweries in Portland
If you find yourself in the Pacific Northwest, consider stopping into Portland. I plan to be back one day to check out more of the surrounding forests and mountains, and to drive out to the coast. Until next time!
