Have you ever been to Portland? On a whim, we scheduled a random trip to Portland on MLK weekend, not knowing what we were going to do once we got there. But thanks to the advice of several locals, we found some fantastic eats and activities in this eclectic city. Here are some of our favorites that we hope you get the chance to enjoy on your next trip to Portland.
Favorite Eats
Mother’s Bistro
We visited on our first night right after checking into the hotel. It was already 9:00 PM, so we were looking for a late dinner. The place itself is so inviting, and the food was some of the best comfort food I’ve ever had. We returned on our last day to get breakfast, and it was even better! No matter which meal you’re looking for, Mother’s will take care of you.
Blue Star Donuts
We asked our Uber driver about Voodoo Donuts, and he immediately scoffed. “There are way better donuts at other places,” he said. One of the places on his list of better donuts was Blue Star Donuts. We tried four different flavors here, and they were all delicious! The larger glazed one had a more crispy texture, while the smaller gooey ones were softer. Whatever your little donut heart desires, Blue Star will have something for you.
Bless Your Heart Burgers
We stumbled upon Pine Street Market, which is a small hub of local restaurants in one place. There we found Bless Your Heart Burgers, where we tried their namesake burger along with the Down and Dirty Fries. My mouth is watering just thinking of these. They truly blessed my heart.
Ruby Jewel
I’m already a fan of Salt ‘n Straw since we have a couple of locations here. So I wanted to go to an ice cream place that I haven’t tried before. Ruby Jewell is famous for its ice cream sandwiches, which are top-notch. Their ice cream waffle cones aren’t half bad either!
Favorite Activities
Columbia River Gorge
One of the most popular things to do in Portland is to go out East a bit to the Columbia River Gorge. Here you will find some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the state. If you go in the late wintertime as we did, you might even see some seasonal waterfalls from the previous weeks’ rain and snow. The mightiest of them all is the breathtaking Multnomah Falls.
As a bonus, when you go to the Multnomah Lodge after your visit to the falls, get yourself a pack of their sugar and cinnamon coated nuts. You absolutely won’t regret it.
Powell’s Book Store
Our favorite pastime is wandering through our local Barnes & Noble to look for our next read. This place is five times better. Powell’s Book Store is the largest new and used bookstore in the country (possibly the world). Taking up one square block and several stories tall, you can spend hours here perusing thousands of books that might not even be available at your local stores. There’s also a “rare book” room where you can view (and purchase if you have the money) first edition books, books from the 16th and 17th centuries, and other unusual tomes. The best part is that you’ll be getting great deals on these books! Used books are nearly half the price of new ones (and you can find many in excellent condition) PLUS Oregon has no sales tax! The Powell’s price you see on the book is the price you pay!
Other Eats
Portland City Grill
This is a pretty generic steakhouse. The food was okay and a bit expensive. But the really cool thing about this place is the view. The restaurant is located on the 30th floor of the US Bank Corp building, which is one of the tallest (if not, THE tallest) building in the city. You get a marvelous 360-degree view of Portland. Seeing all the lights from that high up is romantically gorgeous.
Tasty n’ Alder
We noticed a large crowd waiting outside this place, so we decided to give it a try. After all, these other people seem to think it’s worth the wait. It is sort of an Asian fusion steakhouse. The plates are shareable, so we got a crab dip and wagyu steak. A little on the more expensive side, but the food was still good.
The Original
This was a restaurant located right next to our hotel. It has a very retro diner theme, which is charming. What I really liked about this place was the arcade upstairs. They have a 3D version of Pong that looks very similar to an air hockey table. It’s pretty mesmerizing to watch the cube move back and forth and then reset ITSELF after each round. It must be on a magnetized surface or something.
Other Activities
Japanese Gardens
We came here first thing in the morning while it was raining. This place is very peaceful with its luscious greenery and calming waterfalls. There is also a building in the middle of the garden where they were showing some artistic photography. Admission was about $16 per person. If you still need more garden adventures, you can walk a quarter-mile down to the International Rose Test Garden. You can walk right into this garden in the winter since there aren’t really any roses to see. But if you like quiet secluded places, this place is pretty empty (but still beautiful) in the winter.
Lan Su Chinese Gardens
These gardens are right in the middle of the city. It is modeled like the house of a diplomat in the Ming Dynasty. It is quite small but still very nice to stroll through. There are several ponds, lots of plants, and beautiful architecture. This experience was about $13 per person, so the price is a bit steep for what you get.
We were only in Portland for two and a half days, yet we were able to explore quite a bit of it! If you’re looking for your next long weekend trip, consider going to Portland. Let us know if you try one of our favorites or if you find other cool Portland eats and activities! We’d love to hear about them!
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