My Guide to Portland

I've tried to write a recommendations post about Portland for so long and each time I do, I get overwhelmed by all that I want to say. So now I am going to extend myself some grace and say that I could not possibly include EVERYTHING I love in Portland so these are the go-to's. Phew.

Ok. Here we go.

First off, Portland is divided into 4 sections. There is SW (downtown, Portland State, Goose Hollow), NW (The Pearl, Alphabet District, Slabtown), NE (Alberta, Mississippi, N Portland, etc.), and SE (Division, Hawthorne, Laurelhurst, etc.). The Willamette river divides east and west and Burnside street divides north and south! Downtown and The Pearl district divide at Burnside (as a general spot) near Powell's Book Store. Highway 405 divides The Pearl and the Alphabet District. 

So now that we are all situated...

T I M E   T O   E A T

 

 

1. Tasty & Alder- go for cocktails or dinner but you NEED to go for brunch. Also their radicchio salad is in my top 10 favorite things I've ever eaten list. 

2. Kiva- delicious acai bowls and smoothies (pictured above)

3. Ava Gene's- an amazing culinary experience every time I go. It's Italian. That should say enough.

4. Tilt- delicious burgers and tator tots. Definitely a good low key spot.

5. Bamboo sushi- super fresh and delicious!

6. 23 Hoyt- I like their brunch but dinner is also good!

7. Food carts- I love whole bowl

8. Ken's Artisan Pizza- AMAZING! 

9. Tusk- delicious middle eastern fare and the decor is 100%

10. Grassa- handmade pasta!

11. Matador- a chain but great for street tacos

12. Por Que No?- a classic but I do love their tacos and aqua frescas

13. Produce Row- fun happy hour place. Sit on the patio!

14. Sweedeedee- go for brunch! It's small but worth it!

15. Please Louise- delicious pizza!

16. Pine Street Market- like an adult cafeteria. You have to go for lunch. Don't forget Wiz Bang Bar (that's Salt & Straw soft serve for ya!)

17. Pip's Original Doughnuts- YOU HAVE TO GO HERE. This is my favorite doughnut spot hands down. Sure, go to Blue Star, do what you want, but you HAVE to go here.  

18. Guero- delicious Mexican tortas

19. Vivienne Kitchen and Pantry- go for brunch!

20. Olympia Provisions- love their brunch. 

21. Podnah's- their bacon is the best of all time. Now you have to go just to see if I'm right. 

22. Prost- a German bar and restaurant that has a large selection of only German beers.

T I M E   F O R   A   D R I N K

 1. The Rambler- my favorite bar on Mississippi. It's in a house and they have a killer back patio and fire pits out front. 

2. Multnomah Whiskey Library- worth the wait! Put your name in then go explore downtown.

3. Departure- rooftop bar!! It's part of The Nines hotel.

4. 10 Barrel Brewing- delicious beer and they have a rooftop patio.

5. Bar Bar- also on Mississippi. This is a part of Mississippi Studios so there are usually concerts happening right next store. Maybe you can snag a ticket!

6. Dig a Pony- I love the feel of this place.

7. Bit House- one of the oldest bars in Oregon! Right across from Dig a Pony too!

8. Vault- I've made every friend in town meet me here for a drink. I love their Habanero martini!! Also best happy hour!!

9. Pope House- also in a old house!

10. Church- there's a photobooth!

11. Eastburn Public House- they have swings!

12. Kask- tiny & intimate.

13. Irving St. Kitchen- They have a really good happy hour and a delicious drink called the Berry Blast.

14. Rontoms- one of the best happy hours and a really fun spot.

 (Friends at EastBurn)

D O N T   F O R G E T   C O F F E E

 1. Heart Coffee Roasters- my favorite. Hands down. They do cupping classes and different brewing methods that are fun for the coffee addict!

2. Upper Left Roasters- great spot to sit down for a while and their coffee is 100%

3. Never Coffee

4. Barista- my favorite is the one on NW 23rd

5. Tea Bar- obviously a tea place but you have to go

6. Sisters Coffee- the cutest and coziest

7. Chai at Pips' Original Doughnuts- my favorite is heart of gold

8. Coava Coffee Roasters

9. Ristretto Roasters- go to the one in Schoolhouse Electric and shop around!

10. If you have to go to Stumptown, go to the one in the Ace Hotel.

11. Water Ave. Coffee

12. Cathedral Coffee

13. Good Coffee- big influence on giving back


14. Kainos Coffee

T H I N G S   T O   D O

1. Walk the waterfront. I recommend going over the Tilikum bridge. I like walking on the east side of the river (opposite of downtown).

2. Visit the rose garden in Washington Park

3. Catch a concert at the Doug Fir Lounge or Mississippi Studios

4. Walk up and down Alberta St., Mississippi St., Hawthorne, and/or Division. 

5. Walk around NW 23rd. Stop at Salt & Straw.

6. Go hike the Gorge. I like taking people to Multnomah Falls then Horsetail and climbing the upper Horsetail. If you are feeling like a longer, more intense hike, do Tunnel Falls.

7. Hike around Forest Park.

8. Beach day on Sauvie Island in the summer. In the fall visit the pumpkin patch there!

9. Wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. See THIS post.

10. Explore Hood River. Drive the fruit loop and taste delicious ciders. You can do this after the gorge!

11. Do a brewery tour- you could go to 10 Barrel, Rogue, Deschutes, Fat Heads, and Bridgeport all in one afternoon and they are all right next to each other.

12. Visit the Grotto. 

13. Relax in Laurelhurst Park. Bring a frisbee.

14. Go to the beach! I love Cannon Beach and Pacific City!

15. Drive up to Mount Hood. Tell him I say hello. Eat something at the historic Timberline Lodge.

16. Catch a movie at the Living Room Theaters

17. Shop in downtown & the pearl- I love Tender Loving Empire, Poler, Ecru, Boys Fort, Porchlight, Made in PDX, Bridge & Burn, Work/Shop, Union Way, and Alder & Co. Oh, and get lost in Powell's!

18. Saturday Market in Downtown

19. Portland Farmers Market on the Portland State campus

20. See if there is a '90's night at the Crystal Ballroom. If so, GO.

21. Pack a picnic or get food to go at Pine Street Market and sit by the waterfront

22. Relax in Cathedral Park.

23. Go to Mt. Tabor, Rocky Butte, or Pittock Mansion for some pretty views!

24. Buy a distillery row passport and try out some of the amazing, local distilleries!

W H E R E   T O   S T A Y

 

I recommend staying in downtown or NW for easy transportation and use of the streetcar and the MAX (our modes of transportation out here). If you are planning on renting a car, then maybe an AirBnB on the east side would be a good idea! You can rent bikes at any of the Nike Biketown locations for easy access to bikes and another mode of transportation other than walking (they are bright orange and you can't miss them!). 

I've had friends and family stay at the Residence Inn in the Pearl (great location), The Nines (in downtown), and an AirBnB on the east side. Most everyone else has just stayed with me so I'm not incredibly helpful with recommending a place to stay. If you need something cheap and are willing to be more adventurous, there is a nice hostel in the Alphabet District that was just redone! 

Phew!! That was a lot. You still with me?

With this list, you are bound to have a good time in Portland. Send me pictures!

Summer Adventures: Cape Kiwanda, OR

 If you follow any PNW Instagram accounts then you've probably seen the famous rock at Cape Kiwanda. This beach has been on my list for a while now and I'm so glad I finally went. The place totally blew me away. The giant sand dune, the beach, the carved rocks from years of rough ocean exposure, the adorable families and even the cute little town stole my heart. I would love to rent a little cottage here and spend a solid week doing nothing but enjoying the waves and warm sand. 

 My friend and I packed a little picnic because we had been told there was little to no food available (though there was definitely a brewpub, a pizza place and a little market). We stopped at New Seasons before heading out and got deli sandwiches, some Underwood wine and Ashley bought this amazing rose chocolate. It was as delicious as it was beautiful! 

 This little babe was the cutest!! We were enamored with this little family. Little boys are the cutest flirts. 

 We finally found the famous rock (I'm standing on it) and let me just say, it was extremely difficult climbing to the top of it. I am no rock climber and both Ashley and I struggled quit a bit to take the shots. Also, climbing back down (somehow ever more difficult than climbing up) I completely scratched up my stomach and arm. But worth it for the shot. ;) I've just always found people standing on the rock and they make it look seamless so I'm pulling back the curtain a bit. 

We could not have asked for a better beach day though. It was probably low 70's the entire time and because it was a week day we didn't have to deal with large crowds. The best kind of day trip! Definitely add this beach town to your list.

Summer Adventures: Painted Hills

There are some places in life that are truly spectacular and the Painted Hills are definitely included in that list. Nestled in eastern Oregon, outside of Bend, sits rocks that alternate in shades of reds and whites and truly take your breath away. The only place I could equate this to was the Grand Canyon. All of a sudden you look to your left and there's this incredible natural wonder just asking to be admired.  

 (the three sisters)

My friends and I drove the 4 hours there and the 4 hours back all in one day and would do it again in a heartbeat. It was absolutely worth it. On the drive there, we took the Mount Hood route (always beautiful) and took the Santiam Pass on our way back so we were getting different views throughout the day. We stopped in Sisters, OR for some coffee and ate dinner in Salem, OR to break up the ride home. 

Driving through Oregon never ceases to amaze me. I am definitely a west coast girl through and through. 

Next up on my list of Oregon wonders is The Wallowas and Crater Lake!

Why Knot {Explore}: Oregon Wine Country

This past weekend, my mom flew in to spend some time in Portland (where it's not 106 like back in Sacramento).  I knew I wanted to do a day trip while she was here and because neither of us had seen Oregon wine country, we figured that would be the perfect spot. So it was off to McMinnville, OR we went!

Here's a little (or maybe not so little) run through of our trip:

 First stop, Coeur de Terre. This was the absolute best place to begin our trek. The tasting service was great, the view was unbelievable, and they had little slots in the chairs for wine glasses! The winery is family owned and you can see the family's home from the tasting room. There's something about that level of service that will always make me choose a small, family owned winery over one that is large and well known.

Then we went to Coleman Vineyard. Another family owned winery with the family still very much hands on with the process! We had great service here as well and even got to try from the barrels! That's one of my absolute favorite parts of wine tasting if the place allows. 

We ended the day relatively early, a) so one of us could drive still and b) because the place we were staying at was a winery!! We did try to taste at one more place but there was a wedding about to begin! We stayed at Youngberg Hill and you need to put this place on your list for either a place to stay in McMinnville or just to taste their wine. It's another family owned winery with 3 of the wines named after the three young daughters and the owner greeted us with a nice glass of Pinot as we checked in. pleaseandthankyou

I can't rave enough about this place. It was definitely not cheap but absolutely worth every penny. We went to dinner in McMinnville (at Nick's) and drove back early enough to watch the sunset from our private patio while sipping on some complementary tea in the giant mug you see above. In the morning they provided a gourmet breakfast and we got to chat with people while sitting around a family style table. The inn is at the top of the hill and the views are breathtaking!

On Sunday, after breakfast, we drove out to Bella Vida Vineyard in Dundee for one last little excursion. I'm so glad we did because the views from this location were unreal. You taste in the home of the farmers and if that doesn't scream hospitality, I don't know what does. This vineyard is unique in that the owners only farm the grapes and outsource to local wineries. Five of the wineries they outsource their grapes to, make wine specifically for Bella Vida and that is what you get to taste on location. 

It's almost like going to 5 different wineries in one stop! A win-win in my book!

My mom and I couldn't rave enough about McMinnville, Youngberg Hill and all the wineries we went to. Growing up near Napa and around vineyards in general, I was used to larger wineries or ones that have outsourced almost too much and it was so refreshing to get back to that small town feel with the Willamette Valley Vineyards. We are already trying to plan another and longer trip back!! 

Have you been? If so, which wineries?!

(hover over the names of the wineries to get links to their sites)

Why Knot:: Hike {Elowah and Upper McCord Falls}

One of my favorite parts of living in Portland is how close I am to otherworldly nature. This hike took us just under 40 minutes to drive to and was breathtaking! All of a sudden you are in the canyon looking up at this giant waterfall and feeling the wind and mist hitting your face. There are large rock walls to each side and I've never felt tinier in my life. These falls are Elowah Falls and are very easy to hike to! Start at the John B. Yeon Trailhead and you'll reach the falls in no time!

 Once you're done admiring the beautiful falls, I recommend turning around and heading towards Upper McCord Falls. When you first start the hike at the trailhead, you run across a dead end and you have to go left for Elowah or right for Upper McCord. At this point go right and you will definitely not regret it. The views from the top of this hike are UNREAL. We seriously stopped and admired our surroundings so many times.

 Also, everything was SO green and mossy! All of the trees looked like Dr. Seuss trees and I felt like I was in a magical fairyland. :)

This was the view on the way to Upper McCord Falls. UN-REAL amiright?? How you doin' Columbia? Oh, and hey Washington! (Washington is just on the other side of the river)

I definitely recommend these hikes if you are looking for something quick and beautiful. Also, you are pretty close to Bridge of the Gods as well so you might as well drive 10 more minutes and take a look at that beauty of a bridge. :) 

Happy hiking!

PDX Adventures: St. John's Bridge

 There are so many amazing things to do and see in Portland that I sometimes wonder if I'll ever see them all. Visiting the St. John's bridge and Cathedral Park has been on my list for a while and I'm so glad I got to stop by recently.

When it's sunny in Portland, there really is nothing better. Everyone is out and about, enjoying the sunshine and truly living our their day. The kids on the dock even had a little motor boat they were playing with! 

The St. Johns Bridge is the only suspension bridge in the Willamette Valley and the park below, Cathedral Park, has its name because of the beautiful archways holding up the bridge (shown above). The bridge was built during The Great Depression and actually helped provide jobs for many people in the area. 

So there's your history lesson for the day and if you're ever in Portland on a clear day, definitely stop by. :)

Weekend Adventure:: Mirror Lake

After a crazy week filled with stacks of school work/practicum/and regular work, I was ready for a fun adventure. Luckily a couple of my friends were ready for an adventure as well so off to Mount Hood we went! 

 I fed a bird off of my hand and it felt like a Disney movie. Such a cool experience!

It was wonderful to sit up there and reflect in front of my favorite mountain. I had never seen him that close before! It was also great to lie in the fresh snow and make snow angels. :) 

Mirror Lake is a great 4 mile (round trip) hike that is beautiful any time of year. It was definitely challenging hiking in the snow and most people wore snow shoes but we were feeling reckless. ;) I can't wait to go back in the Spring or Summer when the lake isn't frozen over and you can see a perfect reflection of the mountain! 

Just a heads up, for this time of year you have to park at Ski Bowl and walk about a mile to the trail head. Honestly, the mile walk in and out, to and from the trail head was the hardest and most tedious part because you're walking along the highway for a bit. But it's worth it! I promise! 

Did you go on any adventures this weekend?