Bookworms and Travelbugs

I have wanted to visit Portland ever since M wrote about her amazing trip here! I tried to follow her ideal itinerary,  and planned for one additional day of exploration. Since we already have a two day guide to Portland, I wanted to add a few other things you can do in Portland, along with a few suggestions from local Portlandians!

In no particular order:

Powell’s Bookstore – If you aren’t a bookworm like us, this place will make you fall in love with books! And if you are, you will never want to leave!!! They have best sellers and staff picks in almost all the aisles and the store itself is huge – almost a block!! You can even sit on their cosy chairs or in the cafe and read to your heart’s content.  You can find every kind of book imaginable and for every age group! I couldn’t go bat-shit crazy and buy a million books only because I would have had to shove those books in my already overflowing carry-on!

Voodoo Donuts – Did you know that almost no one in Portland actually goes to Voodoo! It’s a tourist trap they say! But I went in for the experience. Its a weirdly decorated donut shop with funky names and you come out holding a pink box with wierd donuts 😀

BWTB tip: Don’t accept one dollar coins from Voodoo donuts, since they are not accepted by businesses in and around Portland.

Salt and Straw Ice Cream – I tried the blue cheese and pear ice cream, but my favorites were the strawberry and coffee! Definitely try them out – apparently people line up here even in the winter!

BWTB tip: Expect a 45 min wait on a good day, the good part is that the line starts in the shade.

M has already mentioned the Cannon beach and the Haystack Rock. However even the drive to the Oregon coast is beautiful and a must do in my opinion! Driving through the Tilamook National Forest and devouring ice-cream at the Tilamook visiting center is one of my favorite memories of the Portland trip.

BWTB tip: Their three ice cream taster is a deceiving name, It is almost like three scoops of ice-cream.

Life of Pie Pizza – Rated the best pizza place in Portland, it definitely did not disappoint.

Brunch at Zells Cafe – This place was the bomb! This was an amazing discovery by my sister-in-law. The staff was excellent and the food was beyond expectations! They even got a mickey mouse shaped pancake for my nephew which he gladly enjoyed gulping down!

Nikolas restaurant – Walnut and roasted bell pepper hummus anyone? They serve piping hot pita bread straight out of the oven the minute you are seated .The Muj’adra here was pretty exceptional.

Food trucks – These are a very big part of the Portland culture and we were not disappointed. We tried the Alder pod food trucks in downtown Portland. The Mondor at the Grilled Cheese Grill was to die for!

 

BWTB tip: Add some pesto sauce to your grilled cheese for a delightful flavor.(We love pesto! )Also try “The Cheesus! “Or atleast look it up! We bet your eyes will pop!

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There’s only so much you can do in Portland for a three day weekend. But a friend who visits Portland quite regularly sent us a few legit recommendations.

• Oneonta Gorge Hike – You need to wade through chilly water and some logs to get to the beautiful Oneonta Falls. Highly recommended and adventurous!
• Multonomah Falls – M has given an apt description of Multnomah Falls here.
• Blue Star Donuts – Read this article to find out which is the winner in the unofficial portland donut competition!
• Tasty and Sons – Please except crazy long wait times or get in line at around 8:40 am since it opens at 9 am on weekends!
• Cable car at the Mt Sinai Hospital in Portland downtown. Beautiful views of the waterfront await you at the top.
• Portland City Grill offers spectacular views of the city.
• Le Happy – Highly recommended for the ambience and their sweet and savory crepes.
• Taooftea – Largest selection of teas you can get anywhere!
• Portland Walking Tours – Walking tours with local guides are the best way to explore any city!
• Bollywood Theatre – If you are from the Bay Area, the food might not be as impressive. You can try it for yourself and let us know! The ambience is worth checking out though!
• Pose Under the Keep Portland Weird Sign :- diagonally across Voodoo Doughnuts.
• Visit the top of Mt Hood and Mt Saint Helen and  checkout the Ape caves.
• And finally , if you are up for some mini-golf!

Have you been to Portland? What did u like about this city? Let us know in the comments!

 

 

Portland in a nutshell: