hey, people of the pacific northwest... portland stuff to do?

[rmd]

a friend of mine (a nerdy chick) is going to portland, or, and was looking for suggestions for cool stuff to do.
what else is cool and fun out there besides omsi, the japanese garden, and powell's and the first church of elvis?


btw, my fuzzy gray cat seems to be doing okay.

Comments

[tactical-grace.livejournal.com]

A trip out the Gorge is worthwhile. One can hike Multnomah Falls, have Sunday Brunch at the Columbia River Gorge Hotel.

If she is a fan of beer, I recommend the Rogue Public House which has a good supply on tap and serves some great food (Kobe burger with Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese on top).

The Baghdad Theater in SE Portland shows second or third-run movies and serves beer and gourmet pizza. They're owned by McMenamin's, which has a large number of restaurants/brewpubs around the Pacific Northwest.

Walking in Forest Park, NW Portland.

International Rose Test Gardens, just downhill from the Japanese Garden. (I've never heard of a Chinese Garden in Portland.) Just a lot of flowers, but...just a lot of flowers.

Dim Sum at Fong Chong in NW Portland. Still my favorite place for Dim Sum anywhere.

Head out to the coast to see Haystack Rock (Cannon Beach, about an hour and a half out of Portland). For longer trips, the Newport Aquarium is wonderful (at least 3 hours drive). Also good wine country out there.

Head up to Mount Hood and see Timberline Lodge.

I am also particularly fond of Marrakesh, a Morrocan restaurant in NW Portland, and The Old Spaghetti Factory, a spaghetti place in SW Portland. (OK, Old Spaghetti Factory is my favorite because I used to go there on a monthly basis with my family when I was a kid. It's not gourmet. But it's good.)

I hear good things about Voodoo Donut, but I haven't actually been there.

McMenamin's

[andybeals.livejournal.com]

I heard great things about what these guys do to old buildings and the communities they create around them this weekend. Seek them out and experience them!