It rains quite often in Portland, but the old saying, “April showers, bring May flowers” really applies to this city. This doesn’t bother the natives, and it definitely shouldn’t stop you from exploring this “weird” city. A trip to Portland is definitely worth the rain in our books and here’s 5 reasons why.
1: Hot coffee
Start off the rainy day with some hot coffee from Stumptown. This is a chain in the Northwest, but it’s not your Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. We’re not black coffee drinkers, but this is some good stuff, with no added sugar or cream needed to enjoy. With Stumptown: either you love it or hate it, so here are some other caffeine options to kick start your day: Coava, Heart, or Barista.
Not into coffee? Try Smith Teamaker for some tea. They offer tea tasting, but there’s usually a wait, and they don’t take reservations.
You can find any of the above in downtown Portland– walk, take the tram, or Uber your way over to one of these locations.
2: Eat/drink your way through the rain
The city is best known for food trucks (Chinese, Thai, Mediterranean, Mexican, Indian, Vietnamese, you name it– there’s a food truck for it). If you don’t want to stand out in the rain to enjoy some eats from the food truck, here is a list of recommended restaurants we tried and will be going back for more!
- Blue Star: BEST DONUTS IN TOWN. We went to VooDoo donuts because it’s a tourist attraction. Not knocking VooDoo donuts–they had some interesting shapes and flavors, but we would eat donuts from Blue Star over VooDoo anyday. Why? It has an “airy” taste and isn’t dry. We went around 4pm and the donuts were sold out for the day! Fortunately, there is one located inside the PDX airport.
- Bamboo Sushi: There are two locations in Portland and both can get really busy. We suggest planning ahead and making a reservation. For sushi, it was inexpensive, but the taste= AMAZING. Very fresh and fun drinks!
- Noraneko: $10 for a bowl of hot, tasty ramen? That’s definitely an enjoyable way to warm yourself up from the cold, wet rain.
- Grassa: Think of an upscale Noodles & Co. where they make handmade pasta in the restaurant. You order, pay, find a seat, and they bring out your food and drinks. The line can get long on the weekend, so while you wait, order one of the drinks to enjoy.
- Quickfish Poke Bar: This is about $11-13 for a poke bowl. We feel this is a value for the amount of food you get. It’s a great size and a filling meal. Order from their menu or create your own.
- 10 Barrel Brewery: The beer averages about $5-6 a pint, and there are so many great ones to try from. If it stops raining, there’s a rooftop patio to enjoy your cold brew.
- The Green Room: Bartenders here are great and will surprise you with a drink concoction if you want something special. While you grab a drink here, put your name on the wait list for the Whiskey Library (this is located upstairs of the Green Room –a hidden location, see new bulletpoint).
- Multnomah Whiskey Library: There is always a wait (seems like a common theme for all of the places mentioned, right?). But trust us, again, wait it out! They only let about 40 people in to enjoy this vintage-feel atmosphere. With over 1,500 bottles, chances are they’ll have what you’re looking for. There is also a fireplace to slowly sip on that $12 drink.
3: Hood River
Grab lunch at 3 Rivers Grill– this place has a great view of Mt. Hood and a very spacious outdoor patio. Afterwards, roam this cute town before heading up to Mt. Hood. This was a pit stop for us, so we didn’t spend too much time exploring.
4: Multnomah Falls
Hike the beautiful trail to the top of the falls. It’s very easy for hiking beginners. How easy is easy? We saw a woman wearing heels! It is free to park and hike. Since it’s along the Columbia River, you can see Washington on the other side too.
5: Cannon Beach
From downtown Portland, there are two routes you could take to get to Cannon Beach. Highway 26 will offer more of a scenic route than Highway 30, so choose wisely. The trail was closed for renovation when we went in April, but we were still able to walk the beach and then stroll the cute shops. The town also has a free public parking lot. That’s always a thrifty plus!
Bonus #6 (&7, 8, 9!):
- Pittock Mansion: This is the best view of the city. It cost $10 to do a self guided tour of the mansion and learn more about the history. If you’re limited on time or simply only want a picture in front of the “an amazing view” sign, it’s free and located in the back of the mansion.
- Washington Park: There are several activities here, as the park is enormous. Check out the International Rose Garden, Japanese Garden or different trails to walk. We loved the Redwood Trail- we felt so small in a forest of such tall trees! Trails are free to walk, but some of the gardens will have a fee.
- Lan Su Chinese Garden: another beautiful garden!
- Powell Bookstore: The world’s largest independent bookstore. It has multiple floors, each for a different genre–great spot for any book lover and anyone of any age!