After driving down the coast from Seattle, we unpacked for a few days in Portland, Oregon. I think Matt and I were both pretty jazzed up for this trip and so excited to be on the west coast – but the time change and the early flight kicked our butts a bit. So we ordered some room service and decided to just start fresh the next day.
We didnt plan too much before hand for Portland. We had a list of places we wanted to check out, but mostly we just wanted to walk around and explore the city. One of our first stops of course was Powell’s Books. I’ll admit, spending so many hours at The Strand in NYC, I was skeptical, but I was blown away. I love this place, the staff picks and I even signed up for their e-mail list. We picke dup some local childrens books to add to our collection and to give as gifts. (Larf is one of our neices’ new favorites. )
One of the activities we did plan while in Portland was a beer tour with Brewvana. A group of strangers who barely talked to each other were bussed around to 4 different craft breweries and sampled their amazingly crafted beer. Needless to say everyone had a good time and any shyness at the beginning was soon gone. My favorite stop was Base Camp Brewing, I hope to see them on the east coast some day soon!
I tasked Matt with the responsibility of creating a list of amazing places to eat in each city we visited. He did an outstanding job! We had lunch one afternoon at Nostrana, they serve super thin crust pizza (among other amazing Italian food) that is served uncut, hence the scissors on the table. Voodoo donuts was a must have, and yes they are that bright (and yummy) in real life. Another lunch was had at Kenny and Zuke’s in Northwest Portland. Best Rye bread I have ever had in my life. And on our way out of town we stopped by Pine State Biscuits for breakfast, I wish I could have those biscuits every day, of course my thighs would hate me.
After packing up and heading out of Portland we decided to stop by Multnomah Falls, the tallest falls in Oregon. It was simply breathtaking and definitely worth the stop if you are ever in the area. There is a trail that goes all the way to the top, but we only went up to the bridge to take it all in. I could have spent another few days in Portland and the surrounding area. Matt and I decided the next time we will start in Portland, and head south.
