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More than trees in Portland, OR?

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Originally posted by: chimmytime
Is it true buildings in downtown have trees, and gardens on top of them?
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Not all of them, no; a few of them do though. Some corporate execs have little pseudo-country-side get aways up top, but I've not seen more than 1 or 2 and that was YEARS ago. My mother used to work for Louisiana Pacific in the US Bank Corp tower downtown (the big pink one) and she could see the entire city from there. It's an awesome site, but I don't remember seeing lots of them.

Portland does, however, have the smallest state park in the US. It's, like, 1'x1' square next to an intersection. Decades ago, a reporter for a local paper was sitting in his office in a building next to the intersection, staring out the window trying to think of something to write about when he saw this little tree growing up from the middle of the street. He began writing about it and did so each week (IIRC). I'm not sure how it happened, but the micro-site eventually was marked as a state park and remains the same size even today. Kinda cool. 🙂 I didn't even notice it when walking by once until someone pointed it out and explained.
 
If you're into wine at all there are lots of great wineries in the area that you should check out. Several are essentially in the suburbs of Portland, check this LINK for some info on it. I highly recommend checking out Winemakers Studio. Portland although a bit confusing to get around in until you get used to it is a very cool city. I think the Japanese Gardens mentioned are worth the money to check out if you go to the rose gardens, don't recall the cost but it was somewhere around $6-8 bucks if memory serves correctly.

Cheers and enjoy the trip,

Dirk
 
Originally posted by: gopunk
apparently portland is a really well designed city? that's what i hear, at least
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It depends on which aspect you're talking about.

They were smoking some good crack when they designed some of our roads.. highways, onramps, etc. But most of the city blocks themselves are laid out nicely, and the public transportation system is top notch.. you can get virtually anywhere.
 
Originally posted by: Vanman
If you're into wine at all there are lots of great wineries in the area that you should check out. Several are essentially in the suburbs of Portland, check this LINK for some info on it. I highly recommend checking out Winemakers Studio. Portland although a bit confusing to get around in until you get used to it is a very cool city. I think the Japanese Gardens mentioned are worth the money to check out if you go to the rose gardens, don't recall the cost but it was somewhere around $6-8 bucks if memory serves correctly.

Cheers and enjoy the trip,

Dirk
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Oh, HELLS yeah, I forgot about wine country.

Portland is literally at the north tip of 'the valley' (Willamette), where Oregon wines are made. There are dozens and dozens of wineries in the area. Bring a designated driver, because they give you LOTS of free wine samples! After 4 or 5 stops, you'll have finished off enough wine for a whole bottle on your own.

Our favorite is Sokol Blosser. Worth checking out!

Originally posted by: Nik
There's a charge to get in to the Rose Gardens now?! :shocked: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! 🙁
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Rose Garden - no

Japanese Garden (across from it) - yes

I think his point was - while you are up there, might as well go to the Japanese Garden. It's not that bad $-wise, and it sho' is pretty!
 
If you don't mind a half hour-ish drive down HWY 26 (Sunset HWY), check out the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals. It's the biggest museum of it's kind west of the Mississippi. It's also my great grandparents' house. When they were alive, they used to have tours from the local elementry schools all the time. Now that they've both passed away, it's been granted non-profit status and turned into a museum (what they wanted it to be) and sees craploads of tourists from all over the world every year. It's awesome. The "Alma Rose" is breath-taking in person. That thing's almost 2 feet tall, one of the only two in the entire world that size, and worth quite a bit.

Yes, the website sucks, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime kinda thing for most people.

One of the coolest things there is the black-light room.
 
Originally posted by: Nik
If you don't mind a half hour-ish drive down HWY 26 (Sunset HWY), check out the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals. It's the biggest museum of it's kind west of the Mississippi. It's also my great grandparents' house. When they were alive, they used to have tours from the local elementry schools all the time. Now that they've both passed away, it's been granted non-profit status and turned into a museum (what they wanted it to be) and sees craploads of tourists from all over the world every year. It's awesome. The "Alma Rose" is breath-taking in person. That thing's almost 2 feet tall, one of the only two in the entire world that size, and worth quite a bit.

Yes, the website sucks, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime kinda thing for most people.

One of the coolest things there is the black-light room.
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Coool..... Can't believe I've never seen this.
 
Portland is an awesome city. It has the big city atmosphere, but it's not huge. Downtown is easy to get around. Use the MAX light rail and the bus service.
There's shopping downtown at Pioneer Place, go to 23rd street and the Pearl district like everyone else said. There are a lot of places in that area with microbreweries so do that if you like.

If you're going to be there for 4th of July go to either downtown, oaks park, fort vancouver (thats across the columbia in washington) for fireworks. They usually launch fireworks from barges on the Willamette river.

Forest park is pretty cool. go see the rose garden and japanese garden.

Go to Powell's bookstore.

GO TO THE SHORE. A lot of friends (not from oregon) say that the oregon coast is their favorite place in the US
 
Originally posted by: Nik
If you don't mind a half hour-ish drive down HWY 26 (Sunset HWY), check out the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals. It's the biggest museum of it's kind west of the Mississippi. It's also my great grandparents' house. When they were alive, they used to have tours from the local elementry schools all the time. Now that they've both passed away, it's been granted non-profit status and turned into a museum (what they wanted it to be) and sees craploads of tourists from all over the world every year. It's awesome. The "Alma Rose" is breath-taking in person. That thing's almost 2 feet tall, one of the only two in the entire world that size, and worth quite a bit.

Yes, the website sucks, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime kinda thing for most people.

One of the coolest things there is the black-light room.
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Hey, I live up in the hills near that museum! I've never been to it, though. 😱
 
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Hey, I live up in the hills near that museum! I've never been to it, though. 😱
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Yeah, it should be "just around the corner" from your place. You should check it out! There used to be certain days that were by-appointment-only to properly handle large groups and school tours so be sure to call to see if that's still the way they're opperating. If you can get Jane to give you a tour, bring a notepad or something. I learn something new every time I ask her about something. She's my cousin, a granddaughter of the Rices.
 
Originally posted by: booger711
Portland is an awesome city. It has the big city atmosphere, but it's not huge. Downtown is easy to get around. Use the MAX light rail and the bus service.
There's shopping downtown at Pioneer Place, go to 23rd street and the Pearl district like everyone else said. There are a lot of places in that area with microbreweries so do that if you like.

If you're going to be there for 4th of July go to either downtown, oaks park, fort vancouver (thats across the columbia in washington) for fireworks. They usually launch fireworks from barges on the Willamette river.

Forest park is pretty cool. go see the rose garden and japanese garden.

Go to Powell's bookstore.

GO TO THE SHORE. A lot of friends (not from oregon) say that the oregon coast is their favorite place in the US
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Don't forget the Hoyt Arboretum!
 
Nope, nothing here but trees, Californian go home 😉

😀

Lots to do here. Especially 4th of July. Blues Festival will be down on the downtown Willamette River waterfront, always good. There will be fireworks downtown on the Willamette and as well as the big Fort Vancouver display (biggest in the US) on the Columbia.

Can't say much else, I'm going to Seattle this 4th. 😛
 
Originally posted by: Eli
Originally posted by: gopunk
apparently portland is a really well designed city? that's what i hear, at least
Click to expand...
It depends on which aspect you're talking about.

They were smoking some good crack when they designed some of our roads.. highways, onramps, etc. But most of the city blocks themselves are laid out nicely, and the public transportation system is top notch.. you can get virtually anywhere.
Click to expand...

East side = grid = logical and makes sense except for anomolies like Foster Road.

West side = no grid = Ross gets lost a lot.
 
Wear a fishnet T-shirt, leather cap, and a$$less chaps and then go hang out by the Burnside triangle. You'll be plenty busy for as long as you'd like! 🙂

My wife's family goes to Portland and the coast every year. I've been with them a couple of times. I second (or third) Canon Beach/Seaside if you can take a couple of hour drive out there. Also...since I'm from Utah, the bars there are pretty cool, but then again, a guy with a weasle serving Blue Ribbon would be an improvement from Utah. 23rd St if you like electic shopping.

I've also been to Beaverton and walked around the Nike campus. It's technically not open to the public, but just walk with a purpose and you can pretty much get in to any building.
 
No, nothing but trees here. 😉 I planted four or five hundred of them myself a few months ago. I grew up in a logging family.
 
If you're into science museums, OMSI s a cool place to visit. They've got all kinds of hands on science exhibits, an omnimax theater, a planetarium, and the USS Blueback, which is the US Navy sub that was seen in The Hunt for Red October. Taking a tour on the sub is pretty cool.

Since I've got kids, we usually go to OMSI and the Portland Zoo when we are in town. Powell's is also well worth a stop if you like books.

If you're driving up from CA, a stop at Crater Lake wouldn't be too far out of the way. But it's probably 5 hours from Portland.
 
Dude, if he's any friend he's going get some badass fireworks and show you a good time. There are some indian reservations near there : 🙂 🙂.
 
Originally posted by: axelfox
Dude, if he's any friend he's going get some badass fireworks and show you a good time. There are some indian reservations near there : 🙂 🙂.
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Oh yeah, there is nike outlet in downtown portland off of MLK and there is the Woodburn Outlet 30min South on I-5.
 
If you'll have a car, take day trips. One fairly short one would be up the Columbia River Gorge. Drive East on 84. Very beautiful up there, waterfalls, etc.
 
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
If you'll have a car, take day trips. One fairly short one would be up the Columbia River Gorge. Drive East on 84. Very beautiful up there, waterfalls, etc.
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Hiking to the top of Multnoma Falls is fun and it's a kickass view. So is the view from Crown Point.
 
Originally posted by: Nik
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
If you'll have a car, take day trips. One fairly short one would be up the Columbia River Gorge. Drive East on 84. Very beautiful up there, waterfalls, etc.
Click to expand...

Hiking to the top of Multnoma Falls is fun and it's a kickass view. So is the view from Crown Point.
Click to expand...

Also fun to visit the hydroelectric dam and the fish hatchery that's near it. And I've heard that they finally reopened the Vista House, that's on the old highway (overlooking the current one). Kind of fun to drive stretches of the old highway.
 
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Originally posted by: Nik
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
If you'll have a car, take day trips. One fairly short one would be up the Columbia River Gorge. Drive East on 84. Very beautiful up there, waterfalls, etc.
Click to expand...

Hiking to the top of Multnoma Falls is fun and it's a kickass view. So is the view from Crown Point.
Click to expand...

Also fun to visit the hydroelectric dam and the fish hatchery that's near it. And I've heard that they finally reopened the Vista House, that's on the old highway (overlooking the current one). Kind of fun to drive stretches of the old highway.
Click to expand...

Vista House? Is that the one that almost blacks out the entire neighborhood from it's power consuption of many thousands of christmas lights every year?
 
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