Nikki Bayley is bewitched by Portland’s offbeat, Pacific Northwest charm
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If all you know about Portland has been gleaned from watching cult comedy show Portlandia, you probably think it’s a quirky hotbed of local-food obsessive, plaid-wearing, beard loving cyclists.
Well, the truth is closer to fiction than you’d expect. Portland is the US’s most cycle-friendly city. It’s also a craft beer mecca, with a hoppy 51 breweries within the city limits. Portlanders recycle more than any other US city and their eco-awareness shines through, from the excellent – and cheap – transit system to the fascinating solar-powered rubbish bins which compact the trash. And yes, guys sporting big bushy beards and wearing plaid are everywhere.
The city is simple to navigate: Burnside Street divides north and south, the Willamette River east and west. Visitors will mostly be around the downtown area on the north side, but tell clients it’s worth crossing the river to check out the more funky south side too.
DAY ONE
09.00: Portland is famous for its coffee, and chain outlets such as Starbucks are few and far between. Make for Stumptown (named after one of the city’s nicknames) for a brew and pick up some beans while you’re there – to impress your caffeine fiends back home.
09.30: Cross the road to Union Way, a funky independent mini-mall in an arcade that links the West End to the Pearl District. It smells delicious, from the buttery-soft leather on sale at Will Leather Goods to temptations fresh out of the oven at Little T Bakery. Check out Quinns and its ultra-local sweets, made with sea salt harvested on the Oregon coast and honey from a neighbourhood hive.
10.15: Walk through Union to reach one of Portland’s marvels: Powell’s Books. The world’s largest independent bookstore, it covers an entire city block and new releases mingle with second-hand books on the shelves – bookworm heaven. Clients who don’t love literature will find plenty of other shopping options in the Pearl District, from small fashion boutiques such as House of Lolo and Lizard Lounge to larger labels including Anthropologie, Diesel and flavour-of-the-month sportswear brand Lululemon. And with no sales tax, Portland really is a shopper’s delight.
12.30: Hungry after all that shopping, next up is a stop at Pearl Bakery whose artisan breads, sandwiches, pastries and tempting chocolate cakes set customers drooling. The handmade chocolates also make perfect presents, if you can bear to give them away.
13.30: Filled with carbohydrates, it’s time for a culture crawl, Portland-style. Go official at the large Portland Art Museum on Southwest Park Avenue, which has a large collection of northwest art from the 19th century to the present day, or stick with the small independent offerings along NW 8th and 9th, such as the Quintana Galleries, which focuses on Native American art, or the cutting-edge mixed-media creations at the Museum of Contemporary Craft.
15.30: Round out your culture crawl with a visit to the engagingly quirky Oregon Historical Society, where you can happily browse Oregon’s past and see the famous ‘Portland Penny’ on display in the foyer – the name of the city was decided on a ‘best of three’ coin toss! Afterwards, take a stroll through leafy SW Park.
16.30: It’s easy to avoid the mid afternoon slump in Portland – its generous happy hours typically run from 3-6pm. One of the best in the city is at Clyde Common, which offers delicious $5 craft cocktails and treats including $6 burgers. This is a far cry from the usual ‘happy hour’ dross: it’s genuinely wonderful food and drink at jaw-clanging prices, so recommend clients lunch light and dine late so they can make the most of it.
20.00: For quintessential Pacific Northwest cuisine try the Bent Brick, where diners can choose the chef’s tasting menu ($49) and eat locally-sourced, ethically-farmed produce in a super-friendly atmosphere. Must-try? The duck-fat jojos – a juicy wedge of potato delight. Pair with herbacious cocktails or local beers for the ultimate Portland meal.
22.00: No visitors to Portland should leave without tasting its beers. Bailey’s Tap Room is in the heart of the downtown core and has 24 rotating taps of mostly Oregon-based craft beers. It’s a fun spot: connect with them on social media and you’ll pop up on the screen behind the bar. Order a beer flight – it’s the best way to test a few choices and choose a favourite new brew.
DAY TWO
08.30: Tasty and Alder serve one of the best brunches in the city. Their steak and eggs with cornmeal pancakes are the stuff of legend and they even offer a menu of breakfast cocktails, from pimped-up Bloody Marys to sparkling options including a brandy, lime and tea blend called the English Patient.
10.00: Walking off brunch is one idea, but why walk when you could explore by bike – and ideally one that someone else is pedalling. Find out why the city’s unofficial motto is ‘Keep Portland Weird’ on an hour-long pedicab tour with PDX Pedicab, which takes in gems like the world’s smallest park, the real Portlandia, and the 24-hour Voodoo Doughnut shop which has a queue outside almost all day – and night – long. Guide Michael Connolly is a local actor and inspired host, full of historical nuggets and Portland facts.
11.00: Hop on the MAX light rail to Skidmore Fountain Station and explore the waterfront area, with its pretty park running along the banks of the Willamette River, and the Japanese American Historical Plaza, which tell the story of the Japanese in Oregon. On Saturdays between March and December there’s a market selling out-of-the-ordinary souvenirs including bacon-themed underwear and recycled bike tyre belts – plus some relatively normal jewellery, clothing and knick-knacks.
13.00: Portland’s food truck scene has been declared the best in the world. With almost a thousand trucks spread across the city it’s hard to narrow down which to pick, so Portland Walking Tours takes the headache out of it by visiting 10 at once on its Food Truck Walking tour. Grazing from truck to truck with like-minded foodies on bite-sized portions is an excellent way to learn about Portland’s street food scene.
15.00: Happily stuffed, it’s time to balance things out with a dash more culture down at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry – or OMSI as it’s known. There are plenty of hands-on exhibits and a planetarium. Advise clients to definitely take the add-on of a submarine tour of the USS Blueback, the US navy’s last non-nuclear, fast-attack submarine.
17.00: Just in time to squeeze in more happy-hour cocktails – suggest The Imperial at Hotel Lucia. The fries are some of the best in the city too.
20.00: Portland may be packed with eco-friendly forms of transport, but cabs are cheap too, so it’s worth hopping in one to cross the river for dinner at Le Pigeon. Make sure clients make a reservation – it’s one of the most popular restaurants in town – but it’s worth it, offering inventive food in a cosy open-kitchen room. The five-course tasting menu is $75, plus $35 for wine pairings. TW
TRIED & TESTED: HOTEL SENTINEL
This 100-room design reopened in March after a $6 million renovation. As this property comprises two historic buildings, it’s important that clients remember which side their room is on or they may get in the wrong lift!
Handily located in the heart of the downtown, it’s a block away from the MAX light rail to the airport (just $2.50 or $5 for a day pass). Rooms are stylishly unfussy and include a minibar stuffed with local treats. There are five room types and two suites. Try the newly-opened Jacknife cocktail bar.
