Oh, Oregon.
I have a little beef with Portland since keeping it weird is Austin’s thing- but oh man, no one prepares you for how great it really is. I had a team retreat in West Linn, Oregon a couple of years ago and we did a quick field trip into Portland. We sampled Voodoo Donuts, strolled around Powell’s Books, took a gorgeous hot air balloon ride over orchards and vineyards, sampled plenty of Willamette Valley wine, dragged our butts around the Trail of Ten Falls, did a silly scavenger hunt around town, and discovered my first McMenamins. Goonies Fans absolutely must make a detour to Astoria and Cannon Beach, it’s a beautiful view and a fun walk down memory lane.
My family and I have very different travel styles. I like researching, figuring out what there is to see, and having a general idea of what I want to do when I get somewhere. I don’t think I’m related to anyone that wants to do more than wing it- but a holiday weekend in covid times requires some planning, reservations, and organization. I also never anticipated spending a long weekend in a small car with 4 people and a four legged friend, but we made it work and we did a LOT in our short trip.
My sister wanted to see something weird to confirm Portland was living up to our shared motto. It doesn’t get much weirder than the Freaky But True Peculiarium. The lack of punctuation on the website had my mom talking about a place that sounded suspiciously like “Freaky Butt Chew” so it zoomed to the top of our must see list. It’s only $5 a person and it’s mostly just a really weird gift shop, but if you have a couple of drinks, consume other legal substances in Oregon, or you’re naturally high on life- you’ll enjoy the weird. Go in with low expectations, treat it like a funky photo opp, and laugh at the absurdity of what people will pay admission for.
It’s a short drive to Washington Park, and even if you don’t get out of the car, it is a stunning scenic drive. There is an arboretum, rose garden, Japanese garden, zoo, archery range, and some seriously beautiful Victorian homes. We arrived at the end of the day and nothing was still open, but the drive itself still was a fan favorite for our family.
We stayed at the riverfront and Josh got great walks at Poet’s Beach, exploring the park, and checking out all of the beautiful bridges. There is interesting architecture, quirky street art, many murals, big beautiful book stores, and tons of great food and coffee options. Portland might possibly do food trucks better than Austin because their food truck parks have craft brew tap rooms attached. This works out really well unless you’re my mother and forget your laptop at the picnic table, map us back to the wrong truck, and have to criss-cross Portland twice convinced it’s the end of the world while narrowly avoiding death multiple times on the highway. Then the food truck game isn’t so fun ;)
Aside from reconnecting with my fab friend from college, Morgan, our two highlights for Portland were: chasing waterfalls and our Moroccan/Mediterranean feast at Tangier. We were nervous about this well reviewed place when we walked in and were the only people there. We needn’t have worried. They had homemade pita the size of our heads, the best tzatziki and tabouli we’ve ever had, lamb shawarma platters, chicken and artichoke stew, and baklava that could provide world peace. Seriously, we will be nostalgic about this meal for many many (many) years to come.
TLC is wrong, if you get the chance to chase waterfalls in Oregon, DO IT. Multnomah Falls is just as gorgeous as I had hoped. My brother and sister hoofed it to the top, but between my broken toes and my mom’s busted knee, we hung out people watching and planning the rest of our shenanigans. There is a whole waterfall trail along the Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop, and there isnt a better or more beautiful way to spend a few hours. You can see most of the falls from the car, and Cascade Locks is a great spot to stop for lunch. Morgan suggested a ride to Mount Hood, a u-pick fruit stop at the fruit loop, and checking out the lavender farms. It’s a perfect day for me, but not something we could pull off in that packed car with a pup.
My friend Amanda found The Kennedy School at McMenamins, and I couldn’t wait to come back. They inspire me and bring me so much joy. I brought my family to show them what sparked my crazy venue idea and I loved showing off all of the really cool features of this historic space. Have a drink in detention, watch a classic movie in their old school theater, pop into their pool, and take part in the wide variety of activities they plan… and bask in the wonder of this epic space.
Three quick trips to Oregon and I haven’t come close to scratching the surface. I could absolutely see myself living there. It’s more like Austin than just a silly tag line. If you like adventure, great food, gorgeous scenery, and really cool people- you’ll throughly enjoy your visit too.
