clifbob

Okay..herer's the deal. I love in Los angeles..and I am getting sick ot it. My partner and I heard great things about Portland oregon so I thought I'd take him away for 2 days for his 50th birthday decemeber 20th. Any opinions on this would be greatly appreciated. Where to stay, where to eat..what to do??? I know nothing about oregon. Is it nice? good place to live? help??????

Andrew

I think Portland is a great place to live - but December 20th is probably the worst possible time to visit. It will be one day from the shortest day of the year (so dark by 4:30) and most likely overcast, rainy, or both. Definitely bring an umbrella. Last year on December 20th, we were on the verge of the worst snows Portland has seen in a decade.

If you want recommendations for food and lodging, this site is full of them - just search the US forum for "Portland" and you'll find lots of recommendations. The Hotel Monaco downtown is the most popular hotel recommendation.

In December, you might expect to stay indoors - but you might luck into some nice weather (impossible to say). In that case, check out the Columbia River Gorge (waterfalls - beautiful!) or the Oregon Coast (about 90 minutes from Portland; try Cannon Beach.) In town, check out Powell's Books, a huge (city block!) book store you would never want to leave if you love books. In all but the worst weather, wander around the Pearl District or NW Portland (NW 23rd Ave). We don't go overboard with Christmas decorations in Portland, but there is a big tree downtown at the Pioneer Courthouse Square. And on the Willamette River, you'll see Christmas Ships out on the water some nights before Christmas.

And now, to plug my own website: if you are thinking of moving to Portland, check out www.portlandbridges.com . Lots of photos and a neighborhoods guide, too - helpful, I hope! You can also check out www.travelportland.com for more official info (hotel discounts, etc.).

NorthwestMale

Hey, it's going to be December 20 no matter where you go, so the "shortest day of the year" part isn't really significant.

The weather will be rainy, and Christmas shopping season will be hopping, but Oregon and Washington are in ways at their best in the rain.

Granted it would be nice if you could have a spectacular view of Mt. Hood while you're there, and it IS possible that winter chill will be in the area making for clear skies.

I guess play it by ear... definitely rent a car and go out of the city somewhere if the weather is CLEAR (even if 32 degrees). As stated above, the ocean and the gorge are a couple of choices. Mt. St. Helens is nearby too.

The light rail in Portland makes it fairly easy to get around there even without a car.

I think Portland makes for a great choice since the air flight is short and you're not thrown-off timezone-wise.

Enjoy your trip

beachbum

Yes, Oregon is nice, and a great place to live, provided you can cope with gray skies and the high probability of rain for 6+ months of the year.

Andrew

NorthwestMale: Hey, it's going to be December 20 no matter where you go, so the "shortest day of the year" part isn't really significant.

I'd prefer Hawaii if I had to be SOMEWHERE on the shortest day of the year. Somehow, the rainy days are harder to take if they are also short. I've lived in Portland more than fifteen years and still have the most trouble with the weather from late November through December. By January 1 the days have started to get longer again so I have less trouble with the rainy days - and plus, we usually get a week or so of sunny (if chilly) weather here and there in Jan-Feb...

happytrailstoyou

I agree that 12/20 is not the best time to visit Portland, OR.

Fodorite018

Andrew--I was born and raised here and love the gray rainy days. I have the hardest time when we get the heat, lol!

While 12/20 time does have short days and rain likely, if you have any inking that you want to move here, then it is a very good time to visit. As beachbum says, you would need to be prepared to live with this for a good many months out of the year.

Andrew

Mostly, I have adapted to the rain after 15+ years in Portland. I moved to Portland from Phoenix (though I grew up back east) so it was quite an adjustment! I often enjoy Portland's rainy days now, and sometimes sunny days irritate me. But those short days in December do get to me, day after day. When it's rainy all day but light til 7PM I'm quite content.

clifbob

Thanks guys..I had no idea that pOrtland had that many months of rain. I thought Seattle was the wet ciyt..I didn't realize Portland was..ouch

lcuy

The good news is that if you like Portland on Dec 20, you'll be a good candidate for living there!

NorthwestMale

This isn't about the grey and the rain, this is about the "shortest day of the year" not being an important factor.

(unless the guy is going south of Ecuador for his weekend away)

For Dec. 20 or the like, will be the shortest day of the year in Yuma, the shortest day of the year in Kalispell, the shortest day of the year in Winnipeg, the shortest day of the year in Key West, the shortest day of the year in St. Louis, and the shortest day of the year in Moscow (Russia and Idaho).

pdx

I'm also from a desert region (Needles, CA) and have become a true-blue webfoot. Now I love the snuggle-in time of the winter even though I hate being cold. If you do decide to come up during December one of my favorite rainy places to be is Basta's restaurant in NW Portland. They have a metal roofed "sunroom" that I love to eat in while listening to the rain patter overhead. I'm warm, the food is good, the wine is red and the world is blustering outside. It was our Christmas Eve dinner choice a couple years ago and just might be again. I think you'd have a really nice weekend getaway if you came up during December. Powell's bookstore, the coffee shops are all warm and steamy, a movie at a McMenamins, lots of happy hours to choose from and it's always a beautiful city any time of year. Plus you won't have half the pan-handlers molesting you that we usually have during the nice weather!