5 days in Portland with 2 teenagers
Jun 13th, 2009, 08:23 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
5 days in Portland with 2 teenagers
Planning a 5 day visit to the Portland area with 2 teenagers. Will probably stay downtown Portland and have access to a car...suggestions for things to do and see please. We're Scots visiting the area for the 1st time, currently living in Chicago area but need the mountain and ocean fix...
Jun 13th, 2009, 09:29 AM
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,832
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't think you can squeeze Vancouver BC into your 5 days...Portland's about 6 hours from the Canadian border, and then you may have delays at the border both coming and going. Portland, the Gorge and the Oregon Coast will more than fill your 5 days. You can easily visit Vancouver, WA, though! 
Jun 13th, 2009, 09:46 AM
#4
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,090
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'd suggest three full day trips: Gorge and Mt. Hood Loop, Mt. St. Helens, and Oregon Coast. (Each day trip suggested is about 13 hours, so start by 8 AM. It is light to about 10:30 PM)
Columbia R. Gorge and Mt. Hood loop for one day. Go on scenic route and stop by Vista House. Visit Latourelle Falls, Mulnomah Falls (like everyone else). Go to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. See the movie there on the building of the lodge.
Go to Oregon Coast- Rent funcycles in Canon Beach (3 wheeled bikes for beach). Picnic at Ecola St. Pk, just to north. Visit seaside (kids will like). Go to Astoria to maritime museum (good exhibits on the Columbia R. Bar, Coast Guard rescues, etc), see the column.
North to Mt. St. Helens, where you can learn about the explosion and the rebirth. Visit all the National Park Service visitors sites on the way up the mountain. Bring a picnic lunch to eat at Silver Lake.
That's a lot! Enjoy!
Columbia R. Gorge and Mt. Hood loop for one day. Go on scenic route and stop by Vista House. Visit Latourelle Falls, Mulnomah Falls (like everyone else). Go to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. See the movie there on the building of the lodge.
Go to Oregon Coast- Rent funcycles in Canon Beach (3 wheeled bikes for beach). Picnic at Ecola St. Pk, just to north. Visit seaside (kids will like). Go to Astoria to maritime museum (good exhibits on the Columbia R. Bar, Coast Guard rescues, etc), see the column.
North to Mt. St. Helens, where you can learn about the explosion and the rebirth. Visit all the National Park Service visitors sites on the way up the mountain. Bring a picnic lunch to eat at Silver Lake.
That's a lot! Enjoy!
Jun 13th, 2009, 10:40 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you all, sounds like we will have plenty to do and see, better remember the cameras!!What's the nightlife like in Portland, will there be stuff we can do as a family apart from eat?
Jun 13th, 2009, 11:18 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What kind of nightlife (with teens) are you looking for? There are plenty of movie theaters in Portland, including some art house theaters (in case you are already tired of cheesy American action films). There are fun areas to walk around at night like NW Portland/23rd Avenue, the Pearl District, SE Hawthorne Blvd, etc. You can walk around and see what appeals to all of you - maybe the teens head into the local CD store for an hour while you duck into some stores you like or something.
In Old Town (next to the Pearl/NW part of town), there's an arcade with classic video games called Ground Kontrol; it's a bar but all ages are allowed in til 5PM. The teens may get a kick out of the place - I know I do because I played a lot of those games as a kid!
If you like books, a visit to Powell's Books (in the Pearl District) is essential and almost required when visiting Portland. The place is an entire city block of books - you can pick up a map to the place when you enter, because there are many rooms with different types of books.
Portland is a great walking city. Besides the neighborhood areas I mention above, I suggest you walk around the Waterfront Park downtown across the river to the Eastbank Esplanade and do a loop on both sides of the river. It's a fun walk and you get nice views of the city. Do of course also see the incredible International Rose Test Garden (aka "Rose Garden") in Washington Park if you come in summer/early fall. The adjacent Japanese Garden is also recommended.
If you do visit the Gorge (you must, it's amazing!), I suggest a stop at the McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale - a neat old place, an old "poor farm" that has been renovated into a mini-resort with a winery, lots of little restaurants and pubs, a 9 hole golf course, a movie theater, and great grounds to roam outdoors. (Free to walk around everywhere even if you don't buy anything; not sure which areas are restricted from teens in alcohol areas.) I recommend walking around the hallways inside the main building, which also has European-style hotel rooms and checking out the wonderful murals, paintings, and photographs inside (walk to the 3rd floor and down). They largely reflect the unique history of the place; many former residents are pictured in the murals and paintings. A good friend of mine used to work out there giving tours, and I've gotten her tour a few times. There's a lot of fascinating history there you would never guess on your own. Ask at the front desk if you can get a tour - it's free but they don't see to give them every day any longer.
In Old Town (next to the Pearl/NW part of town), there's an arcade with classic video games called Ground Kontrol; it's a bar but all ages are allowed in til 5PM. The teens may get a kick out of the place - I know I do because I played a lot of those games as a kid!
If you like books, a visit to Powell's Books (in the Pearl District) is essential and almost required when visiting Portland. The place is an entire city block of books - you can pick up a map to the place when you enter, because there are many rooms with different types of books.
Portland is a great walking city. Besides the neighborhood areas I mention above, I suggest you walk around the Waterfront Park downtown across the river to the Eastbank Esplanade and do a loop on both sides of the river. It's a fun walk and you get nice views of the city. Do of course also see the incredible International Rose Test Garden (aka "Rose Garden") in Washington Park if you come in summer/early fall. The adjacent Japanese Garden is also recommended.
If you do visit the Gorge (you must, it's amazing!), I suggest a stop at the McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale - a neat old place, an old "poor farm" that has been renovated into a mini-resort with a winery, lots of little restaurants and pubs, a 9 hole golf course, a movie theater, and great grounds to roam outdoors. (Free to walk around everywhere even if you don't buy anything; not sure which areas are restricted from teens in alcohol areas.) I recommend walking around the hallways inside the main building, which also has European-style hotel rooms and checking out the wonderful murals, paintings, and photographs inside (walk to the 3rd floor and down). They largely reflect the unique history of the place; many former residents are pictured in the murals and paintings. A good friend of mine used to work out there giving tours, and I've gotten her tour a few times. There's a lot of fascinating history there you would never guess on your own. Ask at the front desk if you can get a tour - it's free but they don't see to give them every day any longer.
Jun 13th, 2009, 08:19 PM
#8
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Above suggestions are great; as a tourist visiting transplant friends in Portland on several occasions, I also enjoyed:
Jakes seafood restaurant.
The Saturday Market is a must if you are there on a Sat. great Arts and crafts and yummy food cart vendors.
Besides the McMenamins mentioned above, there are several around town, each with a different twist.
The zoo has evening bands throughout the summer - we went with our kids (2-9, younger than yours) but we all loved it.
There is a chef school downtowrn, not sure of the name, but on certain days you can get a great inexpensive lunch.
Have Fun!
Jakes seafood restaurant.
The Saturday Market is a must if you are there on a Sat. great Arts and crafts and yummy food cart vendors.
Besides the McMenamins mentioned above, there are several around town, each with a different twist.
The zoo has evening bands throughout the summer - we went with our kids (2-9, younger than yours) but we all loved it.
There is a chef school downtowrn, not sure of the name, but on certain days you can get a great inexpensive lunch.
Have Fun!
Jun 16th, 2009, 04:22 AM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wow some great suggestions, thank you. We've had to change our location slightly and are staying in the Vancouver/portland area...is there much there for teens??? Really want to see the redwood forests too, is that feasible?
