My husband and I will be traveling to Portland in the beginning of July. We will be staying at The River Place Hotel. It is the last leg of a two week trip (4 days in Boulder/4 in Jackson Hole//4 in Portland). We are in our mid 40's, love to run, love to eat and enjoy cities, walking and exploring. Our traveling philosophy is "less is more" in terms of not trying to do too much in any given day. The goal is to combine lots of outdoor activity with a good amount of down-time, wandering, great meals, etc. While we'd like to spend a few days just in the city, we are also interested in a couple of day trips. We'd like to take a drive to the coast (with a possible stop at a winery either on the way there or back) and then spend another day either hiking or kayaking around the Columbia River Gorge. We figure this will leave us two full days and three nights to explore Portland. Does this sound feasible? Also, any suggestions for routes, places to stop, great lunch spots, etc would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I spent a week in Portland and of all the places I went, I enjoyed visiting the Pittock Mansion most of all. Here are photos and what I wrote about it:

http://www.travelgumbo.com/blog/gall...tland-oregon-1

There are links posted at the bottom of the blog for other places I enjoyed. And here's one for the house: http://pittockmansion.org/visit-the-mansion/

We did 2 days in the city, then one day driving up the Gorge and hiking various waterfalls, another day driving to Cannon Beach via Astoria, Orgeon where we really liked the maritime museum, and another day visiting the wineries south of the city.

The Pittock mansion was quite nice as were the Japanese Gardens.

I should mention one of the links in my blog, for the Lan Su Chinese Garden. I remember when it was announced years ago that the city was planning to build it and import Chinese workers to build it authentically. I finally got to see it and it is beautiful. It's located in an area downtown walking distance to a number of other things you may want to see, to combine them in one day.

http://www.lansugarden.org

Check out the Epicurian Walking Tour- you get some history of the city, walk to differ enemy venues and sample different local foods, beer, wine. Interesting way to see some of the city and try some local foods.

If you are interested in kayaking, check out Alder Creek Kayak- they have a variety of guided day trips that look fun and I am hoping to try this summer.

Just got home from a day kayaking on one of our mountain lakes- fun sport!

Does this sound feasible?

Yes.

On the trip to the coast it would be good to include Cannon Beach and Ecola State Park, which is just north of Cannon Beach.

The views from (and the waterfalls along) the Columbia River Historic Highway are a memorable treat in the Columbia River Gorge.

HTtY

This may seem blasphemous, but given your short visit, with a trip to the coast and all there is to see in the city, I don't think the drive along the Columbia River is all that exciting. It's nice enough, but all considered, if you have to cut something, I'd choose that. Just not that interesting, subjective of course.

Ha ha- just noticed spell check took over on last post- it was supposed to say "different venues"- not anything about an enemy!

Just me, but I'd skip the coast and focus on the Columbia Gorge, Hood River Fruit Loop, Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood, and wineries and great "old west" scenery (as well as the Maryhill Museum) out on the east edge of the Gorge.

It's an early summer and warmer than usual, so have a google at, for example, the Oneonta Gorge along the "historic" Gorge Highway, or possibly windsurfing at Hood River, or rafting in White Salmon WA... lots of fruit stands and wineries in the Hood River Valley, summer skiing on Mt. Hood...

Nothing against the coast, but (to me) the Gorge has got so much diversity in a small area that it's worth more than a day.

http://hoodriverfruitloop.com/
http://www.timberlinelodge.com/
http://www.columbiagorgewine.com/

Nonetheless, what you want to do is doable and I understand the urge to see as much as possible.

Seeing the Columbia River Gorge by driving on I-84 is not a satisfactory experience for me. However, the drive on the Historic Columbia River Highway is an experience you will never forget and the views of the Columbia River and Mt. Hood are spectacular when driving on WA-14 from Maryhill to Washougal (preferably) or vice versa.

Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock, and Echola State Park are iconic spots on the Oregon Coast that can be easily visited as a day trip from Portland. I will never forget the first time I saw them, and I doubt you will either. I urge you to visit them.

HTtTY

You will have been in Boulder and in the Tetons and people are telling you that the gorge will be great and that you should cut out the coast? Sorry, but I agree that Haystack Rock and the coast will be a very nice contrast to what you will have just experienced.

Yes, Cannon Beach will have a lot of visitors (wait till you get to Jackson, believe me).

Have stayed at the River Place...great spot and hotel. I would definitely consider doing the rose garden in Portland, pretty spectacular IMO.

I live in the Rocky Mountains and I thought the Columbia Gorge was amazing!! Honestly, Haystack Rock was ok. I guess I am just not that big of an ocean person. I really did like Astoria though.