Hi Everyone!
I am traveling to Portland with a group of parents for the Nike Team Nationals XC Race at Portland Meadows on Dec 1st. Our hotel is in Beaverton and the only day we have free is Friday. I read on the forum about the Columbia River Gorge. Could you provide more info on that as a day trip from Beaverton? Directions, Lunch spot, how long it would take, etc? What about Multnomah Falls? Where is the salmon hatchery mentioned and what can you do there? Any interesting restaurant suggestions for the evening that are not too expensive for a small group? Thanks for any last minute help.

Hi nytraveler,
Will you have a car? That's the most pressing question, because you won't be able to get from Beaverton to Multnomah Falls without one.
Multnomah Falls are in the Columbia Gorge. From Beaverton, it's about a 40 minute drive, give or take. Totally doable as a day trip. You can take the old highway and get more of the scenery, or the 84 parallels the Columbia River and there are great views of that, too. There are several hikes you can do at the falls, from very short to very long.
For lunch, I would recommend the Daily Cafe. It's located in the Pearl District, so you'll get to see more of the city that way. They have killer sandwiches and salads and other interesting things like quiche.
You'll have to give a price range for "not too expensive." Also, what type of cuisine do you like?

Yeah, I'd totally recommend the Falls unless you want to spend a little more time and head out to the coast. If you head to the falls though, keep going a little further to Hood River for lunch. Great little town!

I really think you will like the Falls..in Dec the weather will most likely be damp , at least..so this way you can see the sights from the car..many of the Falls are right by the road.
The Historic Highway is wonderful, a winding old 2 lane road past farms and forests..winding past waterfalls.
I hope the weather is good for you..the views are stunning from the Womens Forum..an outlook where you can see forever .. and at Vista House..

Take a picnic if it is nice ..Multnomah Falls has a restaurant..we always took picnics though..Angel Falls has picnic tables near the car park.

In town..lunch could be good at Henrys..it is very easy to get to coming into town, on Burnside..

http://henrystavern.com/index.cfm

If it is a chilly raw day, think about Silk..a lovely Vietnamese restaurant where they serve the most wonderful bowls of Pho ( soup) that will warm you up, they can accomodate groups and there are nice views from the windows..it is right on the streetcar line at Glisan.

Thanks so much for the quick responses! Yes, we will have a car. I think the weather is supposed to turn colder so we will probably want to stop inside for lunch in place of a picnic. Is the drive dangerous with lots of turns if it is wet or icy or is it not too bad?
I don't know people's cuisine preferences for dinner so I'm just gathering ideas. Will take all suggestions that people have. They all sound great so far. Any info on that salmon hatchery I read about? Thank you all for taking the time to respond!

Gorge temps will be in the mid-30's on Friday, and it's almost always windy, which means you won't want to spend much time outside of the car or whatever buildings. Especially if it happens to be raining too. On the other hand, the coast will be 10 degrees warmer, and has more bad weather options..... But it's twice the drive time of the Gorge.

Whatever you decide, you'll want to get to hwy 26 from Beaverton; head west if going to the coast. If going to the Gorge, take 26 east through the tunnel, stay in the right hand lane following signs to I-84 and The Dalles. Take exit 18 off of I-84 and follow signs to the Old Columbia River Highway.

Are you asking for dinner recs in Beaverton or Portland? We got a million of 'em.... ;-)

you might try the Edgefield Manor in Troutdale for lunch ( at the beginning of the Gorge ) Its a historic hotel with an interesting history of its own
has a brewpub and winery and a couple of restaurants

http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=3

or in Hood River at the end of the Gorge is the Hood River Hotel

http://www.hoodriverhotel.com/welcome.html

Thanks for the lunch rec's and directions etc. Maybe some dinner rec's in Beaverton would be good to have in case we don't want to wander too far away at night....Thanks again!

Try Nonna Emilia's in Beaverton, on 170th and Canyon.

There is a little place called Dessert Noir on Cedar Hills Blvd. that has good food (not just dessert). http://www.dessertnoir.com/
Monteaux's Public House is also decent, but a little more casual. It is very close to Nike. http://www.monteauxs.com/
Mingo is a nice choice. It is a fancier Italian place. It's located in a small business development called The Round with a few other restaurants and a nice little coffee shop that often has live music.
http://www.beavertonround.com/eat.htm

Oh, I missed this... If it's not too late, I second Nonna Amelia's (home style italian) and Mingo in Beaverton. And add Typhoon, right next to Mingo, to your list.

Stay dry.... and warm.

The Columbia River Gorge is beautiful, but so is the Oregon Coast.

Have you considered going to Cannon Beach, Ecola State Park, Hug Point State Park, and Oswald West State Park?

They are beautiful places, and nearer to Beaverton than the gorge.