portland and area
 

My husband and I will be in the Portland area for 6 full days at the end of Sept into the beginning of October. We are arriving on Monday afternoon and leaving late the following Sunday night. We would like to hit the highlights and see as much of the area as possible. Of course Portland,(market on Saturday) the Columbia River Gorge and waterfalls are on the list and some mild hiking in that area as well as the coast and wineries (not sure which area for wineries would be best and most efficient). We are open to any other suggestions.

We are planing on renting a car but don't like to spend a lot of time driving in the car. In addition to a suggested itinerary I would like advice as to whether it would be best to do day trips out of Portland or to move around and stay out of Portland part of the time. As always thanks for your invaluable advice.

7 nights? I'd spend four in Portland, 2 at the beach and 1 at hood River. But I prefer the beach over the gorge- you could always swap the 2. Definitely go to the beach during the week- the crowds aren't as bad then, but people are still doing day trips if the weekends are nice.

A day trip to the gorge is possible but there's so much to do there- and good dining/wine/beer- that I'd do one night there at least. Same with the beach- it's not a long drive, but I'd assume you'd have a very full day and it's just best to have at least one night there- but I prefer 2 because that's where I like to hike and explore.

Can't help you with the wineries- those are at home too and I tend to get distracted in the Portland breweries;)

Your trip should include the Oregon coast and, if you want, you have time to explore the coast from Florence to Cannon Beach. The area from Florence to Lincoln City (including Cape Perpetua) is particularly scenic as is the stretch from Neahkahnie Viewpoint to the south to Ecola State Park in the north. Our favorite places to stay are Yachts or Newport in the south and Cannon Beach in the north.

HTtY

Thank you for your advice. I will incorporate it into my plans.

Portland is a great city and worth exploring. I would definitely spend some time in the NW section and walk around the Pearl District. The hub of that area is Jamison Park

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/...ction=viewpark.

... opps posted too soon. And also in NW is NW 23rd Street which has lots of good restaurants and shops. Across the river is SE Division Street which is quickly becoming a foodie hot spot. Pok Pok is one restaurant that is very popular.

http://www.pokpokpdx.com/

Also a trendy and crazy donut shop called Voodo Dounts is a fun place if you happen to find yourself nearby. I believe it is in SE Portland.

http://voodoodoughnut.com/

Lots of good suggestions so far.

If you want to hit our premier wine region, the Willamette Valley, you could do that in conjunction with the coast. Make it a loop on your way there or back. We do have other varietals besides Pinot Noir, but this is what OR is known world wide for. This area runs from basically Sherwood down to Eugene, but the bulk of it is centered around southern Newborn/Dundee/McMinnville, so only about 45 minutes to an hour south of Portland. I would suggest heading to the coast first, then drive south along there as it is easier to pull over and get back on the highway. Then cut over just north of Lincoln City and take 18 over to McMinnville. This will put you right in the heart of the region. We have over 200 wineries in this area alone, so lots of options:)

nanabee--The original (one that visitors always want) is in SW, very close to the waterfront. There is another location in NE, but not one in SE.

Oh you are right mms! Thanks for the correction.

The suggestions mms gives would make for a great time in Oregon.

In Portland I like to walk the waterfront path. There is a path on both sides of the river. You can walk up one side, cross over the river on one of the bridges, walk the opposite side and cross back on the next bridge doing a loop.

Oregon wine country is beautiful.

Thanks everyone some really good suggestions.

One more question....what is the weather like along the coast and Mt. Hood, gorge area at the beginning of October? Are the waterfalls still impressive?

The weather at the coast in Oct could be anything from warm and sunny or cold and rainy. This has been a very unusual year though so it's anyone's guess.

Another thing I like to do in Portland is the Epicurian Walking Tour. You will walk to a variety of restaurants, bakeries etc sampling local foods and getting a history of Portland. I think it's a fun thing to do.

Check the Travel Portland website for lodging ideas and what is happening in Portland while you are there.