How to maximize your 3 day visit to one of the top PNW destination cities. A review of where we stayed, where we ate, and places we visited during our trip.
Some of our good friends texted us and asked if we would be interested in doing a couple's trip to Portland in the fall. It only took Spencer and I a few seconds to reply and say that we were in! Portland was one of the cities on our future travel list so we were pumped to be able to cross it off and to do so with friends.
Where We Stayed
Both couples wanted to stay in a hotel that was quirky and unique like Portland. We didn't want a room that looked like your average hotel room. Surprisingly there were only a couple of options that fit this criteria and had positive reviews.
We ultimately ended up choosing a Kimpton property, the Kimpton Hotel Monaco. This was our first time staying at a Kimpton property and we were very impressed with the level of service throughout our whole stay. Everyone from the front desk to valet to the concierge was kind and willing to help with any questions we had. They also had complimentary coffee in the morning and a nightly social hour with wine tastings & live music. This hotel is pet friendly, but they do offer one floor that is pet free for those with allergies.
Upon entering the room, you felt as if you had been transported into someone's vibrant and electric guest bedroom. From funky bird wall paper to orange plaid bedding it was the exact Portland aesthetic we had desired. The rooms were spacious enough for exactly what we needed and the beds were comfortable.
Also a fun surprise was that the Utah Jazz basketball team was staying there the same weekend as us! It was a cool experience to pass them in the lobby throughout the day.
The only negative of the Kimpton Monaco was the cost of onsite parking which is valet at $42 a night. We used the valet the first night of our stay since we arrived around midnight. However, we found a parking garage 2 blocks away that cost us $6-$10 to park overnight for the remainder of our trip. It was located at the corner of 4th and Alder.
Where We Ate & Drank
While Portland is not known for any specific cuisine, every restaurant we dined at we thoroughly enjoyed both our meals and experiences. We also found that a lot of places either didn't take reservations or reservations were not needed. However, when we were able, we did make reservations to make things a little easier. Here are all of the places we dined and wined at:
Pine State Biscuits // With 3 different locations to chose from, this is a Portland favorite for breakfast. You can not go wrong with a chicken biscuit and their homemade pop tarts are worth splitting as well.
Pine Street Market // This is the perfect place to go if everyone in your group is craving something different. You can choose from any of the 9 different restaurants all located in the same building and still sit together even if everyone ordered from different vendors. Spencer and I tried Marukin Ramen which has 9 Japanese locations and its only stateside location was in Portland. It was really good and perfect for the rainy day we were experiencing. Our two friends tried an acai bowl from KURE and bibimbap from Kim Jong Smokehouse. Both of them enjoyed their meals as well.
Ava Gene's // I would highly recommend getting a reservation here several weeks in advance. We were extremely lucky that when we walked in and asked for a table we were told it would be an hour and a half wait to eat at the bar. We went ahead and put our name on the list and about 20 minutes later were notified that another party did not show and we got their spot! They mill, extrude, roll, and cut their own pasta in house which was absolutely amazing! One of my favorite dining experiences from the whole trip.
Mother's Bistro // Their slogan is "Like mom's cooking, only a bit better". They make everything from scratch and even feature dishes from a different mother each month. It was the classic brunch experience we were looking for and all of us enjoyed our meals here.
PDX Sliders Division // We were all starving after hiking and wanted to grab a quick lunch somewhere; we stumbled upon PDX Sliders after another place we originally were going to go to was already closed for the day. This was a good spot for some unique burgers and we enjoyed their PDX fries which were tossed with truffle salt & fresh parsley.
Q Restaurant // More of a fine dining experience, Q restaurant uses seasonal produce that is sourced locally which results in an ever changing menu. We started with the warm pugliese bread, then I had a gnocchi dish while Spencer had a scallop entree. We ended the meal with all four of us splitting their famous chocolate souffle. I would highly recommend adding this restaurant to your dining experience list.
Blue Star Donuts // We had heard that Voodoo Donuts were over hyped and that the locals went for Blue Star Donuts instead. I believe that rumor is true! Between the 4 of us we got a wide variety of flavors and enjoyed all of them! This was a quick and easy breakfast for our last day in Portland.
Bamboo Sushi // In 2008 they became the world's first certified sustainable sushi restaurant! We popped in here sans reservations for our last meal in Portland. We sat at the sushi bar which was a fun experience. I had the green machine roll which came with this amazing cilantro sweet chili aioli that I still dream about!
Salt & Straw Ice Cream // This was one of the most highly recommended places when we told people we were going to be visiting Portland. They offer super unique ice cream flavors. They had already started their Halloween menu while we were there, and legit had ice cream with chocolate covered bugs in it as well as some other really odd choices. I chose to play it safe and ordered the Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons which was fantastic!
Ambonnay // An intimate & cozy champagne lounge that offered a wide variety of bottles & glasses to chose from. Make sure you order the truffle popcorn to snack on while you sip your bubbly!
Teardrop Lounge // If you are looking for a craft cocktail, this is your place! The menu even comes with it's own glossary to help you navigate each drink creation. It was a fun atmosphere with loud music and old black & white movies playing on large screens in the corners of the bar.
Deschutes Portland Pub // One of the friends we were traveling with is a craft beer connoisseur so we had to stop by for him to grab a pint! He said it was well worth it.
Stumptown Coffee // We had to grab at least one cup of coffee from the infamous coffee roaster and it didn't disappoint. They have several locations throughout Portland so make sure you pop in and order a cup of joe!
What We Did
Portland has a lot to offer just outside the city limits, so we strongly recommend you plan on renting a car if you would like to explore more than the main part of the city. We explored on foot through downtown Portland, some of the surrounding neighborhoods, and then drove to the rest of the places. Here were the majority of the places we explored on our trip:
Pearl District // This is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Portland. It has tons of cute little shops, name brand stores, and cafes. We spent some time just walking and popping into stores that looked interesting to us!
Willamette Valley Wine Tastings // We drove about an hour south to the Willamette Valley to taste some of their famous pinot noirs! Our favorite tasting experience was at Domaine Drouhin. They have this amazing patio with views for days! Unfortunately, it was rainy and overcast when we were there but the views were still breathtaking and the wine was lovely.
Multnomah Falls // This is the location of the most iconic waterfall and bridge photos that you have probably seen on Instagram when people visit the Portland area. It is the tallest waterfall in Oregon at a staggering 620 feet! Sadly due to the fires from the previous year, we were not able to explore the hiking trails but were able to still visit the two viewing areas to get some great photos
Vista House // Built in 1917 as one of the most beautiful scenic points on the Historic Columbia River Highway for travelers to rest and refresh. It is worth making a quick stop at to check out the views!
Latourell Falls // Thankfully the trails at Latourell Falls were open and we were able to do some hiking here. There is an upper loop and a lower loop that takes you to two different tiers of the waterfall. I would highly recommend hiking both loops so you get the full experience.
International Rose Test Garden // If you love gardens and specifically roses then this is a dream location for you to visit with over 7,000 luscious rose bushes! Fun fact, Portland's nickname is the City of Roses!
Powell's Book Store // The world's largest independent bookstore. It is literally the size of a city block and you can pick up a map when you enter because it it so large! Honestly, I could have spent hours here exploring but we were pressed for time on our last day.
Union Way // A hip indoor alleyway full of unique retailers located in Downtown that connects the West End neighborhood with the Pearl District.
Portland was another city that was absolutely perfect for a quick three day getaway with friends! There were so many places that we wanted to visit and restaurants to try. Let us know if there are places that we have to try during the next time we go!
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