Name 5 things I HAVE to do while in Portland for the World Indoor champs

-Walk by the voodoo donuts line and say "whew, glad I'm not going there"

- walk on the Eastbank or Westbank trail and count the tents.

- Try to go running at in forest park and spend 20 minutes parking and walking to the trailhead.

- Go to chinatown expecting a vibrant part of a city.

- Chinese garden and then Japanese Rose garden, for serious tho.

Drive up to Seattle and go up the Space Needle.

Seattle wrote:

Drive up to Seattle and go up the Space Needle.

I could fly into Seattle and spend the 16th-17th there if it is worthwhile...

go for a run on the berm at Nike World HQ in Beaverton, just a short drive away.... unless non-employees aren't allowed anymore...

1) Go for a run in Forest Park

2) Take the Old Scenic Highway and drive out to Multnomah Falls. Great scenery. Lots of waterfalls and cool hikes.

3) Go check out the Nike track and go for a run on the Hollister Trail (across the street from Nike HQ.

4) Go bar hopping in the Pearl District.

5) Run the Portland waterfront.

Enjoy the impressive array of strip clubs and micro breweries. (Actually, both of those are vastly overrated).

If it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the USA for you then you MUST fly to SF and see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf.

Good ones. Before you fall in love and move here:

1) Run by the local hobby glass factories for some fresh Cadmium filled air. There's at least a couple of them for you. Who knows what they will pollute you with next.

2) Run through local neighborhoods full of beautiful smelling but toxic PM2.5 lung clogging wood smoke. You won't have to go far for this.

3) Smell the benzene and diesel smoke from I-5. Oregon has no emissions controls for diesel trucks. California dumps their trucks here. Nasty.

4) Pretend you're a commuter from Vancouver and drive from there to Beaverton at rush hour.

Portland is not a zero sum game. Please stop treating it that way.

1. Avoid the homeless people

2. Avoid the homeless people

3. Avoid the homeless people

4. Avoid the homeless people

5. Leave Portland

1. sell tickets - $400

2. buy new rain coat that makes you look homeless and hipsters appreciate - $399

3. grow beard - free

4. beg for change by ironically telling people it's for beer + $8 dollars

5. use $9 to purchase a single 12oz beer at prickish micro brewery - $9

Getting a compliment on your jacket from a hipster distler bar tender in portland - priceless.

There should be a ten dollar coffee in there somewhere.

Ahlright

Visit Jamin

Portland is the best place in the world for research of Barbarian Far West Asiatic Homonids.

I expect if you're there more than a day or so, I expect youll have to take a big dump

Wow, so much Portland hate.

I lived there for four years and loved it. Definitely head out to the gorge if you are looking for a beautiful day hike or just want to see the view (vista house).

Nike HQ is neat, I had an in with an employee to get more of a tour but maybe you can just walk around?

Forest park is amazing and there are many trail heads you can enter at that have plenty of parking. Forest park was my Sunday long run spot and I rarely had an issue.

There are plenty of places for wonderful food/coffee/drinks, check out Willamette Week's food guide. Some are expensive but many are not. I am currently living in the midwest and miss the myriad of quality food/drink options.

Head up to the rose gardens or Japanese gardens, go to Powell's, etc.

Also, if you don't want to go to Forest park to run there are many other trail options. My favorite was Tryon Creek in SW, it is really hilly but beautiful.

HAVE FUN!!!

I've visited Portland a few times and loved the experience. If you like books, you must see Powell's. I highly recommend the Forest park trails. Maybe I didn't park at the main trailhead because I never had trouble getting in or out?

A drive along the river on west is worth your time.

I thought the homeless people were far worse in Seattle. I think Seattle may have the most homeless people per capita in the USA.

no love for Oregon wrote:

I think Seattle may have the most homeless people per capita in the USA.

Just last week I posted

Honolulu

Portland

Baltimore

in that order as largest population of street dwellers

1- The pizzeria next door to VooDoo Doughnuts is worth a try. Brick oven

2- Hollister Trail, Berm Trail (section is closed for construction)

3- Columbia Sportswear employee store if you have an 'in'

4- Drive over to the coast

5- Skyline Diner, good eats north of town

I can get you a pass to the Columbia Employee Store if you're interested.