Portland, Oregon
I decided to take my daughters to Portland, Oregon while my husband attended a conference downtown. On our flight, we were transfixed as we stared out the window on our descent into the largest city in Oregon, “The City of Roses.” The call of nature was tugging at our hearts as we were mesmerized by landscapes of rivers cutting through the lush foliage and the view of the snow-capped mountain of Mt Hood. We couldn’t wait to touchdown and begin to explore this region of the Pacific Northwest.
We had several city sights we wanted to fit in during our short stay. We had planned to eat at The Nines restaurant on our arrival into Portland, but my oldest daughter felt ill, so we ended up checking into our hotel and ordering food from their Palm Garden Restaurant. While my daughter slept, my husband, youngest child, and I quietly munched on a cheeseburger and club sandwich. The following morning the kids were up at 5 am; thank you Pacific Standard Time Zone. The benefit was that we were dressed and finished with breakfast by 7:45. After securing a city map from the hotel desk and being directed towards the train station, we arrived at the Convention Center Max Light Rail Station. We bought one adult pass and one youth pass; children 6 and under ride free. The transit system in Portland is extensive and reliable, and with buses, streetcars, and train options paid for in one pass, it is a great deal! Our plan was to ride the Red line to Washington Park and go to the Oregon Zoo. Unfortunately, they were doing construction on part of the line, so we had to get off at Pioneer Square and take the Max Shuttle to continue our journey on the light rail to Washington Park.
The Oregon Zoo incorporates the surrounding scenery along the paths to the exhibits effortlessly. The kids loved watching the river and sea otters glide through the water and sleep on their backs. The Bald Eagle Exhibit was a popular attraction for the visitors. We saw their awe-inspiring wing span up close, as their nest rests near a viewing window. My daughters were lucky enough to see the world’s fastest land animal, the cheetah, as it relaxed right next to them with just the safety glass between them. The highlight of the afternoon was seeing an elephant swimming in the water hole and gathering apples and carrots that the zookeepers were throwing to him.
We continued our journey by hopping on the free Washington Park Shuttle bound for the Portland Japanese Garden. The tranquil space was harmonious with nature. The Flat Garden, Strolling Pond Garden, and Natural Garden spaces were 3 of our favorite areas in this 9.1-acre enclosure. The Bonsai Terrace showcases several varieties of plants and the different techniques used to masterfully cultivate them. We loved seeing these miniature creations!
We walked about 500 feet to the International Rose Test Garden. This year, 2017, marks the centennial of the Rose Garden. It was created as a haven to avoid the destruction of these gorgeous, fragrant, and unique European hybrid flowers during WWI. The grounds are meticulously kept and consist of 4.5 acres of over 7000 plants and 550 varieties. The peak for the blossoms are in the month of June. We arrived 2 weeks too early and missed seeing them in bloom.
We rounded out our first full day in the city by burning off extra energy at Portland’s largest play structure in one of the oldest city parks which was purchased from a landowner in 1871.
Our second day of adventures began with a hearty breakfast at Mother’s Bistro and Bar located in the heart of downtown. I ordered a homecooked meal of biscuits and gravy. Savannah ate a heaping plate of French Toast and Brooklyn ordered a Belgium Waffle topped with fresh strawberries and handmade whipped cream. We waddled out of the restaurant and traveled by bus to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). They had a special exhibit entitled “The Art of the Brick” by artist Nathan Sawaya. It is a collection of original and recreated masterpieces made entirely out of LEGO pieces. The massive life-size T-Rex skeleton art piece looks like it could be displayed in a natural history museum. It is made of 80,020 LEGO Bricks. The impressive 75,450 piece 3-D LEGO work of the Easter Island Moai figure was stunning with the orange-rose colored backdrop that resembled a sunset.
We experimented in the Chemistry and Physics Labs located in the Turbine Hall. We worked with real life architects who donated their time to teach children about the basic building blocks in structure design. The kids worked in the Watershed Lab charting ways to save towns from storms and designing a water conserving city. The most fun they had was at the Innovation Station where they designed a flying machine out of paper that they put through a wind tunnel to test the aerodynamics and flight capability. After spending 7 hours in the museum we took advantage of the proximity of the Willamette River to the museum and took a lovely stroll across the Tilikum Crossing: Bridge of the People. The Portland Streetcar picks up at the Tilikum Crossing and we boarded the streetcar back to the hotel.
It was our final day in the “Beaver State” and we headed to Blue Star gourmet donut shop in the morning. They have earned the nickname “Donuts for Grownups” because of their unique flavors. We tried 8 different exotic varieties that were prepared in their bakery that morning. We must still be considered kids, because the creative assortments did not hit the spot for us. We unanimously agreed that the Old Fashion donut was hands down the best that day.
You can follow the Columbia River Highway to Multnomah Falls, located just 30 minutes outside of Portland. We were fortunate to arrive early and snag a parking spot at this popular attraction. My husband joined us on our last hurrah and hiked the switchback-filled trail with us to the top of the 620-foot waterfall. We watched in wonder as the year-round waterfall cascaded down the drop.
We wanted to get in a visit to the Oregon Coast, so after our hike we drove for 2 hours to reach Cannon Beach. This small tourist town holds a lot of charm and there are several restaurants and shops to visit. We ate a wonderful meal of clam chowder at the Driftwood Restaurant and Lounge that has been in operation for over 70 years. After the long car ride and filling their bellies, the kids were ready to dash through the sand to the awaiting ocean. When we reached to beach, the landmark known as Haystack Rock greeted us. It towers 235 feet and is flanked by 2 smaller rocks called The Needles. Haystack Rock is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and is a marine sanctuary. Its tidal pools are home to abundant marine life and puffins and terns nest on this igneous rock. The kids discovered small shrimp and scurrying mole crabs while wading in the Pacific Ocean.
We drove back to Portland after our beach adventure and stopped to tour the grounds at Pittock Mansion before their 9pm closure. We sat at picnic tables and took in the view of the city and meandered around the massive property that was built in 1914. We finished out our fun packed day with a late dinner at Tasty N Alder. The food was fresh and flavorful and the children’s meals were unexpectedly free. The kids chose homemade pasta and a hotdog, while the adults ordered radicchio salad, sautéed spinach, pan seared shrimp, and the pork chop.
Portland lies in the Willamette Valley, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Range. The proximity of the city is ideal for nature lovers and adventure seekers that work in the metropolitan area. We had an amazing time touring this stretch of the Pacific Northwest.
