Things to do in Oregon
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Montage
This beloved Creole nightspot under the Morrison Bridge has long, white-clothed community tables, aggressively oddball waiting staff, oyster shooters, streetwine cocktails and legendary macaroni and cheese.
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Powell's City of Books
The largest independent bookstore in the US, this place is dangerously addictive. Bank on your quick one-hour 'browse' turning into three. Fantastic travel section.
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Paradox Cafe
A cosy favorite in the charming Belmont neighborhood, the Paradox whips up vegetarian and vegan treats like a tempeh Reuben that could win over the most devoted steak lover. (If not, though, there's also the organic, hormone-free beef burger.) Its kitsch decor includes a soda-fountain counter and blue vinyl booths.
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Pittock Mansion
The grand Pittock Mansion was built in 1914 by Henry Pittock, who revitalized the Portland-based Oregonian newspaper. It's worth visiting the (free) grounds just to check out the spectacular views - bring a picnic.
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Oregon Museum of Science & Industry
The Oregon Museum of Science & Industry, which offers hands-on science exhibits for the whole age range. There's also an Omnimax theater, planetarium shows and a submarine tour (all separate charge).
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Oregon Zoo
Don't miss 'zoolights' during the holiday season, when the zoo becomes a winter wonderland filled with lit-up trees and animal figures. In summer there are concerts on the zoo's lawns. Parking costs $1.
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Classical Chinese Garden
The Classical Chinese Garden is a one-block haven of tranquillity, reflecting ponds and manicured greenery. Free tours are available with admission.
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Kenny & Zuke's
Portland takes on New York in this new traditional Jewish-style deli next to the Ace Hotel where the pièce de résistance is - surprise, surprise - the hand-sliced pastrami (cured for five days, smoked for10 and steamed for three). Once you've demolished the classic pastrami on rye leave room for a blintz, latke or formidable desert.
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Saturday Market
For great fun and a quintessential introduction to Eugene's peculiar vitality, don't miss the Saturday Market, held each Saturday from March through November at E 8th Ave and Oak St. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas it's renamed the Holiday Market and moves indoors to the Lane Events Center at 13th Ave and Jefferson St.
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Pearl District
The Pearl District is dotted with high-end galleries, boutiques and home-decor shops - don't miss Powell's City of Books. On the first Thursday of each month galleries stay open longer and people fill some of the Pearl's streets amid a party atmosphere. And on weekends, visit the quintessentially Portland Saturday Market.
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Shanghai Tunnels
Running beneath Old Town's streets are the Shanghai Tunnels, a series of underground corridors through which, in the 1850s, unscrupulous people would kidnap or 'shanghai' drunken men and sell them to sea captains looking for indentured workers. Tours are available by appointment.
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Eastside
Eastside has lots of trendy shopping streets that also host a few restaurants and cafés. SE Hawthorne Blvd is the biggest, N Mississippi Ave is the most recent and NE Alberta is the most artsy and funky. Down south, Sellwood is known for its antique shops.
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St Honoré Boulangerie
Insanely popular for its luscious breads and pastries, this modern-rustic bakery also serves tasty panini sandwiches, vegetarian soups and oven-fired pizzas. Snag a sidewalk table on a sunny day.
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Egyptian Room
Portland's main lesbian hangout, where guys are (barely) tolerated and girls are (mostly) butch. It's heavy on the hip hop and full of chain-smokers, with karaoke and pool tables to distract.
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Hoyt Arboretum
Prettiest in the fall, Hoyt Arboretum is home to more than 1000 species of native and exotic trees and has 12 miles of walking trails. There's also a popular zoo.
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Kennedy School
Kennedy School is the McMenamin brothers' premier Portland venue. Watch movies in the old school gym.
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Keystone Café
Organic omelettes, vegan pancakes, tofu scrambles, salmon burgers. Get the idea?
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Pambiche
Americans might not be able to legally visit Cuba, but they can get the next best thing at this multicolored Cuban restaurant in the Northeast district. Open all day, la hora del amigo (Cuban happy hour) is the best time to chow (2pm to 6pm Monday to Friday, 10pm to midnight Friday and Saturday). The menu? No Castro speeches, but plenty of ropa vieja (shredded beef), snapper in coconut sauce and that rich Cuban coffee. Warning - the place is insanely popular, but tiny. Arrive early!
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Hendricks Park Rhododendron Garden
Thousands of varieties of rhododendron and azalea erupt into bloom at the Hendricks Park Rhododendron Garden in the spring, along with dogwoods and daffodils, peaking in May. The garden is part of a larger park that features native trees and shrubs, and during the rest of the year it's a quiet, vernal retreat with lovely views worthy of a picnic. To get there head south on Agate St, turn left on 21st and left again on Fairmont, then right on Summit.
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Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Two-mile-long Tom McCall Waterfront Park flanks the west bank of the Willamette River, hosting summer festivals and concerts. The Salmon Street Springs Fountain swarms with frolicking kids in warm weather. Toward the north end of the park is the Japanese-American Historical Plaza, a memorial to Japanese Americans who were interned by the US government during WWII. Across the river is another great walking strip, the Eastbank Esplanade.
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Skinner Butte
A hike up wooded Skinner Butte provides a good orientation and a little exercise (drive up if you're feeling lazy). Eugene Skinner established the city's first business on the narrow strip of land along the Willamette River below, which is now Skinner Butte Park; there's a great playground for kids. And if you're a rock climber, don't miss the columnar basalt formations along the butte's lower western side (at W 1st Ave).
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Portland Building
In a downtown devoid of big skyscrapers, the city's signature structure is the emblematic Portland Building designed in 1980 by Michael Graves. A triumph of postmodernism to some but a mine of user unfriendliness to others, the 15-story block had the Neptune-like Portlandia statue added above the front door in 1985 representing the Goddess of Commerce.
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Morning Glory Café
Eugene in a nutshell, or should that be a nut-roast. This sustainable place is good for breakfast, lunch and brunch and rarely will vegans have a better choice - everything on the menu is either vegan or can be made vegan. Try the biscuits, tofu sandwiches or cookies, and as the in-shop sign says 'make tea not war.'
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Evergreen Aviation Museum
For something different, head to McMinnville's Evergreen Aviation Museum and check out Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose, the world's largest wood-framed airplane. There's also a replica of the Wright brothers' Flyer, along with an IMAX theater (movie admission separate).
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Paley's Place
Vitaly and Kimberly Paley have established one of Portland's premier restaurants, offering a creative blend of French and Pacific Northwest cuisines. Whether it's the duck confit, Kobe burger or veal sweetbreads, you can count on fresh ingredients, excellent service and a memorable experience.
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