# In Portland, OR June 13 & 14, what should I do?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 9, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545 "2017-06-09T21:18:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/1 "2017-06-09T21:18:12Z")

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Visiting my daughters for a couple of days. Any ideas will be appreciated.

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/2 "2017-06-09T21:22:36Z")

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Do you like books?

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**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/3 "2017-06-09T21:32:10Z")

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If you like beer, it’s [Portland Beer Week](http://pdxbeerweek.com/events-calendar/) right now with lots of tastings at bars around the city.

The roses are in bloom in the [Rose Garden](https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=1113) in Washington Park. It’s a beautiful place to walk with good views of the city.

Is this your first visit to Portland?

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**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/4 "2017-06-09T21:38:16Z")

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What do you like to do? If you like hikes, you’re close enough to go to the Columbia Gorge, or even Mt Hood. If you like zoos, the Oregon Zoo is in the same area as the Rose Garden. There are actually several museums in that one area as well.

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/5 "2017-06-09T21:40:39Z")

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Our transit system will take you Multnomah Falls and back for only five bucks.

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**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/6 "2017-06-09T22:00:03Z")

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Not my first visit, been there about 5 times in the last 3 years. Seen the Pittock(?) mansion already & always stop at Powells Downtown. Not much for beer but might hit the Rose gardens. I was mostly asking about anything special on those two days. The girls usually have good ideas, too. Thanks for the suggestions so far!

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**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/7 "2017-06-09T22:43:17Z")

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[I found this calendar of events](https://www.events12.com/portland/). I don’t see much that overlaps with your visit, but take a look. It’s not strictly linear.

I note that you will miss ZombieCon. 😛

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/8 "2017-06-09T22:49:32Z")

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As long as you’re at the Rose Garden, you’re right next to the Japanese Garden, which is very well worth visiting. There is a shuttle near the Rose Garden that will take you up there, unless they’re still working on the lower end of it, in which case it’s an easy climb up the path through the woods to get to it. There’s also the Lan Su Chinese Garden downtown.

Have some Asian wings at Pok Pok, which was featured on Diners, Dives, and Drive-ins. Have a Voodoo Donut. I don’t think they’re all that, but it’s a tourist thing.

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**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2017, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/9 "2017-06-10T15:10:30Z")

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As others have said, take a trip to the Gorge. While out there, don’t miss the [Vista House](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vista_House). The view is spectacular. Dont miss [OMSI](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Museum_of_Science_and_Industry). Just across the Willamette from OMSI is a great promenade along the river under the bridges which have great architectural interest. From OMSI take the [Hawthorne Bridge.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_Bridge) Just south of the bridge on the promenade, there are cafes and benches to watch the river go by. Speaking of bridges, you should make a visit to St. Johns, an interesting old neighborhood, and see the [St. Johns Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Johns_Bridge). The Portland area has great wetlands. Convenient to St. Johns is [Smith and Bybee Lake](https://www.yelp.com/biz/smith-and-bybee-lake-wilderness-area-portland). This is a quick visit this time of year, a short stoll, because water levels are high. From there head out Marine Drive to Kelly Point Park at the confluence of the Columbia and the Willamette. The Columbia is a working river, and it is interesting to watch the river go by. Have fun.

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**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/10 "2017-06-13T15:01:10Z")

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Hi, Thanks all for the great suggestions, we’ve made a list!  
Satch

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-portland-or-june-13-14-what-should-i-do/788545/11 "2017-06-13T16:29:28Z")

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> [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](#):
>
> As others have said, take a trip to the Gorge. While out there, don’t miss the [Vista House](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vista_House). The view is spectacular. Dont miss [OMSI](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Museum_of_Science_and_Industry). Just across the Willamette from OMSI is a great promenade along the river under the bridges which have great architectural interest. From OMSI take the [Hawthorne Bridge.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_Bridge) Just south of the bridge on the promenade, there are cafes and benches to watch the river go by. Speaking of bridges, you should make a visit to St. Johns, an interesting old neighborhood, and see the [St. Johns Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Johns_Bridge). The Portland area has great wetlands. Convenient to St. Johns is [Smith and Bybee Lake](https://www.yelp.com/biz/smith-and-bybee-lake-wilderness-area-portland). This is a quick visit this time of year, a short stoll, because water levels are high. From there head out Marine Drive to Kelly Point Park at the confluence of the Columbia and the Willamette. The Columbia is a working river, and it is interesting to watch the river go by. Have fun.

As long as one is at OMSI, he may as well visit the railroad museum down the street. Some great old locomotives in there.
