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Seeing Downtown Portland & Beyond!

by Jett Scream, Rose City Rollers

Southwest
If you don't mind a little rain, RENT A BIKE! You can rent one at Waterfront Bikes, $35 for the day. Some of Portland's hostels also have bike rentals for guests.

Down by the Willamette River is where you can get a true taste of Portland. Our city's diverse population can be seen from Tom McCall Waterfront Park. On any given day, you might see hipsters in Nike jogging suits, moms pushing double-wide strollers, homeless folks (and their dogs) asking for spare change, and young families spread out in the grass for a picnic. On the weekends, Portland Saturday Market, which is open all weekend despite the name takes over the space under the Burnside Bridge. There are booths of hand-made crafts and art, stuff imported from the ends of the earth, jugglers throwing various items, Krishna's chanting, and children and teens running rampant.

Get a plate of African food or a slice of pizza and head to the river to sit in the grass and soak it all in. At the waterfront, the people and city unfold for you. Get a good look at Portland's glorious bridges. If it happens to be raining, which is what Portlanders live with for 8 months out of the year, you can eat under the covered picnic area. Much of Saturday Market is located under the Burnside Bridge, so there is plenty of shelter.

When you're done with Saturday Market, head west on Morrison Street to Pioneer Courthouse Square. This is a great place to see more people and do some... shopping! Pioneer Place is the mall du jour in downtown Portland. All the big stores are there, the food court has some decent food, and there is a sushi buffet on the top floor. Yum! Nordstrom's Rack (245 SW Morrison Street) is close-by for all of you bargain shoppers out there. Downtown also hosts hundreds of locally owned Portland stores.

Dr. Martens rewards winners! Dr. Martens has generously donated shoes to the two top teams of the 2008 Championship. Dr. Martens has been a sponsor for the Rose City Rollers in the past, and they have stepped up to sweeten the taste of National Derby Domination with free footwear! Skaters on the first and second place teams will be given a free pass to kickass shoes. Where are your Dr. Martens you might ask? Waiting for you at the Portland store, located downtown on 616 SW Broadway, a huge selection with fresh new designs for this season. A few Rose City Rollers in the past have been lucky enough to receive passes to fabulous footwear land. One skater had this to say:

It was rad! At first I was overwhelmed by so many choices, I did not know which shoes to try on first! Then I must have tried on every pair they had in my size, I mean all of them, from the tallest boots down to some funky walking sandals. I finally settled on some sweet Mary Janes. I wore them the other day and they are still awesome!

Done shopping? Hop on the street car and take a ride on the OHSU Tram docking center. There is a glass bridge at the hospital that gives you a good view of the city and surrounding area. This is a great rainy day activity. Kids and adults alike will love traveling a few hundred feet over the city!

Portland Art Museum is the oldest art museum in the Pacific Northwest. There are permanent collection galleries as well as visiting exhibits. You can see modern art, silver, photography, and just about everything in between.

Many visitors aren't aware that Portland has very strong ties with Japanese and other Asian cultures. So put on your hoodie and scarf and go visit the fabulous Japanese Gardens in Washington Park. It's a wonderful place to meander through and has five traditional Japanese gardens. You'll have to drive or take the MAX Line to this stop on your journey. While you're in Washington Park, stop by the Oregon Zoo, too! Washington Park is home to several other on-foot activities including the Portland Children's Museum, andthe very impressive International Test Rose Gardens. Forest Park is also located in this area and is great for nature hikes, but for safety reasons, please avoid the park at night. You might run into a few non-pedestrians in the park such as mountain bikers and folks riding their horses.

Northwest / West Burnside

North of Burnside Boulevard is The Pearl District, where all the rich hipsters go to shop and eat. The street car can take you around the neighborhood for a small fee. The Pearl sports a plethora of specialty and clothing stores of all kinds, even a doggie boutique! But before you head into your favorite store to purchase a pair of $200 jeans, do yourself a favor and roll into Powell's Books. Powell's is the largest new and used book stores in the world. It's a great place to spend a few hours browsing your favorite subjects and talking to the Portlanders who love the store. There is a decent coffee shop attached, so don't be shy to grab that book you would never buy and sit with a cup of coffee to read for a bit. For all you nerds and geeks, you have visit Powell's Technical Bookstore, located down the street from the main bookstores. You will find all sorts of new and used techno-geek books and reference materials. After you've loaded yourself with paperbacks for the trip home, go nosh on a designer dessert at Saint Cupcake or Cupcake Jones. They are worth the price, trust me! The northwest part of Portland is also famous for it's art galleries. Visit the small galleries that exhibit local artists, plus the larger galleries that show art around the Nation.

Looking for a bargain? Check out Red Light and Buffalo Exchange new & used clothing stores. They are also both off Burnside Boulevard, as well as Spartacus' Leather and toy shop. Shop till your heart and your ummmm... other "hearts" are content!

NW 21st and 23rd Streets are the next stop for checking out Portland. More shops and restaurants galore, most of them unique to Portland. Use the street car or a bike to get around -- parking can be a real bitch!

Another garden? Why yes, Portland is full of them! The Classical Chinese Gardens are located downtown, and are inspired from the traditional gardens in Portland's sister city, Suzhou. This garden is based on a Suzhou-style garden of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). Take one of the free tours that are offered daily.

Did you splurge on a rental car? A favorite tour for visitors is a drive through the hills of the northwest neighborhoods. There is a great view of the city and you can gawk at the huge homes overlooking the city

Southeast

From the west side of the Willamette River, the Hawthorne Bridge is a great bridge to walk or skate over if you're interested in seeing thesoutheast areaand a beautiful view of the city. Not all of Portland's bridges are pedestrian friendly, though. On the east side of the river, check out the Eastbank Esplanade. If it's not raining, this is a great place to skate, walkor bike. Cruise up the Oaks Bottom trail all the way to glorious Oaks Park.

The Hawthorne District (SE 30th - 41st Street) has shops and restaurants, and plenty of local, sustainable coffee joints. It's also a great place to shop for second-hand clothes; both Buffalo Exchange and Red Lighthave locations on Hawthorne Boulevard. There are also several Portland breweries nearby: Bridgeport, Lucky Lab, and Roots Organic just to name a few! So stop on in for a local brew and a bite to eat. Portlanders love to talk and are very friendly, even to complete strangers, so be ready for a conversation! Need to put your feet up for a bit? The McMenamins Bagdad Theater & Pub shows cheap movies in a very groovyand comfy pub theater.

Belmont Street also offers restaurants and some shopping. For an out-of-the-rain adventure, head for The Avalon to play cheap old-school video games or watch a movie. Did I mention that Portland has a lot of vintage movie houses?

Northeast

NE Portland shelters several pockets of interest. If you like malls, the Lloyd Center is a place to visit. Several blocks east is the Hollywood District, a street of local stores and shops, including plenty of food and drink.

Alberta Street is the heart of an arts, restaurant, and shopping district of NE. Check out the specialty shops and art galleries on the twenty block stretch, from 12th-31st streets.

A new-formed neighborhood is the Mississippi/Albina area. More shops, food and a few surprises, like Sunlan Lighting, a store that has been around for many years and services sells Portlanders those hard-to-find light bulbs.

A trip to NE Portland would not be complete without a trip to In Other Words Bookstore, the only existing non-profit feminist bookstore in the United States. They also host many events worth checking out. Look at their website for more information.

My favorite McMenamins in Portland is the Kennedy School. It's a great place to get a drink in the Detention Room, a meal in the restaurant, watch a movie while sitting on a comfy couch, or just walk around and look at the fabulous art. You can also soak in a huge tiled outdoor hot tub (think Italy, not spring break). Remember to bring your own towel.

Outside Portland

Mount Saint Helens and Spirit Lake
If you have a free day, go see the smoking crater building inside this beautiful volcano. Then take a look into the mirror of Spirit Lake.

Mount Hood
Within one hour'sdrive from Portland. The Timberline Lodge is a great place to have a whiskey and relax, whether you are climbing it or not. There are also somegreat locations for snowshoeing, even in November! Mount Hood Brewery, located in nearby Government Camp, is a great place to grab a bite to eat and sample some more of those tasty Oregon brews.