<p>In a week we’ll be at Portland for a conference. Will have 3-4 days to look around as tourists. What are good things to do? we like parks, are thinking about Mt. St. Helens. Other places that are fun? We’ll also like to get suggestions about the good places to visit in/near the city itself. We have our 12 year old daughter with us. Any suggestions will be very much appreciated.</p>
<p>it will be hot.</p>
<p>I woudn’t slog all the way to st helens- unless you will never be back again- I would check out Mt Tabor- much closer.
and this
[Avalon</a> Theatre - Southeast Portland - Portland, OR](<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/avalon-theatre-portland]Avalon”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/avalon-theatre-portland)Whats not to love about a pinball arcade that runs on nickles.
My favorite <B
also
[Used</a>, New, and Out of Print Books - We Buy and Sell - Powell’s Books](<a href=“Powell’s Books | The World’s Largest Independent Bookstore”>http://www.powells.com/)
[Pho</a> Van Restaurant](<a href=“http://www.phovanrestaurant.com/Default.htm]Pho”>http://www.phovanrestaurant.com/Default.htm)
^^ Eat at the one on Hawthorne- let the owner order for you.</p>
<p>DS is doing an internship in Portland and were there to drop him off last month. There’s a wonderful rose garden and a historic house where we spent a couple of interesting hours. Weather was odd though - rain/sunshine/rain/sunshine all the time…</p>
<p>DS sent us a few pics of his white water rafting weekend and some hiking trails which looked close to the beach.</p>
<p>where to take your 12 year old girl: [Sock</a> Dreams Sock Dreams Store Location and Hours](<a href=“http://www.sockdreams.com/store/location-and-hours/]Sock”>http://www.sockdreams.com/store/location-and-hours/)</p>
<p>there are lots of good antique shops in this neighborhood too, with fun stuff at reasonable prices.</p>
<p>everyone likes Powells, but I got bored, so your 12 year old might too.</p>
<p>OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry - sounds stodgy but it’s not) has cool exhibits and a submarine anchored on the river that you can tour, and if I remember correctly, you can then take the tram up the bluff for a wonderful view and get near the zoo and other interesting places
[portland</a> ground: Marquam I5 Bridge, Willamette, OMSI, and Tram from Marquam Hill, OHSU](<a href=“http://www.portlandground.com/archives/2007/02/marquam_i5_bridge_willame.php]portland”>http://www.portlandground.com/archives/2007/02/marquam_i5_bridge_willame.php)</p>
<p>Oh, and if she’s a hiking not city girl, look into driving up the Columbia Gorge on the old road and visiting lots of waterfalls.<br>
[Hike</a> The Columbia Gorge Waterfall Loop | Portland Octopus](<a href=“http://www.portlandoctopus.com/hike-the-columbia-gorge-waterfall-loop/]Hike”>http://www.portlandoctopus.com/hike-the-columbia-gorge-waterfall-loop/)</p>
<p>A drive up Mt Hood is a better day trip than St. Helens.</p>
<p>Hiking around Mt Hood is great, and you can get a wonderful view just driving up to the lodge. Unfortunately this isn’t one of the summers when you can snowboard in July
[Home</a> Page | Mount Hood Meadows Ski Resort](<a href=“Mt. Hood Meadows Ski and Summer Resort | Meadows”>Mt. Hood Meadows Ski and Summer Resort | Meadows)</p>
<p>I wouldn’t take a 12-year-old to Sock Dreams. It’s a weird place, a mixture of practical and sock-fetishist. I go there to buy cashmere socks for my husband at Christmas and even I’m a bit freaked out.</p>
<p>If you’re a gardener, go to the International Rose Test Garden and the Japanese Garden, both in Washington Park. There’s also the Rhododendron Garden, near Reed College. </p>
<p>If you’re a hiker, lots of places to hike. In the city, Washington Park and Mt. Tabor are both lovely. (I live on the slopes of Mt. Tabor; it is steep…)</p>
<p>And if you’re a foodie, let me know what kind of food you like and I’ll give you a list of restaurants.</p>
<p>Silver Creek Falls, 10 falls in 4 hours. [Oregon</a> State Parks and Recreation: Rates](<a href=“http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_211.php]Oregon”>Silver Falls State Park - Oregon State Parks)
Columbia Gorge Falls, 5 falls in 4 hours. [Columbia</a> River Gorge NSA - Welcome!](<a href=“http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/columbia/]Columbia”>http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/columbia/)
Bonneville Dam, Hood River Wind Surfing, Distillery, and Orchards.
Mt Hood; Summer Snow Glacier Snow Ski, summit hike, or Ski lift trip
Astoria-Seaside (coast)
End-of-Oregon-Trail (Oregon City & Willamette Falls)
Rocky Picture Horror Show (saturday nite), [The</a> Clinton Street Theater](<a href=“http://www.clintonsttheater.com%5DThe”>http://www.clintonsttheater.com)
Blueberry and Cherry ( high season )
Portland Saturday Market (morrison bridge area)
OMSI
Willamette River Cruise (4 hrs)
Forest Park Hikes
Rose Garden/Japanese Garden/Portland Zoo
(skip St Helens, its a bit of a drive to get to the entrance and then another 50 miles to the view points-Its in the mountains. You’d better to go up the Gorge Highway to HoodRiver then to Mt Hood, for the same drive distance and see much more).
Rooster Rock (Columbia gorge), Brietenbush & Bagby Hot Springs (forest & river settings)</p>
<p>Silver Creek Falls, 10 falls in 4 hours. [Oregon</a> State Parks and Recreation: Rates](<a href=“http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_211.php]Oregon”>Silver Falls State Park - Oregon State Parks)
Columbia Gorge Falls, 5 falls in 4 hours. [Columbia</a> River Gorge NSA - Welcome!](<a href=“http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/columbia/]Columbia”>http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/columbia/)
Bonneville Dam, Hood River Wind Surfing, Distillery, and Orchards.
Mt Hood; Summer Snow Glacier Snow Ski, summit hike, or Ski lift trip
Astoria-Seaside (coast)
End-of-Oregon-Trail (Oregon City & Willamette Falls)
Rocky Picture Horror Show (saturday nite), [The</a> Clinton Street Theater](<a href=“http://www.clintonsttheater.com%5DThe”>http://www.clintonsttheater.com)
Blueberry and Cherry ( high season )
Portland Saturday Market (morrison bridge area)
OMSI
Willamette River Cruise (4 hrs)
Forest Park Hikes
Rose Garden/Japanese Garden/Portland Zoo
(skip St Helens, its a bit of a drive to get to the entrance and then another 50 miles to the view points-Its in the mountains. You’d better to go up the Gorge Highway to HoodRiver then to Mt Hood, for the same drive distance and see much more).
Rooster Rock (Columbia gorge), Brietenbush & Bagby Hot Springs (forest & river settings)</p>
<p>On the Washington side of the river, Fort Vancouver is a fun place to visit that offers a view into the early days of a colonized PNW (it was originally an outpost for the Hudson’s Bay Company).</p>
<p>I do also recommend one of the most popular tourist activities in the Portland area: Tax Free Shopping. Portland has all you major stores and some uniquely Portland ones (like Powell’s) and much of the downtown area has free public transit (buses and light rail). Your 12 year-old daughter may also enjoy ice skating in the middle of Portland’s Lloyd Center Mall.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your suggestions! They’re very helpful.</p>
<p>Herandhismom-</p>
<p>Just curious, are you going to Portland for the PPA Symposium?</p>
<p>jacdad</p>
<p>I always turn to the NY Times “36 Hours in XXX” columns when I’m exploring a new place for a long-ish weekend. They generally combine the tried and true with some funkier, lesser-known suggestions. Here’s link for Portland, though it looks like most (maybe all) of the recommendations have already been listed above. Still a fun read, and gives you sense of (one possible) itinerary.</p>
<p>[36</a> Hours in Portland, Ore. - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/travel/15hours.html]36”>http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/travel/15hours.html)</p>
<p>Just curious, are you going to Portland for the PPA Symposium</p>
<p>Oh I wanna go for that- but too busy.
What is the one in the fall?</p>
<p>for a 12 year old I would keep it simple. Take a walk/shop/eat time down 23rd avenue. 3Monkeys is a fun store for her age and eat or dessert at Papa Haydens. Drive up the Gorge to Multnomah Falls (45 minutes) and then on to Hood River to see the Wind Surfers if it is a nice day. Eat at Cascade Locks.
Zoo/Rose Garden/OMSI are all good depending on her interests.
Spend a few hour in the actual downtown and see Pioneer Square, very nice any time of the day.
If you are there on the weekend got to Saturday Market.
Yes for Powells but only for a walk through and a bit in her section of interest.
Food? too many places to go into…
Have fun
Know that you can do a big loop–up the mountain to see Timberline and then loop to Hood River and then Multnomah Falls and then back to Portland. It is a day of driving and seeing but this is what we do with anyone who has never been.
The beach is only 1.5 hours to Cannon Beach with shops/beach/food</p>
<p>I second the rose gardens, a lovely walk along the Willamette River, and take a stab at lunch at the famous Portland food carts (some of the best Greek food, for cheap I ever ate)</p>
<p>[Food</a> Carts Portland](<a href=“http://www.foodcartsportland.com/]Food”>http://www.foodcartsportland.com/)</p>
<p>[Portland’s</a> Rose Gardens and Rose Garden Store | The Gardens](<a href=“http://www.rosegardenstore.org/thegardensoverview.cfm]Portland’s”>http://www.rosegardenstore.org/thegardensoverview.cfm)</p>
<p>Portland is lovely and there is much to do. Enjoy!</p>
<p>Ohhhh, I forgot, if you’re there on a Saturday, the Saturday Market is great fun for all ages.</p>