Family vacation- Portland? Seattle?

Parent Cafe
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<p>Car rental rates in Portland were fairly reasonable (I believe we paid about $160 for 5 days). We stayed in the Pearl District and had a hotel for $102 with free parking, free breakfast, free wifi, and non-smoking. It was the Silver Cloud, the last independent hotel and we booked through hotwire, I believe. </p>

<p>We did drive to the falls mentioned above, also spent some time and bought a book at Powells (which I remember from my days as a UO alum). Loved our visit to Portland and we may go back. Enjoyed Meriweathers, which is in the Pearl District; reasonable happy hour prices. We also ate at a small Japanese Restaurant which had 1/2 price for orders place before 6pm for dinner & sake for $2. Both restaurants were a short walk from our hotel.</p>

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<p>The Silver Cloud and those restaurants that HImom mentions are not actually in the Pearl District but the area she describes is very convenient–close to public transportation and with lots to walk to.</p>

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<p>I agree with 333 that it depends on your interests and time available. Visiting the zoo takes more time than some other options. I’ve only spent a very limited amount of time in Portland. I can’t remember, are the gardens near the zoo? I have very pleasant memories from zoo visits, and I also like that the $ go toward supporting the animals. A zoo is a great place to visit with young people, too. I vaguely remember a nice view when we visited Pittock Mansion but thought if I had it to do again it wouldn’t be at the top of my list of places to visit if I were short on time. More of a rainy day option? Abasket, is OMSI of much interest?</p>

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<p>Redpoint–the Silver Cloud Inn mentioned above is great with or without a car. It is one to two blocks from everything you could want–restaurants, gift shops, library, post office, cooperative grocery store, bus stops, etc. A few more blocks gets you to the streetcar stop. It is also near parks, the 23rd Ave shopping district, and the freeway entrance.</p>

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<p>Oh, sorry, not sure what district we stayed in, but it was fairly convenient to the airport, and yes, near quite a bit of public transportation and nice places to walk. We did end up DRIVING to the Pearl District, which had Powells and Icebreakers (a store with washable wool garments that are lightweight and NOT itchy).</p>

<p>I recall going to OMSI many, many years ago. Sadly at the time of our visit, several of the animals were NOT well cared for, nor were the exhibits. Hopefully things have improved since then.</p>

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<p>HImom, my post may have been confusing. OMSI is Oregon Museum of Science and Industry – another idea for a rainy day. I was just looking back at older posts. I didn’t realize there wouldn’t be much time spent in Portland. That makes a difference of course.</p>

<p>It’s been a while since I’ve been to the Oregon Zoo, too, HImom.</p>

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<p>Deborah T & HImom–yes, the zoo and the gardens are both in Washington Park which covers a large area of SW Portland. OMSI is the science museum. Years ago it was next to the Zoo but now it is on the east side, near the river. However, I would NOT recommend it as a destination for visitors, especially in the summer when it is so nice to be outside. Even on a rainy day it would be way down the list. As those things go the Exploratorium in San Francisco is far more impressive.</p>

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<p>Regarding the zoo, I would pass on that for two reasons - one, because we have several nationally ranked zoos here in Ohio that we have visited frequently (including #1! Columbus!) and two, because we will have just experienced the “zoo” that is our family for the weekend wedding! (haha)</p>

<p>Probably same for the OMSI - unless it’s a rainy day and our choices are limited - for much the same reasons. </p>

<p>I am thinking a route somewhat like 333 mentioned is very doable - Powells, lunch, pearl district, washington park, voodoos - something like that. We like walking a town (though we will have a car till about 5 or 6) and just visually “seeing” things - for the purposes of this one day, don’t want to spend hours at anyone place - an hour or two, fine. :)</p>

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<p>I forgot what your timeframe is – this summer? There’s also the Chinese garden close to the Pearl and the Japanese Garden which is up in Washington Park. I think people recommend the zoo as it’s at the top of Washington Park.</p>

<p>If you stay or walk around the Pearl I recommend Lovejoy Bakers for lunch. Super Yummy!</p>

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<p>For younger, hipper shoppers be sure and head over a bridge to the eastside and check out the shops along Hawthorne Boulevard, from about 30th to 39th has the bulk of shops. Plenty of restaurants, a Powell’s (though not the flagship) and coffee shops every five feet :)</p>

<p>You can eat lunch at the Waffle Window for about $5!</p>

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<p>Sorry I missed this thread earlier. We were just in Portland for two graduations last month. For future reference, car rentals can vary greatly week to week. What I do is check several sites regularly, and make multiple reservations with different companies. We went from $470 for 13 days, down to $252 doing this. Actually, we could have gone to $231, but it didn’t include a spouse driving. </p>

<p>For Cannon Beach, we spent a day at the Hallmark Resort. They are going through a renovation and offer a web special during construction (construction didn’t bother stay). It’s the closest hotel to Haystack and we had an ocean view of it (had to pay for it too). We ate lunch at Mo’s and dinner at the Wayfarer. While we enjoyed Mo’s, we did see one local couple leave in disgust and the table next to us pointed out some plastic in one meal (from a bag tie), but didn’t complain. At least the manager didn’t charge for the meal. The Wayfarer isn’t cheap, but the food was good. We made reservations on OpenTable and it may have gotten us a prime viewing table. Manzanita is another good place to vacation, but do be prepared to cook most of your meals. We’ve done a stop at Costco in Hillsboro before going there. I will say the small store there will have what you’ve likely forgotten to bring.</p>

<p>For those visiting colleges in the area, I’d say a car is necessary. Lewis & Clark is in a residential area and would be hard to get to via transit for a visitor. </p>

<p>Oh, and plan a meal at the food carts. Portland has several areas with food carts and all have a good selection of ethnic foods.</p>

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<p>Lunch in Portland? Food trucks!
[Food</a> Carts Portland - A Guide to Food Carts in Portland Oregon](<a href=“http://www.foodcartsportland.com/]Food”>http://www.foodcartsportland.com/)</p>

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<p>This is one of my favorites: [Grilled</a> Cheese Grill - Come by for a taste of your childhood. Unless your childhood sucked, and then we’ll let ya have a taste of ours.](<a href=“http://grilledcheesegrill.com%5DGrilled”>http://grilledcheesegrill.com)</p>

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<p>Thanks for posting about Pambiche Cocina, EK — we have been wanting to try Cuban food, and PC is less than a mile from where we are staying. We will definitely try it!</p>

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<p>Well with much thanks to everyone on this thread we enjoyed a magnificent vacation in the beautiful state of Oregon - WOW!</p>

<p>Really couldn’t have planned it much better, don’t regret anything we did or didn’t do. Flights, car rental and those incidentals went perfectly (our “compact car” - a Ford Focus - was actually roomy and got great gas mileage!). Weather was probably out of the ordinary - only a few sprinkles one day for a very short time - and that was when we were in our room lounging a bit before dinner. Otherwise it was sunny and comfortable.</p>

<p>Our Portland time included visiting Multnomah Falls and a couple of other “falls” off the exits. Stunning. The International Rose Garden - the gardens AND neighborhood, beautiful. Powells - a place to get lost in more ways than one! Voodoo - saw it, saw the line and fortunately, another family member did the line wait so we didn’t have to but still enjoyed the donuts! Pine State Biscuits - quirky and delicious. </p>

<p>The drive from Portland to Pendleton - WOW. What I pictured the northwest to look like x 10!!! The Columbia River is amazing. We felt like in that 3 hour drive that we drove through Oregon, the Dakotas (the rocky hills/mountains), Arizona (the dry,hilly areas) and then the Pendleton area with rolling hills/plains and areas where the sky never looked so good against the country. Had to laugh when we stopped at a rest stop and my 21 year old son got all excited to see actual “tumbleweeds” rolling across the parking lot! Even the little town of Pendleton was so cute! The people so friendly and welcoming. The barn wedding was picture perfect setting/weather/everything! The food eaten there - from a cowboy bar to a quaint B and B, delicious!</p>

<p>And Cannon Beach. We all fell in love. The perfect middle of our trip, relaxing, kick back and be outside time. The place we stayed a 9.5 (missed being a 10 only due to some annoying frogs in a pond outside our window and no air conditioning - not really needed but would have been nice to close the windows cause of the frogs!) They offered everything we needed for a nice stay including chairs for the beach, board games, movies, firewood for beach fires, fireplaces in every room, and nice amenities. The town was everything I picture a classic beach town to be - we enjoyed yummy crepes, delicious seafood and more. The beach - OMG, unmatched of any beach I’ve been on! Haystack Rock and the tidepools were so much fun. I ran the beach each morning and could have run for miles. Outstanding photo ops! I wouldn’t be surprised if each of my kids went back at some point - they truly loved it.</p>

<p>We ate well, sleep well and visited happily. Can’t ask for much more than that on vacation! Thanks again for all your tips, suggestions and advice - truly, truly helped me plan a vacation that all my family was impressed by and which we would repeat in a heartbeat again!</p>

<p>(didn’t hit the food trucks - darn! But my brother who ended up with only 6 hours in Portland on Sunday to explore apparently did enough damage for the entire family :slight_smile: )</p>

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<p>Great summary of your trip…I have been thinking about taking my family there too. So many good ideas in this thread!</p>

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<p>Glad to hear you had a good trip, Abasket. :)</p>

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<p>abasket–Glad to hear that all your careful planning was rewarded with scenic beauty and variety, delicious food, comfortable lodgings, and (lucky you!) good weather! The older I get the more I appreciate our beautiful state. Hope you and your family have a chance to return some time.</p>

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<p>I was in Oregon the week before abasket. We loved Portland, as well … although we arrived in town to pick up our rental car (half the price of renting at the airport) during the Rose Parade, so it was a chaotic beginning (but fun). We did the Saturday Market on both Saturday and Sunday, walked back & forth over the Burnside Bridge from our rental in Buckman many a time, DID wait in line for Voodoo Donuts (when the line was finally manageable at night, midweek), ate great food, drank lots of beer … also went to Multnomah Falls, the Columbia River Gorge, Mount Hood. </p>

<p>We also spent a couple days at Cannon Beach, and we highly recommend Schooner’s Cove. It was right on the beach, the room was terrific, and the price was reasonable. We visited both Oswald Beach and Ecola parks, but we didn’t meet any cougars on the trail at Ecola (although H said there was one on the trail while I was there … ;)). Haystack Rock at low tide was amazing!</p>

<p>We went on to Seattle after that, which ended up being our favorite city of all we have traveled to so far. We have a friend who lives in town, and he took us to some great places. We stayed in a great hotel by Seattle Center, drove up to Thunder Ridge, ate amazing seafood, walked all over, visited the market, saw an interesting group of men doing some sort of mock-battle choreographed dancing at Gasworks Park, hung out for a bit at Golden Gardens Park, went on an underground tour with a new tour company that had only been open a week, spent time at Seattle Center (it’s beautiful at night), and just enjoyed everything tremendously.</p>

<p>I would go back in a heartbeat! :)</p>

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<p>Sounds like everything you hoped for and more Kelsmom! Now we can be the Northwest experts!! ;)</p>

<p>I would have loved to get to Seattle as well - just not enough time!</p>