With more than 30 years of rich history, a prominent downtown stadium and some of the MLS's most rowdy fans, attending a Timbers match is a Portland must. The Timber's fan section (called "The Timbers Army") is always recruiting and the requirements are easy; wear your finest green and/or gold, don't be without a scarf and be prepared to jump and clap and sing to victory.
Coffee culture in Portland borders on snobbish. At any given moment you are within sniffing distance of a cup of Joe and we take that seriously. A 2011 study found 876 coffee shops brewing in town. That means two things: You will never go un-caffeinated and "barista" passes as a profession.
In Portland, the drinking culture almost seems like gluttony, but that makes for some unique flavor profiles and killer happy hours. IPAs reign supreme in the town that hops built, and all local breweries are wise to have more than one in their catalogs. Those looking for other flavors, however, can find brews at purveyors including Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom, Base Camp and new-comer Pfriem Family Brewers.
Get a bike. Get a helmet and lights. Now ride. In 2012, Portland was ranked America's top bike-friendly city by Bicycling Magazine. With more than 180 miles of bike lanes, getting around town is a breeze and the culture geared towards cyclists makes safety and awareness a constant. Whether it's a cruiser, bmx, road bike, mountain, unicycle, recumbent, tandem. just go get yourself some wheels.
Source: Flickr user inkknife_2000
Trying to mention all the outdoor possibilities within 30 to 45 minutes of the city would be futile. The Columbia River Gorge features enough waterfalls to fill your camera's memory twice over and enough trails to wear out a lifetime of hiking boots. Throw in the coast for the surfers and Mount Hood for all the slope monkeys, and you have your weekends planned until retirement.
Yes, it rains here. But that doesn't stop us from enjoying the great outdoors. Portland is known for having an astronomical amount of rainy days each year, but the average rainfall still puts it behind many major U.S. cities. This means that you can typically leave your galoshes in the closet, and you'll rarely see a "true" Portlander with an umbrella.
Not only is Olympic Provisions Oregon's first USDA approved salumeria, they are also darn good at what they do. Visit their two restaurants, snack on their treats at one of Portland's many farmer's markets, seek out their goodies all over town or shop online. You haven't lived until you've sunk your teeth into their meat.
Source: Flickr user smilygrl
Time flows at a different speed here in Portland. No one is in a rush to get anywhere or get anything done. This might make some people uncomfortable but, when taken in the right context, can be quite refreshing.
The hype is accurate, we do have hipsters here. They'll add an hour to your wait for brunch and run rampant like packs of wild dogs dressed as urban lumberjacks and rocking much more ironic mustaches than you. Whatever you do, don't stare. It only encourages them.
There's ice cream, and then there's Salt and Straw. With three locations in Portland's hottest neighborhoods, if you see someone around town with a waffle cone there's no question where they got it. Fan favorite flavors include Raspberry Lemon Basil Sorbet, Arbequina Olive Oil, and Freckled Woodblock Chocolate.
Though the Trail Blazers are a long way from their sole NBA title, their impact in the "Rip City" is as prevalent as ever. The Blazer's home, The Moda Center (nee Rose Garden), sits in the heart of the Rose Quarter and holds the record for most consecutive sell-outs for a major professional U.S. team.
Source: Flickr user monkeypuzzle
Powell's City of Books is a local staple no matter your reading level. Taking up an entire city block and housing more than a million volumes, Powell's touts itself as the world's largest new and used bookstore. Add in its multiple locations throughout the city and you'll never have to go without a good read.
Source: Flickr user brx0
11 bridges span the Willamette River in the Portland area, making for some dramatic visages and unique vantage points to take in the cityscape in all its glory. Explore them all by foot, bike or bus. If you still need a fix after that, check out the Providence Bridge Pedal. Held annually, this event lets you tour the bridges in style while checking out other prominent downtown landmarks in between.
Source: Flickr user ~MVI~ (warped)
From the Rose Festival to the International Rose Test Garden, the Trail Blazers' home turf formerly known as "The Rose Garden" and the women's professional soccer team, the Thorns, Portland has an affinity for the most famous of flowers. Even by a different name, all of these Portland staples would still smell as sweet.
For your convenience, Portland is broken down into four geographic quadrants (and a fifth Northern section), with the Willamette River providing the east/west border and Burnside St. dissecting the town into north and south. Physical features aside, each quadrant is its own self-sufficient universe. Generally the west side is the rapids and the east side is a tide pool. Seek out the arts in the NE or the SW quadrants and enjoy the boutiques and watering holes in the SE and NW.
According to the Phoenix New Times, M4 is "like Sergeant Pepper leading a freaky Cirque du Soleil performance from the bandstand." Yep, that about sums it up. Catch the burlesque show on stilts in concert or leading a raucous a parade down Alberta Street during "Last Thursday" at the monthly Alberta Arts District festival. Speaking of which.
A free event held every month on the final Thursday (who would have thought?), this event is billed as Portland's largest arts festival. Throngs of people converge on NE Alberta Street where galleries hold openings, local artists and artisans set up booths and the bars overflow with revelers. Portland people-watching doesn't get much finer, and you can walk away with some pretty eclectic goods on the cheap.
Portlanders revel in their brunch. A common sight around town is a mob milling around a sidewalk, coffee in hand, patiently waiting to be seated at the hot brunch spot of the month. Time your visit right, though, and you'll never have to wait for your mimosa and eggs. Recent chart toppers include Broder, Tasty n Sons and Olympic Provisions.
Source: Flickr bkerensa
Portland is lax on a lot of laws and a big one is nudity, which is totally allowed if done as a form of protest, like the World Naked Bike Ride. This year, more than 8,000 "participants-less" riders took to the streets to bring awareness to ". the vulnerability of cyclists and decr[y] society's dependence on pollution-based transport." But let's be honest, it's also protesting all that itchy, oppressive cotton.
Source: Flickr user jophan
The American craft chocolate movement is exploding, and Portland is home to one of the rising stars on the scene. Husband and wife owners Jessica and Charley Wheelock started Woodblock Chocolate three years ago, and have quickly garnered a cult-like following. Featuring single-origin chocolate sourced from around the world, Woodblock is making a name with complex flavors achieved with two ingredients: Cacao and sugar.
Portland public transit, or Tri-met, is not your average 'loser cruiser'. According to the Tri-met website, Portland ranks 7th in transit ridership while ranking 24th in population when compared to other major U.S. cities. Avoiding traffic, saving on parking, securing a designated driver-whatever your reason, in Portland, taking the bus is in.
You're still eating late-night pizza delivery? What is this, college? Devil's Dill Sandwich Shop is bucking your post-bar eating habits by delivering killer sandwiches until 3 a.m. Get the meatloaf sandwich, but get it quick- Devil's Dill so popular, it's been known to sell out of bread before midnight.
Source: Flickr user radworld
There is something about Portland that attracts terrible drivers like over-cautious moths to a freeway of flames. When defensive driving is taken to extremes it makes trouble for everyone. Don't be in a hurry while driving; it will only frustrate you. Or, do like many Portlanders and get a bike or take the bus. Trust me, it will save you many headaches in the long run.
Source: Flickr user Charles Haynes
Check any Portland menu and you will likely find pork belly. We put it in everything: Appetizers, sandwiches, main courses, drinks and, yes, even desserts. A meal here isn't complete without that sweet meat.
Pork belly aside, vegetarian and vegan options are rampant across town. This isn't the Midwest, where meat and potatoes are staples and veganism is sacrilege. No, here in Portland forward thinkers and conscientious consumers represent such a large portion of the population that they are actually catered to, by spots including Bye and Bye, Hungry Tiger and Portobello: You won't be disappointed.
Food carts pop up in Portland faster than the hair on a Chia pet, and the vast majority of them go out of fashion just as quickly. You will see pods of converted trailers all over town, but if you sample just one of them, make it Nong's Khao Man Gai. Nong is making an institution out of one dish: chicken and rice. This is simplicity realized and it is not to be ignored.
