llachans wrote:Thanks for the suggestions! I hope people will keep adding their 2 cents in so I have an awesome itinery for the weekend.
Out of curiosity (and I'm sorry if this is really stupid), but does Portland have different neighborhoods like Chicago does. We have Chinatown, Greektown, the more artistic neighborhoods, the gay and lesiban neighborhoods, the neighborhood revolving around Soldier's Field & sports bars, etc.
Just wondering if that would help maximize my efficiency in touring Portland or if it's not comparable to that at all. Thanks!
Oh, definitely.
West Side (of the river)
NW
NW 23rd (Trendy-third) - yuppie/hipster food/shopping/coffee
Pearl District (Divorcee Row) - warehouse condos/yuppie food/shopping/coffee
Old Town/Chinatown
SW Portland is mostly downtown, with L&C up above in the hills, and Forest Park/Washington Park
East Side
North Portland is our version of the hood. (Not very hood-y in the grand scheme of things, but still some places you don't want to walk around alone after dark). There are still great little restaurants and bars all over.
NE and SE are huge (relatively speaking), with mixes of quirky and yucky and fancy all running into each other. There are very nice old neighborhoods right next to streets where hookers walk. Right along the river is mostly industrial, with the convention center, the sports arenas, and the science museum. There's a nice walking/biking path that runs along the east side (East Bank Esplanade) with a nice view of the west side downtown.
Honestly, I don't know the east side all that well except for a few places. I know there's lots out there that I've missed, but also there's a lot of crappy neighborhoods filled with tweakers and hipsters. Not sure which is more annoying.
A personal favorite is Montage, under the east side of the Morrison Bridge. If you need cheap cajun food and mac-n-cheese at 2am, GO HERE and sit at long family style tables with drag queens.
ETA: there definitely are more individual neighborhoods on both sides of the river (95 I believe is the official count), but I was being very general.