Looking to go to one of the weirdest cities in the US? Portland, Oregon is the place for you. And no, being called weird is not an insult to the people of Portland. They want to keep the city as weird as they can!
Besides being weird, Portland has a whole lot to offer. The city is BEAUTIFUL thanks to its green scenery, the food scene is awesome and there is literally something to do for EVERYONE.
In Portland, we stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott on the West side. It was reasonably priced and it was clean and safe! I also loved the location. It was in a great spot and a good distance from everywhere I wanted to go! If I had to give it a rating I would give it 4.5 stars!
The first thing I did when I got to Portland was visit the Portland, Oregon Sign! Located at 31 NW Naito Pkwy, you will find this sparkly sign over the White Stag building! It is also located right across the street from the water. While you are in the area, I highly suggest walking alongside the water for some beautiful views of the East side.
While you’re walking along Naito Pkwy, you might want to stop by the World’s Smallest Park. Yes, you heard correctly. It is the worlds SMALLEST park. Don’t believe me? Go see for yourself. Located in the middle of the road, you will find this adorable, tiny park. If you visit, you’ll be able to say you’ve been to the smallest park in the world!
If you’re looking for some beautiful sights, the International Rose Test Garden is the place for you. This garden is filled with rows of flowers and flower arches that are perfect for photo opportunities!
Japanese Garden- For the cost of $15.00 per adult, you can enter the Portland Japanese Garden and take in the beauty that this place offers. I was able to get some amazing photos here of the scenery and views of the city from the garden!
If you’re a student, show your ID for a discount!
Pittock Mansion- This historic mansion is a must see! Located in Forest Park, the home of the Pittock’s is now an open museum. Not only does this place hold some incredible history in it, you will not believe the views it offers. Make sure to get a look at the view of the city and Mount Hood!
Make sure to get some pictures in front of the unique murals in the city! I was lucky to come across two of them, but there are plenty more!
Keep Portland Weird sign
Corner of SW Oak St and SW 3rd Ave!
Arrow wall
Corner of SE 10th Ave and SE Hawthorne Blvd.
I highly recommend a hike through Forest Park. I have never seen scenery quite like this in my life! Here you will not only see some amazing views, but you can visit the witches castle. I’ve heard its haunted, but I’ll let you be the judge!
Make sure to head over to Cathedral Park to get beautiful views of St. Johns Bridge and the waterfront. This park is absolutely beautiful!
If you are a Twilight fan, or even if you are not, seeing the Cullen house is an awesome experience. Located right outside of Forest Park, you will be able to drive up to this incredibly designed house and see where the filming of Twilight really took place!
So, one of the main things you will be told to do when planning a trip to Oregon is to go see Multnomah Falls. I have dreamt of coming here for years since it is one of the major Twilight filming spots. I went to go see it, Ubered all the way there, and it was closed! Due to the wildfires that occurred there, the falls and gorges are closed until at least spring. I was heartbroken! Make sure when planning a trip to Portland, you do good research to see if these falls and surrounding areas are open! On a more positive note, the highway you take to get to Multnomah Falls is right on the border of Oregon and Washington. I managed to get some pretty photos on the water!
I came to Portland thinking I would just eat some donuts and try to save some money! I knew Portland was famous for its donuts and food trucks, but what I didn’t know is how big the food scene actually is there!
So where should you go for the best doughnuts in the city?
Voodoo Doughnuts is a unique doughnut spot and is one of the biggest tourist spots in the city. Even though it is open 24 hours a day, the line is almost always out the door and down the block. They have the craziest variety of doughnuts I’ve ever seen. I ordered the classic voodoo doughnut, and it was delicious!
After asking around, I was told by the residents that Voodoo Doughnuts was more of a tourist spot and that people who actually called Portland home went to Blue Star for the best donuts in town. After hearing this, I had to try the donuts from here. This place prides themselves on quality over quantity. So they have a lot smaller of a variety than Voodoo does. I ordered a classic glazed donut and my boyfriend ordered the blueberry bourbon basil donut! Were they amazing? Yes. But were they better than Voodoo Doughnuts? You be the judge!
I stumbled upon this incredible Thai restaurant completely by mistake. I was extremely unprepared in picking a restaurant on a busy Friday night, and I could not find anywhere for my boyfriend and I to eat. We happened to past this little Thai restaurant called Thai Peacock that happened to have no wait, and it ended up being the best mistake I’ve ever made! My boyfriend said the salmon was the best salmon he has ever had and my pad Thai was awesome! After eating here, we found out that Portland happens to be very big on Thai and Vietnamese food, so we were happy we got to experience it!
Where we are from, brunch is very popular. So we had to try some of Portland’s brunch. We ended up choosing The Original Dinerant for our brunch spot, and we were impressed. I ordered the biscuit sandwich which came with eggs, bacon and lettuce. I added buttermilk fried chicken for an extra charge. With it, came a side of hash browns. My boyfriend ordered their eggs benedict, which also came with a side of hash browns. Both of us left extremely full and satisfied. These pictures will probably show you why!
Portland is huge on its breweries. There are currently 58 breweries in Portland. Crazy, right?! We were lucky to go to two of the cities breweries, and we absolutely loved them!
The first brewery we went to was Deschutes Brewery. The pricing was reasonable and the food exceeded all expectations! Although I do not drink beer, my boyfriend tried a few of the beers they offered and loved them! We ordered the pretzels and beer cheese dip and both ordered our own burgers, along with a side of their garlic fries.
First of all, the pretzels and beer cheese were to die for. The pretzel was the perfect amount of salty and the beer cheese came with a rim of spicy mustard around it. It was phenomenal.
Second, their burgers are outstanding. I ordered the Pub Burger and my boyfriend ordered the Bacon Brie burger, both with a side of garlic fries. We were so satisfied with this meal that we ended up here for a second time during our trip!
We also stopped by Fat Heads Brewery. After eating Blue Star donuts for breakfast a few hours before, we were still somewhat stuffed, so we only ordered some appetizers to share! Their mozzarella sticks were extremely noteworthy! Their pretzels and beer cheese dip were amazing too! I definitely recommend stopping by!
Before coming to Portland, I had read online that I had to try Bamboo Sushi! I was happy I did! This cute sushi spot is super popular and in a perfect location. I highly suggest making reservations here beforehand!
You HAVE to stop by Pok Pok, even just for their chicken wings. This thai spot is known for its famous spicy fish sauce wings. They taste just as awesome as they look!!!
So now you know where to go and where to eat in Portland! I hope this makes you want to visit this quirky city! I know you will love it as much as I did!
XOXO, Lacey
Lacey Kratz 
So great Lacey! Looks like so much fun. Xoxo
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