Visiting Portland: a few suggestions

Welcome to Portland! We’re glad you’re visiting, and hopefully you have a wonderful time.

Many of the posts on this site may help you find some new and wonderful things to do while here. In the next few weeks (no later than mid-October 2019, I promise), I’ll also add my specific recommendations for out-of-town visitors to Portland for food and entertainment!

A few things to consider:

  • Staying in a hostel, hotel, or in an AirBnB that is a room within a house. I know this is a real bummer in a lot of ways, but we have a housing shortage and research does indicate this matters. I also like the privacy and space of an entire apartment when traveling, and I am also trying to shift my own travel habits. If you do stay in an AirBnB (or other short-term rental) that is the entire apartment, consider donating to one of the affordable housing nonprofits here in Portland.
  • Getting around without a car. It’s actually relatively straight-forward to walk, use a bike (Biketown!)/scooter, or ride mass transit in Portland. There are also increasing options for short out-of-town trips using buses and trains.
  • Eating and shopping at locally-owned businesses, and making an effort to seek out minority-owned businesses in Portland. This keeps your money here in the Portland community, allowing us to do more cool things for your next visit!
  • Making and keeping a single restaurant reservation for each meal. There are many delicious places to eat in Portland and you might find yourself hedging your bets and wanting to make multiple reservations for the same evening and then cancelling (or even worse, no showing) at the last minute. This is terrible for the restaurants. Pick one and you’ll have a great time!

Updates: