Things to see and do in Portland, OR

I was born and raised in the Portland metroplex, and while I don’t live there anymore it’s so nice to have an excuse to visit the Northwest. Below are some of our favorites along with new places we have discovered.

Multnomah Falls (Columbia River Gorge)

Our first stop was Multnomah Falls, a must when visiting the Portland area. This was John’s first visit to the falls. It was one of the windiest days I have ever seen, we could barely walk across the parking lot. We walked the short hike to the bridge and were able to get the coveted shots of the waterfall. Crown Point isn’t too far from here and has a breathtaking view of the gorge/Columbia River so we headed that way. We couldn’t even open the car doors because it was so windy. We drove around the point and headed home.

St John’s Bridge

Over the past couple of years I continue to see photos online of the St John’s Bridge and Cathedral Park and have always wanted to visit the historic bridge. It’s a popular place for a photo shoot, wedding and just hanging out with friends and family. It’s located north of downtown Portland however the drive was 100% worth it. With the sun peaking through it was breathtaking.

Pok Pok Thai Restaurant

Thai food is simply our all time favorite so we decided to connect with friends at Pok Pok in NE Portland. This was out first time to visit the restaurant and I can’t even begin to tell you how incredible the food and experience was. The wings were to die for! A must when visiting Portland.

Blue Star and Pips Original Doughnuts

We are huge fans of donuts and on this this trip we were able to devour them twice. Blue Star and Pips Original Doughnuts didn’t disappoint. When in Portland I highly, highly recommend. Pips offers a Chai Tea flight and it was incredible. The Orange Olive Oil donut at Blue Star is my favorite and will be yours too!

Flying Pie Pizza

I was introduced to The Flying Pie Pizza when I was in college and to this day it’s a must when visiting Portland. The Stromboli is my favorite although you can’t go wrong with any combination. The toppings are a mile high, so come hungry!

Deschutes Brewery

For all the beer lovers there is a brewery on every corner, so it seems. We were in the NE Portland area and decided to try Deschutes Brewey. The crab cakes were perfect and the flight of beer was a great way to wind down the day. A fun neighborhood to shop, eat and people watch.

Tad’s Chicken ‘n Dumplins:

Having grown up nearly 10 minutes from Tad’s Chicken ‘n Dumplins I have many fond memories of this place. It’s nestled on the Sandy river and you leave full and happy. I wanted to share this dining experience with John and we picked the perfect day. It was sunny and the warm, so the view over the river was perfect. The meal didn’t disappoint and we all were very impressed with the flavor and portion size of the dumplings. I enjoyed the salmon and it was cooked to perfection.