The pacific northwest is one of my favorite summer destinations to visit. In this things to see in Portland guide, I cover everything you need to know before visiting the city. From wine country to farm-to-table food to breweries to coffee shops, Portland is a fantastic city!
This Portland travel guide kicks off with credit cards to bring with you. I then cover how to fly to Portland and where to stay. The article wraps up with where to eat and drink followed by places to visit in Oregon. For an alternate view on the city, check out 10 Things No One Tells You About… Portland, Oregon.
The Best Credit Cards to Use in Portland OR
The American Express Gold, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Citi Premier Card are cards to bring with you to Portland. Gold cardmembers earn 4x points on dining and US grocery stores. You earn 3x points on dining and travel with the Reserve. Premier cardmembers earn 3x on airfare, hotels, gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores starting August 23, 2020.
Business owners can pair the AmEx Blue Business Plus with the AmEx Gold. Cardmembers earn 2x points on all transactions. The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a solid card to pair with the Reserve. You earn 1.5% cashback on all transactions. An ideal card to pair with the Premier is the Citi Double Cash Card. Cardmembers earn 2% cashback on all transactions.
How to Fly to the Portland PDX Airport
Alaska Airlines has a large presence at Portland Airport (PDX). In addition, all of the major and low-cost carrier US airlines fly to the Portland Airport from various hubs. Your Layover Guide to Portland, Oregon (PDX) and Review: Alaska Lounge Portland Airport are airport guides to reference before flying to Portland.
Air Canada, British Airways, Condor, Icelandair, Volaris, and WestJet are international airlines that fly to Portland. These airlines fly from its hubs from around the world to the Portland Airport.
Where to Stay in Portland OR
Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott are the major points hotel brands. Each of these hotels has properties in downtown Portland. This makes it easy to find a hotel no matter where your loyalty lies.
Hilton fans should check out The Porter and The Duniway. Hyatt has the Hyatt Centric Downtown. IHG loyalists have solid options in the Kimpton Hotel Vintage and Kimpton Hotel Monaco Portland. Marriott hotels include The Nines Portland and Hi Lo Hotel Portland.
Where to Eat and Drink in Portland OR
Coffee & Breakfast in Portland OR
Heart Coffee and Stumptown Coffee are can’t miss coffee shops that we enjoyed. If you need more than coffee and want to indulge, Blue Star Donuts is where to go. Get ready for the sugar rush!
Lunch in Portland OR
Grab lunch at Shalom Y’all or Breakside Brewery. Both treated us right. It’s hard to beat the Israeli street food Shalom Y’all has to offer. The cocktails and Turkish coffee didn’t look bad either.
Dinner in Portland OR
Ken’s Artisan Pizza thin crust is perfect after a day of flying. For southeast Asian, try Pok Pok. It reminded us of the food we had in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Singapore. Tusk is another restaurant to hit up. It’s middle eastern cuisine rivaled Shalom Y’all. After dinner, grab dessert at Salt and Straw.
The Best Portland OR Breweries
Portland has no shortage of incredible breweries. Great Notion has delicious fruity and sour beers to enjoy on their outdoor patio. Breakside Brewery brews IPAs and is an ideal place to catch a game. Other recommendations we received include Ecliptic Brewing, Culmination Brewing, Cascade Brewing, and Modern Times Beer.
The Best Things to See in Portland OR
A fantastic book store to visit is Powell’s City of Books. You can find an endless supply of books at this store. Tom McCall Waterfront Park hugs the west side of the Willamette River and is a great place to relax. Washington Park is fun to walk/hike. Here’s my Portland vlog that captures our experience.
You can find world-class wine just outside of Portland in the Willamette Valley. The Lyft/Uber ride is roughly $60 each way. Sokol Blosser and White Rose Estate are wineries to visit. Sokol Blosser is the better of the two. White Rose Estate has higher-quality wine, however, the experience isn’t great. Other winery recommendations we received include Domaine Drouhin, Penner-Ash, Argyle, and Stoller.
Conclusion on the Best Things to See in Portland OR
Portland Oregon is a city we loved visiting. There are plenty of things to see in Portland. In addition, you can enjoy incredible food. Another pacific northwest city we plan on visiting in Vancouver Canada. From everything we hear, Vancouver is the perfect compliment to Portland and Seattle.
What about you? What’s on your things to see in Portland list? What do you recommend? Please let me know in the comments below or by sending me an email on my contact page.
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