Portland (PDX) questions

[NativeSon5859]

I'll be flying into PDX from ATL on the 22nd to take train #28 to CHI. The plane gets in at about 10:30am...train leaves at 4:45pm. In October I took the light rail service from the train station to the airport, but I was in a rush and didn't get a chance to see any of the city except for the immediate area around the station. So, question is...what's a good way to kill a few hours in Portland? Anything flat out worth seeing? Any good restaurant suggestions? Also, how's the Metropolitan Lounge in Portland? I was originally going coach but to my surprise a Roomette opened up at one of the lower bucket rates so I had to snag it.

 

[lyke99]

I'll be flying into PDX from ATL on the 22nd to take train #28 to CHI. The plane gets in at about 10:30am...train leaves at 4:45pm. In October I took the light rail service from the train station to the airport, but I was in a rush and didn't get a chance to see any of the city except for the immediate area around the station. So, question is...what's a good way to kill a few hours in Portland? Anything flat out worth seeing? Any good restaurant suggestions? Also, how's the Metropolitan Lounge in Portland? I was originally going coach but to my surprise a Roomette opened up at one of the lower bucket rates so I had to snag it.

The train station in Portland is on the edge of the Pearl District - an area that has been gentrified in the last several years. There are many good restaurants within walking distance. One of my favorite restaurants is BridgePort Brewery and Bakery - great food and handcrafted beers. Henry's Tavern is very good too - upscale tavern food and about 100 beers on tap. Henry's is also close to Powell's Books - one of the largest independent bookstores in the nation.

Have fun in PDX!

 

[RTOlson]

Since the station is along the light-rail route, I would drop your bags off at the Metropolitan Lounge at the station and then explore downtown. The light rail heads in that direction or you could walk about 4 blocks from PDX and catch the streetcar (free downtown).

The lounge is pretty comfy, it's decent sized and offers a respite from the bustle of the rest of the station. It's nice, but not too posh (probably on par with a middle-of-the-road hotel lounge, but there are large windows with a decent, albeit ground-level, view of the tracks.

There is also a large closet where lounge customers can store their bags (there's no security, but it is right in front of the reception desk).

Otherwise, the lounge staff seemed courteous and knowledgeable about the area (there are also maps of the area). There are also red caps on hand, in case you need assistance to and from the train.

All in all, Portland offers a great station and a wonderful downtown. I hope you enjoy your trip.

 

[City of Miami]

Last August I had a day layover in Portland and I bought a day pass on the local public transit - TriMet or something like that. They have really topnotch transit that people use! I rode the busses, the light rail, the trolley and the commuter rail, WES. The neighborhoods I found interesting (where I got off the bus/train to investigate) were the Hollywood area, which is on the red line to the airport, and the Hawthorne St. corridor. The downtown area is full of interesting things, e.g., Powell Book Store. PDX is a gratifyingly busy station and is interesting in and of itself. You'll probably wish you had scheduled an extra day in Portland OR.

 

[JayPea]

Powell's Bookstore, as has been mentioned, is a must-see. If you like seafood, Jake's Crawfish House, near Powell's, is excellent.

 

[the_traveler]

the local public transit - TriMet or something like that. They have really topnotch transit that people use! I rode the busses, the light rail, the trolley and the commuter rail, WES.

Yes, the transit is called Tri-Met. BTW -WES (the commuter rail) only operates Monday to Friday - unless it changed from last summer. (Connect to WES at the Beaverton TC - it's right next door like 100 feet!) The fares are on tne honor system - but if you don't have a ticket - I've been only asked twice. And Chez Traveler West is in PDX - I've been here 4 times in the last year and 1/2 - including now.

 

[hello]

You will really like the PDX Metropolitan lounge ... it's quiet, self serve beverages -- including bottled water, juice, coffee, etc. ... and its own very clean bathroom. There is a buzzer on the outside by the door to enter the lounge ... the attendants will buzz you in, and answer any questions for you. We, also, have always found them pleasant and eager to help.

We will be there again this October, and if we have time, will try to find "Voodoo Donuts" which has been showcased on the Food Channel a few times.

It does seem to get busy ... before the EB and CS leave ... but there has always been seats for everyone. They are mostly single, padded, armchairs. I, like RTOlson, also noticed the large windows ... which allow an amazing amount of light in ... quite different from what I remember of the CHI lounge, a few years ago.

 

[guest rider]

I'll be flying into PDX from ATL on the 22nd to take train #28 to CHI. The plane gets in at about 10:30am...train leaves at 4:45pm. In October I took the light rail service from the train station to the airport, but I was in a rush and didn't get a chance to see any of the city except for the immediate area around the station. So, question is...what's a good way to kill a few hours in Portland? Anything flat out worth seeing? Any good restaurant suggestions? Also, how's the Metropolitan Lounge in Portland? I was originally going coach but to my surprise a Roomette opened up at one of the lower bucket rates so I had to snag it.

Take the light-rail from the airport direct to Portland station and drop your bags at the Metropolitan Lounge.

Then I would recommend one of two things:

If you are into books and browsing, Powell's is THE largest bookstore in the nation, period. Seven floors of every book imaginable, new and used, in a building the size of a city block. It has a coffee house inside; there's a Whole Foods market across the street to get munchies to take on the train, if desired, and a great deli, Ken and Zeke's, just a block away. It's walkable to and from the station.

If you want to see incredible natural beauty, take the light rail from the station about 15 minutes west to Washington Park, where in the park's hills Portland has the nation's largest rose garden (and it might be blooming in late April) as well as the largest Japanese garden outside of Japan with unbelievably beautiful cherry trees. There are nice walks and fantastic vistas from the gardens looking back into downtown Portland and the Willamette and Columbia rivers. You'll have plenty of time to do all that and get back to the station. The Metropolitan Lounge has lots of maps and schedules, and the attendant is quite knowledgable about Portland.

 

[NativeSon5859]

Fantastic suggestions everyone...thanks a lot. The bookstore and the gardens in Washington Park are right up my alley. I also saw that Voodoo Donuts place on the Food Network...as good as they make it out to be? Being from NOLA it might be worth it to take a picture to prove to my friends that there really is Voodoo in Orgeon. Also I see there's an aerial tramway...worth a ride?

 

[Cascadia]

I just spent 3 days in Portland at the end of March. We had a great time. I have been meaning to write up some "things to do" but haven't got around to it.

Off the top of my head, the best view we had anywhere and the only place I wish I had my camera was from the bridges right by the station. There is a little pedestrian overpass bridge over the tracks that you wouldn't know was there, if you face the station it is on the right, around from the restaurant. Go up there and look down on the station and surrounding area, it is really nice. You can take that footbridge to the street behind the station past the tracks and some condos and then turn right and walk to the river, and you will be at the head of the riverfront park, which extends quite a way south and is a nice walk. By going straight onto the park you kind of bypass the bad area that is to the left as you face away from the main doors of the station. (we found this out by walking north on the river all the way til the park ends, then turning right and finding the bridge is the only way to cross back toward the station.)

The view from the bridge at the other end of the station is really nice too. You get a good view of the tile roof and the nice brick architecture of the station. It's such a pretty red color.

Very close to the station is the Chinese Gardens, which is very well done. Our waitress in the restaurant at the station gave us complimentary passes and we went over there and enjoyed it very much. The gift shop is very nice too, I don't usually buy things in places like that but I did spend some money there.

Everyone said Powell's and it is worth checking out, but you should wear a watch and time your visit, you know what I mean. The Whole Foods store is one block from the main entrance to Powell's, they have an excellent salad bar, I ate there several times, also a full deli and bakery. Get a package of "two bite macaroons" for the train, YUM. We did.

Don't know if you will have time to sit down to a full meal but there is a Thai restaurant called Typhoon which is supposed to be one of the best Thai restaurants in the nation, it is superb, the food was fabulous, and not too expensive at all. Highly recommended.

We took a walk down the street that has the large boulevard park down the middle of it, is it called Park avenue? Not sure, it shows on the maps. If you walk down that way the Art Museum is down there. We didn't pay to go to the galleries but we did go in the gift shop, it was one of the nicest gift shops of that type that I have ever been in. They had a lot of things with a botanical or bird theme, which I don't see enough of these days. Also a lot of inexpensive jewelry made from semiprecious stones in that natural look of little rough polished stones, and a lot of nice chinese themed things and art themed things of course. It was top notch and I got a present for a friend there and found something else I had been looking for for a long time. They had all price ranges covered, lots of inexpensive things and some show stoppers in the high end as well and everything in between. I have worked my career in retail so I am always glad to see a shop that is very well done, that was was about as good as it gets.

I will think of other things but those are what spring to mind. I sure would like to go there for the Rose Gardens sometime when they are in bloom. We took the light rail out to Portland Meadows for the horse racing, that was a nice way to spend my birthday.

 

[Rail Freak]

the local public transit - TriMet or something like that. They have really topnotch transit that people use! I rode the busses, the light rail, the trolley and the commuter rail, WES.

Yes, the transit is called Tri-Met. BTW -WES (the commuter rail) only operates Monday to Friday - unless it changed from last summer. (Connect to WES at the Beaverton TC - it's right next door like 100 feet!) The fares are on tne honor system - but if you don't have a ticket - I've been only asked twice. And Chez Traveler West is in PDX - I've been here 4 times in the last year and 1/2 - including now.

Hey Traveler, Does this look familiar?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/railfreak/364...57619874535827/

RF

 

[the_traveler]

Hey Traveler, Does this look familiar?http://www.flickr.com/photos/railfreak/364...57619874535827/

RF

You trying to trick me? :huh: I can't place it right now, but give me a few weeks (I'm at Chez Traveler West until May 1) and I'll find it - if I have to ride every route to find it!

 

[GoldenSpike]

I'll be flying into PDX from ATL on the 22nd to take train #28 to CHI. The plane gets in at about 10:30am...train leaves at 4:45pm. In October I took the light rail service from the train station to the airport, but I was in a rush and didn't get a chance to see any of the city except for the immediate area around the station. So, question is...what's a good way to kill a few hours in Portland? Anything flat out worth seeing? Any good restaurant suggestions? Also, how's the Metropolitan Lounge in Portland? I was originally going coach but to my surprise a Roomette opened up at one of the lower bucket rates so I had to snag it.

Take the light-rail from the airport direct to Portland station and drop your bags at the Metropolitan Lounge.

To be specific leaving the airport you are on the Red line. Only the Green and Yellow lines go to Union Station. A good

transfer point is at the Rose Quarter Transit Center located just before crossing the Willamette River to the downtown area.

In case of bad weather the TC where you change is under the I-5 overpass.

 

[Mackensen]

You will really like the PDX Metropolitan lounge ... it's quiet, self serve beverages -- including bottled water, juice, coffee, etc. ... and its own very clean bathroom. There is a buzzer on the outside by the door to enter the lounge ... the attendants will buzz you in, and answer any questions for you. We, also, have always found them pleasant and eager to help.
We will be there again this October, and if we have time, will try to find "Voodoo Donuts" which has been showcased on the Food Channel a few times.

It does seem to get busy ... before the EB and CS leave ... but there has always been seats for everyone. They are mostly single, padded, armchairs. I, like RTOlson, also noticed the large windows ... which allow an amazing amount of light in ... quite different from what I remember of the CHI lounge, a few years ago.

Last time I was in Portland (got there via the Empire Builder, happily enough) I tried out Voodoo Donuts and it's definitely worth the visit. It's also not too far off the Red and Blue lines.