Portland

• Food carts are a destination, not something to grab quickly between meetings.
• You’ve heard of Voodoo donuts, but you won’t find too many locals there.

• There are more than 200 parks within city limits, from forests to marshlands, trails to skateboarding rails.
• Oregon is one of the last states that charges no sales tax, so shop away!
• The Portland Metro area is home to Nike, Columbia, and the american headquarters of Adidas.
• Yes it rains, but most locals don’t even have umbrellas, a rain coat is all you need.
• Portland has the most breweries and independent microbreweries of any city in the world.

• Portlanders bleed coffee, it is almost impossible to get a bad cup of coffee in the entire city.
• Oregon is also one of the last states where you are not allowed to pump your own gas so sit back and relax and be pampered at the pump.
• Portland has a population of over 600,000 while the metropolitan area has more than 2 million inhabitants.
• Portland is near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers with 11 bridges connecting the east to the west .
• Portland has a top-notch transportation system making it easy to get around the city.

Portland has four distinct seasons, that are not too hot and not too cold.  It will be a little rainier in the fall and spring, but not enough to stop locals from getting out. Portland is also located conveniently between the ocean and the mountains to provide activities for all to enjoy within close driving range.

In Spring Portland’s parks, gardens and famous cherry trees burst into bloom and it will be a little less crowded so the cost of hotels will be lower. Summer in Portland is the high season for many reasons, not too hot or humid, amazing farmers’ markets all across the city each day of the week, and festivals aplenty. Fall brings with it amazing reds, oranges and browns as the trees change colors.  Portland gets festive with the harvest of apples, pears (the Hood River valley just an hour away is one of the top producers of pears in the country), and pumpkins, just don’t forget to pack your raincoat. Winter is usually mild and mostly about grabbing a nice coffee or hot cocoa and enjoying the rain. Skiers and snowboarders can enjoy a great trip up to Mt. Hood for a day on the slopes.

The city of Portland is divided in four sections, east and west by the Willamette (pronounced “Will”-”am”-”ette”) River, and north and south by Burnside boulevard. Staying closer to the river will cost a little more but will provide a lot more availability to the life of the city. Downtown is not as lively for nightlife as some of the neighborhoods such as the Pearl District in NW, Alberta and Mississippi in NE and Sellwood and the Hawthorne District in SE. Portland has an amazing public transportation system that can easily and smoothly get you across town. To get a good vibe for where to stay you really should talk to some locals to understand what part of the city matches your lifestyle and interests.

Some ideas for getting out of town for a few days include a beautifully scenic drive to the Willamette Valley for a wine getaway.  Less than 2 hours away the Oregon Coast invites you to explore tide pools, hike cliffs, or watch for whales. You can head up to Hood River to enjoy the spectacular Fruit Loop, or try your hand at wind surfing.  How about camping in Crater Lake National Park or staying in the historic Timberline Lodge?