This is me in Pacific City! I really love the Oregon Coast so it made sense to begin our three day itinerary there. Taking hwy 130, we worked our way toward the coast finding new things to see and new places to stop and explore. It's been a week since we began this three day trip and I seriously cannot remember every detail of everything we did but I'll do my best to share our experiences and hopefully you'll get the gist!
This trip began on the Oregon Coast and ended in Portland for a couple of days of eating, city trekking and a boat ride! And yeah... there was plenty of beer too. We only had one day on the coast so we moved our way up to Astoria via Pacific City, Cannon Beach and Seaside stopping all along the way for photo ops, low tide and quick visit to one of my 'new' favorite towns, Manzanita. Very low key and sweet, Manzanita looks worthy of a longer visit. Perhaps next trip. By the way, there's this little coffee house at 60 Laneda Ave. Love their coffee and hot tea and the guys loved their donuts!
It was cool on the coast last Friday and on our way back to our car from seeing the humungous star fish and other urchins at Cannon Beach, we got soaked in a sudden down pour. You'd think we'd remember an umbrella but for some reason racing out to the water was more important. It was low tide after all.
Soaked to the skin, we enjoyed a beer and burger at Bill's Tavern in downtown Cannon Beach. Always friendly, always cold beer and good food, Bill's is our favorite stop for a quick bite and it's close to Bruce's Candy shop where you can get handmade taffy, caramel apples and chocolates for the road.
Heading north once again, we drove through downtown Seaside for a quick look because the Astoria column was next on our list! Up at the top, we could see for miles. The steps up to the deck are steep but so worth the trek. The clouds seemed to dissipate and the sun came out with a bang! Miles of green with the bluest of blue waters in the rivers and lakes that make up the topography of this region. An amazing view from the top and be sure to take the time to climb up as all of it is so much more magnificent from up there!
Later that evening, we finally made it to Portland and dropped our stuff off at the loft and decided to have dinner on Alberta St. at the Tin Shed. My go to summer place as I love their cocktails on the patio but for some reason, tonight it sounded right. Jammy Davis Jr. for me and Mac of the Day with apples and cheeses for the guys along with BBQ Pork Sliders and a cocktail for each of us! The gastronomic excursion didn't end there folks... we decided that one person in our party needed to experience Rimsky-Korsakoffe. On Twelfth Avenue in SE Portland you'll find a very old house filled with unusual decor, the best banana splits in town and some sort of berried "special of the day" cobbler. Oh yeah... I always have the mint tea. By the way, be sure to check out the restroom upstairs but I suggest you take a friend.
Exhausted from our coastal excursion and late dinner, cocktails and dessert in Portland, we slept hard. We had a lot planned for the next day which began at Slappy Cakes on Belmont, SE Portland. I had read about this place and always wanted to check it out. We only had to wait about 20 minutes before being seated at our very own pancake grill and proceeded to order pancake batters, toppings, fillings and sides. The place was packed and from what I hear, it always is.
The experience and food is worth the wait if you have to wait. The service was great and the staff was very helpful and since it was our very first time, we did have a few questions! I am looking forward to going back and taking friends and family! If you happen to be looking for a great way to work off those pancakes, Mt. Tabor is just a few miles away and as always, a great place for a short uphill hike! Where else are you gunna find an actual volcano within city limits in this country?? Ok, perhaps Bend... but nowhere else! Oregon never ceases to amaze me!
We decided to head over to Alberta St. to check out a barber for our son who was dying to get his head shaved. Don't ask me why but he did it and it really didn't look too bad and it gave me a chance to explore one of my new favorite streets in town! Random Pie is here as well as a tea house or two and some very cool boutiques as well as Salt & Straw. I was saving my ice cream splurge for another time but it was very tempting let me tell ya!
From here, we head over to Paxton Gate PDX on Mississippi. Everyone has to check this place out! Talk about artistic taxidermy and animal hearts lined up and molded in to a plexiglass display for all to see and stare... yeah, it's just a little weird but the kind of weird where you can't look away for some odd reason. I think kids would love this stop so if you have any, it's probably worth a stop then.
Just across the street, you'll find Prost. This German pub is a great place for a bowl of delicious soup, a German pretzel with hot mustard and a beer! Not quite ready for lunch after all those pancakes at Slappy Cakes but we put it on our list again for next time! Enjoyed it the first time we tried it a few months ago so I know we'll go back.
That picture up there with that gorgeous view... well, that's the view from the Portland City Grill. We finally got a seat on the sofas right by the window. I highly suggest that you get there early and wait for the elevator to take you up right at 4pm. The window seat is totally worth the ride up the 30 floors to see the city views and take in gorgeous Portland. The cocktails and tapas aren't too shabby either.
Not quite ready to call it a day, we headed over to a new place called Base Camp Brewing Co. on SE Oak St. All I can say is where has this place been all my life! Quite literally my most favorite brew stop thus far in all of Portland! I highly recommend a stop for beer but also for a bite at one of the food carts that adorn the property on site! I couldn't eat another bite but someone in our party enjoyed a falafel for the very first time ever in his life and raved about it for hours. That beer with the marshmallow you see pictured here... well, let's just say... he drank the S'more Stout and I ate that toasted marshmallow. Again... loved Base Camp Brewing Co. and already looking forward to going back!
The guys went to have a few cigars at the Detention Bar at the McMenamins Kennedy School on NE 33rd. That's a very small bar I might add but they said they managed to squeeze in there with the rest of the cigar smoking, whiskey drinking guys and gals and enjoyed it immensely. For me... well, I stayed back to plan my surprise city trek adventure for them the next day!
Sunday was a day to sleep in and when we got ourselves together finally, we headed to Lovejoy Bakers for a bite and coffee before walking up 800 ft. in elevation toward the Pittock Mansion from the Pearl District! Following the maps and guide in the "Walk There! 50 Treks In And Around Portland Portland and Vancouver," we did walk and we walked till we could walk no more! Hundreds of steps and all uphill... did I say that already? We made it almost all the way to the Pittock Mansion winding up stairs, passageways and roads lined with other mansions and homes that were akin to a dream home that I have conjured up many times in my very own dreams. From cottages to modern architecture, from castles to mid century, all I can say is, what an awesome trek! Seeing the houses and neighborhoods and the city views from up on the hill is breathtaking and just simply amazing. So it was and and so were we... so very very exhausted after all that. Downhill we went to 23rd Avenue to be exact and found a place for some delicious burritos and beer to fill our bellies and get us going for our next very awesome adventure! And yeah... yet another Salt & Straw where I enjoyed my Vanilla Salted Caramel single scoop! I earned it!
Back at the loft, laying down for a rest was not an option. We had a date with a "dream boat!" And, a dream boat she was! Looking good for a 1929 solid oak cruiser, we hopped aboard and along with Captain Joe, we toured the Portland City bridges! Two hours of cruising and learning about some of Portland's historic bridges and we were smitten once again with the city. It had been cool and gray all day but of course as we headed down for this boat ride, the skies cleared and sun was warm on the water and we really had a good time. Captain Joe even provided a birthday cake for the boys and so there we were... on the Willamette River, on a dream boat with sun shining no less, eating cake! Perfection is what I call it... pure perfection!
We couldn't quit smiling about our good fortune. So lucky to have had these few days, this time on our Oregon coast, the time in Portland and all the new experiences we shared. One last dinner and beer this time at Old Town Brewing Co. and a stop at Widmer so I could actually say I had my favorite hefe from the source and then I was done! The guys still had it in them to have one more cigar and headed over to Greater Trumps on SE 37th Ave. I had it in me to take a hot bath, grab my book and cuddle up in bed to doze off dreamily and sleepily grin at the last few days.
I'm sure I left a few things out but be sure that if you wanna try this three day itinerary, that you are well rested and don't be afraid to add more or different stops in amongst mine. Please be sure to check out the two places that stick out in my mind when I reminisce however. Base Camp Brewing Co. and that Dream Boat Cruise of the Willamette River and the bridges were two of the highlights amongst this trip. A quick thanks here to Captain Joe for that river and bridge tour! Already looking forward to our next cruise on the Willamette!
Enjoy!
