Staff Recommendations
Our Recommended Spots To Visit
Willamette Valley (Newberg, Dundee, McMinnville)
Places to Stay:
- The Allison Inn and Spa: 5-star hotel and spa in Newberg.
- The Atticus: Upscale hotel in bustling McMinnville walkable to restaurants and tasting rooms.
- Dundee Hotel: Lovely hotel in downtown Dundee, walking distance to restaurants and tasting rooms.
- Black Walnut Inn: B&B right in the vineyard and newly opened restaurant.
- La Bastide: B&B located steps from dozens of wineries.
- Willamette Valley B&B: family owned B&B in Newberg heart of wine country.
- Chehalem Ridge B&B: located in hills above Newberg with amazing views.
Restaurants in Newberg:
Restaurants in Dundee:
Restaurants in McMinnville:
Restaurants in Dayton
Something fun:
- Silver Falls State Park is a bit of a drive, but a beautiful spot to take in some of Oregon’s famous waterfalls.
- Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum home to Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose airplane and a kids water park
Northwest Portland
Places to Stay:
- Residence Inn by Marriott Pearl District: Modern and classic, in the Pearl District.
- Hampton Inn & Suites: Comfortable hotel right in the heart of Old Town.
- Inn at Northrup Station: Funky, suite hotel in a lively location.
- NW Portland Hostel: Affordable lodging near Nob Hill district
- Slabtown Village Tiny Houses: The complete Portland experience!
Neighborhood to check out:
- Nob Hill/ NW 23rd Avenue: While the Pearl District and Old Town are great, NW 23rd Ave offers a fantastic array of restaurants and shops, with a truly Portland feel.
Restaurants:
- Harlow NW casual vegetarian dining with vegan, nut-free, gluten free options
- Langbaan & Phuket Cafe highly rated Thai food with shared chefs and location
- Get Cozy: The Fireside. Cozy, upscale gastropub with a great wine and cocktail list.
- Dine with the locals: Grassa. Homemade pasta served at family-style tables.
- Sweet tooth: Papa Haydn. European cakes and treats.
- Different Libation: Breakside Brewery. Home of Portland’s favorite IPAs, get a flight and a burger and watch the brewers.
Something fun:
- For the ultimate in urban hiking, head out to Forest Park
- Tour Historic Pittock Mansion and see some incredible views of the city on this bluff west of downtown.
Southwest Portland & Downtown
Places to Stay:
- Hilton Portland Downtown: a staple, & their sister property, The Duniway, for a more boutique feel.
- Royal Sonesta: dubbed the “Most Beautiful Hotel in Oregon.”
- Marriott Waterfront: convenient, with great river and downtown access.
- The Nines Hotel: a contemporary hotel in the middle of an arts district.
- Hotel Vintage: a fun, social hotel, with a great bar and game room.
- Ritz Carlton: newly built in 2023 with world class restaurant with city views
- Historic Benson and Heathman Hotels
Neighborhood to check out:
- Downtown Portland. With all the amenities of any major city, Downtown Portland is a great place to base yourself to explore Portland.
Restaurants:
- Old world Portland: Huber’s. Old school and funky, you’ll get a show as well as a drink when you order the Spanish Coffee
Upscale and award-winning: - Departure Restaurant & Lounge. Pan Asian with roof top lounge at The Nines Hotel
- Cocktails with a view: Portland City Grill. On the 30th floor, we recommend going for a happy hour to catch a view like no other.
- Maurice highly rated French-Norwegian luncheonette
- Jake’s Famous Crawfish. This iconic spot flies locally caught fish in daily and has been a Portland staple for over 100 years located at historic Sentinel Hotel
Something fun:
- Powell’s City of Books, largest new & used bookstore in the world with a cafe and many info desks in case you get lost!
- Southwest Portland is home to The Portland Art Museum and the Oregon Historical Society (where you can see the actual coin used in the coin toss that decided Portland’s name!).
- After you get in some culture, we recommend taking a stroll through the International Rose Test Garden or the Japanese Gardens in Washington Park followed by ride up the Portland Aerial Tram (on a clear day, see how many mountains you can spot!) and ending with an unwinding tipple at the Multnomah Whiskey Library.
Southeast Portland
Places to Stay:
- Violet Suites PDX new boutique hotel with kitchens and secured parking in Buckman neighborhood
- Being more residential, we also recommend checking out either a vacation rental or staying in nearby Northeast
Neighborhood to check out:
- Division/Clinton: SE Division Street is a Portland destination, and home to some of the most amazing restaurants.
- SE Hawthorne: home to many restaurants, thrift and vintage stores like House of Vintage and Vintage Pink.
Restaurants:
- Something different: Kachka. Upscale Russian cuisine and a killer house made vodka list.
- Kann: Upscale Haitian cuisine named one of the best in the US by James Beard and NY Times, reservations required
- French inspired with a Portland twist Le Pigeon and Canard its casual sister side by side on East Burnside Avenue worth the effort to secure a table!
- Sweet Tooth: Lauretta Jean’s. Go for the pie, stay for the hot toddies.
- Indonesian with American local flair Oma’s Hideaway is a Division Street favorite
- SE Hawthorne Blvd breakfast joint Fried Egg I’m in Love with a food truck at Pioneer Square and another spot on NE Mississippi
Something fun:
- If you want one of the best views of the city and are up for a bit of a jaunt, spend an afternoon hiking Mt Tabor. Afterwards check out Excellent Cuisine for amazing Dim Sum all day every day from 9:30 AM to 10 PM.
- See the city from river level by taking a stroll across the Tilikum Crossing Bridge, the first major bridge in the US not to allow cars.
Northeast Portland
Places to Stay:
- Crowne Plaza Portland: Caters well to the Moda Center and the Convention Center
- Courtyard Marriott: Modern and convenient.
- DoubleTree: Conveniently located and well appointed.
- Hyatt Regency Portland Convention Center full service hotel
- The Jupiter and Jupiter Next: Hip boutique hotels, right at the heart of all the action with fun and funky Hey Love bar on site
Neighborhood to check out:
- Alberta Arts District. Full of shops, restaurants, and art galleries, NE Alberta Street is home to the Alberta Street Fair, a must if you find yourself in town on the last Thursday of any month.
Restaurants:
- Breakfast: Pine State Biscuits. This spot is good any time of day, especially if you’ve had a bit too much wine the night before and need a biscuit the size of your head.
- Fun and Funky: Bollywood Theater. Indian street food with a Portland twist.
- Han Oak Korean hot pot by chef Peter Cho
- Gado Gado for authentic Indonesian rice table with Malaysian and Chinese influence.
Something fun:
- New: The Wine Spa offering vinotherapy, massages and facials featuring Willamette Valleys wine and grape extract
- If you are a basketball fan and the Trailblazers are playing, tickets are usually pretty easy to get last minute, and the Moda Center is very convenient to any part of the city.
- If you are feeling something a little more mellow, we recommend an afternoon walk through Laurelhurst Park, followed by a movie at the Hollywood Theatre, a beautifully restored, historically listed 1926 theater.
- Visit local gourmet grocery store Providore (near Han Oak) with fabulous cheese counter and produce options
North Portland
Places to Stay:
Since North Portland is still growing, we recommend staying in a vacation rental or in nearby Northeast Portland, which is within walking distance to all that North Portland has to offer.
Neighborhood to check out:
Mississippi: N Mississippi Avenue is a great spot to take in all that makes Portland unique. From award-winning restaurants and breweries to local boutiques and off the beaten track music venues, this street is a favorite of locals to do some great people watching.
Restaurants:
- Nationally renowned Lovely’s Fifty Fifty artisan pizza and ice cream open every day 5 PM- 10 PM no reservations, arrive before 5 PM for best chance to minimize your wait.
- At Mississippi Ave’s food cart pod: Matt’s BBQ one of the best in the city and many more excellent food carts.
- Brunch: Gravy. One of the best brunch spots around, so we recommend getting there early. The name says it all, get the gravy on everything.
- Unique Dinner: Uchu Sushi & Fried Chicken. Don’t let the combo scare you off, these guys know what they are doing with both. The ramen is also a must on a cold day.
Something fun:
- Sunlan Lighting, bulb store where owner Kay will read your aura and direct you to different light shades to help you balance your life.
- Or if you are looking for some nightlife, check out Mississippi Studios, an old Baptist church turned intimate music venue.
