Why I fell in love with Portland, Oregon
- Tara Larkai
- Dec 14, 2015
- 4 min read
Have you ever arrived somewhere you have never been before but felt so familiar that you felt right at home? Well that is how I felt when I stepped on Portland soil. It is a place very very close to my heart. For those of you that follow my blog, you know I get this feeling alot but Portland was different. So before I dive into why I am totally in love with Portland, I want to give you a little background of how I ended up in Portland. We actually chose Portland as an accident. Hubby and I were looking for a cheap ticket to Hawaii and the prices from Philadlephia and nearby cities were not quite in our budget so my cousin suggetsed we look into flying from Portland as it is cheaper. So we were able to book a one way from Philadelphia to Portland with our airline miles and then booked from Portland to Hawaii with our miles as well. It was cheaper to do this with our miles than to book straight from Philadelphia to Hawaii with our miles.
We were only in Portland for 2 nights and we were determined to make the most of it. Usually when people think of Oregon, they think of coffee drinking hipsters which is primarily true in my opinion but it is so much more than that. This urban, industrial, architectural, laid back city is one of those places that you visit for a couple of days with no real expectations but end up planning to move to. The first thing I fell in love with is the laid back atomsphere. As a major city in Oregon, I expected it to at least feel city-like not quite like New York city or anything but at least be a bit busy and crowded. It was nothing like that instead it was very laid back and everyone was very friendly and personable. I am not used to strangers being this overly friendly. I thought to myself and told Hubby, "maybe because they are all high". lol High or not, I was in love and wanted to live there. I really felt like I was in a foreign country.
The next thing and my favorite thing I love about Portland is the food.!! Portlanders are real foodies! I did not expect this from them at all but apparently Portland is renowned for its food. Food carts are very popular in Portland. Portland has over 600 food carts to choose from. I had the best Gyro of my life from a food cart in Portland. There are a cluster of food carts in the downtown area ranging from Mediterrean, Asian, Mexican, American cuisines etc. The choices are endless and the food is always good. Don't even get me started on the restaurants. The restaurant scene is legendary. We had some of best foods in our lives in Portland.
A cluster of food carts in downtown Portland
Only the best Gyro in the world! I had two. Thinking about it makes my mouth water.
So about 7 years or so ago, I saw a show on the travel channel about food paradises in the states and Voodoo donuts was one of them. Ever since then, I have been wanting to go there so imagine my excitement when we finally stepped foot in this shop. They have two locations in Portland. One is located in the downtown area but it was so crowded on the day we went. The line was outside the door all the way down the street. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Portland. We went to the other location instead which wasn't as crowded. The donuts were as good as I imagined.
This was my favorite of all of them. This was our brunch at Levant restaurant. Levant is an elegant restuarant serving a modern spin on middle eastern dishes.
They have the best breakfast sandwiches in the world.
The attractions in Portland are also impressive. We did not do alot of exploring but what we did see was worthwhile. First of all, the tip of the iconic Mt. Hood can be seen driving through the city. It is Oregon's highest peak and said to be an active volcano. We didn't get close enough to see it but It is definitely on the list for our next trip to Oregon.
Multnomah Falls is another beautiful attraction that I absolutely adored. The pictures speak for themselves. We witnessed a wedding there too. It is such a cool place to get married and makes for a beautitful backdrop for pictures.
Columbia river gorge is breathtaking. God's creation is amazing. My pictures do not do it justice.
Pioneer station in the downtown area.
We took a road trip up to Canon beach. It was recommended by our hotel as one of the best beaches in Oregon. Canon beach was beautiful and unique but it was too cold for us to enjoy it.
Locals say that Rocky Butte Park is the best place to watch the sunset and airplanes land/take off. It is also a great place to get 360 views of the city. We witnessed a proposal while there and a church concert. It was serene and beautiful!
I will definitely be returning to Portland very soon, it is officially my favorite city in the United States.
Comments