We had been in the Pacific Northwest for almost five years before we finally took a trip south to visit Portland and the Columbia River Gorge in September 2020. It was a quick weekend trip over the Labor Day holiday and due to COVID and the protests that were occurring downtown we didn’t spend a lot of time in Portland but plan on visiting again in the future.
How to Get Here
For us it was a three-hour drive south on I-5 but most likely you’ll fly into Portland International Airport (PDX). If arriving via air, we would recommend renting a car so that you can explore the Columbia River Gorge, Bend and Mt. Hood areas.
Trip Length
We spent the long weekend of Labor Day in the area but would recommend a full week so that you have time to enjoy Portland as well as the surrounding areas.
Where to Stay
You’ll find plenty of hotel options in and around Portland. We stayed two nights at the La Quinta Inn & Suites Portland NW which worked out well for us. Clean and affordable and not too far from the NW District which had plenty of brewery and food options. The next two nights we stayed east of the city at the Four Points by Sheraton Portland East as we spent most of our time near the Columbia River Gorge & Mt. Hood. Looking back, we could also have stayed in Hood River which would have been a little more central, but we stayed on points, so it worked out just fine. There are quite a few wineries and breweries in the Hood River area so if that is something you’re interested in we would recommend staying there for safety and convenience.
What to Do
Portland
Portland is known for being a little…different. While we didn’t really get to explore the city, we definitely caught a glimpse of its uniqueness. Our favorite example was seeing a woman carrying her pet duck in a backpack on her chest! We took a Lyft to Washington Park because we heard there was limited parking. We probably could have found parking, but it was also very convenient to use a ride-share so that we could check out one of the local breweries after our time in the park. There is a free shuttle once you’re in the park.
We first took a stroll through the International Rose Test Garden. There were hundreds of different types of roses…maybe more. It would be a nice place for a picnic lunch or relaxing, but we only spent around 30 minutes walking through…literally stopping to smell the roses.
The Japanese Garden was a favorite for Amanda. It was quite a large Japanese garden and felt very tranquil. The flat garden, koi pond, waterfalls, etc. all provide a peaceful break from the city. We spent a little over an hour here walking around the trails. Check their website for hours and ticket information.
We also walked down to the Oregon Holocaust Memorial. A small but symbolic park that incorporates many reminders of the lives of those lost in the Holocaust.
Columbia River Gorge
When we moved from Indianapolis to Seattle we drove through the Columbia River Gorge area. Unfortunately, it was at night, so we missed seeing this beautiful area. We really enjoyed our time here and will definitely go back and visit again in the future. We first took old Scenic Route 30 which took us past Vista House. The ‘house’ itself was closed and the skies were a bit overcast, but we still had a good view of the river.
Oregon is known for its waterfalls. You’ll find quite a few very close to each other on Scenic Route 30 which runs parallel to I-84 in the gorge. First up for us was Latourell Falls. You can see the lower falls from the road and from a viewpoint right off the parking lot. There is also a 2.4-mile loop trail that will take you up and past the upper falls and then back around to the lower falls. It is not a difficult trail, so we recommend stretching your legs and taking in the fresh air.
Next up was Horsetail and Bridal Veil Falls. Horsetail Falls is literally beside the road while Bridal Veil is a short walk (down and back up). Both are long, narrow streams of water but were flowing quite well that day.
We then headed to Bridge of the Gods for lunch and then to Hood River (the town) for some relaxing. The Hood River Waterfront Park in the downtown area was packed with people. There are a few trails for biking and walking. Wind surfing, kite boarding, and paddleboarding are very popular and there are spots to rent gear if you’re up for the challenge (it was really windy!). There is a fairly large parking lot right on the water that we were able to snag a spot in.
Multnomah Falls is by far the most popular of the waterfalls in this area. You’ve likely seen a photograph of the iconic bridge in front of the tall falls. There is limited parking, especially with COVID protocols in place. We had to reserve our spot online and had a window of time in which we had to enter. Unfortunately, the trail to the bridge is closed so it was a really quick visit.
We headed up to Mt. Hood from Multnomah. Our first stop was Tamanawas Falls which was a bit longer of a hike than the other falls at 3.8 miles. The trail was very busy but that is to be expected on a holiday weekend. Tons of people and dogs…some of which did not look excited to be on the trail. There is one boulder/scramble area but other than that it’s a fairly reasonable trail beside the river and chain of smaller falls.
We made a pitstop in Government Camp where we got a view of Mt. Hood and had some lunch at Mt. Hood Brewery. Scott then did a solo hike to Mirror Lake (4.2 miles) while Amanda relaxed.
On our last day we hiked Angel’s Rest trail which is a 4.6 mile out and back trail with a lot of up and down! Amanda was really not in the hiking mood and the constant uphill climb is far from her favorite, but it was a nice trail overall and we had a clear view at the top.
This entire area of the PNW has so much to offer. You can easily combine with a visit to Seattle or the surrounding mountains like Mt. Rainier, Mount St. Helens and Mt. Adams.