I've visited Portland several times for business and didn't get to see much, so I was thrilled to change that when I returned a few months ago. My friend, who doubled as tour guide, packed a lot into the 3 days I was there. First stop was Cannon Beach.
A stop at Multnomah Falls was also on the agenda this day, but weather conditions presented good news and bad news. The good news being it was a gorgeous day for enjoying the outdoors and bad news for the same reason. Great weather contributed to larger crowds making it much more difficult to find parking places. The falls could be seen from the road, and as my friend commented, were not flowing as much as usual due to recent hotter and dryer weather.
The Stone Cliff Inn, not far from Portland, has a beautiful wooded area off the parking lot where one of my favorite scenes from the movie "Twilight" was filmed. The large mossy rocks provided the perfect backdrop. There are actually signs on them showing exactly where the filming took place. Being a huge fan, this was a fun stop to take some pictures and marvel in the lush forest setting.
The City
Time didn't allow me to visit the Japanese Gardens or Voodoo Doughnuts, (probably the coolest doughnut shop ever) famous for their Bacon Maple Bars and assorted cereal topped doughnuts.
There are signs in the city that say "Keep Portland Weird". One of my Facebook friends posts pictures frequently with the same caption. I'm not exactly sure what the "weird" part is, but I know there is so much more to see and experience. Perhaps I'll find out on my next visit!
Cannon Beach
At the top of my list, 80 miles West of Portland, Cannon Beach alone was worth the visit. The monolithic rocks were picturesque and somewhat mysterious. Haystack Rock, the third largest of its kind, did not disappoint presenting a great photo-op and place to explore sea life.
The town of Cannon Beach has quaint restaurants and shops featuring local art, chic home decor and an old-fashioned candy store that sells most of your childhood favorites.
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| Haystack Rock |
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| Tidal Pool Starfish |
Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River flows through this beautiful canyon of up to 4,000 feet deep, stretching for over 80 miles forming the boundary of the state of Washington to the North and Oregon to the South. The above photo was taken from Crown Point lookout. The building itself has an art deco-like appearance and houses history, photography & artwork, and a gift shop.
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| Crown Point |
A stop at Multnomah Falls was also on the agenda this day, but weather conditions presented good news and bad news. The good news being it was a gorgeous day for enjoying the outdoors and bad news for the same reason. Great weather contributed to larger crowds making it much more difficult to find parking places. The falls could be seen from the road, and as my friend commented, were not flowing as much as usual due to recent hotter and dryer weather.
Stone Cliff Inn - Carver, ORThe Stone Cliff Inn, not far from Portland, has a beautiful wooded area off the parking lot where one of my favorite scenes from the movie "Twilight" was filmed. The large mossy rocks provided the perfect backdrop. There are actually signs on them showing exactly where the filming took place. Being a huge fan, this was a fun stop to take some pictures and marvel in the lush forest setting.
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| Just steps from the parking lot |
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| "Twilight" Lion and the Lamb scene |
The City
Before leaving, I wanted to check out the tea scene and found a great little shop downtown. The Tea Zone & Camellia Lounge is located in Portland's Pearl District. The shop sells loose leaf teas, brewing equipment and accessories, has a great Sunday Brunch and even live music.
We went on Sunday and had Brunch. Lots of great entree choices, plus extras. We included their famous scones served with Devonshire Cream and Lemon Curd. I would have been happy just eating the scones. Talk about "to die for". So rich and melt-in-your-mouth wonderful. Topped it all off with a hot pot of tea and an Earl Grey Chocolate Truffle. Great experience!
We went on Sunday and had Brunch. Lots of great entree choices, plus extras. We included their famous scones served with Devonshire Cream and Lemon Curd. I would have been happy just eating the scones. Talk about "to die for". So rich and melt-in-your-mouth wonderful. Topped it all off with a hot pot of tea and an Earl Grey Chocolate Truffle. Great experience!
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| Tea & Truffle |
Time didn't allow me to visit the Japanese Gardens or Voodoo Doughnuts, (probably the coolest doughnut shop ever) famous for their Bacon Maple Bars and assorted cereal topped doughnuts.
There are signs in the city that say "Keep Portland Weird". One of my Facebook friends posts pictures frequently with the same caption. I'm not exactly sure what the "weird" part is, but I know there is so much more to see and experience. Perhaps I'll find out on my next visit!
