Portland, Oregon. This was my first time in the beautiful state of Oregon, and I was pleasantly surprised! It was stop #2 on my post-college graduation trip, and I loved exploring here! Portland itself is a huge foodie city … we tried AMAZING restaurants here. Like seriously, some of the best food I’ve ever had. Me and my friend stayed in Portland for 2 nights and three days, which I think is the right amount of time. I definitely gravitated towards more nature-y things in Portland, because although there are cool things to do in the city, I think the Oregon outdoors is where it’s at. Curious to hear how we were able to get to the nature in Oregon without a car? Keep reading for ideas on where to stay, things to do in both the city and in nature (without a car), and what restaurants we tried that kept me dreaming for days!

Travel Tips

We took the Amtrak train from Seattle to Portland. It cost $28 and took ~4 hours. So easy and the views were beautiful! This was my first time taking a train in the United States and it was a lovely experience. If you are arriving to Portland from a nearby city, definitely take the train and save $$$!

I would highly recommend staying at the downtown Porter Portland Hilton Hotel. It cost $100 / night (split between 2 people) and it was SUCH a nice hotel for that price. It is in walking distance to a lot of great restaurants and shops, and the staff and accommodations were excellent. If you don’t want to stay there, I’d recommend the Pearl District area.

Because renting cars are stupid expensive, we took a lot of Ubers/Lyfts in Portland. The homeless population is very high here, and we felt safer getting rides, especially at night. It still cost way less than it would to rent a car, however. And keep reading to see how we adventured to nature parts of Oregon without renting a car!

Activity Tips

We found this great Trivia Night on Tuesdays at Fields Bar and Grille in the Pearl District. Portland has a great small-town vibe with very friendly people, so trivia night was a unique and fun way to get involved! We had a few beers and yummy appetizers (try the brussel sprouts!) and ended up in 4th place at trivia lol! If you happen to be in Portland on a Tuesday, go to this Trivia Night. Plus, the Pearl District itself is a very lovely area.

One of the best things we did in Portland was explore Powell’s Books, the largest independent bookstore in the world! Yes, WORLD!! There were so many floors that I lost count! This place is SOOO cool, if you’re into bookstores like I am, then this should be on your bucket list. I could have spent an entire day here. It is extremely well-preserved and organized. There are so many things to peruse in addition to books. Spend an afternoon getting lost in Powell’s Books, and try not to buy the whole store 😉

Do a Waterfall Tour in the Oregon gorge. We chose this experience off of Airbnb, and the company drove & guided us through 5+ gorgeous waterfalls in the gorge. It was ~30 minute drive from downtown Portland, and on the way we saw Mt. St. Helen and Mt. Hood in the distance! The waterfalls were awe-inspiring, and it felt great to connect to nature and learn more about the history of Oregon. Also, this experience was special because we never would have found half of these waterfalls ourselves, so it was so nice to be guided by a professional. After the waterfall hikes we went to the Buena Vista mountaintop and saw some insane views! It took around 4 hours and was an afternoon well spent. The total cost was $60 / person, which is expensive, but they provided transportation and a guided tour!

Hike the Wildwood Trail in Washington Park. We took a Lyft to the Vietnam Memorial and there were signs for the trail there. It is a gorgeous hike through Japanese gardens and Redwood trees. The trail markers were straight-forward, and we finished our hike at the Pittock Mansion, so the total was around 4 miles. The last mile was super steep to get to Pittock! The lookout point at the Pittock mansion is so cool because there’s a fantastic, clear view of Mt. Hood.

Check out the Nob Hill neighborhood. There is a beautiful avenue of trendy shops and restaurants that line up very quaintly, and it was fun to explore. You should go into the store called Paxton Gate, no spoilers but it’s pretty insane and highly entertaining, and definitely showcases Portland’s weird side.

Food Tips

Luc Lac is a delicious, ultra-popular Vietnamese restaurant near our hotel in the downtown area. We sat outside under the heat lamps and the setup is very chill, order-at-the-counter type vibe. The food was so fresh and delicious! Plus, it’s open until 11pm if you want a late night snack like we did.

Cheryl’s on 12th is a MUST-DO for breakfast / lunch. I sat in stunned silence as I ate because it was seriously some of the best food I’ve ever had IN MY LIFE. It’s a Ma & Pop, relaxed atmosphere, and the food is DIVINE. First, they bring out complementary beignets for the table. YUM. Me and my friend ordered the Veggie Scramble and Portuguese Fried Rice and split both. Both dishes were absolutely DELICIOUS!!! We spent only ~$15 on the meal, but I would have paid triple that if I’m being honest. GO HERE!!!

Little Big Burger is a cheap burger spot that I really liked. The burgers are small but filling, and the truffle fries are delicious. It cost $9 total.

Voodoo Donuts is a ultra-famous donut shop (you might recognize the pink box), and for good reason. The donuts are soooooo yummy. My favorites were the plain cake and mango tango. We ended up UberEats the donuts because it was super late and we didn’t want to wait in long lines, and they were just as good!

GO TO Grassa Italian restaurant in the Nob Hill District. You order at the counter and sit at a booth, and I really love the atmosphere of this place. I got the Cacio y Pepe pasta and it was SO creamy and SO fresh and SO FREAKING GOOD. We randomly found this place and the pasta was so cheap for the quality – it cost $12!

Portland is a fun place to visit when you’re out west. As you can see, there was SO much to do, and I have fond memories of my time here. I hope this article gave you good ideas when you’re planning your own Oregon trip!

xx Gracie

If you enjoyed this article, check out my others:

Gracie’s Guide to Seattle, Washington

Gracie’s Guide to New York, New York ( on a Budget )

Gracie’s Guide to Washington D.C. ( on a Budget )