Keep Portland Weird: Essential Guide to Portland, Oregon
Greetings Traveler, Welcome to Portland! Portland is a gritty, sex-positive, pirate ship of a city. Did you know we are actually the strip club capitol of the US? Take that Vegas!
Specializing in IPAs, crust punks, and all things analog; Portland promises a unique American city whether you're visiting internationally or are just bored of kickin' around the Midwest. If you could make your witty, slightly depressed, but very interesting friend into a city, this would be it.
Lacking vitamin D for most of the year demands finding fun in all other avenues of life. We focus on food, books, entertainment, and bevs. Sporting slightly damp clothes (because locals don't use umbrellas for reasons unbeknownst to even us), traverse my take on Portland's mossy, greasy streets and hubs.
Lay of the Land
Portland is split into neighborhoods by river and by street. Eg: The river splits the city East to West, and Burnside splits the city North to South. Some streets I recommend staying near or exploring on foot are:
Centrally Located Hubs by Quarter
SE Hawthorne// Burnside // SE 28th // SE Stark
NE Mississippi // NE Williams // NE Alberta
Portland Bubbles, tiny bubbles...
SE Sellwood // N St Johns // NW 23rd (Bougie PDX)
To explore "W" (NW/SW) parts of town, I recommend taking the Max. If you rented a car or are passing through by car, download the Parking Kitty app and make sure to not leave any of your belongings visible. I did call this a pirate city after all! Argh!
For the Portland ephemeral experience, I recommend looking out for niche DJ events, drag shows, and seasonal outdoorsy opportunities. You can explore via Instagram, posters at shops, or on one of our bulging street posts hosting the last decade of events rained on daily. I am also a firm believer that even as a local, I will never try all of our wonderfully wacky food, so have fun and explore! Weather
Weather
You can expect rain throughout the months of October sometimes well into June. There is the potential for snow nowadays from about December through February. Though rare and short lived, this causes great dysfunction in the city and I must warn against coming during this time for this reason unless you are able to get snowed in with family. In which case, grab some wood, some beers, and get ready for tomfoolery on the road (if you dare!)
Live long & prosper, take it easy traveler!
-claude joven
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You can find me on ig @pigeonbboy 🐦
Morning Joe... and a little something more
Off the beaten path...
A Spot for Tea
Breakfast
Off the beaten path...
Walk in the Park
Worthwhile Landmarks
Off the beaten path...
Food Cart Pods
Off the beaten path...
Lunch Joints
Self Care
Record Shops
Metaphysical & Herbal Shops
Gifting, Thrifting & Antiquing
Museums & Oddities
For a Rainy Day
As a Treat
Cocktails, IPAs, & Mead, Oh my!
Off the beaten path…
Foodie Dinner Heavens
Theaters
Nerdy Places 👾
Night on the Town
Where to Stay
Off the Beaten Path
Seasonal
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