James & Natasha
Things To Do
Portland Saturday Market
Looking for something to do before our wedding? The Portland Saturday Market runs 10am-5pm on Saturdays in November and features local Portland vendors. For lunch grab a bowl of ramen at Afuri and a donut at Voodoo Donuts. Visit their website for information about parking and streetcar validation!
St. Johns Farmers Market
Staying in St. Johns? If you're looking for a market Saturday morning but don't want to travel to downtown, check out the local Farmer's Market! It's small but usually has solid vendors from throughout Oregon.
Powell's City of Books
The world's largest independent bookstore. James will find any excuse to visit Powell's.
White Stag Sign
The White Stag sign has a long history in Portland starting as an advertisement for White Stag Sportswear and later becoming an icon for the city. It's located right next to the Portland Saturday Market but is best seen from afar when driving south on I-5 (don't worry CA friends, we still call it THE 5) or via a river cruise. During Christmas, the stag turns into Rudolph and wears a red nose!
Portland Spirit Cruises and Events
We enjoyed cruising down the Williamette River for their dinner cruise on Christmas! A great way to see Portland's iconic bridges and get a great view of the White Stage sign. Offering daily sightseeing tours as well as dinner, lunch, and Sunday brunch cruises.
Portland Japanese Garden
Who would we be if we didn't recommend a Japanese Garden? Although we haven't been in the fall, we imagine the autumn colors are incredible.
Oregon Zoo
The oldest North American zoo west of the Mississippi! The zoo became world-famous in 1962 when the Asian elephant "Packy" was born. He was the first elephant born in the Western Hemisphere in 44 years and up until 2010 was the tallest Asian elephant in the United States! While we do recommend the elephant exhibit, Natasha has always been impartial to the penguins.
Multnomah Falls
You can't leave Oregon without seeing at least one waterfall and this is the tallest one we've got! As the most visited site in Oregon, it's located about 40 minutes outside of Portland and provides a beautiful drive along the Columbia River Gorge. No reservation needed in November and if you're up for some exercise, continue past the bridge viewpoint for a switch-back hike to the top! Pro tip: do NOT exit I-84 on to Historic Columbia River Hwy. Instead, continue on I-84 until you see the large parking lot exit for the falls.
Memory Den Vintage Mall
We've recently started spending our weekends hunting for treasures at local vintage and thrift stores. Memory Den is the largest vintage mall in Portland with over 140 local vendors and is by far our favorite. The mall has an array of vintage items, with a focus on furniture and home décor. To see both floors you'll want to set aside 1-2 hours! If you're looking more specifically for vintage clothing, we suggest Hollywood Vintage.
McMenamins St. Johns Theater & Pub
This specific location is just a short walk from our house and has both a pub and theater. McMenamins has over 65 locations so it's almost guaranteed that you aren't far from one! Natasha recommends their seasonal Lemon Spice Cider :)
Great Notion Brewing
James' favorite brewery in Portland. He recommends the blueberry muffin ale.
Bamboo Sushi
Our go-to sushi. We recommend the Green Machine, Garden of Eden, and Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice. Multiple locations in and around Portland.
Apizza Scholls
Our favorite pizza in Portland. On many lists for Top Pizza in Portland and the US! If you're dining in be sure to visit QuarterWorld Arcade next door (check their website for when minors are allowed).
Mole Mole Mexican Cuisine
You cannot visit Portland without eating at an iconic food cart! Natasha is a sucker for mole and recommends the three mole plate (pictured above). While you're there, stroll down the Alberta Arts District and duck into some fun vintage and boutique shops! If you're looking for food carts closer to our wedding, St Johns Beer Porch has a lot to choose from!
Fifty Licks Ice Cream
While Salt and Straw is a Portland ice cream staple, we find ourselves more often than not getting our ice cream fix at Fifty Licks (we even took our engagement photos here!). With equally fun seasonal flavors, Fifty Licks has fantastic vegan ice cream and multiple locations around Portland. James's go-to is a Chocolate AF milkshake and Natasha recommends the Mango Sticky Rice and Lavender Salted Caramel.
Cathedral Coffee
Great coffee only two blocks from our house. Natasha's go-to is an oat milk lavender latte while James prefers a classic latte. Always a fun seasonal menu!