Caitlin & Nathan
Welcome to Portland & Cascadia!
Stepping Stone Cafe
Hands down, this is our favorite place to eat in Portland. It's unpretentious American diner food at its very best. Everything on the menu is good.
Urban German Wursthaus
Hearty German food, imported beers, and a great view of the St. John's Bridge.
Gumba
Gumba specializes in one thing, and knocks it out of the park: handmade Italian pasta.
Salty's on the Columbia River
Gorgeous views of Mt Hood, the mighty Columbia River, and the airport (if you're into plane spotting, that is). Also, good cocktails!
Eem - Thai BBQ & Cocktails
Thai and Texas BBQ fusion. So good the New York Times put it on their top 50 restaurants of 2021 list.
Canard
Enjoy outstanding French food without the fuss.
Huber's Cafe
The oldest restaurant in Portland, this stunning spot from the late 1800s is best known for its flaming spanish coffee, but their food is pretty good too.
Spare Room Restaurant & Lounge
Nathan has a particularly soft spot for Portland dive bars. This place is an institution: no frills decor, pool tables, dirt cheap well drinks and beers, and plenty of decent pub grub. The neighborhood around it is great for exploring during the day, too.
Cascade Brewing Barrel House
So good they single-handedly popularized a beer style: the fruit-forward sour.
Doug Fir Lounge
A fantastic bar and restaurant with a unique aesthetic you'll only see in Portland - think 1960s funky chic-meets-lumberjack.
Revolution Hall
This spot happens to be an excellent music venue, but you can also head upstairs for views of Portland and a refreshing drink from their rooftop bar.
Forest Park NW PDX Entrance
Go for a hike in the biggest urban forest in the United States. You'll see all sorts of big, beautiful trees, not to mention lots of wildlife: rabbits, squirrels, the occasional coyote, and people running off their brunch weight.
Peninsula Park
A lot of people don't realize that North Portland has its own rose garden! Well, here it is.
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
An absolutely gorgeous garden with azaleas and rhododendrons. Great place to take kids. We were lucky enough to see a nesting pair of bald eagles here a couple summers back.
Cathedral Park
This is our local bridge and accompanying park - enjoy a relaxing picnic by the water as the best bridge in Portland towers over your head.
International Rose Test Garden
Enjoy peak rose bloom season in one of the best and most popular rose gardens in all of Portland (and there are a lot!)
Ladd's Addition
If we had enough money to live here, we would. Come see the beautiful craftsman homes, the rose gardens, and the towering old trees and you'll see why.
Pittock Mansion
Enjoy an incredible view of Portland on the lawn (you can see all the way to Mt Hood on a clear day!), and take a tour through the French Renaissance-style chateau with antique decor.
Portland Art Museum
Always a great place to see some fun art exhibits, with frequently rotated special exhibits.
Powell's City of Books
Beware: book lovers have been known to enter Powell's and never be heard from again!
Cargo
A unique shopping experience in the former industrial district east of Downtown. You can find imported goods from all over, with a focus on eastern Asia. Easy to forget how much time you spend here.
Multnomah Falls
A classic sight-seeing spot, check out this enormous picturesque waterfall on the way to Hood River, or as one of many stops on your drive through the Columbia River Gorge.
Vista House
A stunning lookout spot to see a huge stretch of the Gorge, and then head inside the early 1900s restored house itself.
The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum
When people say "keep Portland weird," this is what they mean.
Hoyt Arboretum
This beloved nature-lovers spot is perfect for nature lovers who want to learn about the many bird species that call the Pacific Northwest home. There are plenty of hiking trails around here, too.
Phuket Cafe
Outstanding Thai cuisine, amazing cocktails.
Jojo Food Truck
Portland is famous for its food carts. Jojo is one of the best. One bite of their fried chicken and you'll understand why.