Visiting Portland (Summer 2015 update)

Discussion in 'Northwest' started by guajolote, Jul 6, 2015.

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  1. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Probably depends on what you mean by "highly recommended." Loyal Legion and Upright are the only two other places I can think of, off the top of head, that are cash only. Have fun.
     
    #61 John_M, Aug 5, 2015
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  2. JouerAvecLeFeu

    JouerAvecLeFeu Pooh-Bah (2,032) Apr 17, 2015 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    This post might want to add the local beer blogs - which are a great source of information on what is going on around town at any given time.

    Brewpublic
    The Brew Site (covers all of Oregon)
    New School
    Portland Craft Beer (Not updated regularly, but the events calendar is)
     
    #62 JouerAvecLeFeu, Aug 5, 2015
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  3. SteelCranium

    SteelCranium Crusader (425) Jul 1, 2010 Ohio

    Heading to Portland next month for the first time. Walking/public transportation the first half, will have a car the second half. Staying at the Hotel Monaco on Washington street downtown. We walk a lot (5-8 miles not unusual) and noticed that Hair of the Dog, Apex, and others are within two miles but on the other side of the river. Which of the bridges are the best for walking in this area (Burnside, Morrison, Hawthorne)?

    Also planning to go to the Moda Center for a concert during the non-car portion of the trip. Is this walkable? If so, would it be safe late at night after a concert?

    I like the hoppy offerings so shouldn't have to look far for favorites. Along with local things I can't find at home, I am hoping to find a pint of Pliny on tap somewhere to compare it to some of the great IPAs that I have had since having it from the bottle years ago.
     
    #63 SteelCranium, Aug 6, 2015
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  4. derftron

    derftron Pooh-Bah (1,663) Feb 8, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    If you want to buy/try a fantastic beer, Upright is releasing Special Herbs today at the brewery. one of my favorites
     
    #64 derftron, Aug 6, 2015
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  5. kscaldef

    kscaldef Initiate (0) Jun 11, 2010 Oregon

    Any of those bridges is fine to walk across. Morrison will drop you right at the door of hair of the dog, then you can walk down to to apex and back across Hawthorne. Or, tillikum crossing might be open by then.
     
    #65 kscaldef, Aug 6, 2015
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  6. vurt

    vurt Grand Pooh-Bah (4,504) Apr 11, 2004 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    September 12

    (Although I'm looking forward to biking across it this Sunday.)
     
    #66 vurt, Aug 6, 2015
  7. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Either Hawthorne or Morrison is what I would recommend. The Morrison Bridge drops you off literally on top of the HOTD tasting room. From there you could walk up the street to GG's, Cascade, Commons, and Green Dragon (depending on how much damage you want to do to your self). After a visit there, you could walk up to Apex/Beermongers. After a visit there, you could walk back to your hotel via Hawthorne without any problem (though I would probably recommend a cab at that point). Or you could walk up to Hawthorne and cross the bridge there. Hit Apex, Beermongers, and maybe even the lucky lab, and then head over to the Cascade/HOTD area. From there you could walk back to your hotel via the Morrison. It's completely up to you, as to what area you want to hit first. Just don't take the Burnside bridge and you'll be fine.

    If you're accustomed to walking 5 to 8 miles, then I can't see why you couldn't walk to the Moda center. I think the area is pretty safe, but then I'm never out that way late at night after a concert.

    As for Pliny, you can typically find it at various places around town, but no place will have it on all the time. So you may have to look around a bit. Your best bet is likely to be the Horse Brass. They rotate Blind Pig and Pliny, and always have one or the other on tap.
     
    #67 John_M, Aug 6, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2015
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  8. JouerAvecLeFeu

    JouerAvecLeFeu Pooh-Bah (2,032) Apr 17, 2015 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    Damn. Seems like the last batch wasn't too long ago. I still haven't drank my bottle yet...
     
    #68 JouerAvecLeFeu, Aug 6, 2015
  9. kscaldef

    kscaldef Initiate (0) Jun 11, 2010 Oregon

    Steel bridge to the moda center should be fine, but the downtown end does tend to have a lot of homeless folks hanging about. (This is true of the burnside bridge too.) generally no reason to be worried about safety, but if that sort of thing makes you uncomfortable, you might consider a different route or mode of transportation.
     
    #69 kscaldef, Aug 6, 2015
  10. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Not sure if there's anyway to avoid running into some homeless folks if the OP is planning to walk back from the Moda Center. There's always a pretty sizeable congregation there around/under the Morrison Bridge as well; likewise, on Grand Avenue and MLK as well. Not sure if it's still there, but back in the day when I used to be a regular at the Rose and Raindrop, there was a homeless shelter right next door to them on Grand Ave.

    I've never had any problem with the homeless folks around there (other than having them try to bum a bottle or two of AFTW from me), but like Kevin said... if it's the sort of thing that bothers you, then I would recommend finding a different mode of transportation back to the hotel.
     
    #70 John_M, Aug 6, 2015
  11. SteelCranium

    SteelCranium Crusader (425) Jul 1, 2010 Ohio

    Homeless not an issue. Just don't want to stay into neighborhoods that aren't that great. Have walked through a few places in Baltimore, Detroit, and Chicago that looked fine on the map but wasn't the best decision once walking through them. Will probably walk there and catch a cab back, unless it's a nice night and I didn't mind the walk to Moda. Is the area along the river from Moda to downtown a park/trail that would be safe to walk late in the evening?
     
    #71 SteelCranium, Aug 6, 2015
  12. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader


    I lived in Baltimore for 10 years. There are no neighborhoods in Portland remotely similar to what you may have experienced there (no row houses, no huge tracks of blighted neighborhoods, etc.). I don't want to suggest that crime is nonexistent in PDX, but by and large the homeless folks there are more of an eye sore and/or annoyance (as opposed to folks who might pop a cap in you for your watch, phone or wallet).

    Once you get over on the West Side of the river, most of the walk back to your hotel will indeed be either by or through the Tom McCall waterfront park. I wouldn't be afraid to walk there, so yes, in my opinion, it's a fairly safe area to walk through.
     
    #72 John_M, Aug 6, 2015
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  13. sharpski

    sharpski Grand Pooh-Bah (3,100) Oct 11, 2010 Oregon
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Not a Portland expert by any means, but I feel confident saying dowtown Portland's worst areas are no comparison for Chicago, Detroit, or Baltimore.
     
    #73 sharpski, Aug 7, 2015
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  14. kscaldef

    kscaldef Initiate (0) Jun 11, 2010 Oregon

    My general opinion is that you're in more danger from drunk asshole club goers in the Old Town area than any of the homeless / transient types.
     
    #74 kscaldef, Aug 7, 2015
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  15. Fargrow

    Fargrow Initiate (0) Feb 7, 2013 Michigan

    Wow, this thread will be invaluable when I visit over Labor Day. Thanks everyone!
     
    #75 Fargrow, Aug 7, 2015
  16. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,849) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Nonsense. I'm completely harmless.
     
    #76 John_M, Aug 7, 2015
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  17. wesbray

    wesbray Initiate (0) Feb 29, 2012 Canada (AB)

    Apologies in advance if this has already been covered, but can anyone recommend the best area to stay in to cover the most breweries/pubs? I won't have a car so will be walking and relying on public transport. I'll be using AirBnb unless anyone has cheap hotel recommendations.
     
    #77 wesbray, Aug 8, 2015
  18. chinochino

    chinochino Initiate (0) Jul 29, 2013 Washington

    I am fond of the SE Portland pub crawl. I copied this from the original thread

    https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=z4A5hFdiHEFA.kD8Zez8GhEvs&msa=0

    I tend to go the other way though........... North to South or H to A on the above map.
     
    #78 chinochino, Aug 8, 2015
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  19. shadetree67

    shadetree67 Savant (1,072) Sep 11, 2013 Minnesota
    Trader

    Where can i buy a 12 Bottle Styrofoam shipper in Portland?
     
    #79 shadetree67, Aug 12, 2015
  20. vurt

    vurt Grand Pooh-Bah (4,504) Apr 11, 2004 Oregon
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    From the very first post in this thread:

    Need shippers for all the beer you bought? Try Rose City Wine Vaults & Storage
     
    #80 vurt, Aug 12, 2015
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