My Weekend in Portland, Oregon

I flew to Portland in September, the weekend after I turned 30, continuing what I hope will be a long tradition of traveling to celebrate my birthday. I wanted a weekend that felt peaceful. So Portland, with its slower pace, scenic landscape, and crisp mountain air, made the perfect setting for an idyllic birthday weekend. In 2022, I spent my 29th birthday solo in South Africa, partly by choice, but this time, I was happy to fly with my partner and friends and enjoy two days in one of the most beautiful cities in the Pacific Northwest. 

September 15. 

“Today has been so beautiful”, the text reads in bold letters on my Notes app. The day is already over as I write, so I type quickly, trying not to forget the details that inspired that opening sentence.

The sun casts warm golden rays on the wooden porch of our Airbnb. I’m outside with LB, taking photos while we wait for our friends to get ready. Soon, they join us, and we take more photos with what’s left of the sunlight before piling into two Ubers heading downtown.

My cousin, Za, who enjoys exploring cities through food, has mapped out a food tour, and the first stop is Cartopia Food Carts. She orders us an array of plates to taste from; there’s Pad Thai, crispy fried spring rolls, egg rolls, tender cuts of pork belly, grilled chicken, and poutine. The air is warm and balmy, so I order a cold glass of Loganberry cider (made by a small-batch brewer in Portland) to drink alongside my food. This first stop confirms to me why Portland is known for its food scene.

When we leave Cartopia, it’s dark, and outdoor restaurants glow under hanging bistro lights. 

At our next stop, a food truck serving waffle sandwiches, we take a few minutes to decide what to order, but when we’re ready, a salesperson opens the truck window to tell us they’re closed. I’m disappointed because I have already pictured a jam-filled waffle sandwich in my hands, but I quickly move on in anticipation of our next destination: Kinboshi Ramen.

At the Japanese restaurant, we sit around a large table near the entrance where the windows and doors are open to let the breeze through. Again, we order plates to share: big bowls of flavor-filled ramen, fried chicken wings, and karage shrimp. Cold cups of sake and water are passed around–an answer to the evening’s heat. We order sorbet for dessert and debate which is better, the pear or the strawberry. It’s the pear.

On the way home, we pick up boxes of sugary sweet donuts (another food Portland is known for) from Voodoo Donuts, and end the night in our living room, laughing loudly over a riotous game of Cards Against Humanity. In moments like this one, I find my mind in two places: focused on enjoying the moment, but also reflecting, thinking about how much of a blessing it is to be surrounded by people whose presence expands my joy. 

September 16. 

We start the morning at a food truck square for breakfast. I order the Yolko Ono sandwich from a bright yellow truck called Fried Egg I’m in Love; the bread slices are lightly toasted and hold fried eggs and a sausage patty drizzled with a tasty aioli sauce. Around our table, there’s a mix of similar paper-covered sandwiches and plastic red trays that hold juicy ribs and brisket from Matt’s BBQ.

From here, we cross the street to Capitola Coffee to get iced caffeinated drinks and water to-go before calling a set of Ubers to take us to Multnomah Falls. 

We can see the top of the Falls from the trailhead. Foam-white water cascades down grey rock, surrounded by lush green trees. The trail leads us up many unexpectedly steep hills, past panoramic views of the Columbia River Gorge, and a sprawling mountainscape to bring us to the top of the Falls.

We spend a few minutes here resting from the uphill climb and taking photographs. I run my fingers through the icy cold water as it flows past smooth rocks to the waterfall.

The downhill climb is much easier, so we’re back where we started in what feels like half the time it took us to walk up.

Back at home, after warm showers, we get ready for our last night in the city.

I’m excited to visit EEM Thai for dinner because the reviews are exceptional. But I’m disappointed again because we arrive too late to join the waitlist.

This time it takes me a little longer to recover, but when I do, I ask the waitress at EEM if she has any recommendations. She points me to a homey Chinese restaurant down the block called XLB and tells me to order the Shanghai noodles. I do exactly as she says, adding popcorn chicken and steamed bao buns to my order. The food arrives quickly and it’s clear from the first slurp of my noodles, that her recommendation is perfect.

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Good to Know

Portland is known for its bustling food (including coffee, beer, and wine) scene, and I was pleasantly surprised at just how good the food was. Some of my favorite spots to eat at were: Kinboshi Ramen, XLB Restaurant, Fried Egg I’m in Love, Matts BBQ, and Cartopia Food Carts. EEM Thai has great reviews but they don’t take reservations so try to arrive at least 90 minutes before they close to get seated.

Getting to Multnomah Falls: Multnomah Falls is approximately 30 minutes away from Portland by car. You can drive yourself but must get a permit to park your car. You can also take an Uber/Lyft from Portland, but your return will have to be by Columbia Gorge Express as it is nearly impossible to request a ride from the Falls. 

Flights: We booked non-stop Southwest Flights from Oakland to Portland. The flight time is approximately 1hr and 30 mins

*Note Google Flights does not show Southwest flights, so keep this in mind when booking flights within the U.S/Mexico. Update: Southwest Flights are now visible on Google Flights.

Airbnb: We stayed in a lovely 5-bedroom Airbnb near Portland’s downtown. I’m linking it here: https://abnb.me/z53acHvj7Db

As always, 

Thank you for reading, 

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Same Footprints, Different Sands