Girls Trip: Two Days of Summer in Portland, Oregon
Mom and I took a short trip to Portland in the summer of 2023. We took the Amtrak from Seattle to Portland for a relaxed ride and of course to enjoy the Pacific Northwest views.
We spent Day 1 in Portland driving along the forested Columbia River Highway. Our first stop was the magnificent Multnomah Falls followed by Starvation Creek Falls. Next stop was Rowena Crest Viewpoint with stunning views of the Columbia River Gorge. We had lunch at the Golden Goods Sandwich and Bake shop at the charming city of Hood River. Highly recommend!
Next, we drove all the way to see Mount Hood up close, passing by the Mt. Hood National Forest to the famous Timberline Lodge.
Timberline Lodge, a mountain retreat and ski lodge, stands on the south slope of Mt. Hood at an elevation of 6,000 feet. It is a beautiful, imposing structure which is also popular for its appearance in the iconic movie ‘The Shining’. The sweeping views of Mount Hood from the Timberline Lodge and from the various viewing spots through our drive were breathtaking to say the least.
It was a beautiful summer day in June, and we immersed ourselves in the beauty of Columbia River Gorge and the pristine alpine landscape of Mount Hood.
I love the Pacific Northwest! There are so many opportunities to experience the power and beauty of nature like no other place I’ve ever seen.
Day 2 started with a morning sightseeing cruise on board the Portland Spirit from the Salmon Street Springs dock in downtown Portland. The 1.5-hour narrated Willamette River cruise had beautiful views of the Portland skyline, its iconic bridges, unique floating homes and Waverly Country Club. We went past Hawthorne Bridge, Marquam Bridge, Tilikum Crossing Bridge, Ross Island Bridge and Sellwood Bridge. Highly recommend this relaxing day time activity to see Portland from a different perspective.
After lunch we went on a city tour of Portland to explore downtown and its surrounding areas. We drove past the Pearl District and Pioneer Square. Highlight of the day was of course the International Rose Test Garden located in Washington Park with more than 500 varieties of roses in full bloom! The perfect Pacific Northwest June weather, lovely blooms in myriad colors and the sweet smell of roses made this the bright spot of our last day in the city.
We ended the day at the beautiful Lan Su Chinese Garden with a relaxing stroll through the ornate pavilions and exquisite plant collection.
We packed a lot into the 2 days we had in Portland but oddly it was still fun and relaxing. Being with nature always makes me feel better and beauty of the Pacific Northwest through all seasons is one for the books as we all know.
