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Portland:
Gateway to Mount Hood, Columbia River Country and
the Oregon Coast
by
Jerry W. Bird
 I
fell inlove with Portland, Oregon at first sight,
which wasn't hard because I was pumped up with
excitement for weeks before we left North Vancouver
in my grandfather's Buick. As a normal 12-year old,
Jantzen Beach, a popular amusement near the river,
blew me away completely. Sad to say, it is no
longer a public place. The city's laid back
lifestyle and local amenities were another lure,
the swimming pools were far
ah ead
of anything in Canada at the time. We were hosted
by a house full of relatives; American cousins by
the dozens, and with some attractive, though
slightly older girls included -I thought I was in
heaven. For a while I begged my folks to move
there, but to no avail.
 Many
years later, we spent a New Years holiday in the
area, and one of the things that impressed me was
how easy and inexpensive it was to get from
downtown to distant points via the light rail
transit system. Simple but efficient. Click for
full
size
version of map. Last time I visited
Portland, we arrived via Horizon Air from
Vancouver, BC, as guests of Oregon Tourism on a
media "fam" trip hosted by Susan Bladholm. What we
experienced during 5 days in a nine passenger van,
was a capsule of what you should do in a week or
more. We headed straight east to the Columbia River
Gorge, a wonder of the world, where we stayed at
the charming Lodge, with roses and chocolates on
the pillow of my curtained four poster bed. The
sprawling riverside grounds reminded me of an
English country scene along the Thames.
 Next
morning at breakfast, our waitress recited a poem
about Columbia Falls, as she trickled the syrup
down on our pancakes from a jug held high above her
head. This idyllic spot on the Columbia River is
one of the most popular wind sailing locations in
the west. More recently, organizers have launched
some exciting river cruises along the Columbia from
Portland. Heading for Mount Hood, our next stop of
note was Timberline, a mountain village built by
order of President Roosevelt as a make work project
in the 1930s depression era. Like most things in
Oregon, it was a class attraction.
Back
in Portland, Susan chose the Benson Hotel as our
accommodation of record, and a wise choice it was.
I will be proud to recommend the Benson to any of
my clients. Powell's bookstore is a main downtown
attraction. You can't begin to imagine its size and
variety of titles available. Another great thing
about Portland besides its many micro breweries,
great gardens and clean streets, is as I said, the
light rail rapid transit system, which takes you
far into the country side with the greatest of
ease.
On
the way to the rugged Oregon Coast, we passed
through Wine Country and stopped for a pleasant
stay and tasting at Tilamook Creek Winery. After 7
years, they still send me mail, which proves how
they value potential tourism contacts. One of these
days it will pay off for them in spades, as we
expand our Travel Club program. We enjoyed two days
on the coast at Cannon Beach, with its great
scenery, laid back atmosphere and super seafood. I
would love to relive the entire trip all over
again, only in slow motion this time." Editor
Muguette
Goufrani
on food and wine
We
salute Portland's James Beard, "Father of American
Cooking." One
of Portland's favorite sons makes gastronomic
history.
Basic
details from the Portland
CVB
The major air hub for the Portland area and
southwest Washington is the Portland International
Airport, located next to the Columbia River in
northeast Portland. The airport is currently
undergoing expansion. All major air carriers
serving the northwest connect here. For nearby
accommodations, check East Portland and PDX Airport
Lodging.
The views of the
Cascade mountains to the east are fabulous, most
notably Mount Hood which provides year round
recreational activities from Skiing to hiking. The
city is divided by the Willamette River and
provides many opportunities for water
activities.
Portland boasts a
mild climate with summer temperatures rarely over
80 degrees and winter temperatures rarely below 40
degree. Spring comes early and fall comes late, and
the gentle rains keep the area clean and
lush.
Accommodations in
Portland are generally divided into three areas:
Central Portland Lodging, North Portland Lodging
and East Portland and PDX Airport Lodging. Visitors
and residents alike can enjoy dining at Portland
Dining Establishments and shopping at the many
Portland Area Retail Shopping.
Enjoy
personal walking tours in
Eugene, Oregon, USA
through:
Old cemeteries,
complete with ghost stories!
Historic
neighborhoods of Western Pioneers.
University of
Oregon campus
Backpack trips for
women and/or men
Step-on guide for
covered bridges tour
Guided mountain
hikes or walks through old-growth
forests.
Visit our web site
http://www.walk-with-me.com/tours/tours.htm
Tyler
Burgess
Walk With
Me
795 Willamette St., #305
Eugene, OR 97401, (541) 684-4951
.....More
airport Information and tourism
contacts.
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