Howdy, and sorry Admin if this is the wrong topic of discussion... For spring break, the missus and I are taking a weekend trip to Portland, OR. Are there any Hot Rodding cultural significant things we should do or see while there? Museums, Shops, locations- open for business or defunct... Looking forward to the replies!
Wescott's (LOL). Restorations and Reproductions (Mike McKennet). Schroders Speed and Custom. Steves Auto Restoration. All on the east side. Drive the Mt Hood Loop. Portland-Gresham-Timberline Lodge-Hood River (great car/air museum there $$$)-Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge-Portland. Oregon Rail Heritage Center (home of two of the ten largest operational steam locomotives in the US, with one down for maintenance). Antique Powerland (Brooks Or, near Salem has a huge collection of truck, agricultural, and industrial machinery).
You pay full price for them tickets? Spring break in Portland? You won't have to worry about pretty girls in bikinis being a distraction. If you can figure out how to get an invite, the Brothers Car Collection just south of P town is wicked awesome. Possibly the finest in the nation. They keep their identities a secret, so you have to know someone to get in. Yeah, it's weird but it's orygun.
If you are up here during the week drop by All American Classics in Vancouver! Also- check out the rail road heritage museum https://orhf.org/visit-orhc/
I will second the advice on visiting the WAAM Museum in Hood River......old airplanes.....motorcycles .....cars. Ever see an old airplane with a Ford flathead for power ??
The best thing about Portland is what you can drive to from Portland in a couple of hours. Mountains, Ocean beach, drive up the Gorge with a stop at Multnomah Falls (don't leave anything valuable in sight inside the car in the parking lot) No one will believe you went to Oregon without photos of the falls for show and tell. Or drive to Cannon Beach 80 miles away for the day. If I was going to Portland for a few days and wasn't tied down with commitments that is where I would head as a couple. Actually any Beach town on the Oregon coast is good. Karl mentioned most of the car stuff and the air museum where the Spruce goose is. Run out to his shop and buy a T shirt. Most of the stuff people go to "Portland" for isn't in Portland proper anyhow it is in outlying areas around Portland.
The air/car museum I mentioned is in Hood River. The Spruce Goose is at the Evergreen Air and Space museum in McMinnville (and worth a look).
Squeezing everything into a weekend will be tricky. I'd narrow your scope to the area(s) you want to explore the most, then maximizing the activities in that area. Portland proper is split into quadrants: (NE, SE, NW, SW). Navigating these neighborhoods alone can add significant time due to traffic, let alone out to the Gorge or off to the Coast. Food - depending on which neighborhood you're in/around, you'll find an overwhelming amount of options. You can search on your phone using google maps and filter by type of food, ratings, price... to make it more digestible. My favorite part about Portland is the food (and drink - be responsible)! Lots of beautiful parks: Forest Park, Mt Tabor, Laurelhurst, Cathedral Park, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Rhododendron Garden, Peninsula Park, Sauvie Island (not a park but stunning), the list goes on... Landmarks of note: Pittock Mansion, St John's Bridge (Cathedral Park mentioned above), Fort Vancouver/Pearson Field (accross the Columbia River), Powell's Books (park in a garage if you go here - downtown has been a little sketchy since covid), Portland City Grill (same thing - park in their garage), the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum(s) mentioned above by other posters - worth the stop especially if you're going out to the wineries or to the Coast for the day... this list goes on forever, too. I guess if I were you, I'd look at the recommendations ppl have posted, see where you're staying in relation to these, then make a plan based on what sounds most interesting to you. The Coast and the Gorge are incredible, but opposite directions and a couple hours to get to either one. Anyway, you get the idea. Have fun and enjoy the trip!
Pay strict attention to all of the road signs and exit signs, other wise you will find yourself going to "The Dalles" and that can be really confusing! Portland is a cool city, but a person that is new to the area, can be challenged by the bridges and the traffic patterns! GPS navigation can be slightly misleading right when you need it to be accurate! Have fun during your visit to Portland! "Everyone's results may vary greatly"
Yes......Powells Bookstore.......and for a truly memorable dining experience with great food and great service.....The Ringside Restaurant in downtown ? Portland
Also.....great history museum in downtown Portland.....really fascinating history on Lewis and Clark and how the Northwest got discovered and developed in the pioneer days.....logging.....gold mining......railroads.....shipping etc etc
Thanks for the replies everyone! A few things I'm dead set on is seeing is Howards Spruce Goose, and eating an original Pronto Pup- my grandfather was a logging truck driver for some time after the war, and I've never heard him utter the word "corn dog". Also, the Alibi Tiki Lounge and the Japanese Garden to keep the missus entertained. Essentially one day at the Beach, and one day in and around Portland. The WAAM and ORHC museums are now high on the list, thank you for those suggestions. Isn't Imperial Speed and Custom somewhere in that corner of the map? Are they still around?
Hello, Our son and his wife, now, had a sign of relief as we bought a new station wagon, when our granddaughter was born. We knew her stuff would pack the back covered area full to the brim. But, they were new parents and now had a week off to stay home with their daughter. So, we took a week off to head North to the Canadian border, with stops along the long coastal cliff side drive up Highway 1 to San Francisco. From there, it was almost the whole coastal route to the San Juan Islands. After our stay there, we headed back down I-5 to cross over around Yosemite and now, the long dry drive down Highway 395 to head back to coastal So Cal. "The road through our windshield..." From Portland, along the Columbia River, we saw plenty of cool road scenery that never gets old... It was a long drive, but our odometer started with a couple of hundred miles of local So Cal cruising, most of it with our granddaughter. But upon coming home, we noticed that the odometer now read 6000+++ miles... wow, from new to used in one week of constant driving and seeing the sights. It was my wife’s daily driver and also our primary granddaughter transportation. So, it was worth it, despite the accumulated miles within a week of vacationing. Jnaki When we travel, we always stop at places that remind us of the past history of our era. A place like Portland, Oregon has plenty of great places to dine. We found many different, but excellent restaurants, like the Kennedy School Restaurant in the Northeast region. A fabulous elementary school converted to a fabulous restaurant. Reminded us of our old schools in So Cal. We lived near an elementary school from 1946 to 1998 in Long Beach. My wife lived near one in OKC during those younger days. We drove through the Laurelhurst Neighborhood on 33rd Ave. to get to our destination, McMenamins Kennedy School. OK, WHAT are two old folks doing going to an old elementary school? We had been traveling all over this Columbia River area for some great photo locations and since we liked the area, looked up quality places to dine for dinner. Since we enjoy the coastal experiences more than elsewhere in the USA, as nice as our cross country USA road trip was or has been, this long up the coast and down the whole state is always a great drive many times over. There are always alternate routes to get to the same destinations. On one portion of a stay in Portland, we drove out through Hood River area on our way to the Maryhill Winery. One sight made us wonder and amazed at the sailboats on the Columbia River. We love sailing, but those folks out on the water fighting the current are wonders. It takes time to enjoy the slower speeds of sailing vs drag racing, but the enjoyment is always top notch. The current at this portion of the big flowing river was seen in downtown Portland near the big I-5 bridge. and those folks did the same, fight the current to get where they wanted to sail. One of the nicest “walks” is along the North side of the Columbia River starting at the overhead bridge. It is a nice walk, a city view, great restaurants lining the shore sidewalk and the mighty Columbia fighting to go out to the ocean as the current flows like crazy. At the Hood River area, the boats were smaller and it seemed endless to not go very far each time they “tacked” to get a better angle of wind for the direction heading one way. Kudos to those skilled folks in their smaller boats. Yikes! Note: But, in Portland Oregon, a demand of a different kind struck us as laughable. “Keep Portland Weird,” is a sticker and slogan that gives others a good view of the residents of the Columbia Riverfront city. We had experienced the same business at a different time and it is as good as anywhere in the USA. To “Keep Portland Weird,” it was called “Voodoo Doughnuts.” For several of our longer road trips together, my wife and I have gone to Portland. The Pacific Northwest is an area different from sunny So Cal , but for some reason, we both like the Northern area. Our last road trip was to be in 2020, but we all know what happened during the Spring of that year. Vista Point looking Eastward, over the Columbia River. “Touristy” things? One of the best things is the long drive all along the shores of the Columbia River Eastward. (or Westward) There was one destination we had to take that was a little over 100 miles out to the Maryhill Winery and concert music venue. The trip normally takes almost two hours. Ours took over 4 hours because of all of the stops along the river for the major historic sites and big waterfalls. We were on the South side going up and the North side coming back to Portland. What a drive and scenery. There were a couple of hot rods, a coupe and sedan, that were powering up the I-84 up and the 14 back to Portland. One lowered truck just hugged the winding roads to the Bonneville Dam area. It was a neat drive, with the mighty Columbia River flowing at speed towards the ocean. Want to watch frustration on the water? Just watch the sailboats fight the massive, fast flowing current…an exercise in going nowhere fast. For a couple of avid sailboat owners, that river was calling to us by leaps and bounds. In the city proper and out in the Gorge, the scenery and blue water was like no other. But, the one thing we do not like is frustration sailing… getting nowhere, despite the massive effort of angles, jibes, tacks and smart sailing with the wind. It is an adventure that looks amazing, but not for us. Note2: We were eating dinner near the I-5 Bridge in Vancouver, WA. At the time we started, a mid range size sailboat was in front of the Portland side of the Columbia River, sailing toward the bridge. By the time we finished a leisurely waterfront dining experience, we kept watching that sailboat and it was frustrating to see it had not moved very much toward the big bridge, in the time we had our great dinner experience on the waterfront. We took a long walk along the waterfront and the sailboat still looked like it was in the same place. The current out or inward is not the most friendly aspect of sailing on the Columbia River. We found several houses in the outlying areas of Portland. If it is anywhere we want to live other than So Cal, it is here. The problem is, if I don’t keep a sharp eye, my wife will pack all of our stuff and move us to Portland. One thing that will hold us up is that she does not like the cold, but, on the other hand, she can buy a whole new wardrobe…yikes. But, a hot rod cruising around that long river and nearby forested areas would be pretty fabulous. Much different than sunny So Cal along the coastal area Favorite places: Use the multiple bridges to get from the Vancouver, Washington side to the Portland side. They will take you to the sites in downtown and the 4 city sections easier than fighting the big I-5 Bridge crossing. YRMV Downtown: Powell's Bookstore and the original, Voodoo Donuts Northwest: Meriwether’s Restaurant Northeast: McMenamin’s Kennedy School Southwest: Grochau Cellars Southeast: a walk down the Williamette River Trail SIDE TRIPS: Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Kalama High School, anywhere along the Columbia River… Have Fun...
Google The Brothers Car Museum. They keep their identities a secret and there is no way in unless you know someone. But it is amazing. Unlike anything you can imagine. Let’s just say that of the 8? Pontiac trans am convertibles that were ever made, they have 4 of them on display. They only collect the rarest of cars. Unforgettable !
I've lived in Portland for almost 75 years, and you couldn't pay me to go into downtown Portland anymore. I'd go to a lot of places mentioned outside of Portland, but not downtown! It's a shit hole these days, and no telling what you'll encounter in downtown. The WAAM museum in Hood River is worth the 40 mile drive East on 84 to see! They also have a smaller venue across the river at Pearson Air Park in Vancouver.
Be aware that parts of the Historic Scenic Drive on the Oregon side of the river east of Portland (think the area of Multnomah Falls and Victa House) are under construction/recovery at this time, so they are slow going. Also, check ahead for parking conditions/restrictions at Multnomah Falls.
Yes, and it's worth any inconvenience, for sure don't miss seeing the view of the Columbia River Gorge from Vista House. It is spectacular but don't lose your hat, it's really windy up there.
My wife and drive through on the way to the beach a few days ago. Some highly skilled, brave and moronic taggers has graffitied the center columns of the I-5 bridge over the Willamette. Cleaning that up won’t be easy. on our way to Lincoln city we passed the Spruce Goose. She is looking good, there are some historic aircraft in there. And a Boeing 747 on top of a building that is a water slide. That would be fun for the kids.
If you go to the coast visit the Tillamook Cheese factory and the Tillamook Air Museum. Oh...and have clam chowder at Moe's!
We went to Depoe Bay for a couple of days last week, been some time since taking the hiway 18 route, I've driven by the Evergreen for years, no matter how many times, if you arent thinking about 747's, that is an eye opener even for me, must be really something for first timers seeing those monsters, one sitting in the yard and the other perched on the roof.
Hey, it's Spring Break. It's supposed to be a week long. Spruce Goose is great. The Tillamook Air Museum is in a WWII blimp hanger. My google maps is messed up. but if you stay close to Spruce Goose you can make it to Tillamook in 1 1/2 hr, 20 minutes to Pronto Pup. Their website says limited hrs, they close at 5 on Sat. It's 1 1/2 hr to Astoria, then 1 1/2 hr back to Portland. Marty Stroud is west of Portland, you might have time to work him in. On the East loop look up McMenamin's Edgefield in Troutdale. Jnaki raved about Kennedy School, Edgefield is 10 times better. It was an old County Poor Farm back in the day, an interesting history that is displayed in pictures and murals on the walls. They have a winery in the basement, a distillery in the barn, a neat hot water soak grotto that would make Hefner proud. A fun place, they have a theater, live music and a top of the line restaurant. They are usually booked but check them out, your wife will think you're a romantic stud. It's not far to Multnomah Falls and I think they put in additional parking down the road and ride a bus back. Hood River is close, I'm sorry to say I've not been to the museum, but I hear good things about it. One last recommendation if you have time is Timberline Lodge. Portland is a beautiful city with the snow glistening on Mt Hood on a sunny day or the city lights from I5 bridge at night. Don't let the Gloomy Gus keep you from exploring downtown. Go to Chinatown, Jakes Seafood or VooDoo Donuts. It might be culture shock, but you'll be OK. Keep Portland weird.
The Jalopy Journal
