Today, we’re putting the spotlight on Portland, Oregon which is the perfect location for any bride-to-be and husband-to-be looking for a place to honeymoon on a budget. You can get the most out of this peculiar and lovable city on your honeymoon, no matter how long your stay.
Portland is known for many things. It’s quirkiness, it’s cuisine, the many bookstores, and so much more. Portland has so much to offer, it’s impossible to get to it all, though no matter where your travels take you, you’ll find this city will quickly become one of your favorites in the nation. This is just the beginning.
Photo Credit: Firehouse Restaurant Facebook
1. As Seen on Portlandia
If you’ve fallen in love with the IFC hit sketch comedy series, Portlandia, you’ve probably been secretly planning your trip to Portland for awhile now. The show is set in Portland and films all around Portland. A few standouts include…Firehouse Restaurant, a firehouse turned restaurant that embraces the heat, is definitely worth a visit. Hollywood Theatre delivers the latest releases, B movie favorites, and many indies come festival time and Cinetopia has a wine list among other extras, both theaters are musts for movie lovers. In Other Words, the feminist bookstore is a real bookstore in Portland. Enjoy that visit. If you want to relax with your spouse, check out Yoga Pearl. Finally, your favorite musical artist or entertainer could be on tour and making a stop at Portland’s Center for the Arts so make sure you check the calendar to see if any special dates fall during your honeymoon.
Photo Credit: El Gaucho Portland Facebook
2. Indulge
Sweet Treats: You’ve heard of Voodoo Doughnuts, which serves the the most bizarre flavor mashups of doughnuts in the state, 24/7 (except certain holidays). You may not know that it also caters for weddings and anniversaries. So after you make your (cash only) visit and get yourself a taste, be sure to recommend this service to other couples that you know! Or head to Blue Star Donuts next to compare.
Lunch: For a relaxing lunch, try Pepper Box Cafe or Devil’s Dill Sandwich Shop. If you’re looking for a killer brunch option, The Country Cat Dinnerhouse & Bar is the place to go.
Romantic Dinner: For Argentine cuisine visit, Ox Restaurant or if you’re in a steakhouse or fresh seafood mood, El Gaucho Portland or Acadia, the New Orleans inspired romantic bistro
The Peculiar: If you like cats, visit Purringtons Cat Lounge which is a cafe that houses cats before they’re adopted. If you’ve had your share of farmers markets and you like picking your own fruits and vegetables, visit Sauvie Island Farms. Finally, for drink around town (literally), Brew Cycle is s thing that actually exists. And all of this doesn’t even touch the surface to the peculiar finds you’ll become aware of on your visit to Portland.
Photo Credit: McMenamins Facebook
3. Entertainment
Summer romance may lead you to one of the many free performances of Shakespeare in the Park brought to you by all local Portland actors. On the other hand, if you want to be the center of attention, a karaoke experience unlike any other will come out of visiting Baby Ketten. For the art lover, First Thursdays of Portland is essentially Portland’s version of LA’s Downtown Art Walk and will satisfy.
Catching a movie at one of the theater-pubs that make up McMenamins is also a fun option to consider. In addition. McMenamins has many pubs and breweries to visit as well as many historic hotels that you might find yourself looking into staying in.
If you’re in Portland during the summer, check out Top Down, the annual outdoor film series held atop the panoramic parking rooftop of the Hotel deLuxe. Classic, campy, and always entertaining, films screen on Thursday nights over the course of six weeks. This unique outdoor event also includes performances from local bands, cocktails, beers, and BBQ from Gracie’s Restaurant. Music starts around 8 p.m., screenings at 9 p.m., and doors open at 7 p.m. Bring your favorite chair or blanket but please no pets or outside food or drink. A light jacket or sweater recommended.
Photo Credit: Portland Aerial Tram Facebook
4. A Different View
If you don’t want to walk around or drive but still want to be in total control of where you’re going, consider touring the city through Portland by Segway. It will definitely be an experience you and your spouse will never forget! Or for an even more thrilling experience, Portland Aerial Tram may be just what you’re looking for.
For a scenic route that won’t make your blood rush, be sure to take a walk around Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and the beautiful always blooming International Rose Test Garden as well as the World Forestry Center which more often than not makes it onto all of the lists of must see places in Portland.
Ready to drive around the state for a day trip? Take you and your newlywed to some of the seven wonders of Oregon, including Painted Hills, Mt. Hood, Oregon Coast, Smith Rock, and Crater Lake. Take a hike to the closest point you can get to the most unforgettable views in the West for a romantic picnic or swim along a waterfall.
Photo Credit: Mother Foucault’s Bookshop Facebook
5. Books!
Portland is known for its many bookstores, each unique and essential to the city’s heartbeat. If you’re a book lover, perhaps make an afternoon out of visiting as many bookstores as you can. While Powell’s, the largest used and new bookstore in the world, is a must, it’s also a bookstore you’ve already got on your to do list. So what other books stores should you definitely make a point to visit? Reading Frenzy, Mother Foucault’s, Broadway Books, and Annie Bloom’s Books come to mind as well as Floating World Comics and Bridge City Comics among many, many other fantastic bookstores in Portland. You never know what or who you’ll find among the aisles.
What are your favorite things to do in Portland, perfect for honeymooners?
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