Saturday, June 4, 2011

Saturday Sojourn...

Portland, Oregon

Today I used my handy dandy book 1,000 Places To See Before You Die: In The US And Canada again to pick a fun place to visit.  My random spot in the book came up as Portland, Oregon, a place I have never been to but it is high on my wish list of places I want to see.

As many of you know, when I travel for longer times I tend to like to find a 3 or 4 star place to stay.  I look at the quality AND the cost because I will be sleeping in the room and if the weather gets bad I want to be able to hole up in a nice place for a bit.  One of my all time favorite hotel chains in Kimpton and they own the Hotel Monaco in Portland.  It is a mid range priced 4 star boutique hotel.  All the Kimpton's come with great service and based on the TripAdvisor comments this one is no exception.  The hotel features morning coffee and an evening wine reception in the lobby, complimentary newspapers, complimentary overnight shoeshine, Concierge service, complimentary bicycle rental to explore the city, an on site spa, 24 hour business center, an on site 24 hour fitness center and 24 hour room service.  The hotel is also pet friendly and has special packages designed just for your furry friend, and when you can't bring Spot or Kitty with you The Hotel Monaco will bring you a complimentary goldfish to keep you company during your stay, you don't need to do anything, the staff will feed it and check in on it for you. (I love this touch at the Kimpton Hotels)  If you are a member of the Kimpton InTouch rewards program you will get free Internet service,  any 2 items up to $10 from the mini bar, $30 off any In-Room Spa services, plus earn complimentary nights.  They have a AAA 4-Diamond rating and if you are a member of AAA you will qualify to get 10% off your rate.

No that you have unpacked lets find some things to see.  Portland came to be known as the 'City of Roses', and one of the first things that caught my eye was the International Rose Test Garden, here you can stroll the grounds and smell the flowers and learn a little of the history of roses.  Garden hours are7:30am-9:00pm and admission is free.  From June 1 through September 21, tours of the rose garden are led by trained volunteers at 1:00 PM seven days a week or you can download a self guided tour and enjoy it at your own pace.

Bad weather? Don't let that slow you down, stop in at the Pittock Mansion.  The Pittock Mansion was home to Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock from 1914 to 1919.  A house of historical significance and visual magnificence, the Pittock Mansion today offers us a uniquely personal opportunity to peek into the past, and study our world as it was - from the viewpoint of one Portland family.  Admission is $8.00 for adults, $7.00 for seniors over 65, $5.00 for children 6 - 18 and free for children under age 6, please check the web site for hours because they vary slightly by season.

Looking to keep the kids entertained for a whole day?  Head over to Oaks Amusement Park.  This amusement park opened in 1905 to celebrate the Lewis and Clark world Expo and is still entertaining the masses today.  Be sure to check the schedule for the day you want to visit, hour vary slightly and it will give you the times the roller skating rink and amusement rides are open.  Parking and general admission are free, a Deluxe Bracelet is $14.75 and includes all the midway rides and a roller skating session. Valid from open to close on day of purchase. Go Karts, games and concessions sold separately.  They also offer a more limited $11.75 bracelet that is good for the day or you can purchase ride individually at $2.25 per ticket or 7 for $13.00.  If you don't want to go on many rides you can limit the cost by getting the bracelets for your kids only.  On Tuesdays Community Newspapers present Two For One Tuesdays with Radio Disney- Purchase one thrill ride bracelet, cotton candy, corn dog, or hot dog and get one of the same for FREE! No coupon necessary! At 2 pm enjoy a LIVE show with the Radio Disney Funsters featuring games, prizes, singing, dancing and more. 

There are a million great place to eat in Portland and you should have no problem finding something to fit your budget and your taste, but remember to check out Groupon, Half Price Portland, Half off Deals, Portland on the Cheap, The Daily Deal Portland, Living Social and Restaurant.com for some amazing deals.


Today I will also be sending an email out to the folks who signed up for the swap.  They will have a couple weeks to send their goodies out and on the 18th I will post what they got from their swap buddies.  The 25th is the next swap so I hope to have more folks join in next time.

Have a great weekend everyone!

C.Q.

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1 comment:

  1. Thanks for all the great information. I've never been to Oregon, but it is on my hubby's list of places he is going to take me one day. Thanks for joining our Spotlight Saturday Blog Hop! I'm following you back. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

    ReplyDelete

I love to read your comments, but due to spamming I have had to turn on the word verification again. Sorry for the extra step.