Guest Post by Melissa Jones
Meet Melissa Jones
Melissa D. Jones is a traveler, photographer, artist, storyteller, foodie and creative entrepreneur. Living for adventure and new experiences she’s photographed her way around all 50 states and 55 countries (still counting!). She shares her adventures to help inspire a world with more roamers. Toward that end, she has published Women With Wanderlust, A Guide to Roaming, which lays out strategies to see the world. Melissa second book, A Child’s Primer to Life on Earth, was done in collaboration with Laura Deveny. And Melissa’s latest book, Tales of the Red Dress, is about to be published and you can pre-order it here.
Melissa graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. Growing up she always wanted to be an artist and that’s exactly what she’s done all her life. If it wasn’t drawing, it was teaching herself how to oil paint watching Bob Ross reruns or hand building ceramic bowls and mugs. If it’s an art, she’s tried it, but she always comes back to her camera.
Melissa’s love of photography started at an early age with a pink 110 film camera. In middle school, she graduated to 35mm and learned how to develop her own film. After college, she made the switch to digital. From there her adventure in photography began in earnest.
When it leads home, Melissa enjoys the scenery and food of the Portland area. You can follow Melissa on Instagram at @rouxroamer and visit her website at www.rouxroamer.com.
Melissa’s Favorite Places to Travel to
On top of Melissa’s favorite places to travel to include China, Portugal, Spain, Ireland and South Africa, however it depends on the season or what she wants to do. When she isn’t overseas she loves exploring the Pacific Northwest. There’s so many waterfalls and mountain trails to explore.
Melissa’s Top Travel Tips
Pack carry on, if you can. Always have a change of clothes in your personal item just in case the second bag gets gate checked. For long trips, pack less than you need.
As a photographer it can be hard to pack all the gear into one small bag but it’s possible!
Q&A GUEST POST with Melissa Jones: Portland, OR 🌲
Q: Can you briefly describe Portland?
A: Portland can be described as both eclectic and weird. There are many nicknames including Rose City, Stumptown, Rip City or Bridgetown. We’re a very laid back city with no real dress code and a mild climate. Everyone pretty much loves the outdoors even if it does rain 9 months out of the year. We’re serious about our wine, beer, spirits and food.
Q: Why should people visit Portland?
A: The climate is mild and there’s a lot to do in the surrounding areas including hiking, biking, skiing, kayaking, wind surfing and so much more. We’re known for the world’s largest used book store (Powell’s) and the world’s smallest park (Mill Ends). We’re also known for our food carts, strip clubs and Saturday Market. We have a bustling food, beer and wine scene. There’s truly something for everyone.
Q: What’s the best time of year to visit Portland?
A: If you don’t mind a little (or a lot of) rain, Winter is the least touristy time to visit. Of course, with rain comes fewer outdoor activities. In the summer, there are outdoor concerts, bike rides (including the world naked bike ride), movies in the park, festivals for food and beverages and so much more. Portland really comes alive from spring until fall. For me, Spring and Fall are my favorite times to wander around the area as I love to see all the changing colors. In the spring there are the tulip and iris festivals just south of the city. We also have great roses, lavender, sunflower and dahlia fields in the summer.
Q: How many days should you plan to visit Portland to really experience it?
A: For Portland proper I would allow at least three days to enjoy the food and beverage scene. To really experience the surrounding area you’ll need at least a week. We have so much to see from Mt. Hood to the coast and everything north and south. To me, nature is where Oregon really shines.
Q: What should you not forget to pack when visiting Portland?
A: Bring layers and a raincoat. Oregon can be really erratic with the weather especially in the spring and fall. We break down those seasons into mini segments because you just never know if it’s going to snow, hail, drizzle, pour down rain or be sunny. That can happen in a span of ten minutes or two hours.
Q: What’s the best airport to fly in/out of? Any specific airport tips?
A: PDX is the one and only airport in the city. We have smaller regional airports but you’ll find the best deals for PDX. What’s really special about the Portland International Airport is the vendors are all local. There’s even a theater and trees in the airport. If you want to look like a local you’ve got to get a picture of your feet with the original PDX carpet. There’s even an Instagram page for it.
Q: Upon arrival, do you need to rent a car? Or best to take a taxi or rideshare service when in Portland? How’s the public transportation?
A: Public transportation from the airport is one of the best deals of any big city. There’s no price gouging or extra fees to ride the MAX into downtown or wherever your hotel may be. You can also take a taxi, rideshare or car rental.
If you plan to see more than just Portland, I would highly recommend a car rental.
Q: Where do you recommend staying in Portland?
A: Downtown has the best hotel options in town otherwise you’ll find a plethora of Airbnb options around town.
Best hotels in downtown:
For a more Portland experience check out The Kennedy School or the tiny house hotel.
Q: What are some not-to-miss sites while in Portland? Any hidden gems?
A: There is the Portland Japanese Garden, Lan Su Chinese Gardens, Forest Park, the International Rose Test Garden, Powell’s and the World’s Smallest Park all located within walking distance of a downtown accommodation.
Q: What are the best museums to visit? What should you absolutely not miss seeing?
A: The Portland Art Museum is the biggest and best museum for art in the state. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is popular with both children and adults. You could even time your visit for one of their OMSI after dark nights. We also have a few other museums downtown but if you want something more “Portland” take a wander through the Peculiarium or the Odditorium.
If you’re in town on a first Thursday all the art galleries downtown open their doors for the evening. In the summer there’s an expanded festival on NW 13th Avenue.
Q: What are some unique activities or tours to do while in Portland?
A: Portland Spirit Cruise is a great way to see the city from the Willamette River and get a history lesson along the way. Paddle Pub Portland or Yacht Tubs is a more fun way to see the river if you have a small group. Haunted Underground Shanghai Tunnels is a great way to learn about old Portland. BrewCycle or other beer tours are highly popular since we are known for our many breweries.
Q: Where can you find the best shopping in Portland?
A: Neighborhoods to note for food and/or local flair:
N Mississippi/Williams
Alberta Arts District
Hawthorne
Division/Clinton
Nob Hill / NW Portland 23rd and 21st St
Buckman (Belmont St)
Kenton
Sellwood
Montavilla
St Johns
Q: Tell me about the performing arts scene in Portland. Where can you find the best live music, theater shows and dance performances?
A: The best music venues are the Moda Center, Edgefield (in Troutdale), Revolution Hall, Mississippi Studios, Crystal Ballroom complete with a floor that bounces, Wonder Ballroom, Hawthorne Theatre, Holocene and Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
The Portland’5 Centers for the Arts operates five theaters in three separate buildings in downtown: the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Keller Auditorium and Antoinette Hatfield Hall, which houses the Brunish, Newmark and Winningstad theatres. We also have the Portland Ballet Theatre.
Q: Tell me about the sports scene in Portland. What teams and/or games are not to be missed?
A: We love our Trailblazers but we might just love the Timbers and Thorns even more. As we don’t have many professional sports teams, those are quite popular.
Q: Let’s talk food! What are the top 5-7 restaurants you recommend for lunch or dinner? Any must-order dishes?
A: FOOD CARTS:When in Portland you must eat at least one meal at a food truck. There are many food cart pods around town. My favorite is Hawthorne Asylum Food Carts or Cartopia Food Carts.
FRIED CHICKEN: Hat Yai or Screen Door.
SEAFOOD: Flying Fish Company Portland. They also sell fish to cook at your airbnb. Jacqueline is also great.
PIZZA: Ken’s Artisan Pizza. Lolo’s Boss Pizza in Troutdale. Grateful Vineyard in Hood River.
VEGAN/VEGETARIAN: The Whole Bowl food cart. Kati for Thai. Asha for Indian.
CHEF MENUS / SHARABLE: Phuket Cafe, Le Pigeon, Quaintrelle or Langbaan just to name a few.
Q: Where are the best spots in Portland to get breakfast?
A: Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and we are big on brunch in Portland. If you love Spanish Coffee you won’t regret going to Huber’s. It’s not just the drink, it’s also the art of making the cocktail.
Notable breakfast places include Mother’s, Screen Door, Proud Mary Cafe, Jam on Hawthorne, Genies Cafe, Gravy, Harlow and Besaws. Some of my favorite spots that aren’t as trendy and may have less of a line than the previous spots include Zell’s Cafe, Miss Delta and Fuller’s Coffee Shop.
We’re also a city obsessed with donuts. If you don’t have a donut while you are here you are missing out. Not only do we have world famous Voodoo but we also have Blue Star, Pip’s, Sesame and Coco’s. If you’re on your way out to Mt Hood a must for donuts is Joe’s.
Q: Where can you find the best coffee shops in Portland?
A: If you come to Portland and ask where the best coffee shop is and they say Starbucks, they aren’t local. For the local flavor try one of our many amazing coffee shops like Good Coffee, Albina Press, Barista, Case Study, Coava, Nossa Familia, Portland Coffee Roasters, just to name a few. If you are a tea drinker I highly recommend Dragonfly Coffee House for the chai, Smith Teamaker for more traditional tea or Tea Chai Te for a mix of both.
Q: Where can you find the best cocktails in Portland? Best wine bars? Beer pubs?
A: There’s too many to count! I’m a whiskey girl so my favorite bars include Multnomah Whiskey Library, Scotch Lodge, Sapphire Hotel and Paydirt. If you want a cocktail with a view try going to Revolution Hall rooftop deck, Xport, Noble Rot, Tope or Departure. Don’t forget a trip to Westward Distillery in the airport or on the Eastside of town. There’s also a whole Distillery Row walking tour you can do on your own if you find yourself at Westward Whiskey in town.
My favorite places to get wine in the city include Enoteca Nostrana, Enso, Bar Casa Vale, Division Wines, Oregon Wines on Broadway and Portland Wine Bar.
Beer might be my least favorite but I think I’m in the minority in Portland. I have been out plenty of times with friends and had a few samples at Imperial Bottle Shop, John’s Marketplace, BeerMongers, Loyal Legion and The Civic Taproom. All of these places have a large variety on tap. There are several small breweries sprinkled all around town like Wayfinder, 10 Barrel, Steeplejack, Backwoods, Breakside and Baerlic to name a few.
The Portland food and bar scene is so vast that this barely scrapes the surface. What’s my favorite recommendation today may change tomorrow or next year. For my real time opinions and updates you can find me on Google Maps.
Q: What’s a great day trip from Portland? Any specific tips on getting there, things to do, tours, restaurants?
A: The Columbia River Gorge might be the most visited spot just outside of Portland. It’s about 20 miles and a 45 minute drive to the world famous Multnomah Falls. If you’re in the area you might as well drive the whole “old highway 30” or as the locals might refer to it as “waterfall way” where you can see five more waterfalls with barely any walking. If you don’t have a rental car there are several tour operators for this area.
If you keep going east you’ll run into Hood River which is a hot spot for Windsurfing, orchards, beer, wine and cider. There’s a self guided tour called the “fruit loop” where you’ll see many beautiful views and can sample the local products.
Continue south from Hood River on highway 35 and you can make a loop back to Portland passing by the infamous volcano, Mt. Hood. Be sure to stop by Timberline Lodge. It also makes a great spot to stay the night. You can use it as your home base for summer hiking or winter skiing.
Q: Any additional tips or insights you’d like to share about visiting Portland?
A: Before you visit or right when you get to town I would ask a local how you say the following words:
Oregon — “Orygun”
Couch St. — not the other word for sofa but “Cooch”
Willamette River — Like “Damn it”
Glisan St. — “Glee san”
