Last week, we took a vacation to Portland. Visiting Portland is a delightful experience, offering a vibrant blend of natural beauty and cultural charm. Explore parks, savor local cuisine, and immerse yourself in a invitational community. With its friendly locals and eco-conscious spirit, Portland is a must-visit destination for those seeking a unique and sustainable urban adventure.

We stayed in a lovely Airbnb hosted by Samuel.

The grounds were lovely; the whole neighborhood had wonderfully groomed yards with lots of native plants, creating a wild yet controlled plant life from the house to the street.

Early in the week, we went to Laurelhurst Park for a nice 2-mile round trip walk from our Airbnb to the park, around the park, and back. Laurelhurst Park in Portland is an urban oasis, with serene ponds, lush greenery, and scenic trails, perfect for picnics and leisurely strolls. It includes a dog park so the critters could enjoy some free-roaming play!

One of our goals was to get to the International Rose Test Garden. The last time we were there it was early March, which is not the time for the roses. The International Rose Test Garden in Portland showcases over 10,000 stunning rose varieties against the backdrop of Mount Hood, making it a floral paradise and a photographer’s dream. Everywhere I looked, I could see a beautiful snap in my mind.

Portland offers a diverse range of gluten-free dining options, from dedicated bakeries to restaurants with extensive menus, ensuring delicious, safe meals for those with dietary restrictions. The local jewels included Gluten Free Gem (bakery), New York City Pizza (the best GF crust I’ve had in a long while), Piece of Cake (bakery with GF options), Happy Panda (Chinese food with a full-on GF Family Dinners including spring rolls and fried prawns!), and the little secret we found in a small town south of Portland: Mason in Sherwood, OR. They had GF lasagna and GF bread. The pasta and bread were housemade! And delicioso!

We played a bunch of escape games. The most challenging + fun one was Sundown Saloon in Portland Escape Rooms. They had a live actor in the room with us as the bartender.

We were going to do a short hike on AllTrails as “Crystal Springs and Johnson Creek Trail. Well, when we got there, it was the campus of Reed College. But directly across from the campus parking was Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden! I don’t know why AllTrails didn’t offer that one as a nice walk, but oh well! The rhodies weren’t blooming, but the grounds were still lovely.

We decided that since AllTrails listed the Reed College situation as an actual hike, we would go for it. It wrapped around a little lake but was bordered by dorms that we could clearly see into and observe students sleeping and whatnot. We cut it very short as we realized that if we were students, we wouldn’t want strangers walking around even if the strangers had no ill intent. But it was definitely a hike, and if we were students there, it would be a regularly enjoyable hobby.

We always enjoy our time in Portland and wish we could spend more time there! Overall, we like the food and the escape rooms better. The general ethos we experienced was of a caring group of folks.

Thanks for joining us on the journey!

Peace,

Robert & Terri

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Complete flicker album here:

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