Experience I'm a Portland native but have lived in enough other places to gain a bit of perspective. I enjoy travel and learning about other places, so I want to help others learn more about Portland and get the most out of their trips here.
Question We will be in Portland over Memorial Day weekend. At present, we are looking at booking the Westin Hotel on SW Alder at a rate of $100. Our goals is to find a walkable area with restaurants, galleries, and jazz clubs.
I keep hearing about the Pearl District as the "hot" area. Please advise as to whether the Westin is a good location and how far to the Pearl District. Any hotel or activity suggestions for that weekend would be appreciated.
Answer I think you'll like the Westin's location. It's right downtown, and everything downtown is within an easy walk. From what I understand, $100 per night downtown is a reasonable rate.
As for the Pearl District, there isn't a hotel there as yet, so you really can't get closer than staying downtown. It is a long walk from where you'll be staying, and whether you want to do it or not will depend on the time of day and the weather. The bus is a possible alternative. Because you're downtown, taking the bus is fairly foolproof. Buses headed north (the Pearl District) run on Sixth Avenue. The fare is $1.20, and you need exact change. You'd get a transfer good for between an hour or two, depending on the time of day and the driver. You can use this in any direction. The best bus from downtown to the Pearl District is the No. 17. It doesn't run very often (as little as once an hour) on Sundays (and Memorial Day is treated like a Sunday). When I want to catch the bus sooner, I walk up to NW 23rd and catch the No. 15. Sometimes it can be closer to walk the other way, down to 5th Avenue, to catch any downtown-bound bus. It is easy to get a cab from downtown (there are cabstands at the major hotels), but it wouldn't be easy from the Pearl District, so you'd need to phone for one.
The Pearl District is hot in the sense that it is an old warehouse district which is increasingly being converted to lofts and galleries. I personally think of it as more a single destination place--if I'm going to a specific gallery or restaurant I go to that location--but I don't think it's as good for wandering around as, e.g., NW 23rd Avenue. This is because you can come upon a block or two suddenly that are still being used for light industry. With the gallery listing from the Arts & Entertainment section, you'll know which specific galleries interest you.
Do take some time to window shop along NW 23rd. The landlords have made a point of renting to small, interesting shops, so you won't find big chains. (Except the Gap is right at the entrance, at Burnside and 23rd.) There are plenty of spots there to have a cup of coffee. One excellent place for dessert there is Papa Haydn's.
One restaurant that I would recommend is very close to your hotel--Pazzo Ristorante at 627 SW Salmon. As you can tell, it's Italian. On the weekend, reservations are a good idea. There is a little section that is somewhat less formal. I love their bread and olive oil.
As for jazz--you'll need the A&E Guide (see below) for the specific nights you're here. But Jazz de Opus at 33 NW 2nd Avenue (walkable from your hotel) has live jazz every night. This neighborhood is OK after dark if you pay attention and don't flash money around. I've also heard good things about the jazz at Typhoon (a short walk from your hotel). This is a Thai restaurant in the Imperial Hotel (400 SW Broadway). Jazz pianist Darrell Grant is a professor at Portland State. He's sort of the restaurant's "jazz artist in residence," and he has high standards about who he invites to perform.
I haven't heard jazz at the Brasserie Montmartre (626 SW Park), but it's really close to your hotel, and it does feel like a little Parisian night spot. They have jazz every night (but not at lunch when I am more likely to be there).
I'm going to be off line for a long weekend (in New York!) but please feel free to follow up with other questions between now and this Thursday or after next Wednesday.
My best recommendation on places to go, etc., would be to look at www.oregonlive.com. That has quite a bit of information on places of interest. Also, right after you check in, go to Rich's Cigar Store (820 SW Alder)and buy a copy of the Friday Oregonian. That has the Arts & Entertainment Guide, which lists all the well-known gallery shows, jazz clubs, etc. Also, the Willamette Week, a free weekly newspaper, has a lot of information about what's going on. (You might have to look a bit for it, because it comes out on Wednesday, and some racks will already be empty by the weekend.)
