Oregon get together 4?

[Jim - Portland, USA]

Here's a quick short-list of hotels some may want to consider. There are tons of hotels over the whole metro area, but these here should suit most people okay. The rates are per night for that weekend, mostly from Expedia:

 

AFFORDABLE

 

Travelodge Portland/East Gresham ($40)

In Troutdale - away from downtown, near Columbia River Gorge area (CRG)

 

Best Value Inn and Suites Portland Fortniter ($48)

Ok hotel in ordinary part of town between downtown and PDX

 

Rodeway Inn Portland Airport ($52)

At PDX, which is halfway from downtown to CRG

 

Days Inn Portland City Center ($59)

Heart of downtown Portland, about 26 miles to CRG

 

MIDDLE

 

Holiday Inn Express PORTLAND-EAST ($60)

In Troutdale - away from downtown, near Columbia River Gorge area (CRG)

 

Radisson Hotel Portland Airport ($65)

At PDX, which is halfway from downtown to CRG

 

Hilton Garden Inn Beaverton ($69)

Far west side of Portland (away from CRG)

 

Heathman Lodge ($80)

Vancouver, WA, nice and memorable place, but away from downtown

 

EXPENSIVE

 

Hilton Portland & Executive Tower ($129)

It's a Hilton and it's downtown.

 

The Benson ($150)

Dowtown - It's where the U.S. President stays when he's in town

 

I'll post more as more "good values" come to mind, I'm sure other Portlanders have other recommendations. Glad to know all y'all from out of town will be coming!

[Jason+Joanna]

Here's a quick short-list of hotels some may want to consider.  There are tons of hotels over the whole metro area, but these here should suit most people okay.  The rates are per night for that weekend, mostly from Expedia:

 

AFFORDABLE

 

Travelodge Portland/East Gresham ($40)

In Troutdale - away from downtown, near Columbia River Gorge area (CRG)

 

Best Value Inn and Suites Portland Fortniter ($48)

Ok hotel in ordinary part of town between downtown and PDX

 

Rodeway Inn Portland Airport ($52)

At PDX, which is halfway from downtown to CRG

 

Days Inn Portland City Center ($59)

Heart of downtown Portland, about 26 miles to CRG

 

MIDDLE

 

Holiday Inn Express PORTLAND-EAST ($60)

In Troutdale - away from downtown, near Columbia River Gorge area (CRG)

 

Radisson Hotel Portland Airport ($65)

At PDX, which is halfway from downtown to CRG

 

Hilton Garden Inn Beaverton ($69)

Far west side of Portland (away from CRG)

 

Heathman Lodge ($80)

Vancouver, WA, nice and memorable place, but away from downtown

 

EXPENSIVE

 

Hilton Portland & Executive Tower ($129)

It's a Hilton and it's downtown.

 

The Benson ($150)

Dowtown - It's where the U.S. President stays when he's in town

 

I'll post more as more "good values" come to mind, I'm sure other Portlanders have other recommendations.  Glad to know all y'all from out of town will be coming!

Thanks for the info. I'll make my reservations this weekend.

[Dan R]

Ok we are foreigners in Portland. Would someone tell me which hotels in the list are near where we are having the BBQ? Is that in the Columbia River Gorge area? How far is halfway between downtown and CRG? In L.A. that could mean an hour away and a $50.00 taxi ride plus tip.

[Dan R]

Oh I see Portland is about 26 miles from CRG.

 

Is that as the crow flies, the cabbie drives or the canoe glides?

 

So the Travel Lodgeand Holiday Inn are the closest we can get to the BBQ/

[warpedbored]

For those on a budget there is a Motel 6 in Troutdale. Fairly close to the gorge and Portland.

 

$35.99 plus tax

 

PORTLAND EAST - TROUTDALE

1610 NW. FRONTAGE RD

I-84 AT EXIT #17

TROUTDALE, OR, USA, 97060

503-665-2254

[Dan R]

Ok but is there a place to eat Saturday night at the Motel six? We are completely clueless here. Help please.

[Dan R]

http://www.metrotravelguide.com/hotelinfo/...ubAffiliateID=0

 

Is this info accurate? THe travel lodge is close to the BBQ, has a restaurant and within walking distance to shopping and stuff?

 

According to this http://www.metrotravelguide.com/hotelinfo/...ubAffiliateID=0

 

Holiday in is near an outlet mall. I thought Oregon was portective of the environment. It has a nice looking breakfast and a shuttle for the airport. Unless someone thinks this ad is misrepresenting the place I may stay here. Come on Northerners help out your confused Southern Brother.

[Dan R]

Carl is there a good place to eat near the Motel 6? Is it within walking distance of anything or is it isolated?

[warpedbored]

Yes there should be some within walking distance. There are a couple of truck stops near there and an outlet mall. There should be a Trimet bus stop nearby too if you would like to go on into Portland. I imagine some of us may enjoy dinner together that night as well. I would be game but I don't get off work until 730 on Saturdays.

[Dan R]

Xie Xie Carl

[Jim - Portland, USA]

No problem, Jim!  Sounds like Latourell Park is a great place with nice scenery.

 

It's easy to cancel the reservation at Cook.

 

 

long_strider

Thanks again Mike for your help and generous offer, let's keep Cook Park in mind for the future, especially since we're due for a "west side" get together, and seeing how this one in the gorge is defineately way way (waaay) on the east side

[Dan R]

"way way (waaay) on the east side " maybe we should have a downloadable map so us outatowners don't get lost in the woods.

[Jim - Portland, USA]

Ok but is there a place to eat Saturday night at the Motel six? We are completely clueless here. Help please.

Dan (and others not familiar with the area),

 

Troutdale is on the furthest extreme east edge of the greater Portland metro area. It's actually the last outpost of civilization as one travels (on I-84) from downtown into the Columbia River Gorge. So it is, essentially, the closest one can find hotel accomodation to the BBQ area. But, other than being the gateway to the CRG, Troutdale is not necessarily a great place to stay (oops, I should be careful what I say, my mom lives in Troutdale, as does George and his wife! Although actually Juxin and I are looking at houses in the area ) Anyway ... Troutdale does have a charming little little "downtown" area, but it's far away from the hotels that are in the area. Speaking of the hotels in the Troutdale area, they are within 20 minutes walking distance to plenty of shops and places to eat (although certainly nothing special), especially from the Motel 6 Carl mentioned. The "ugly" side of Troutdale is the mega concentration of truck stops (et al) that serve as the last place truckers can gas up for a long long while as they travel east. So there are plenty of fast food places there, a Denny's type restaurant (Shari's), and things like that, all about a 5 minute walk from that Motel 6. Then a short walk from there, a bunch of outlets stores that do have good deals on the usual assortment of outlet store merchandise.

 

But if you're getting a car, I wouldn't recommend staying in Troutdale because it doesn't give a good feel for the "real" Portland. If you have a car, I would strongly recommend downtown Portland, it is a very very pedestrian friendly downtown that is a real pleasure to stroll around, with lots of cool things to see, all within easy walking distance from any hotel in the central downtown area. Again, if you can do it, I highy recommend staying in the central downtown area, you'll likely have a very pleasant experience just wandering around downtown. Any hotel-person downtown can tell you where to go to see neat things (Pioneer Square, waterfront park, Park blocks, Saturday market, Washington Park, etc). Let me know if anyone wants more downtown hotels recommendations!

 

As far as getting from downtown to the picnic, it couldn't be more easy. I-84 is a nice big (fast) freeway that starts downtown and goes right out eastwards, through the gorge, and far beyond. On the weekend, it would probably take about 30 minutes to go from downtown to the picnic area. The airport is about halfway in between the CRG and downtown, so the airport is about 15 easy minutes (west) to downtown, and about 15 easy minutes or less (east) to the beginning of the CRG.

 

There is a light-rail thing in Portland called MAX. It goes from the airport right into downtown.

 

If I were doing this trip (and travelling fairly frugally as always), I would rent a car at the Portland airport. Drive to the cheapest hotel I could find within 30 minutes drive. Head into downtown to walk around and check things out. Then maybe drive around in the metro area more to see other cool things. Then on Sunday go to the picnic and have a great time with all the friendly/happy people The CRG is scenic and natural, quite memorble I think.

 

Hope this info helps! Please let me know if anyone has any more questions and I'll be glad to answer them. Especially if you want recommendations on cool places to go and things to see and places to eat (other than our picnic).

[Jason+Joanna]

All good info for us out-of-towners. Seems like I could take the light rail thing to a hotel from the airport. Although, again I don't know the area well and I am afraid I may get lost.

[Jim - Portland, USA]

All good info for us out-of-towners. Seems like I could take the light rail thing to a hotel from the airport.  Although, again I don't know the area well and I am afraid I may get lost.

Getting from the airport (PDX) to downtown on the MAX is a cinch (and costs $1.35). As you near the baggage claim area, look for the MAX signs. The MAX is just steps outside the south end of baggage claim. The MAX you get on will take you directly into downtown. Walking and navigating by foot around downtown is a pleasure. But ... once you are downtown, the rental car options are not nearly as good as when you are at the airport. There are some rental agencies downtown, spread all around the downtown area. To get from downtown to the BBQ, you'll have to get a car, or maybe we can all devise a car-pool plan where we max out each car going out (FYI - Juxin and I drive a two-seat pickup with sideways kiddie seats in the back ... not the most comfortable way to sight see through the scenic CRG, but doable I suppose). I've thought of renting a mini-bus, but I don't know how many out-of-towners will be coming (yet), plus the Historic Columbia River Highway can get awfully narrow and tight in certain spots, not too good for a bus type vehicle.