Overnight Trip to Portland, OR

For my bestie girl Kathryn’s birthday, we went on an overnight adventure to Portland! I had the best time exploring and eating my way through the city. About once a year, I enjoy visiting PDX since they are a tax free state and its definitely different from my usual treks to Seattle. When visiting Portland, be sure to come hungry and ready to wander the streets. We seriously had the best time so keep reading to see what we did!

Brunch at The Hazel Room

Our first stop of the day was a little brunch at The Hazel Room. Located in eastern Portland, it was one of the few spots open on a Monday and boy was it good. We each got eggs Benedict which was made on a cheddar biscuit!! I swear I will never have normal eggs Benedict again. Not only was the food delicious, but the overall atmosphere felt very Portland. It was moody and quirky, I felt right at home!

Dessert at Salt and Straw

I personally love a trip to Nob Hill in western Portland. I tend to wander the main street and shop to my hearts content! While I didn’t get much this trip, I did end up grabbing some ice cream at Salt and Straw! Their dessert is so creamy and hit the spot after a long day of travel. Pro tip for Portland, definitely use a car to get around if you can! It’s fairly spread out and their parking isn’t too bad, especially nowadays. We were able to park cheaply and explore all afternoon with zero hassle!

Dinner at Urban Fondue

A big passion of mine and Kathryn’s has been fondue! We love our bread and cheese so we had to try Urban Fondue! It was absolutely delicious and the ambiance was perfect for a Monday evening. When you go, I would honestly just do the cheese and chocolate courses. I found it to be filling yet delicious! Also, if you go you need to try their cocktails. Total game changer!

Evening at the Jupiter Hotel

For this trip, I was lucky enough to stay at the Jupiter Hotel!! Kathryn and I absolutely loved it and had a great experience. I found the employees to be kind and easy to work with, and the overall vibe of the boutique hotel was immaculate. The room was quite clean and rather spacious. We also got some snacks from the fridge and they were rather inexpensive which was a nice change! Their beds were also comfortable for a full nights sleep and there were zero issues overall! I would easily stay there again, especially with their cute restaurant opening back up downstairs. You truly can’t go wrong at the Jupiter!

Breakfast at Grendel’s Coffeehouse

After our night in, we woke up and headed over to Grendel’s, a cute coffee shop next to our hotel. It was clean and had the best selection of bagels! I just got an iced coffee and a bagel with cream cheese. Outside the establishment, they had seating so Kathryn and I got some work done before the rest of our adventure. I don’t know about you, but there is something magical about a little coffee shop in the morning. It just hits different!

Mississippi Avenue Food Trucks

Another fun highlight of the trip was definitely going to the Mississippi Ave food trucks! I love trying new food and they had such a great selection. While my stomach was arguing with me that day, I still loved the overall ambiance of the area and just loved sampling a bunch of great healthy food options!

Lan Su Gardens

Fair warning, this was in a seedier part of town so do be careful if you visit. Aside from the sketchiness, these gardens were absolutely gorgeous. It rained like nobodies business there, but the overall peaceful ambiance was worth the whole experience. We went a few laps around the area and had the best food. We also had an incredible photoshoot with Shauna. I will always treasure these photos and will be posting more as time goes on!

Society Hotel

A bonus spot for Kathryn and I was the Society Hotel during our photoshoot. We were not planning on shooting there initially, but our photographer had a friend working there and she invited us along! They had a gorgeous rooftop bar and we brought up some great cocktails to enjoy. It was truly the perfect way to close out the trip!!

Voodoo Donuts

Our actual last stop was Voodoo Donuts on the east side! I absolutely love desserts and these donuts were next level. I grabbed the bubblegum flavor and some maple bars for my dad and I! While some may say this place is a tourist trap, I say it’s a must see at least once. At the very least, stop and do a photoshoot!!

Safe Travels

I hope this helps you prepare for your next trip to PDX! I am so glad I stayed overnight and really gave myself time to explore. If you are PNW based, you have to check this city out! From the fantastic food to the character on every building, Portland is a must see.

Best,

Lauren

** By the way, these looks are available on my Like to Know It page! Not all my pictures are live yet but I am adding them over the next few weeks through Instagram!!

36 Hours in Portland Oregon