May 2009

In This Issue
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• Want $75 to Spend in Portland?
• Coasters, Corn Dogs and Cotton Candy
• Portland Loves a Parade
• Rock 'n' Roll Animals
• Beer From Here and There
• Cycling Through Summer
• Take the Challenge
• The Twisitor Center Is Here to Help

You can customize your Travel Update to get articles about only the topics you want. You'll get the scoop on the local music scene, the arts, festivals — whatever you're into. Simply select your interests when you update your profile. Update now >>

What locals and visitors have to say about everything Portland.

Colosso: Creative Cocktails. The cocktail menu at Colosso always amazes me. It's so hard to decide on just one cocktail to try… Read more>>

Goose Hollow Inn Pub: Portland Icon — Best Rueben sandwich. Classic hippy joint. Everyone is friendly, the place is cozy, laid back people. The outside patio is great… Read more>>

Biwa: Ramen on a Rainy Day. I was amazed at how simple, yet delicious the ramen was. Be sure to spend the extra dollar and add the soft boiled egg… Read more >>

Share your favorite Portland places with thousands of other users and discover new places to visit at GoSeePortland.

That little rhyme about showers bringing May flowers really makes sense now, because Portland is absolutely bedecked with glorious spring blossoms. Our calendar is like a garden too, with so many fun activities — mostly outdoors — from which to pick. As summer beckons, look for bouquets of bike rides, outdoor concerts and festivals.

Have you been dying to check out Portland's no-sales-tax shopping and dining scenes? Do it now and reap an extra perk — a $75 American Express Gift® Card. You'll also get the fantastic savings that always come with our Portland Perks packages:

• Overnight parking (avg. savings of more than $20/night downtown)
• The discount-packed Portland Perks coupon book, filled with savings on dining, shopping, attractions, the arts and more
• Complimentary continental breakfast for two

Book a two-night (or longer) stay through May 31 at a select Portland Perks hotel and you'll get everything listed above, plus a $75 American Express Gift® Card at check-in to kick-start your getaway. How you spend it is up to you. Learn more and book now >>

Offer valid through May 31, 2009. Must reserve by May 28, 2009. Two-night minimum stay required. Does not apply to previous reservations. American Express Card not required to book this package. Rates subject to availability.

During the Rose Festival, Waterfront Park turns into a colorful carnival with thrill rides, family entertainment and more. This year Waterfront Village opens its gates a week earlier than usual, with a festival kickoff of fireworks on the evening of May 22, the Friday of Memorial Day weekend.

Forget the diet — this place is corn dog heaven. But try to save the noshing until after the rides. There are twisters and thrill rides as well as kiddie rides, games, entertainment, clowns and an exotic animal display. Watch for "celebrities" (think cartoon characters) strolling through the crowds. More info >>

You'll know that the Rose Festival (now in its 102nd year) is in full swing when the colorful lights along the Willamette River aren't just from the illuminated bridges, but from the carnival rides at Waterfront Village. An extra hint that fun is afoot will come from the fireworks extravaganza brightening the sky on opening night, May 22.

The Rose Festival offers plenty of citywide events and activities to appeal to everyone from gardeners to paddlers. But the fun really gets underway after dark on May 30 when the lighted floats of the Starlight Parade wind their way through downtown. A week later, the blossom-bedecked floats of the Grand Floral Parade roll down streets packed with parade-goers.

Floats, marching bands, equestrian groups and other entertainers follow the four-mile route from the Memorial Coliseum to downtown. You can too, by signing up for the Grand Floral Walk, a fitness walk that follows the route of the parade half an hour before the big event begins. It's good exercise, plus you get a feel for what it would be like to be the Queen of Rosaria, waving to half a million spectators.
Find more Rose Festival events >>

Summer means many things to many people, but in Portland a highlight is always music at the Oregon Zoo. Music- and animal-lovers pack their picnics — or their wallets, to buy food and local wines and beers from vendors — and spread out blankets on the lawn and groove to the beat.

This year, performers include Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Los Lobos (in one show — should be good!), the B-52s, Tears for Fears, Indigo Girls, Jewel and Joan Baez. View the complete schedule here >>

Even beer SNOBs (Supporters of Native Oregon Beer) enjoy non-local brews from time to time. So, for the past 22 years, the Oregon Brewers Fest has been as much about other states' beers as it is about those from the Beaver State. After all, the whole point is to celebrate as many great beers as possible.

Altogether, 81 craft breweries from around the country will be pouring in Waterfront Park at this popular outdoor beer festival, which also offers live music, food and home brewing demonstrations. Ambers, pilsners, stouts, Belgians, pales and ryes — they'll all be on tap on a summer weekend along the Willamette River. Hmmmm. Sounds like Beervana! More info >>

In case you hadn't noticed that Portland is Bike Town, U.S.A., just check the summer calendar for bike rides and races. It seems like there's always something rolling down the pike, whether it's a fun blast down Portland's West Hills or a 100-mile loop around the city.

Cirque du Cycling, an all-day event on June 13, starts with a three-mile family ride, followed by a parade of whimsical, structurally interesting bikes and then a serious bike race down Mississippi Avenue. The Rose Festival even includes a bike event: Reach the Bridge, on June 28. For this one, you'll need to roar downhill from the World Forestry Center to the Burnside Bridge by 9 a.m. on the dot, when the bridge will re-open. (That's your cue to come to a screeching halt.) The Night Ride (July 11) takes riders in goofy costumes on bikes festooned with lights on an after-dark tour of town. On Aug. 9, bikers go back to the bridges — all 10 of them — for the Bridge Pedal. Finally, the Portland Century, on Aug. 16, features 100-, 50- and 25-mile routes around Portland's eastside.

Here's a great way to celebrate Oregon's 150th birthday. Pack up family or friends, explore the Portland region (and beyond) — and you could win one of seven fabulous Grand Oregon Tour packages.

Pick from a range of destinations in seven regions of Oregon to put together your road trip. If you visit five places in at least two regions, you have a chance to win the big prize.

To make your planning more fun, peruse the online selection of pre-made trips for travel ideas. Then check out package deals to make your summer vacation easier on the pocketbook.

This is a win-win proposition. Whether you get a Grand Oregon Tour prize or not, you're sure to have a great trip! More info >>

Planning a trip to Portland or just looking for cool places and happenings around town? Use our Twisitor Center by adding "#inpdx" to the end of your tweet — we'll answer any questions you may have. New to Twitter? Learn more>>

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• Where's the best place to get amazing homemade ice cream in downtown Portland area? #inpdx
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