November 2009

In This Issue
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• Love Portland? Become a Fan and a Follower
• Holiday Shopping — It’s in the Bag
• The Twelve–Packs of Christmas
• A Watery Winter Wonderland
• Make Holiday Tea a Tradition
• A Polar–Powered Holiday
• ‘Tis the Season to Sing
• The Sparkling City
• An All-Inclusive Experience

Portland Perks Hotel Package
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Get these perks at more than 35 hotels:

• Overnight parking (average savings of $20/night downtown)
• Continental breakfast for two
• Discount-packed coupon book

To book your stay, visit travelportland.com or call 1.800.962.3700.

What locals and visitors have to say about everything Portland.

Klondike Restaurant and Bar: Great food and great service! We’ve only been there a few times (we really need to go more often!), so haven’t tried out the entire menu, but can tell you they make THE best Ruebens on the West coast!! And they are served with their delicious handcut fries … Read more >>

Inn @ Northrup Station: A departure from the ordinary. The vibe is hip and fun. Get to know the neighborhood with its coffee shops, microbrews, boutiques, and world class restaurants not far from the lobby doors. Or, stroll onto the streetcar that runs out front of Northrup Station and explore a few of Portland’s other neighborhoods … Read more >>

Firehouse Pub: Awesome food, especially the bacon–cheeseburgers, reubens, waffle fries with housemade frysauce, and hot–wings. Best bloody mary’s ever, ice cold beer on tap, extensive wine list, and tasty martinis. Soup of the day, salads and vegetarian selections like the humous plate are also available … Read more >>

Lake Oswego Hunt Club: A great place to go with friends! A few months ago my friends and I signed up for riding lessons at the Lake Oswego Hunt, what a blast! I love that they have evening classes designed just for adults and that I can enjoy a relaxing drink in the clubroom afterward with my friends … Read more >>

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

The Twisitor Center is Here to Help
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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 >>

The days are getting shorter and cooler here in the Pacific Northwest, but for Portlanders, that’s just an excuse to turn up the warmth and cheer. From the man in the big red suit to the hot gift with a big red sale tag, Portland’s got everything to make your holidays merry and bright.

Travel Portland offers even more Portland info through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, where you’ll find tips about what to do and see in Portland and connect with fellow lovers of the city. Here are some of the ways to get more Portland facts and fun:

Shameless self promotion aside, one of the best ways to make your dollar stretch this holiday is by bringing it to Portland. First off, Oregon has no sales tax, which makes those big–ticket items a little easier to tuck under the tree. And when you combine that with the Portland Perks package, you’ve got the potential for some serious savings. With more than 35 participating hotels, the package offers complimentary overnight parking and breakfast for two, and a “Portland Perks” coupon book worth its weight in Wii consoles.

And though the coupon book is small enough to fit into your pocket or purse, don’t overlook its big savings. For example, the Macy’s coupon gives you an extra 11 percent off purchases at either the downtown or Lloyd Center location. At Columbia Sportswear, smart shoppers can save 20 percent on their warm and practical purchases. Even your feet are covered with a 15 percent discount at the downtown Dr. Martens shop. The book also includes discounts for local attractions and restaurants — so even when you’re done shopping, you can still save.  Get the details >>

Portland’s big on beer — that’s why it goes by the nickname “Beervana,” after all. So it only makes sense that one of Portland’s most popular winter traditions is the Holiday Ale Festival. Packed with revelry and cheer, the event, Dec. 2–6, takes place right under the city’s holiday tree, in Pioneer Courthouse Square (better known as Portland’s living room). The five–day celebration of the Pacific Northwest’s best–tasting suds is now in its 14th year, and will feature more than 40 regional microbrews in 2009.

Each year, around 15,000 people come from far and wide to enjoy the event’s live, seasonal music and brews spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves — like Lompoc Brewery's Brewdolph, Bridgeport Brewing Company's BourbonEzer and Rogue Ale's Mogul Madness.

A $20 tasting package is required to sample the beers, and admittance to the big tent is a 21–plus affair. But it’s not just about the booze. In the spirit of giving, designated drivers enjoy complimentary admission as well as freshly brewed root beer in exchange for keeping revelers safe. More info >>

It only takes one person to start a tradition — just take Portland’s Christmas Ship Parade, for example. The beloved annual event began in 1954 when a lone sailboat departed the Portland Yacht Club decked with a few bows and ribbons. Today, more than five decades later, 50–some ships ply the Columbia and Willamette rivers each year, spreading holiday cheer from bank to bank each night for two weeks before Christmas.

Conducted by an all–volunteer organization of boat owners who pilot ships ranging from 14 to 60 feet in length, the annual event, which runs Dec. 5–20, is a Portland–area favorite. Each craft sports its own home–made, lighted Christmas displays, and once the lights are lit and the ships set sail, spectators pack walkways, hotels and restaurants along the river to see the ships’ tidings of comfort and joy. More info >>

One of the best things about the winter holidays — besides the lights, the food, the good cheer — is just spending time with family and friends, sharing laughs and stories around the table. Greater Portland’s tea rooms are the perfect places to do this. In these beautiful spaces, surrounded by festive décor, you can sit and linger over a pot of tea and delicious bite–sized treats. Visit Portland Spoke for a few highlights and check out this Go See Portland guide for a more complete list. Read the complete post >>

Anyone with little believers at home knows the story of The Polar Express: A young boy lying in bed, listening for the sound of Santa’s sleigh, hears the Polar Express instead. This magical train stops in front of his house and sweeps him off to the North Pole, where he’s given a silver bell with a beautiful ring that his parents can’t seem to hear. “At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them,” read the book’s closing lines. “Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”

The Mount Hood Railroad’s Polar Express has captured a bit of this holiday magic, taking pajama–clad boys and girls (and their parents, of course) from its Hood River depot nightly to meet Santa and the elves in the “North Pole.” This popular event, which starts Nov. 13 and runs every day until Dec. 23, often sells out in advance through the railroad’s website. The trip is sweetened with a train–wide reading of the book, accompanied by cookies and hot chocolate with whipped cream. Once the train reaches the pole, Santa and the elves hop onboard to keep the kiddos company for the return trip, leading the crowd in some rollicking Christmas carols. The big man also gives all the children their own silver bells — because, no doubt, this magical journey makes a believer out of everyone.
More info >>

Hark! The herald angels sing — and during the holidays in Portland you can hear them practically everywhere you go. While stores might have started stocking their shelves on Nov. 1, the season truly begins the day after Thanksgiving, with the presentation of Portland Center Stage’s “A Christmas Carol.” Though ol’ Ebenezer keeps the crooning to a minimum during this play, the spirit of Christmas shines through in each presentation from Nov. 25 all the way to Dec. 27.

Portland’s Singing Christmas Tree hits all the right notes, getting even the biggest grinches into holiday high–gear. The annual event, held at the Keller Auditorium from Nov. 27 to Dec. 5, uses more than 300 adult and youth choir voices to promote hope, joy, peace and love — with the help of exciting lighting and innovative choreography.

But when it comes to moves, no one does it better than those fleet–footed pros in the Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker Suite. The troupe has been strutting its stuff for twenty years now, and its performance, Dec. 12–27, is the only production of George Balanchine’s choreography on the West Coast in 2009.

For the classically inclined, the Oregon Symphony is running a monthlong series of holiday concerts, with highlights including Gospel Christmas (Dec. 11–13) and a collaboration with Mannheim Steamroller (two shows on Dec. 19).

One of the highlights (so to speak) of the holidays is all the festive lighting around town — the city is literally aglow from all of the lights. As the darker months of winter approach, there’s nothing better than to see as many lights as possible, absorbing their dazzling warmth. In that spirit, here’s a guide to some of the places where you can see Portland blink, twinkle and sparkle this season.
View the guide >>

Talk to anyone who’s visited Portland, and they’ll likely mention Pacific Northwesters’ friendliness — Portlanders are indiscriminate with their disarming smiles and cordial nature. That’s one reason we proudly promote our Travel Alternatives Group (TAG) Approved Accommodations; TAG hotels not only provide welcoming experiences to our LGBT visitors, but they also support the local community through fair hiring practices and active outreach, support and services.

So, in the spirit of the holiday season, show your pride and support local gay businesses by taking part in the LGBT Perks program. The entire deal is a big win–win: Book a two–night stay at a participating TAG Approved Portland Perks hotel and receive complimentary overnight parking, a continental breakfast for two, a Portland Perks coupon book filled with great discounts on everything from shoes at Imelda’s to dinner at Saucebox, and a $75 American Express Gift® card to jump–start your no–tax shopping spree. The offer is good through June 2010, but the best time to take advantage of the deal is from the day after Thanksgiving through December, when shopkeepers put up the mistletoe, holly and sale signs that make friendly Portland even kinder on your wallet. Book your getaway now >>

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