Portland’s always been known for being weird. Most would agree the comedic portrayal of the city by Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, Portlandia, accurately depicts the overall culture, however, while you will find plenty of oddballs in the City of Roses, there’s so much more to Portland than just being a little different. So why not embrace it? Go out and do something a little weird. These are the best things to do while high in Portland:
1. Catch a Sunset at Skidmore Bluffs
Portland is also a city known for its array of great public parks. One of the many parks that sometimes gets overlooked is Mocks Crest, which rests just on the Skidmore Bluff in North Portland (locally known as Skidmore Bluffs). This park – which is barely a park because there’s no bathroom in sight and only a handful of trees – has an outstanding view of the rail yard, the Willamette River, and a bit of the city skyline. Come enjoy the sunset for the end of a date night or just as a place to chill.
2. Take a Portlandia Walking Tour
If you’re a fan of the show or at least seen a few episodes, you probably want to see some of the iconic and landmark places where Portlandia shoots a lot of their material. Good thing cause you’re in luck – the Secrets of Portlandia walking tour will take you on a fun adventure around the city and introduce you to a good mix of the stuff you’ve seen on the show. This is definitely a great way to get more acquainted with the city, plus the tour is free!
3.Get your game on at Ground Kontrol
Video games and weed always go hand-in-hand since Galactica and Pong made its way into our hearts and homes some four decades ago. You won’t have any trouble finding some of your favorite games at this retro barcade in Chinatown. Definitely a one-of-a-kind bar here in Portlans, which can be a good thing when you’d rather get away from your basement and sip an IPA with your friends instead of dealing with all the XBOX trolls at home.
4. Stop by the Saturday Market
It’s been said that an estimated 750,000 people each year visit the Portland Saturday Market, and it just so happens that it’s every Saturday year round! Right by the waterfront, the Saturday Market has been a tradition since 1976, celebrating the arts, crafts, and all that Portland has to offer. Stop by a food truck, taste wine, browse art, and catch a performance by local artists all in one spot.
5. Hike the trails of Mt. Tabor Park
Mt. Tabor is located in the heart of southeast Portland and is one of the city’s coolest public parks. There’s seven miles of trails to wander and explore and three reservoirs to check out, plus views of Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens.
6. Get Lost in Powell’s
If you get high and you’re in the Hawthorne area, go to Powell’s City of Books. Definitely a good idea to have one or two sober friends to join you just in case you get in too deep – though getting lost in Powell’s forever might not be the worst thing. Powell’s contains over an acre of space and claims to be the largest new and used bookstore in the world.