Hotel at a Glance: Portlander Inn

Home to a western-style bar, American grill, and movie theater that won’t break bank, the Portlander Inn features most of the comforts of home with all the fun of a vacation mixed in. Spend the day exploring downtown Portland, then come back to dinner and a movie, and hit the hay in a cozy king- or queen-size bed.

• Each guest room plays host to a fridge and microwave along with coffee makers.
• Home-style American cuisine: such as steaks and burgers served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Cascade Grill.
• Catch a $5 flick at Junitz Cinema, which features two films daily with two showings for each.
• Country-western bar: with drinks and dancing as well as live music, including local and national talents
• For lunch, visit Moe’s Deli and build your own sandwich on a freshly bake hoagie roll.

Portland, Oregon: Quirky Riverfront City Known for Its City Parks

Extensive bikeways, edgy chefs, indie-rock bands, and progressive environmentalists—counterculture is almost a way of life in Portland. And it’s certainly a source of civic pride. Locals have adopted the slogan “Keep Portland Weird,” which is brandished on bumper stickers and in business all over the town. The city has always been a little ahead of its time; it was originally planned with strict urban-growth boundaries that left plenty of room for parks and other green spaces. Today, in new developments, shops are built at street level with apartments above them—following a European model that complements Portland’s slightly European, laid-back atmosphere.

The downtown area is a refreshing mix of the traditional and the offbeat: high-rise buildings are interspersed with clothing boutiques and restaurants serving sustainable cuisine. Streets here are narrow and the blocks are compact to encourage walking, which visitors are wont to do to take in the parks, plazas, and fountains. A popular place to hang out is Pioneer Courthouse Square, a 40,000-square-foot public space often referred to as “Portland’s living room.” In warmer months, the square hosts free shows and festivals, as does Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park, which was named 1 of 10 Great Public Spaces in America in 2012 by the American Planning Association.