French
DeutschSoutheast Portland comprises the neighborhoods east of the Willamette River and south of Burnside Street and Interstate 84. Hawthorne Boulevard and several other trendy neighborhoods are here.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Hawthorne Blvd, which runs east-west across the river from Downtown, has a broad selection of shops including a menagerie of vintage goods at the House of Vintage and the ornate Bagdad Theater Pub, and is a center of the counter-culture/bohemian community which is dissipating to make way for a variety of upscale businesses. Neighborhoods in or near the Hawthorne District include Buckman, Hosford-Abernethy, Sunnyside, Richmond and Mt. Tabor. The nearby Belmont Street is also worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood, with a similar - if smaller - array of shops and attractions.
Other neighborhoods to explore include: quaint Sellwood, Inner Southeast a loosely defined neighborhood where bars and music venues have been cropping up amidst the industrial landscape, Foster-Powell, East Burnside and Stark, Division and Clinton Street, and
Get in and around
[edit | edit source]See Portland (Oregon)#Get around for getting in from elsewhere in the city.
Places across the Willamette River can be accessed on foot (almost all bridges have sidewalks) or streetcar from Downtown or parts of the northwest. The Orange MAX line takes you to the southern parts of the Eastside along the Willamette River, stopping at OMSI, Clinton, Rhine, Holgate, Bybee and Tacoma.
The other MAX lines take you from Downtown and Chinatown across the Steel Bridge. The Green, Red and Blue lines go east along the Banfield Freeway to the Gateway Transit Center, stopping at the Rose Quarter, the Convention Center, 7th, 11th, 42nd, 60th and 82nd Avenues. From there they fan out; the Red Line north to the airport, the Blue Line further east to Gresham, and the Green Line south to Clackamas. The Blue Line stops on Burnside at East 102nd, 122nd, 148th, 172nd, 181st and 188th. The Green Line stops along the 205 at Main, Division, Powell, Holgate, Foster and Flavel.
There's also a fairly dense bus network (network map) taking you to places where rail-based public transit won't.
With long distances between places, driving can almost certainly also a good option.
The City of Portland has created several maps of bike routes and bike lanes.
See
[edit | edit source]- 1 Mount Tabor Park, SE 60th & Salmon St. 5AM-midnight. At the eastern end of the Hawthorne District, Mt Tabor is a forested park situated atop an extinct volcanic butte with great views of the city. The park contains a couple of reservoirs and lots of winding trails, and is also the home of the popular PDX Soapbox Derby event (see below under Do). Free.
- 2 Leach Botanical Garden, 6704 SE 122nd Ave, ☏ +1 503-823-9503. Tue-Sat 9AM-4PM, Sun 1-4PM. Free, donations welcome.
- 3 Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, SE 28th Ave & Woodstock Blvd, ☏ +1 503-771-8386. Summer: 6AM-10PM daily, winter: 6AM-6PM daily. A display and test garden was initiated in 1950 that includes more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants. Beginning in early spring and continuing into summer, the gardens provide a magnificent display of color, giving visitors the opportunity to view many varieties rarely seen in the Pacific Northwest. During the fall, many companion trees add dramatic coloring. Spring-fed Crystal Springs Lake surrounds much of the garden, attracting many species of birds and waterfowl. $4 in the summer months (free for children under 12); free for all in the winter.
- 4 Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), 1945 SE Water Ave, ☏ +1 503-797-4000, toll-free: +1-800-955-OMSI (6674), info@omsi.edu. Summer: 9:30AM-7PM daily; winter: Tue-Sun 9:30AM-5:30PM. OMSI is great for kids, with hundreds of hands-on activities with a particular emphasis on technology and earth sciences; you can spend a full rainy day here and not get bored. Moored in the river just outside is the USS Blueback, an old navy submarine which is open for tours (separate ticket required). There's also a planetarium and an IMAX theater which requires separate admission, but you can view the IMAX projector in operation without paying for the movie ticket. $22.50 adults, $15.50 youth (3-13), $20.50 seniors (parking $5/ 2 hrs., $8/all day; IMAX theater, planetarium, and submarine tickets require separate admission).
- 5 Oregon Rail Heritage Center, 2250 SE Water Ave, ☏ +1 503-233-1156. Thu Fri 1PM-5PM, Sat Sun Noon-5PM. Two working steam locomotives are on display here, with a third undergoing restoration. Many parts needed on these locomotives are no longer manufactured, so you may see volunteers working in the machine shop as well as locomotive and car maintenance crews. Short excursions on trains are occasionally offered, especially during the holiday season. Adult $6, Senior (65+) and Military $5, Child (3-13)$4, Infant (under 3) free.
- 6 Laurelhurst Park, SE César Chávez Blvd and Stark St. 5AM-10:30PM daily. A beautiful park designed by a horticultural expert from the same team that designed New York City's Central Park. This park has a great atmosphere in good weather, with lots of locals and visitors enjoying the duck pond, the bike paths, and the off-leash dog area. Free.
- 7 Ladds Addition Historic District (bordered by Hawthorne, 20th, Division and 12th). Planned residential development in Southeast Portland that is now a historic district. Built between 1905 and 1930 and contains five small parks and several diagonal streets
- 8 Portland Puppet Museum, 906 SE Umatilla St, ☏ +1 503-233-7723. Thu-Sun 2-8PM.
Do
[edit | edit source]- 1 PDX Soapbox Derby, Mt. Tabor Park, SE 60th Ave &, SE Salmon St. A popular event which takes place annually in mid-August and is great for spectators. Some soapbox cars strive for speed and slick design while others are incredibly imaginative and hilarious creations. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy watching the races.
- 2 Springwater Corridor. A 21-mile multi-use trail extending from SE Portland to the town of Boring, Oregon. It is designed to accommodate hikers, bikers, wheelchairs and horses.
- 3 Oaks Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, ☏ +1 503-233-5777. Opened in 1905 and one of the oldest historic "trolley parks" in the country. It has a wooden carousel constructed in 1912, along with a couple dozen more contemporary rides including one roller coaster "Adrenaline Peak", and many kid's and family rides. It also has a popular roller skating rink, with a pipe organ played during a couple skating sessions each week. This also serves as the fairgrounds for the Multnomah County Fair since 1997, during the last weekend of May.
Music
[edit | edit source]- 4 Doug Fir Lounge, 301 SE Morrison St, ☏ +1 503-231-9663. Located at the Jupiter Hotel, Doug Fir Lounge is Portland's slickest, upscale music venue featuring live shows almost every night of the week in the basement, a restaurant on street level and a bar in both. A decidedly hip variety of traveling and local music.
- 5 Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave, ☏ +1 503-234-9694. A great venue revamped from an old theater hall that offers shows almost nightly, featuring local favorites as well as Northwest and national acts. Food and alcohol available.
- 6 Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark St, ☏ +1 503-288-3895.
- 7 No Fun Bar Portland, 1709 SE Hawthorne Blvd, ☏ +1 503-236-8067. Local music, cheap drinks. Underground Portland music scene.
Buy
[edit | edit source]Shopping malls and districts
[edit | edit source]- 1 Sellwood, along SE 13th Avenue, between Tacoma St & Bybee Blvd. A neighborhood shopping area on the east side of the Willamette River south of downtown, specializing in antique and vintage furnishings.
- 2 Hawthorne District, east side of the Willamette River (accessible on the #14 bus along SE Hawhorne from the Hawthorne Bridge to SE 50th). A popular shopping area, particularly along SE Hawthorne Blvd between 34th Ave and César Chávez Blvd. Includes head shops, vintage clothing, used books and magazines, local clothing designers and craft stores.
- SE Division, east side of the Willamette River (The FX2 bus goes through there along SE Division on a frequent schedule.). A popular shopping area with a variety stores, bars and restaurants along SE Division between SE 12th and SE 60th.
- 3 Clackamas Town Center, off of I-205 exit 14 (accessible by MAX Green Line), ☏ +1 503-653-6913. Mon-Sat 10AM-9PM, Sun 11AM-6PM. Great shopping facilities; smaller than Lloyd Center, but just as much to see.
- 4 Buckman. An up & coming neighborhood in the southeast to rival the Pearl District in the northwest. The neighborhood is bounded to the west by the Willamette River, south by SE Hawthorne, east by SE 28th and north by E Burnside. It was an industrial warehouse district until the end of the 20th century. It is now gentrifying with all sorts of boutiques, antique stores, furniture stores, gift shops, bars and restaurants housed in old warehouse buildings particularly along SE MLK & Grand Ave (OR-Hwy 99E) and along SE Water Ave. The area is also home to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science & Industry) and is connected to Lloyd Center by the frequent Streetcar going up down SE Union/MLK and to downtown by the Hawthorne and Morrison Bridges.
- 5 Fubonn Shopping Center, 2850 SE 82nd Ave, ☏ +1 503-517-8899. Largest Asian mall in Oregon hosting a variety of restaurants, retail stores and professional services.
Eat
[edit | edit source]Budget
[edit | edit source]- 1 The Delta, 4607 SE Woodstock Blvd (at 46th Ave), ☏ +1 503-771-3101. Mon-Thu 4-11PM, Fri 4PM-1AM, Sat 9AM-2PM and 5PM-1AM, Sun 9AM-2PM and 5-11PM. Southern food (chicken-fried steak, jambalaya, grits, etc.) on the cheap. The food is excellent and in large portions.
- 2 New Seasons Market – Seven Corners, 1954 SE Division St, ☏ +1 503-445-2888. 8AM-11PM daily.
- 3 New Seasons Market – Sellwood, 1214 SE Tacoma St, ☏ +1 503-230-4949. 8AM-11PM daily.
- 4 Original Hotcake House, 1002 SE Powell Blvd, ☏ +1 503-236-7402. 7AM-11PM. A local landmark, famous for excellent food, great prices, and a quirky after-hours clientèle.
- 5 Robo Taco, 607 SE Morrison St, ☏ +1 503-232-3707. Sun-Wed 10AM-midnight, Thu-Sat 10AM-3:30AM. The fact that Robo Taco is open late and is located within walking distance of Holocene makes it the perfect place to end a night dancing and live music. It's consistently delicious with a laid back vibe and plenty of vegetarian options.
Mid-range
[edit | edit source]- 6 Flying Pie Pizzeria, 7804 SE Stark St, ☏ +1 503-254-2016. Sun-Thu 11AM-10PM, Fri Sat 11AM-11PM. Has been regularly voted one of Portland's favorite pizza restaurants for the past decade by hungry locals and media critics alike.
Splurge
[edit | edit source]- 7 Laurelhurst Market, 3155 E Burnside St, ☏ +1 503-206-3097. Lunch 11AM-3PM; dinner Mon-Thu 5-10PM, Fri-Sun 4:30-10PM. A butcher shop run by trained chefs, serving some of the finest steak dinners in the city. Dinner:$35-55 main course, $10-20 starters and appetizers, Lunch: a more reasonable $10-15 for a sandwich and drink.
- 8 Ken's Artisan Pizza, 304 SE 28th Ave, ☏ +1 503-517-9951. Mon-Sat 5-10PM, Sun 4-9PM. Wood fired oven cooking amazing pizza and other superbly executed Italian dishes. Expect a wait.
Drink
[edit | edit source]Alcohol
[edit | edit source]
- 1 Bagdad Theater and Pub, 3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd, ☏ +1 503-228-4651. 2:30PM-midnight daily (depending on feature). The Bagdad is one of the great things about Portland: a 700-seat second-run movie theater serving a selection of regional craft brews you can drink while you watch.
- 2 Belmont Station, 4500 SE Stark St, ☏ +1 503-232-8538. Noon-11PM daily. Belmont Station is both a store and bar/cafe. The store side hosts over 1000 bottled beers from around the world, and the cafe offers a solid lineup of sandwiches, soups, and light pub fare, as well as interesting beers on draft. The friendly and knowledgeable staff make this the place to go to explore Portland's beer scene.
- 3 Clinton Street Theater Pub, 2522 SE Clinton St, ☏ +1 503-238-5588, info@cstpdx.com. Shows a great assortment of esoteric films and the world's longest running Rocky Horror Picture Show. $6 general admission, $4 students/seniors, $4 on Tuesdays, $8 Rocky Horror Picture Show.
- 4 Dots Cafe, 2521 SE Clinton St (SE Clinton and 26th), ☏ +1 503-235-0203. 4-10PM, daily. A funky night spot with great bar food.
- 5 EastBurn, 1800 E Burnside St, ☏ +1 503-236-2876. Mon-Fri 4PM-2AM, Sat Sun 10AM-2AM. Cool building and great atmosphere. Hanging swing chairs, heated patio and downstairs bar with skee ball. The food is higher end, but not pricey and full bar with big wine list and great beers on tap make this spot a local favorite.
- 6 Hopworks Urban Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd, ☏ +1 503-232-4677. Sun-Thu 11AM-11PM, Fri Sat 11AM-midnight. One of the newest additions to the Portland brewpub scene. They emphasize sustainable practices business model. Hoppy beer with a distinct flavor.
- 7 Horse Brass Pub, 4534 SE Belmont St, ☏ +1 503-232-2202. 11AM-2:30AM daily. Another English-style pub that also serves a range of English-style food. An "old-world" atmosphere, reasonable prices, a huge beer list, free darts, and a friendly and knowledgeable staff make this a great place to relax with a pint and catch up with old friends.
- 8 Laurelhurst Theater, 2735 E Burnside St, ☏ +1 503-232-5511. Cinema serving beer, wine and food. Children are allowed to shows before 5:30PM; after that it's 21+ only. $4 general admission, $3 seniors, $2 children.
- 9 Bula Kava House, 3115 SE Division St, ☏ +1 503-477-7823. Sun 3PM-10PM, Mon-Thu 1PM-11PM, Fri Sat 1PM-1AM. Kava kava is a mildly sedating drink from the South Pacific. Definitely worth a try if you're in Portland since the South Pacific is quite far away. Great place to relax and socialize in a semi-authentic atmosphere, all the while trying something entirely new and exotic.
- Rogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery, 928 SE 9th Ave, ☏ +1 503-517-0660. Daily 11AM-10PM. Try a burger and fries, and more beers than you can handle.
Coffee
[edit | edit source]- 10 Pied Cow, 3244 SE Belmont St, ☏ +1 503-230-4866. Mon-Thu 4PM-midnight, Fri 4PM-1AM, Sat noon-1AM, Sun noon-midnight. A great coffee house in Portland. No other place like it. If you visit for the summer, you must come to this place. It's a great experience.
- 11 Water Avenue Coffee Roasters, 1028 SE Water Avenue #145 (SE Taylor and Water Ave), ☏ +1 503-808-7084. Mon-Fri 7AM-6PM, Sat Sun 8AM-6PM. A loft-style cafe and coffee roastery.
Sleep
[edit | edit source]- 1 Ramada Mall 205, 9707 SE Stark St (near Portland Airport on Stark St and I-205 near Mall 205), ☏ +1 503-252-7400, ramadainn@integra.net.
- 2 Grand Stark Hotel, 509 SE Grand Ave (SE Grand Ave & Start St). Check-in: 3PM to 11AM.
- 3 Best Value Inns - Portland, 3310 SE 82nd Ave (Just north of US-26), ☏ +15037774786. Check-in: 3 PM, check-out: 11 AM. $94.
Southeast Portland is relatively devoid of hotels; more hotels are across the 84 in Northeast Portland (esp. by the airport and Convention Center), across the Willamette in Downtown Portland, or just south on I-205 in Clackamas.