Northwest Getaway

By Joseph Barry on August 29, 2012

There’s something magical about the Pacific Northwest. Whether it’s watching the sun disappear behind the waves of the ocean, freezing your toes in the icy water, or simply laying out in the sand and soaking up the sun, there’s a certain vibe out here that is totally original, totally its own.

I was able to experience this vibe when I visited both Portland and Cannon Beach, Oregon this summer.

Portland, to start with, is its own unique town. Everyone seems to march to the beat of their own drum, and art is clearly a central focus of the town. Between the original outfits, ever-present tattoos, and creative masterpieces, this town screams art! Portland is also a very green community that possesses a health conscious population. Portland is consistently named the greenest city in America and is widely considered to be the first city to aim to go green.

There are several must-see venues around town. Leading off the list is Voodoo Doughnut, a necessity for anyone with a sweet tooth. I recommend the original doughnut, which made Voodoo famous, to any first-timer.  It’s a voodoo doll-shaped doughnut with an icing face, ‘blood colored’ jelly filling, and a pretzel stick protruding from its chest. However, if you’ve been around the block a few times, go with something more daring, such as their maple bacon bar or a doughnut covered with fruity pebbles.

Once you’ve gotten your fill of sugary sweets, walk a few blocks over to Powell’s Books, the most incredible bookstore I’ve ever stepped foot in. I walked inside, looked around, and thought, “Hmm, this is a good-sized bookstore.”…then I realized that I was looking at only one of the nine rooms. They have new, used, and out-of-print books, and if you get tired of looking around, they have their own coffee shop inside (that doesn’t proudly serve Starbucks!)

Finally, I visited the famous Rose Garden. Nothing less than the word “beautiful” suffices to describe the garden within Washington Park. Inside is seemingly every species that a flower enthusiast could come up with, in any color the layman would want!

After the garden, I headed west and reached Cannon Beach, the last thing in Oregon before the Pacific Ocean. Cannon Beach is less than two hours from Portland and possesses a nice tranquility that one may desire when the big city becomes too much, or simply if a vacation is needed.

The signature landmark at CB is Haystack Rock, a massive 235-foot rock that sprouts from the ocean, overlooking the small town. Pictures from Google images do not begin to do the landmark justice.

Photo from flickr.com, uploaded by lorenkerns

Cannon Beach has something for everyone, from surfing and skimboarding at the beach, to several original stores to fulfill any shopaholic’s deepest desires.

Sure, the Portland area may not have the glamorous reputation that some cities in neighbor-state California possesses, but if you’re looking to visit a different part of the country with endless things to do, why not take a trip to Portlandia?!

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