Portland, OR: Places You’ll Need a Car

Posted on January 27, 2007 by Julie Gentry

Portland is a great place to visit on foot or by bicycle. But unless you bring your vehicle, you’ll miss some of it. Split your trip if you can, doing a day or more by car and another day or two (or four) on foot. Traffic can be horrendous in the downtown area or on any freeway during commute hours. Try to plan your vehicle trips between nine and four, or after 7 pm. Here are some places to visit by car: Lloyd Center – This is a huge shopping mall with an ice skating rink and a movie theater. … Continue reading →

Portland, OR: Where to Stay

Posted on January 27, 2007 by Julie Gentry

It’s always the big question, isn’t it? Where to stay in a city that you’re new to. Being part of a chain will give you some idea, but all hotels are not created equally. First read the blog about bidding for travel. If price is your primary concern, that’s the method to use. It’s the lowest price you’re going to get, but you can never be sure which hotel you’ll end up with. We like Portland and go there frequently. My husband also goes a lot for his music. Together, we have a lot of experience with the area hotels, … Continue reading →

Portland, OR: Put on Your Walking Shoes!

Posted on January 26, 2007 by Julie Gentry

Portland is one of our favorite day trips. It’s about three hours from us, and worth the drive. It’s even better when we take the train and don’t have to worry about parking or traffic. The City of Roses is one of the cleanest cities in the United States. Part of that is because it’s nearly impossible to drive downtown. Almost everyone bikes, walks, or uses the free public transportation. That’s not a bad thing, but you should plan it into your day. Parking can be quite expensive, generally more than a dollar per hour. It’s best explored in 2 … Continue reading →

Forbes’ List of Pet Friendly Cities

Posted on December 23, 2008 by Aimee Amodio

Forbes magazine recently released their list of the most pet friendly cities in the United States. I’m proud to see my area made the top five! Here’s how they determined the best in show: Public park acreage, including dog-friendly park spaces. Number of pet supply and pet service businesses. Number of veterinarians and other care facilities. Cost for veterinary care. The Forbes folks also looked at air quality, but didn’t end up using it in determining their rankings — pets are pretty adaptable. With such short life spans, air quality generally doesn’t have as big an impact on a pet’s … Continue reading →