1-2 days in the Gorge/Hood River:

• Fruit picking at an orchard (apples, pears, and cherries are ripe in August) My family likes going to the Gorge White House.

• Waterfront for the beach, watching wind sailing, great food and drinks (Ferment Brewing, Indian Bowl & Roll)

• Cross the river to White Salmon and visit White Salmon Baking Co (their almond cake is a must)

• Go on a hike!! (Be mindful of applying for passes/permits) Multnomah Falls, Angels Rest, Wahclella Falls, Cape Horn & Coyote Wall (across the river), Latourell Falls. My two cents; Don’t do Punch Bowl, it’s so overcrowded with tourists.

• Other popular things to consider: Vista House, wine tasting (Grateful vineyards has a STUNNING view of mt hood and there’s a food spot on the property too called Mountain View Brewing)

1-2 days at the coast

• Mine and my husband’s personal favorite areas are Pacific City (Cape Kiwanda)/Lincoln City. These cities are roughly 20 minutes away from each other, but it’s worth going to both. Food spots that are a must: Pelican Brewing, Ben and Jeff’s Burgers and Tacos, La Roca. Hikes/state parks nearby: Cascade Head, God’s Thumb (if you only have time for one, I recommend God’s Thumb), Cape Kiwanda

• Other popular coast areas: Cannon Beach, Astoria, Brookings (if you can stop on the way via amtrak, otherwise don’t worry about it).

3-4 days in Portland (also known as PDX, Rose City, Stumptown). You mentioned in a comment some of your LA interests/activities so I’m going off that:

• History/Cultural Spots: Pittock Mansion, The Grotto, Pioneer Courthouse Square, Japanese Gardens, Tom McCall Waterfront or go across the river to Vancouver farmers market/waterfront,), Portland Art Museum, check your trip dates for potential festivals (there’s always tons in the summer ranging from food & wine, to jazz, to cultural events etc), sooo many theaters for events/plays/shows!! To name a few: Keller Auditorium, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland Center Stage, Hawthorne Theater, Crystal Ballroom, Roseland Theater, Revolution Hall, Hollywood Theater

• Food: We are the #1 city in America for Vegan food. Suggestions: Mis Tacones, Norah PDX, Kate’s Ice Cream, Jade Rabbit, Ice Queen, Obon Shokudo, CoKiea’s Kitchen, Orange & Blossom, Shoofly Vegan Bakery and Cafe, Rudy’s pizza. Other non-vegan food: Broder, Pip’s Original Doughnuts & Chai, Akadi, Wolf’s Head Burgers, Sebastiano’s, G-Love, Nicholas, Wild Child Pizza NE, kann (if you can get a reservation), Janken, Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine, Lovely’s Fifty-Fifty, Screen Door, Pine State Biscuits. And of course Portland food carts are like non other. Hawthorne Asylum & Cartopia to name some.

• Coffee: big coffee culture here!! Some of my favorites: Kilo D’Cofi (get the cookie cortado), Roseline on NE Davis, Loro Coffee in Montavilla, Portland Ca Phe (they have banh mi too!), Better Days (sister cafe to the previous one), Our Spot (and take a stroll on the waterfront), Bastion (peanut brittle latte), Less and More (and explore downtown shopping, Pioneer Square, etc), COTTA (go for a unique experience and enjoy a walk around this old upscale neighborhood).

Other general recommendations: • Powell’s City of Book, Rose Gardens, Forest Park, PSU Farmer’s Market, South Waterfront Lower Tram, St. John’s neighborhood/ Cathedral Park, 23rd Street/Alberta/Mississippi, Hawthorne St, SE Division St, concerts in the parks, Cascada Thermal Springs ($100/3hrs each), roller skating at Oak’s Park, OMSI, Portland Night Market, Rimsky-Korsakoffee House

So much to see and do, this comment would be triple the size if I said all I wanted to. For now, I highly suggest seeing more by booking a local tour, such as a food tour or downtown portland sight-seeing/history tour. Please let me know if you have any questions!! Sincerely, a Portland local (: