Going to Portland, OR again. What do?

So after a few years I'm heading out to Portland, OR for business again on Sunday. I'll be there until the following Sunday, working mostly mornings M-F, meaning weekday afternoons after 3pm and Saturday I can do pretty much whatever the heck I want. I've already done a lot of the really touristy stuff on my last visit - Voodoo Donuts, the Rose Garden, Powells, Saturday Market, I walked by while a Timbers game was going on (not a huge sports fan), went to multiple McMenamins locations, food trucks, etc. What else should I check out without retreading the same ground?

I'll be solo this time, so things that avoid the "table for one" awkwardness are high on the list. I do intend to hit up Ground Kontrol arcade at least once, otherwise my schedule is open. Stefan/Turboswede/not Bruce suggested a plethora of bars/restaurants (of which I will happy take more suggestions) and taking the crapbox rental (I am promised a Kia Rio or equivalent) up the Old Columbia Rover Highway, Parrot Mountain Road, Larch Mountain or Mt. St. Helens. For car-guy stuff he suggested the Saturday C&C at the World of Speed Museum in Wilsonville and pretty much anything going on at PIR.

Gives me a lot of options to start with; anything else I should check out? I know a few more of you are local, anything else I should try and add to the schedule? I had a blast last time I was out there and would like to do the same this time!

Evergreen air & space museum. If I remember, it's about 25 miles outside Portland. McMinnville. Spruce Goose lives there.

I was there last month and I worked in a trip to the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum. Their star attraction is the Spruce Goose but there are several hours of other good stuff to check out like their large collection of stand-on type helicopters.

Man, I just got smoked by oldtin.

You have to hit up the BEACHES cruise-in at PIR on Wednesday night!

It looks like the sun is supposed to come back next week, too, so good timing there!

If you're interested in getting out of the city some, which it looks like you are, there's worse places to spend an afternoon than Dougan Falls out on the Washougal River. There's also some great hikes a little further out SR14.

I'm in Vancouver and am free most afternoons after 2:30. I'm also always up for a pint and idle chit-chat about obscure automobiles from countries that hardly exist anymore.

-Erick

I would also suggest hikes/nature stuff. Without going too far, you can hike Forrest Park. If you go out to Newberry or Germantown, there isn't as much traffic. Otherwise there's tons of hikes near Mount St. Helens and also along the Columbia River Gorge.

If you have time, Hood River is a cool town to see and the drive is quite scenic. That's the place to go if you want to try kite boarding!

For beer, I recommend Hair of the Dog (more strong ales) and Cascade (sour/barreled beers).

World of wheels auto museum is interesting. They have driving simulators for F1 and a couple others.

In reply to wlkelley3:

They just switched displays around so they have a full 33-car grid of current and former Indy cars to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Indy 500.

kilgoretrout wrote: I would also suggest hikes/nature stuff. Without going too far, you can hike Forrest Park. If you go out to Newberry or Germantown, there isn't as much traffic. Otherwise there's tons of hikes near Mount St. Helens and also along the Columbia River Gorge. If you have time, Hood River is a cool town to see and the drive is quite scenic. That's the place to go if you want to try kite boarding!

My in-laws own Waucoma Bookstore in Hood River and they can give you some great places to check out/things to do. Ask for Muir or Jenny and tell them Stefan sent you. :)

Forget Voodoo...if you really like donuts you have to try Blue Star. Get there early since they close when they sell out.

In reply to CLH:

That's a big ole yep on Blue Star. Also gotta check out Pip's if you are a donut guy.

http://www.sykart.com/tigard/

http://www.worldofspeed.org/

http://www.waaamuseum.org/

There is a great music scene Blues and indy and lots of craft brewing.

Naked beaches, more weed stores than liquor stores, titty bars are everywhere.

Warning! The weed is very very strong, don't take more than one hit!!!! :^)

Thanks for all the suggestions, I should have plenty to do!

Think I'm going to skip imbibing the green stuff though...did enough of that in college to last me a lifetime, and probably a bad idea on a work trip anyway