• Along the Promenade - The RiverPlace Promenade has several places to eat, from casual to fine dining. Places include The Little River Café* (paddlers' favorite breakfast spot), Bean & Tree Coffee House, Three Degrees (in the RiverPlace Hotel), Thirst Wine Bar, Harborside Pilsner Room* & McCormick & Schmick's, Newport Seafood Grill, Pizza Schmizza, and quite a few other places whose names we can never remember.
• Veritable Quandary - A Portland favorite within stumbling distance of the race venue.
• Brewpubs - Many of the brewpubs listed in "Where to Drink Beer" section are good places to eat, especially with a group. The Pearl District brewpubs are easy to get to and pretty reliable.
• Portland Scene - So you've been sucked in by the New York Times, etc., waxing on and on about the food in Portland. You're wondering, can I sample any of this while not veering too far from the race venue? Fortunately, most of the restaurants mentioned in the national press are in the downtown area or a short cab ride away. Here are links to some NYT favorites, with a couple options singled out for more commentary: Carafe, Clyde Common, Le Pigeon, Higgins, Paley's Place, Bunk Sandwiches, Broder, Stumptown Coffee (multiple locations), Park Kitchen
• Pok Pok - Delicious southeast Asian street food located at SE 34th & Division (you can take a cab or the #4 Division bus from SW 1st & Main), and they don't take reservations for parties less than 5. There is a take-out shack with limited items, if you just want a taste. Otherwise, put your name in and be prepared to wait at their Whiskey Soda Lounge kitty corner from the restaurant. You can get drinks and snacks, including those famous wings, while you wait. An alternative place to wait with good drinks and snacks is the Matchbox Lounge across the street. Yes, it's worth it.
• Food Carts - Portland is famous for its food carts. Many are owned by trained chefs with dreams of opening their own restaurants but not enough capital. Portland food carts tend to cluster in pods and represent a vast array of cuisines. While many food carts cater to the weekday lunch crowd, Cartopia* at SE 12th & Hawthorne has a variety of cart choices that are open weekends, especially evenings and later. Walk across the Hawthorne Bridge and keep going 12 blocks, or hop on the #14 Hawthorne bus at SW 1st & Main. Click here for more options.
• Voodoo Doughnuts - A Portland institution, you can get your doughnut fix or get married 24/7. Traditional and quirky flavors, including an actual Voodoo Donut, in case your team captain is bugging you. SW 3rd, just south of Burnside. Also look for the mobile Voodoo cart at the race!

• Really close - Full Sail at RiverPlace, inside Harborside Pilsner Room* at McCormick & Schmick's, RiverPlace Promenade
• In the Pearl - Hop on the streetcar to get to Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House* at NW 11th & Davis, Bridgeport Brewery* at NW 13th & Marshall, or Rogue Distillery & Public House* at NW 13th & Flanders
• Just across the river - Walk, bike or catch a bus at SW 1st & Main across the Hawthorne Bridge.
• • On Hawthorne - For these, you can catch the #14 Hawthorne bus, if you don't want to walk. At SE 9th & Hawthorne is the Lucky Lab* where dogs are welcome. Continue to SE 16th to visit McMenamin's Barley Mill Pub or SE 37th for McMenamin's Baghdad Theater and Pub. The Bridgeport Ale House is at SE 36th.
  • Slight detour - Go left at SE 9th and continue a few blocks to the Green Dragon*, which is part of the Rogue family and has a vast selection of interesting beer and a great patio. Cascade Brewing and Barrell House is a few blocks away and Hair of the Dog is also closeby off Water Avenue at SE Yamhill.
  • South of Hawthorne - For these, you can catch the #4 Division bus, if you don't want to walk. SE 12th & Division is a delightful intersection home to The Beer Mongers, a beer store and micro bar, Apex Bar* with many taps and copious outdoor seating and bike parking. Should you wish to continue your journey, The Hedge House, at SE 34th & Division, is a New Old Lompoc pub and is conveniently close to Pok Pok (see Where to Dine).
• Oktoberfest - Widmer Brothers Brewing* is holding their annual Oktoberfest the weekend of our race. Coincidence? We think not. Hop on the MAX Yellow Line towards Interstate and get off at the Albina/Mississippi stop.

Ahem, no sales tax. Here are some places we like:

• Powell's Books at W. Burnside and 10th, right on the streetcar line. Legendary. Do yourself a favor and pick up a store map at the entrance.
• Portland has tons of sportswear and sporting goods stores: Nike and Nike Outlet, Columbia Sportswear and Columbia Outlet, Icebreaker, Adidas, Title Nine, REI, Lucy, Lululemon, Next Adventure, Next Adventure Paddle Store, US Outdoor Store, Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe
• Portland Saturday Market on the waterfront near the west side of the Burnside Bridge. Eclectic. Hippy.
• You can get your mall shopping fix at Pioneer Place (downtown) or Lloyd Center (convention center). There are also some fixtures of commerce located around Pioneer Courthouse Square.
• Outlet mall shoppers will need a car to get to Woodburn (south) or Troutdale (east).
• If you like browsing neighborhoods, try the Pearl District. Once a warehouse district, it is now home to art galleries, boutiques and restaurants. The Pearl District is just north of downtown, west of Broadway. You can take the streetcar to the Pearl, which is where many of the shops, restaurants and brewpubs we mention are located.
• Keep going on the streetcar and you will arrive at NW 21st and 23rd, also with many boutiques and restaurants. It's sometimes also called Nob Hill, and the street signs refer to it as the Alphabet District.

• Washington Park is a huge park overlooking downtown from the west hills with a myriad of parks within it. From downtown, take the Max Red or Blue line west towards Beaverton or Hillsboro and exit at the Zoo Station or take the #63 bus. You can visit the Oregon Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, Portland Japanese Garden, International Rose Test Garden (great views over downtown), Portland Children's Museum, World Forestry Center, Vietnam Memorial and Holocaust Memorial.
• PSU Farmer's Market - Saturday morning at SW Park (8th) and Columbia. Rated the 2nd best in the country by Travel and Leisure. While there, check out the Portland Art Museum and Oregon Historical Society.
• Portland Classical Chinese Garden and Old Town/Chinatown are just north of Burnside.
• Portland Aerial Tram - Catch it at the South Waterfront and travel up to OHSU on "Pill Hill". Take the tram back down or take an urban hike back down.