A Visitor’s Guide to Inner Southeast PDX
So many of the visitors that walk through our doors are from out of town, newly relocated, or even exploring Portland for just a few hours between flights. So many of these people tend to admit to us that, other than take advantage of the legal cannabis, they really don’t know what else to do while they are here. Luckily, your friendly neighborhood budtenders have some thoughts. We’ve put together a few suggestions of some hot spots that are near Farma, a visitor’s guide that help to show a snapshot of exactly what Portland wants to represent.
Mt. Tabor
So you’ve got your flower, carefully curated by yours truly. Now walk out our door and head right. That’s all you have to do. Granted, you will have to adventure for 50 blocks, but the directions couldn’t be simpler. After a full day’s worth of shops, restaurants and entertainment (if that’s more your speed), Hawthorne Boulevard will start to gently transition from cafes into houses and the elevation of the road will start to rise. Follow the street around a few natural curves and you will see the edge of Mt. Tabor Park towering above you.
Mt. Tabor is a piece of history, a place to hike and play, and a bit important city infrastructure all wrapped into one — until last year, the entirety of Portland’s usable drinking water was held in the now-empty reservoirs on Mt. Tabor’s west side. Trails rising to over 600ft provide excellent views of the city of Portland and may even show the beauty of the distant Mt. Hood on a clear day. An important aspect of Portland existence is the balance between a bustling city life and the ability to retreat into nature and recharge without too much hassle. Mt. Tabor is a favorite of Portlanders for its ability to inspire peace and remoteness, without ever having to leaving the city limits.
Pine Street Market
Just across the river from Farma (in the opposite direction of Mt. Tabor) is a beautiful example of a Portland food-hall: Pine Street Market. Between newer, indoor halls and the abundance of food-kart ‘pods,’ Portland is full of these kinds of communal spaces where bunches of restauranteurs share the cost of rent in a large, open dining area.
This particular location is easily accessible from Farma by foot, and provides amazing views of downtown as you walk across one of Portland’s many famous bridges (the Hawthorne, of course). After crossing the river, stroll north through the park alongside the Willamette River. When you pass under the next bridge, pay attention to the road signs; once you reach Pine Street you’re there.
Pine Street Market hosts a variety of options that are sure to please any member of a group, no matter how large. Everything from ramen, Korean BBQ, smoked chicken and pizza are available, as well as coffee, fresh-pressed juice and a soft serve bar run by Portland favorite, Salt and Straw Creamery. The Market is perfect PDX snapshot, supporting smaller local businesses who may not have been able to afford a brick and mortar business on their own. Best of all, the beautiful structure lets visitors dine in comfort, no matter how rainy the day!
Loyal Legion
If you’ve heard anything about Portland’s craft beer scene — and if you’re in Portland, chances are you have — you might be struggling to decide between Portland’s outrageous number of craft breweries. Our suggestion is: why choose? Loyal Legion’s taproom can introduce you to most of them in a single stop. Loyal Legion has 99 taps and fills them ONLY with beers brewed inside the state of Oregon. If you’re a beer lover and this is the only place you have time for, you won’t regret it.
Better yet, Loyal Legion is less than a ten-minute walk from the doors of Farma. Walk down to Sixth Ave (towards the river) and follow it north to Alder. Find a seat along the immense wooden bar and start making the hard decisions. Repeat and enjoy.
At any and all of these locations, you will find a little peek into the essential about the Portland experience. We hope this short list has at least made your visit that much more amusing. Happy travels friends!