48 Hours in Portland, Oregon (Fall 2024)

This fall, my husband and I returned to the city we got married in to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary and had a blast! We revisited some favorites and tried a couple new spots to spice things up. This is 48 Hours in Portland, Oregon!

48 Hours in Portland, Oregon

The Pumpkin Patch @ Sauvie Island

We first visited The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island pre-COVID era and loved it! Our favorite feature is the corn maze. Every year, they pick a different design and make things extra exciting by making you pick a trivia sheet that helps guide you through the maze. I’m happy to report that it took us half of the time it did last time around, and we loved the Peanuts theme so that didn’t hurt. :) The best part of the The Pumpkin Patch is that there is no admission fee, you only pay for what you do! Highly recommend as a go-to PDX fall activity.

Lunch @ McMenamin’s Market Street Pub

One of my fave PNW spots is any McMenamin’s restaurant! I really should start collecting passport stamps at this point. We decided to stop here and split a variety of cheap apps. It was my first time trying the tuna sliders and DAMN were they scrumptious! I’m already thinking about going back here shortly on an upcoming trip.

Portland Art Museum

I was so excited to go back to the Portland Art Museum (my last time was back in 2022 for the Frida Kahlo exhibit) for the Paul McCartney “Eyes of the Storm” exhibit! This exhibit featured photographs that Paul took himself (or that band team members took with his camera) during 1963 and 1964 during the rise of Beatlemania. We’re going back to take my parents in a couple months and I cannot wait! This is an exhibit not to be missed.

Dinner @ Eem

As soon as we saw this place online, we knew we HAD to give it a try! This is a trendsetting restaurant with a waitlist an hour long on a good day, specializing in Texas BBQ meets Thai food cuisine. We both got a fried rice dish, some apps, and a couple fancy drinks for an added extra touch. They are known for their “vacation drinks” and they did not disappoint! Their mocktail menu is so inventive. I already can’t wait to visit again, this is a must-go-to spot!

Brunch @ Harney Street Cafe

This little neighborhood spot is so darling! While it wasn’t my favorite food that I had during the trip and I think it’s hard to compete with the rest of the amazing PDX food scene, it was pretty yummy and the staff was very kind. I tried the eggs benedict and I really appreciated that they added fruit to the plate for a healthy touch - a rare find at most restaurants. Definitely check this spot out if you’re in the area and eat on the porch if you can, it’s so darling!

Lunch @ Por Que No? + Blue Star Donuts

Two of the spots we knew we had to revisit on our anniversary trip were Por Que No? and Blue Star Donuts - both places that catered our rehearsal dinner! It was so special to be able to relive some of the flavors of our big weekend and these are two of our favorite Mississippi Ave spots, so of course we had to! :) Extra bonus points if you check out Blue Star during the fall - their fall flavors are to-die-for!

Dinner @ Kayo’s Ramen Bar

One of the spots that we happily stumbled upon was Kayo’s Ramen Bar. We were walking around the neighborhood while we waited for our table at Eem and found this gem just down the road! We decided to go for dinner on our second night and it did not disappoint. We both got the TanTan Ramen and we surprisingly loved their coconut pudding dessert - you must give it a try! This will definitely be going on our frequent visit list.

Brunch @ Besaw’s + Tea Bar To-Go

And of course, we had to end our trip on a high note, grabbing brunch at Besaw’s (the place we had our morning after brunch the weekend of our wedding!) and some cocoa bubble tea from Tea Bar before hitting the road. Besaw’s was particularly delicious this morning and I was obsessed with their butternut squash + caramelized onion cream cheese eggs benedict - so fall, so rich, and so perfect. Other highlights are their chilaquiles and famous pancakes baked in a cast iron skillet! It’s a must-go anytime you’re in the area.

Hope this little recap gave you some ideas for your next trip to the city! :) Have a Portland rec you think I need to try? Pop it in the comments below!