re: Wedding in Portland (OR) in late October

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Basically the same thing in SF

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Pretty much all the west coast cities are hamstrung by the same self-inflicted wounds. I prefer to spend 90% of my vacations enjoying nature's beauty, but I do enjoy the trappings of cool cities. Interesting shops and food options.

We visited Portland in August of 2016 (we travelled the week of the flooding). Portland wasn't the best downtown. Big homeless population in the parks. A few crazy homeless people wondering, but overall it didn't feel terribly unsafe. Last year it felt very different. We weren't comfortable trying to do many of the same things we did in 2016.

Perhaps I'm overly sensitive to walking through a crowd of bums with my kids and wife? It boils down to not putting myself in those situations if not necessary. There is so much else to do around Oregon that downtown and most of the PDX metro was just skipped.


oh, one more addition. I'd skip Voodoo Donuts, but make sure you get a few donuts at Blue Star.