Categories > Guides and Tips
Things You Absolutely Should Do When in Northwest Industrial, Portland
- Try out the famous Portland brews
- Great Notion Brewing NW
- Boedecker Cellars Winery, Tasting Room + Bottle Shop
- Aviation American Gin
- Do something fun
- Escape Games PDX
- North Pole Studio
- Enjoy a weekend getaway
- La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Portland
- Portland Spirit Willamette River Tour
- St. Johns Bridge
- Unwind with cannabis
- Floyd's Fine Cannabis Slabtown
- RJ's Leaf
- Grab a snack
- Crazy Chicken Bento Food Truck
- Sub King
- Dutch Bros Coffee
We know what you’re probably thinking: Northwest Industrial kind of sounds like a dull and boring neighborhood from the get-go. However, it’s exactly the opposite!
A huge chunk of it is industrial, hence the name, but it’s also a home to exciting spots, unique experiences, and even delicious local brews. Heck, let us show you what you can get up to in this place!
Try out the famous Portland brews
In case you didn’t know, one of the things Portland is famous for is its local brews. With more than 70 breweries in the city, it paved the way for the creation of a lot of unique and interesting flavors that keep visitors coming.
If you’re in the Northwest Industrial neighborhood of Portland and want to grab yourself a drink, you’re in luck because there are plenty of choices here.
1. Great Notion Brewing NW
| WEBSITE | https://greatnotion.com |
| ADDRESS | 2444 NW 28th Ave, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 971-279-2183 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Thursday, Sunday 11 AM – 8 PMFriday & Saturday 11 AM – 9 PM |
Great Notion’s taproom is located in the Northwest Industrial neighborhood. This is also where they have their production brewery.
We always suggest this place to first-time visitors who would like a glimpse of the local brewery scene, but don’t know where to start!
Great Notion offers an interesting variety in their menu like blueberry muffin, strawberry shortcake, and blueberry pancakes. And yes, we’re talking about beer! Their dessert-inspired beer flavors are actually what make them popular.
After all, you can’t get these flavors in a lot of places. We find them perfect for people who are adventurous with their drinks or for those who are tired of the classic tastes.
Don’t worry about the drinks being too sweet like the deserts they’re named after, by the way. They actually taste a bit more sour and slightly fruity.
| Pro tip: Good news, pet owners! Great Notion now allows patrons to bring their dogs with them. Make sure they stay on the leash at all times though! |
2. Boedecker Cellars Winery, Tasting Room + Bottle Shop
| WEBSITE | https://boedeckercellars.com |
| ADDRESS | 2621 NW 30th Ave, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 503-224-5778 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday & Tuesday ClosedWednesday, Thursday & Sunday 2 PM – 6 PMFriday & Saturday 2 PM – 7 PM |
A married couple from Oregon created Boedecker Cellars after being inspired by their shared love of Pinot Noir. After crafting their own wines, they decided to set up their own urban winery in Portland.
Their goal is to make wines in a sustainable fashion, so one can enjoy a glass without guilt.
Eventually, they made their winery and tasting room open to the public. There’s also a big chance that you’ll get to chat up the owners if you go, so prepare your questions if you have any!
| Pro tip: If you want to visit their winery and tasting room, you can set up a reservation, but it’s not required to do so. They are open for tastings at this time: Thursday and Sunday 2 PM – 6 PMFriday 2 PM – 8 PMSaturday 2 PM – 7 PM |
3. Aviation American Gin
| WEBSITE | https://www.aviationgin.com |
| ADDRESS | 2075 NW Wilson St, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 503-946-1539 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Wednesday ClosedThursday – Sunday 12 PM – 7 PM |
You’ve probably heard of Aviation American Gin even though you haven’t set foot in the city. It’s either because you found it in your local store or you discovered it through Ryan Reynolds, famous Hollywood star and co-owner of the company.
Anyway, this gin was first produced in Portland in 2006! As of the moment, you can join them for a distillery tour and tasting at their Northwest Industrial location.
They host several of these throughout the year, so be on the lookout and reserve your spot! The tour lasts for about an hour and you can also try 3 mini-cocktails for an additional price.
| Pro tip: It’s required to wear closed-toe shoes while inside the distillery, as per their rules. |
Do something fun
The Northwest Industrial neighborhood also offers activities that locals and visitors can enjoy. From trying out exciting games to enrolling yourself in art classes, check out our top picks below.
1. Escape Games PDX
| WEBSITE | https://escapegamespdx.com |
| ADDRESS | 2636 NW 26th Ave #2, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 503-208-7353 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Sunday 11:30 AM – 10 PM |
| PRICE | $37.50 per player |
If your idea of fun is a combination of challenging puzzles where you need to solve and find clues to win the game, you should try out Escape Games.
As you would expect, this is best played with friends or family because most of the games require groups of 2 people and up. It’s also good for team building for companies!
It’s certainly a unique and memorable experience that you should try at least once.
| Pro tip: They have 6 rooms available that each have different stories and goals. All are fun and exciting. However, if you were to ask us what our favorites are, it would be Tales From the Attic and Amnesia. Tales From the Attic requires 2 to 8 players. It’s a spooky and immersive escape room where you need to unravel the story on your own in order to escape. At the Amnesia escape room, you’ll wake up to find yourself suddenly in a laboratory. You need to solve the puzzle in an hour to be able to escape. This requires 4 to 12 players. |
2. North Pole Studio
| WEBSITE | https://www.northpolestudio.org |
| ADDRESS | 2516 NW 29th Ave #8, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 509-429-1430 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Friday 10 AM – 3 PM Saturday & Sunday Closed |
The activities at the North Pole Studio are perfect for those who are looking to do something art-related. Under their programs being currently offered are art classes and workshops.
At the time of writing, they have an art class called Artist Meet-Up where students will have the chance to learn about visual arts and its materials and methods.
You’ll have the freedom to try out various techniques under supervision of local and experienced instructors.The class includes clay, printmaking, weaving, book making, sculpture, mask making, and such.
For their workshops, the current ones being offered are ceramics for April and screen printing for May. They’ll have more in the future, so be on the lookout for those!
| Pro tip: If you want to secure a spot for their workshop, it’s best to do it a month in advance because they tend to run out quickly. |
Enjoy a weekend getaway
Develop a deeper love for Portland by spending your time here enjoying different famous sights in the area. We listed our recommendations and also added where you can spend the night in the Northwest Industrial neighborhood for an enjoyable stay.
1. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Portland
| WEBSITE | https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laquinta/portland-oregon/ |
| ADDRESS | 4319 NW Yeon Avenue, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | 800-753-3757 |
If you want to experience Portland at its core, staying at La Quinta Inn & Suites would easily make that dream a reality. By staying in the Northwest Industrial neighborhood, local shops, fancy boutiques, and vibrant nightlife are just within arms reach.
The hotel has great amenities like an indoor pool and hot tub and fitness center. They even cater to those who are here for business with their own business center and meeting rooms.
Additionally, you’ll also get a free breakfast and WiFi!
If you’re traveling but worried about who will take care of your pup, this hotel is pet-friendly, so no need to leave your furry friend at home!
| Pro tip: The hotel also has a convenience store that sells all the essentials and more. If you want to pack light but are worried about where to shop, staying here might just ease your worries. |
2. Portland Spirit Willamette River Tour
| WEBSITE | https://portlandspirit.com |
| ADDRESS | 110 SE Caruthers St, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 503-224-3900 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Friday 8 AM – 5:30 PMSaturday – Sunday 9 AM – 4 PM |
This tour is highly recommended to anyone looking for a scenic escape from the bustling city. Sit back and relax on board while you appreciate an unhindered view of the city scapes of Portland.
This experience is truly one-of-a-kind because it gives you a view of the city that you can’t get elsewhere. Moreover, you get to experience it on the Willamette River!
The tours they have available all-around are the dinner cruise, lunch cruise, brunch cruise, and Portland sightseeing cruise.
It might be hard to choose from the four because they all sound promising, so we tried them all to recommend to you which ones stand out from the rest.
Most of us loved the dinner cruise and Portland sightseeing cruise the most.
The dinner cruise takes you on an intimate night filled with delicious local dishes, sparklight city lights, and beautiful live piano music. This tour runs for two and a half hours.
Meanwhile, the Portland sightseeing cruise is a bit similar, but without the meal. You’ll still be able to see a different side of Portland with this quick one and a half hour trip.
| Pro tip: Other than the cruises we’ve mentioned, they also have specialty cruises available like a wine tasting sunset cruise, Mother’s day cruise, Father’s day cruise, 4th of July cruise and more. |
3. St. Johns Bridge
| DIRECTIONS | https://goo.gl/maps/Ri6EecJfGgGxTh6E9 |
| ADDRESS | 8600 NW Bridge Ave, Portland, OR |
St. John’s Bridge is an iconic landmark in Portland. Its gigantic height of 400 ft. makes it the largest bridge in all of Oregon.
Moreover, it’s one of the few steel suspension bridges in all of the state, which is another reason why it’s an incredible sight that you need to see.
In case you need some convincing to go see this bridge, some even take photos of important once in a lifetime events like engagements and weddings with the St. John’s Bridge as their background!
| Pro tip: Get a nice view of St. John’s Bridge at the Cathedral Park or from the viewpoint in Forest Park! |
Unwind with cannabis
Relax, cannabis is legal in Portland (thankfully!). That’s why if you want to truly unwind during your trip, we recommend dropping by local dispensaries.
Luckily, there’s two right around the corner in the Northwest Industrial neighborhood, both of which have all the good stuff.
1. Floyd’s Fine Cannabis Slabtown
| WEBSITE | https://www.oregonpotdeals.com |
| ADDRESS | 2515 NW Nicolai St, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 503-278-7335 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Sunday 9 AM – 9:55 PM |
Floyd’s Fine Cannabis Slabtown is one of the most trusted dispensaries of the locals. The reasons for this are they have a knowledgeable and dependable staff, they have a variety of options, and they have great prices!
What we love most about them is how they hand-weigh your orders in front of you so you’re sure you’ll get your money’s worth.
| Pro tip: They can also accommodate you if you have a certain budget in mind because they have a lot of affordable options! Their menu is easily available on their website, so you can easily decide on what to order before even coming in. Moreover, you can also opt to order online! |
2. RJ’s Leaf
| DIRECTIONS | https://goo.gl/maps/zbRoTnz4agKzdZ3a6 |
| ADDRESS | 5501 NW St Helens Rd, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 503-894-9561 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Sunday 10 AM – 7 PM |
Rj’s Leaf is one of the lesser known dispensaries in the neighborhood, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not worth checking out! In fact, they have an array of choices that are priced reasonably.
They’re a small business but they could easily rival the big guns!
People usually come here for their great quality and wide variety. If you want to know what they have available in-store, it’s best to call in or go there directly to see an updated list!
| Pro tip: Their staff are quite knowledgeable, so be sure to chat them up if you have any questions. In the middle of our conversation, they even shared important interesting trivias about cannabis that made our visit even more worthwhile. |
Grab a snack
Northwest Industrial is also a home to shops that sell delicious food and tasty coffee. You don’t have to try every single one to know which ones are worth it, though – because you have us!
1. Crazy Chicken Bento Food Truck
| DIRECTIONS | https://goo.gl/maps/2A2FxdHq8WpnSCiQ6 |
| ADDRESS | 3600 NW Yeon Ave, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 503-407-4889 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Friday 11 AM – 2 PM |
We consider Crazy Chicken Bento Food Truck a hidden gem in Portland. In fact, we’ve been here so many times that we actually lost count!
Anyway, we’re sharing one of our secrets because it’s just what we do here at Rip City Review.
As you can tell from the name, they offer Japanese-inspired dishes, specifically those that come with rice. They don’t offer too many choices, so it’s easy to try everything on the menu.
| Pro tip: If it’s your first time trying out this food truck, we suggest ordering the cajun chicken bento. The portions are quite generous and the chicken is so flavorful right to the bone! |
2. Sub King
| WEBSITE | http://www.subkingpdx.com |
| ADDRESS | 2821 NW St Helens Rd, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 503-295-2049 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Friday 9 AM – 5:30 PMSaturday & Sunday Closed |
One of the best things you can do for yourself when you’re in the Northwest Industrial neighborhood is to go grab a sandwich at Sub King. Trust us – you won’t regret it. In fact, it might easily be the highlight of your trip!
For 20 years, Sub King has established their presence in the local cuisine so plenty of Portlanders know and love Sub King. They also catch the attention of visitors who’d like to take advantage of the food cuisine in the city while they’re here.
Anyway, they have a lot of sandwich options for you to try so go and get crazy!
| Pro tip: Feeling overwhelmed with the number of choices from their menu? Try out our favorites: Turkey & Salami and the Admiral! Turkey & Salami is pretty self explanatory, so we’re just going to describe the Admiral. It has Ham, Pastrami, Turkey, Bologna, Cotto, Pepperoni, Genoa Salami, Roast Beef, Provolone, Swiss, and American. Try this if you want bursts of flavors that work well with each other. You get to choose the type of bread and toppings you might want to add. |
3. Dutch Bros Coffee
| WEBSITE | https://locations.dutchbros.com/ |
| ADDRESS | 2110 NW 23rd Ave, Portland, OR |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +1 541-955-4700 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday – Thursday, Sunday 5 AM – 10 PMFriday & Saturday 5 AM – 11 PM |
We love this place for their classic choices and creative options. Don’t be fooled by their name though. They also have other stuff in their menu aside from coffee like the Dutch Frost which is basically a classic milkshake with a Dutch twist.
Flavors range from strawberry and cotton candy, to ninja (creme de menthe and white chocolate), white chocolate, and more!
There are plenty to choose from, so we haven’t tried all the flavors – but we’re working on it! They also have delicious pastries (mostly muffins) that would greatly complement your drinks, so be sure to try them out as well.
| Pro tips: After trying out several items from the menu (we’ve tried plenty!), our top favorites would be christmas morning (white chocolate chai breve) from their chai menu and molten lava (cinnamon, dark chocolate) from their dutch cocoa menu. If you don’t like your drinks sweet, we recommend going for their cold brew. |
