Portland, Ore. - The Perfect One-Night Getaway from the Olympia Area

Cheers! Happy Halloween, Blazers fans!

Darling Husband and I hadn't meant to spend Halloween 2015 in Portland, Ore., but we did want to attend a Trail Blazers game on a Saturday and that's how it worked out. 

This certainly wasn't our first visit to P-Town, but the city is huge and ever-changing. There is always something new to discover.

Here is what we discovered on our Portland trip just the two of us.

1) Portland floods. It was really rainy on Halloween this year. When we showed up in Portland about 3 p.m. Saturday, traffic was moving slowly and water had pooled at high levels downtown. We should have taken the truck instead of my little Ford Focus.

Our view down Broadway from our 10th floor corner room at The Benson.

2) Step back in time at The Benson Hotel. I love historic hotels. Dane and I got married in one. Wow this hotel was so gorgeous. When we arrived, the front desk upgraded us to a corner room on the 10th floor. The room furnishings were outdated and you could see its age in some areas. But it was clean and the bed was divine. Plus, for Halloween the staff was keeping a giant front table in the lobby stocked with Halloween candy, which Dane and I enjoyed throughout the night. The free wine taste at 430 p.m. was a nice touch, but the server knew very little about the wine she was pouring.

3) Because the city was flooded, we walked to dinner. We enjoyed a fresh Italian meal at Ristorante Roma. The starter salad was so big it had to be shared. I had the ravioli special and Dane had spaghetti and meatballs. The ambiance was a little lacking, but the food was delicious and well-priced. 

I sported team colors - red and black. I'll get Dane on board next time.

4) Our first Blazers game! It was fun to dress in red and black and cheer on the team. The fans go crazy and the entertainment in the form of stunt team and dancers was great. The Blazers lost by 11, but we didn't care. It was just plain fun.

5) When the city floods, take the Max! It was easy to get from downtown to the Moda Center by Max. I was so glad we didn't drive. It is definitely public transit, but it was all families and Blazer fans after the game.

6) Have a cocktail with John in The Benson's Palm Court lounge. The best waiter ever, John was attentive and humorous. With a pianist and jazz singer, it was the perfect nightcap.

Dear Portland: Your brunch system is broken. :( Yes, I'm at the back of this line trying to get our name on the list at
Tasty n Alder.

7) Brunch in Portland. Sigh. Ok, if someone is grumpy or hungry when you go to brunch, don't go. Find a Starbucks and get them food STAT. We selected Tasty n Alder as our spot. We waited in line for 30 minutes to get our name on the list. Then, we waited one hour to get a table. The table was so close to the couple next to us, we were practically involved in their conversation. But, the food was really good. I had a bloody mary and cheddar biscuit. Dane had the steak sandwich. Worth the wait? We were in for the long haul. We had nowhere to be. But I don't think we'll go back.

Verdict: Portland is the perfect one-night getaway for anyone in the Olympia area. The city floods and brunch is broken, but there are plenty of back-up options (Blue StarDonuts) to save your trip. Just pack your rain coat and rain boots and have fun!

Loved this candy table at The Benson Hotel!