Today, #ELGL14 committee member Inessa Vitko shares why Portlandia, TriMet and #ELGL14 are a match made in heaven
We are one month away from #ELGL14!!! If you are coming from out of town, you probably have wrapped up most of your travel plans. You reserved a hotel room, maybe even at the Kennedy School and purchased your plane (or train) ticket, but what about when you get here… How are you going to get around?
Easy. TriMet.
Even if you are driving into town, why not enjoy every moment?!? Eliminate the stress about parking and traffic and getting lost in a city full of one-way streets by letting someone else do the driving. Here are some tips for navigating the TriMet network, as well as how to get to some of the previously blogged about events, attractions and highlights.
Getting into Portlandia and to/from the Kennedy School:
- If you are flying in, do not rent a car. Get on a MAX Red Line train just outside of baggage claim, but do it before the last train headed into town leaves at 11:49 p.m. TriMet’s Trip Planner (right on the homepage) will give you detailed itineraries on how to get to your hotel. If you are staying at the Kennedy School, get off the Red Line at the Lloyd Center Station and take the Line 70, which will drop you off right out front.
- If you are taking AMTRAK or Greyhound, you will be dropped off at Union Station in NW Portland. From there, you have multiple bus lines nearby (including Line 17 which will get you 4 blocks from the Kennedy School), as well as MAX Green and Yellow lines right next door, which take you up to North Portland or into Portland City Center.
- While thinking about getting around town, remember there are multiple bus lines within a few blocks of the Kennedy School, including a few that will directly connect you to MAX and downtown.
#ELGL14 Social Events, Restaurants and Attractions :
- Portland Timbers v. Real Salt Lake: Portlandia is Soccer City USA! The best way to get to and from any Timbers game is to take MAX. For $5 roundtrip, you can drink all the overpriced beer you want and have a professional DD. Considering parking cost anywhere from $5-$25, it’s a deal.
- Visit Portlandia: 1120 SW 5th Ave, atop The Portland Building. Green and Yellow MAX lines will run right by it, as do over 20 bus lines.
- Moonstruck Chocolate on SW 6th & Alder: This is a hot spot transit intersection. Served by all four MAX lines and over 20 buses, you can find your way to some chocolate pretty easily.
- Voodoo Doughnuts: although there are two locations, the easiest one to get to is the downtown location on SW 3rd & Ankeny, which is less than three blocks from all four MAX lines and multiple bus lines, in particular the Line 20 (which is my favorite bus line in the city)
- Mississippi Pizza: a quick bus ride from the Kennedy School. Just walk down to NE Fremont and catch Line 24. Get off at NE Fremont & N Williams, about 6 blocks away.
- Blossoming Lotus: for the non-meat-eater… Line 17 near the Kennedy School will take you to the front door. Just get off at NE Broadway & 15th.
- Food Carts!!! I can’t begin to even give any kind of trip planning for there. They are EVERYWHERE, especially downtown and along Division. Best action plan? Find the one you want and then use the Trip Planner to get yo’ self there.
- Powell’s Books: The original is located on W. Burnside and NW 10th. My favorite, the Line 20, will take you to their doorstep, or step aboard one of the Portland Streetcars. Both the NS and CL lines will get you there. Multiple other bus lines will get you within walking distance, including the aforementioned Line 17. After hours of browsing, you can also get good eats next door at Henry’s Tavern (located in what was the Weinhard’s brewery for over 140 years) or at any of the plethora of nearby restaurants (Oba, Little Big Burger, Blue Hour, Deschuted Brewery, Los Gorditos, etc, etc, etc.
- TAX-FREE SHOPPING: also in the Powell’s neighborhood, you will find the likes of Sur La Table, The North Face, REI, Lucy Activewear and lululemon all sans tax. Intermixed are local shops and galleries, including my favorite swimwear store Popina and cupcakes to die for at Cupcake Jones. If you swing into Popina, tell the owners (Willie & Pamela) that Inessa sent you.
Tips for riding:
There are only a handful of things you really need to remember before jumping on a bus or train…
- Pay your fare! You can even do it with TriMet’s mobile ticket app.
- Trip plan: laptop, desktop, tablet, phablet or phone. We have an app for that too (60 to be exact) or m.trimet.org (my favorite).
- Real time arrivals: FTW! Most of the apps under #2 will also do #3.
- Give up your seat: for seniors and people with disabilities, or, you know, the 9 month pregnant lady or kid on crutches. I know you are awesome like that.
- Thank your driver: not because you have to, but because that is what cool people do.
More information, schedules and TriMet information galore: trimet.org