Pedal Bike Tours
City Guide FAQs About Us Media

Tag Archives: portland

New Old Town Portland

The adage “what’s old is new again” is surely the case in Portland’s Old Town. A small and dense area known for its historic cast iron fronted buildings, Old Town encompasses both Chinatown and the Downtown blocks closest to the Willamette River. For almost a decade now Pedal Bike Tours has been located near the heart of this neighborhood and we’ve seen lots of transitions. That’s why it’s time to look at what’s new in old town Portland.

If you’re visiting Portland and looking for things to do in Portland, especially downtown, there’s no better neighborhood to get a feel for both old Portland and new Portland. It’s a region of dichotomies, just like the city itself. Historic structures sit next to cranes erecting future buildings, hot dance clubs are nestled next to homeless centers. It’s authentic Portland because it embraces both its history and its future. Here’s our top stops to get a taste of both.

Old Portland…

Portland Outdoor Store: Let the neon sign with a bucking bronco entice you into this two-story western supplies and clothing store. Take selfies with a big-brim hat, ogle the massive amounts of saddles, try on some cowboy boots, and get lost in the aisles of this century old Portland icon.

Oregon Leather CoLooking for some leather? How about a skunk skull? No? Maybe a rabbit pelt? Even if these aren’t on your shopping list, walking into this 110 year old family owned business is a trip back in time. Inhale the forgotten fragrance of raw leather, ponder the potential of making your own moccasins, and maybe leave with a handmade wallet or belt. At the least, you’ll have glimpsed Old Town Portland unchanged and without ego. 

Voodoo Donuts: Alright, it may only be 15 years old rather than 150, but it harkens back to a gritty time when Burnside was a no-go tourist zone and the Paris Theater

next door was catering to “adults,” mostly men if you know what we mean, not the artsy types it now attracts. In fact, it’s possible the neighbors were an influence when Voodoo came up with their tagline, “The Magic Is In The Hole.” With surly service and a cash-only policy, Voodoo maintains its anarchistic, punk rock roots. So yes, it’s old school Portland… with a new school line out front.

 

New Portland…

Pine Street Market: The city’s first food hall, we often describe this new marketplace

as affordable and simple street food concepts from some of Portland’s best chefs and restaurateurs. Warm up with Marukin’s authentic ramen, fill up with rotisserie chicken from Pollo Bravo (sibling to Toro Bravo), grab a slice of cheese pizza at

Checkerboard (from James Beard Award winner Ken Forkish), and finish it off with  dipped soft-serve cone at Salt & Straw’s Wiz Bang Bar. The best part? They’re literally across the street from us!!

Pine Street Market through Pedal’s window. And what do you know! Construction 🙂

Mother’s Bistro: As famous for their french toast as they are for their breakfast lines, this Portland establishment is popular for a reason. It’s mom’s recipes re-imagined with a gourmet twist and a swanky dining room – still just as comfortable though, because as the restaurant’s saying goes, “It’s all about the love.” As of early February 2019, Mother’s moved into the more spacious and beautiful digs below the Embassy Suites in Old Town. That means a shorter wait time for a table, and now only 2 blocks from our shop. Thanks, Mom! I mean, chef Lisa Schroeder.

 

Fresh Hop Beer In Portland!

What does Oregon have that much of the rest of the world does not? Fresh hop beers, and tis the season! Locals can rejoice and visitors can revel in their luck of being in the right place at the right time.

With more than 75% of American hops grown in Oregon and Washington, not to mention that the hops must be used within 24 hours of picking in order to make these special seasonal beers, Oregon is the place to be for the next couple weeks. Harvest just happened and the beers are starting to roll out. Guests on our Oregon Brewery Trail tour are already getting samples, but if you’re just interested to do hit a couple places on your own, here’s a quick list of some top brewery picks where fresh hop beers are already on tap.

Fresh Hops On Tap At…
1. Little Beast Brewing Beer Garden – Fresh Hop Fera
A personal favorite, brewer Charles Porter takes his knack for mixed
fermentation farmhouse ales and gives it a fresh hop kick. You can even soak up
some sun on a picnic blanket while enjoying a glass.
2. Lucky Lab – Simcoe Fresh Hop Pale Ale – This is a product of their fresh hop
harvest from hops grown at their NW Portland pub. The public helped pick these
delicious hops, and if you’re on our beer tour they’ll definitely be on the
tasting tray.
3. Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House – They currently have 3 new releases
out of more than a dozen planned to hit their taps. Try the Fresh Hop Mirror
Pond, Chasing Freshies, Fresh Hop Hop City IIPA. Yum!
4. Crystal Brewery – Another one on our brewery tour, but sip a Thundercone Fresh
Hop Ale in this eclectically awesome downtown brewpub.

Lastly, don’t miss the opportunity to try dozens of Oregon fresh hop ales this weekend,
Sept 29 & 30th, at the Portland Fresh Hops Beer Fest at Oaks Amusement Park.
Cheers!
The Pedal Team

Pedal Rolls Out Portland Pot Tour

A new form of tourism is sparking up in Oregon, and Pedal Bike Tours is leading the way – marijuana tours.

Guests purchasing pot on October 1st.

Guests purchasing pot on October 1st.

With recreational marijuana now legal in the state, Pedal Bike Tours is giving guests the chance to pull back the curtain on Oregon’s thriving marijuana industry with the launch of the state’s first cannabis-centered tour, the Portland Pot Tour.

Did you know hemp was one of the Willamette Valley’s first commercial crops? The Portland Pot Tour covers how Oregon’s fortunes have long been tied to the cannabis plant, bringing us up to legalization today. So in addition to the fascinating history, riders on the tour will learn the current laws for purchasing and consuming cannabis products, as well as get direct access to some of the finest pot available – and we’ll do it all by bike!

“People are curious about legal weed, and we’re excited to show them what’s happening,” says Pedal Bike Tours owner Todd Roll. “Who knows if this will be the state’s newest tourism draw, but either way, this ride will be pure fun.”

The relaxed 9-mile ride takes riders to some favorite dispensaries, like Canabliss and Gras, as well as legendary head shops like Third Eye Shoppe and Mellow Mood. Guests can browse and shop for the finest locally-grown and organic strains, hand-blown art glass and carved wooden pipes. The tour also includes delicious “pairings” with a couple munchy stops, including ice cream (yes: vegan options are available).

A stop at Canabliss dispensary in SE Portland.

A stop at Canabliss dispensary in SE Portland.

Prices include a bike, helmet, guided tour, food and a joint of local marijuana at the end of the tour ($69). Riders will not consume marijuana on the tour itself, but are welcome to purchase products for later.

Date: Daily
Time: 3:00PM to 6:00PM
Where: starting at Pedal Bike Tours, 133 SW 2nd Avenue

We hope you can join us for this one-of-a-kind bike tour!

Pedal's new limited edition Portland Pot Tour t-shirt. Get 'em while you can!

Pedal’s new limited edition Portland Pot Tour t-shirt, available at our shop.

Portland has a new iconic mural!

You can see it now and forever outside Pedal Bike Tours at 133 SW 2nd Avenue.

2012-07-19-161238

According to the League of American Bicyclists, Portland is the most bicycle friendly large city in the United States, and here at Pedal Bike Tours we think that’s something worth celebrating… in a BIG way.

We’ve just put the final touches on a new 4-story mural in the heart of our Old Town neighborhood. Now tourists coming in for a sightseeing tour at Pedal, visiting the Saturday Market or enjoying some Stumptown Coffee or Voodoo Donuts around the corner, can experience Portland’s love of bikes, and have yet another great photo opportunity. And for locals… we can revel in the pride of a 6% bicycle commuter rate, and always push the bar higher… or BIGGER.

Portland reclaims #1 spot in Bicycling Mag rankings

Bicycling magazine just published their latest rankings of top 50 bicycling cities in the US and Portland has regained the top spot. Here’s an excerpt from the article:

“After being named runner-up in our last round of best bike city rankings in 2010, Portland reclaims the top spot. The only large city to earn Platinum status from the League of American Bicyclists is a paragon of bike-friendliness, with 180 miles of bike lanes and 79 miles of off-street bike paths. Always quick to embrace cyclist-friendly innovations, Portland was the first city in the United States to implement bike boxes at intersections and elementary-school bike commuting trains. “

Thank goodness we got it back so we don’t have to change the tag line on our awesome t-shirts!

Oregon Tours

1 (503) 243-2453 info@pedalbiketours.com
133 sw 2nd avenue portland, or, 97204