Non-political PDX question

[sandnsea]

I'm thinking about coming up next Friday, getting a room on the river, and watching the boat parade. We may go to the Zoo lights too, and maybe the light thing at the race track. I love Christmas lights.. so shoot me.

So, what's a good hotel to stay at. As nice as possible for as cheap as possible, know what I mean? The whole family might come and I thought it might even be kinda cool to get a suite, there's 6 of us. Probably the same price as a bunch of separate rooms.

Any advice? Better things to do than the race track thingy? Any day time Christmasy things we shouldn't miss? No shopping, we drew names this year with a $40 limit, so don't need to worry about that. I'm just looking for a fun overnight getaway.

Thanks!!

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

1. I think,

that's just a think, that the Red Lion in Vancouver is on the river & you can see the Christmas lights from there. Red Lion is about as cheap as you're going to get on the river. They're clean & comfortable. We've stayed at lots since they take pets.

They should have a web site, in fact I know I've checked it out before. I've never gone to see the lights since it's crazy packed, but it sounds like fun. If I can think of any more I'll let you know.

best

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

2. i found a link for the ship schedule that may help

http://www.christmasships.org/about.htm

[sandnsea]

3. Thanks so much

The Radisson looks like a good possibility. But after looking at the ship schedules, I'm confused. Because there's two, one on the Willamette and one on the Columbia. Next Saturday they both run, so I'm wondering if they run on both rivers or what. I guess I will look for a port map and try to get a better idea of where each one runs and then go from there.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

4. I think they run on alternate days.

One day its on the Willamette & one day its on the Columbia.

Tell you what, I'll actually try to pay attention & post here, okay?

best

[sandnsea]

5. I can check Oregon Live

But sometimes there's just no replacing the radio and local tv and just plain old gabbing on the street. I'm glad you posted that link though. I had seen it, but hadn't really looked at the schedule before. I didn't realize there were two different runs. I know my luck, I'd have booked a room in a hotel overlooking the wrong river and then wondered where the hell the boats were!! Thanks for your help.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

6. Hi sandnsea!

There was an article in yesterday's Oregonian. It sounds as if the ships do both rivers every night. They must go up the Willamette & then the Columbia. I tried to find the article on oregonlive.com to give you a link. They print one lousy paragraph & then you have to subscribe. Oregonlive.com is just about the worst site I've ever visited. Anyhoo, the paper listed all the restaurants you can see the ships from & the hotels. The Red Lion at the Quay in Vancouver was the only hotel. There were several restaurants. If you can't get it & want more info just let me know & I'll see if I can help.

[sandnsea]

7. I'm even more confused

Because I just read on the web site that next Saturday night was the only night both fleets would be together, but they come up the Multnomah Channel :shrug:. So maybe both fleets do both rivers, but on separate time schedules?? And they only do one long parade the one time??

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

8. Okay,

I actually clicked on the christmasship link. It's very detailed. Pick the day you want to visit, click on that day and scroll to the bottom & it shows what hotels, restaurants, parks, etc you'll be able to see the ships from. If you want to visit this Saturday, Dec 8th. both fleets will run together, but only down the Willamette. So you would have to stay at one of the hotels or go to the restaurant, etc at the bottom of the page. Warning, I've always heard that the restaurants are absolutely packed. Getting a hotel room might be better. After looking at that list, again the only one that I think is reasonable is the Red Lion on the Quay in Vancouver. That means you would be looking at visiting when the ships are running the Columbia. So this Saturday would be out because they're only running the Willamette.

Hope this helps. If not, just post back & I'll try to help.

[sandnsea]

9. Yeah, the 18th

When it says both fleets will be together. Which one would think would be the optimum time to see them, except the site says they're going to be on the Multnomah Channel which runs along Hwy 30. And that there's no hotels and only one restaurant to see them from. So I don't know.

Do you feel like you're trying to help your semi-retarded mother-in-law yet? :)

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

10. lol, not at all.

Honestly, I've never paid attention to the ships. It's always so damned cold.

The site must be swamped because I'm having a hard time getting through, but I think you're right. Is there any way you can pick another day? Viewing on the Columbia would be your best bet. There are a lot of restaurants, etc on the Columbia. Certainly more than the Willamette.

[sandnsea]

11. No

The 18th is the only day both my son and son-in-law can get off work. So maybe we just skip the boats and go to the zoo and the race track thingy. I'll make some phone calls tomorrow and find out for sure about the boats. And the Red Lion still looks like a nice place to stay! Thanks for all your help.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

12. Choose something on the Max line...

Then you can get everywhere, you don't have to drive or find a place to park.

A walk downtown in the early evening when the lights come on is nice too. :)

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

13. will MAX take them to the ships? n/t

[Viva_La_Revolution]

14. yep. not to mention the buses

Portland has great public transit

Interactive Map here
http://www.trimet.org/interactivemap/tmMap.jsp

from the homepage, you can input your destination and it will give you the best route based on your criteria.

[sandnsea]

17. When we choose a hotel

I will definitely be back for help with transit because we do plan to use it. It's foolish not to, I agree Portland transit is terrific. I think we're going to end up at either the Residence Inn on the river or the Fifth Ave Suites. I think we will want to take the Max to the Zoo Lights, if it doesn't rain. I'm guessing it goes there. But I suppose we'll have to drive up to the racetrack thingy because the whole point of that is to stay warm in your vehicle and drive through it. (The environment, I know I know, shame on me) Oh, and I read somewhere that The Benson has gingerbread houses in the lobby and my daughter is all excited about that, anybody ever wandered in to see if that's worth scheduling? Or where the Benson is in relation to the hotels mentioned?

This is STUPID. One freakin' night. ONE. It shouldn't be this goddamned complicated!!

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

15. sandnsea,

next friday is the 16th & you can see them from Salty's on that Friday. That would be the Columbia trip.

Are we talking about two different days?

[sandnsea]

16. I have to go Saturday

I am resigned to not seeing the boats. I am becoming resigned to not seeing the zoo because it looks like rain next weekend and I can't take a 5 month old out in the rain. Which means the boats probably wouldn't run anyway. I may be in a hotel room looking at the lights of Portland for Christmas! Seriously, we decided we'd go to the mansion there that's all decorated and the lights at the racetrack. The children's museum has some sort of sesame street thing going on so there's always that for a total last resort. And we still haven't agreed on a hotel room, although it isn't proving to be too terribly difficult to get a room. Yet. Eating? I swear they all may be eating bologna sandwiches at this rate.

I appreciate everybody's help and may be back asking for more!