My first day in Oregon, I took the train from Clackamas to downtown Portland and walked straight to Stumptown Coffee Roasters on SW 3rd Ave between Pine and Ash. Stumptown is a mainstay in Portland and a must on your list. The latte was one of the best I’ve ever had and the raspberry hazelnut scone was perfect. As I typically do in a new town, I struck up a conversation with the person next to me. There’s no better way to learn about the best places for food and shopping than by talking with a local.

I found the people in Oregon to be some of the friendliest I’ve met anywhere. On more than one occasion, a stranger on the street actually smiled at me (which is great, because I tend to smile a lot, probably making several people think I’m a weirdo). Turns out most of the places I visited in Portland were a result of the conversation I had with my new friend in Stumptown Coffee. I’ll be posting more about these experiences in the days ahead.