The holiday season is here, and what better way to brighten your spirits than with a Holidate downtown! Every Thursday evening in December, cross things off your to-do list and have some fun with special discounts, free parking at SmartPark garages until midnight (enter between 4-6 p.m.) and live merry music sponsored by Portland Mall Management, Inc.
Get all the details for each week’s Holidate and make your holidays extra merry and bright!
Through the end of August, travelers and locals alike can save on shopping, dining and parking in downtown Portland while also helping the homeless with Compassion Coupons.
Here’s how it works: visit www.downtownportland.org/compassioncoupon for
a list of merchants and their deals, including 20% off frozen yogurt at TartBerry and $1 off evening parking at SmartPark. You can print off your favorites, or pull them up on your smartphone with the Forkfly app. Then, for every coupon that is redeemed, $5 is donated to the Bud Clark Commons to help fund a mentor outreach program to provide homeless adults with the services they need.
Other great deals include nearly 50% off custom men’s wedding bands, 2-for-1 Nutcracker tickets, 20% off dinner at Portland Prime, or gifts with purchase at Crafty Wonderland — so start shopping and saving with a do-good deal.
Personally, I think that Portland has a lot of perks. There’s the great tax-free shopping, the quick-and-easy access to the great outdoors (hello Forest Park!), the drool-worthy culinary and liquid libation scene and above all, the welcoming buzz of activity.
Lan Su Chinese Garden by LaValle PDX
Portland Perks is also the name of Travel Portland’s exclusive hotel package. It includes your choice of more than 25 hotels; free overnight parking (an average savings of $25 for downtown hotels); complimentary continental breakfast for two and a discount-packed coupon book filled with savings like $20 off dinner at the Heathman Restaurant and 2-for-1 admission to the Lan Su Chinese Garden.
Portland Perks is a great deal year-round, but if you book a two-night stay from now until April 30, you’ll get $50 cash at check-in to spend any way you wish. This is only valid at selected hotels and you need to travel by the end of April.
Need some extra Portland motivation? Now through April 5, you can vote for your favorite Portland-inspired photo on Facebook. The winner will receive a two-night stay at a participating Perks Hotel, a $50 American Express giftcard and a Canon PowerShot SX130 IS digital camera for all those pretty pictures.
Mt. Hood from the approach on Hwy. 26
When you’re driving up to a mountain, seeing its bright peak pop up in the distance is one of the most exhilarating feelings. Anticipating what you’ll find there is part of the fun, because a winter-white landscape can be so refreshing to the body and spirit during the grayest part of the year. Whether you are someone who feels the need for speed — downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling or sledding – or prefer the peace of quiet forest trails and cozy lodges, Mount Hood has a world of fun waiting only about an hour and a half from Portland. (more…)
Businesses and restaurants around Downtown Portland are offering up deals and doing good with their Compassion Coupon program, which runs through the end of September.
Under the program, users print off coupons for discounts and “extras” at participating shops and dining establishments. Then, for every coupon that is redeemed, $5 is donated to New Avenues for Youth, a Portland social services organization that works to provide education, job training and other outreach to young adults. It’s an all-around great program – in addition to Oregon’s lack of sales tax, shoppers get an even better discount or experience; the store gets the business; and the charity gets funding. Just in case you needed extra incentive to indulge in a little fall fashion …
Our pals at Travel Oregon have unveiled a cool new website dedicated to outdoor activities. The highlights include:
information on cycling, golf and outdoor adventures in the Portland region – and around the state;Need further inspiration? Check out TheIntertwine.org, an online guide to the Portland’s regional network of trails, parks and natural areas.
There are people who love deals (Pretty much everyone, right?) — and then there’s Cheryl VanClacken. The host of the fictional morning show “Perk Up Portland!” lives to “help” local celebs sniff out bargains. Check out her videos for the lowdown on savings, Portland-style. One note: While Portlanders do enjoy saving money, few of us are quite as … enthusiastic … as Cheryl.
We will confess to being excited about this offer, though: Book at least two nights at a participating hotel and you’ll receive $50 cash at check-in to get you started on your shopping and dining. (Another bonus: no sales tax.)
In addition to $50 in cold, hard cash, you’ll get all the Portland Perks that Cheryl is so crazy about:
What are you waiting for? Book your stay by April 25, 2010, for travel by May 9, 2010.
Have you visited the official Portland fan page on Facebook? That’s where we share local tips and talk with 6,000 or so of our closest friends.
If you’re not yet among Portland’s fans, now is the perfect time to join the party. This month, we’re sharing more than great insider info about the city: We’re offering a $50 gift card for shopping — sans sales tax — at downtown Portland’s Pioneer Place. Just book your spring getaway (minimum two-night stay) by Feb. 21 for travel by April 30.
To get your gift card, plus complimentary overnight parking, continental breakfast for two and the discount-packed Portland Perks coupon book, visit the Portland fan page on Facebook.
Since I work for Travel Portland, many of my out-of-town friends and family ask me if I know of any secret deals on hotels, restaurants and activities in Portland (most of these people are beyond crashing on my couch, but still want to save a buck).
The answer? Of course I do. I always send them to Portland Perks, where they can get exclusive deals on more than 35 Portland hotels, free parking, free continental breakfast and the Portland Perks coupon book – more on that in a second.
But starting today, I can share an even sweeter deal. People who follow the Travel Portland Twitter feed can book a participating Portland Perks hotel with all the benefits and save an extra $50 off a two-night stay. (more…)
