Headed to Portland for the Simple Invitational Tournament? While we don’t support the dirty stinking hippies there, we do want to support your away travel! We’ve got a couple of fun events planned for you to hang out with your fellow Dark Clouds. We’ve also collected some general advice to get you situated in Portland with hotels and public transport to games.
Dark Clouds Events
Based on the results of our survey, we’ve planned a few events for you:
| Feb 21 (Sun) | 3:00 pm | Pre-game tailgate at the Cheerful Bullpen (Loons play at 5:00 pm PT) |
| Feb 24 (Wed) | 3:00 pm | Pre-game tailgate at the Cheerful Bullpen (Loons play at 5:00 pm PT) |
| Feb 25 (Thu) | 2:50 pm | Widmer Brewery Tour – $5 The Tour will last a half hour with a beer tasting afterward. You get to keep the tasting glass. Please wear closed shoes. (The Brewery is located on the ‘Albina/Mississippi Station’ on the MAX Yellow Line.) |
| Feb 25 (Thu) | 5:00 pm | Dinner – North Light A short walk from Widmers. |
| Feb 26 (Fri) | 9:50 am | Tour of Providence Park – The Home of the Portland Timbers The Dark Clouds have paid for the tour so it will be totally free for you to attend. We will be collecting optional donations that will go towards the cost of the tour. Meet at Keybank Plaza/Gate 2 located on the corner of SW 18th Ave and SW Morrison St. |
| Feb 27 (Sat) | 12:30 pm | Pre-game tailgate at the Cheerful Bullpen (Loons play at 2:30 pm PT) |
Events don’t need signups but if too many people show up, spots will be first come first serve. It’s a good idea to show up to events with 10 minutes to spare so you don’t get left behind.
If you want to set up your own activities, post in the comments here or tweet @MNDarkClouds.
The Stadium
The matches will be held at Providence Park which is located in downtown Portland. There are several bars, shopping opportunities and restaurants around the stadium so planning to get there early (or sticking around after the match) is a wise choice. Since many of you have already purchased your own tickets (buy them here) there is no dedicated away support section that we’ve organized.
Public Transport
The stadium is connected to the city by the MAX light rail’s Blue Line and Red Line through two stops: ‘Providence Park’ and ‘Kings Hill/SW Salmon’. The Kings Hill/SW Salmon MAX Station will be closed starting one hour before the game and reopens 1.5 hours after the game ends. There is no extra gameday train or express bus service that is usually present during Timbers in-season games so expect lines for trains to be long both before and after games.
Driving
While there are parking lots in walking distance from Providence Park, driving is not recommended. The streets are a maze of one-ways and clogged during games. Take it from someone who’s driven extensively through downtown Portland, leave the car at the hotel and take public transit. If you must drive, the Timbers have a page with parking information and directions.
Lodging
Staying in downtown Portland can be pricey. People have got lucky using hotels.com or HotWire’s secret deals. AirBnB is also a time tested source of lodging for soccer fans. Those inclined to search a little more exhaustively will find some quirkier, fun options like the Mcmenamins Crystal Hotel. I suggest not staying by the airport as the hotels there can be hit or miss. Also there isn’t much fun to be near the airport.
Things To Do
There are plenty of great guides on things to do in Portland. Here are our favorites:
What To Do In Portland Along The MAX Line
Lonely Planet’s Top Things To Do In Portland
Reddit’s /r/Portland Things To Do Guide
Excited?
We hope so! Make sure to tweet and Instagram photos of yourself in Dark Clouds merch using #DCMN.
2 thoughts on “Let’s Go To Portland!”