Secret Portland, Oregon 2010: The Unique Guidebook to Portland's Hidden Sites, Sounds, & Tastes (Secret Guide series) [Paperback]

Tom Burgess (Author), Ann Carroll Burgess (Author), Linda Rutenberg (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2010 | Series: Secret Guide series

Exploring the quirky eccentricities of the City of Roses, this intimate pocket companion to Portland examines numerous lesser-known gems treasured by locals of this unique West coast metropolis. An offbeat alternative to most basic travel guides, this accessible volume exposes local histories and legends while revealing the best eateries, choicest hotels, and hottest nightspots. From watching the weather machine in Pioneer Courthouse Square or choosing a blossom at the International Rose Test Garden to riding the only three-door elevator west of the Mississippi or embarking on a microbrewery pub crawl, this handy travel tome shows that experiencing the unknown can be truly unforgettable.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For a rare view into a treasured city, Secret Portland offers a quirky perspective."  —Sacramento Book Review

About the Author

Ann Carroll Burgess is an award-winning travel journalist who has written for numerous publications—including the Boston Globe, Easy Living, and Natural History—and served as host of WGUN Atlanta's radio show Postcards. She is the author of Atlanta Alive, The Essential Little Cruise Book, and The Guide to Western Canada. Tom Burgess is a travel writer, photographer, and retired chemical engineer who has traveled worldwide and written or contributed to seven travel books. They live in Portland, Oregon. Linda Rutenberg is the photographer of Secret San Diego and Secret Vancouver. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: ECW Press; 2010 Edition edition (April 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550229249
• ISBN-13: 978-1550229240
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #610,582 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #74 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Oregon

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great way to find those places in Portland that you may have overlooked..., February 20, 2010

By 

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Secret Portland, Oregon 2010: The Unique Guidebook to Portland's Hidden Sites, Sounds, & Tastes (Secret Guide series) (Paperback)

Even if you've lived in a city for over 40 years, there's a strong likelihood that you haven't seen or experienced all it has to offer. I really felt that way while I was reading Secret Portland, Oregon 2010: The Unique Guidebook to Portland's Hidden Sites, Sounds, & Tastes by Tom Burgess and Ann Carroll Burgess. Secret Portland is made up of 205 "secret" topics, or places and ideas you may not have known about in the City of Roses. While you probably won't be interested in all of them (secret dog friendly places don't apply to me), there's plenty of other things that make you want to start scheduling some outings.

Some of the most useful secret items are the restaurants for different food types. Secret Middle Eastern listed a couple of options that sound like they'd be rather tasty. Secret Italian sounded pretty good also. Secret Japanese goes beyond the restaurants and points you to other items of interest like Uwajimaya's, a supermarket for all things Asian, and Wakai Dokokai, a Portland school to teach you the "way of tea." Unless you had kids interested in skateboarding, you may not know about one of the Secret Skate Parks located under the Burnside bridge (very hidden and grunge). And who could resist Secret Museums, where two of the offerings include a vacuum cleaner museum and the Velveteria, an honest-to-goodness museum of nothing but velvet paintings (yes, "Keep Portland Weird" is our motto for a reason!)

A copy of Secret Portland will give you months of entertainment as you seek out areas in the city you didn't know existed. I also kept thinking that using Secret Portland as a guidebook for pictures of the city might also be an interesting project. Either way, Secret Portland is a nice book to help you uncover the real Portland.

Disclosure:

Obtained From: Library

Payment: Borrowed