A Curated Day Guide

Portland &
The Gorge

Brunch, waterfalls, craft beer, and a dinner
you can't get back home.
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Departing from Camas, Washington
Pace: Relaxed. No rushing.
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Start Here
9:30 AM — 30 min drive from Camas

Brunch in Portland

Portland takes brunch more seriously than most cities take dinner. Three handpicked options, each a different flavor of the city.
Portland downtown waterfront Wikimedia Commons
Portland Saturday Market Wikimedia Commons
Portland Burnside Bridge Wikimedia Commons
Broder Söder
SE Clinton Street• Scandinavian• $$• Sat 9 AM - 3 PM
This is not your standard eggs-and-toast situation. Broder does Scandinavian brunch unlike anything in the Pacific Northwest: aebleskivers (crispy Danish pancake puffs with lingonberry jam), Swedish meatballs, breakfast charcuterie boards called "bords," and baked eggs with Scandinavian spices. They also pour the largest selection of aquavit on the West Coast. The space is cozy, warm, and unmistakably Portland.
Arrive by 9:30-10:00 AM to beat the rush. Walk-in only, no reservations. The aebleskivers are non-negotiable.
📍 Directions 🌐 Website 📞 (503) 736-3715
Screen Door
Pearl District or East Burnside• Southern Comfort• $$• Sat 8 AM - 2:30 PM
Portland's most iconic brunch institution. Southern-inflected comfort food: praline bacon, fried chicken Benedict, hush puppies, shrimp and grits. The Pearl District location accepts reservations, which saves you from the legendary lines. Big, boisterous, indulgent.
Pearl District takes reservations online via their website. Book ahead for Saturday. The Eastside location is walk-in only with longer waits.
📍 Directions 🌐 Website / Reserve
Rose VL
SE 82nd Avenue• Vietnamese• $• Sat 9 AM - 9 PM
The wildcard. Many longtime Portlanders consider the pho here an essential Saturday morning ritual. No frills: fluorescent lights, plastic chairs, extraordinary soup. Saturday's special is Vietnamese Yellow Turmeric Noodle Soup. Warming down to your bones in a way no Benedict ever could.
Cash-friendly. No wait. In and out in 45 minutes. Completely different energy from the other two. Under $15/person.
📍 Directions
The Main Event
12:00 PM — Head east on I-84 from Portland

Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls

The waterfalls are at peak March flow. This route follows the Historic Columbia River Highway, one of America's first scenic roads. All stops are drive-up or very short walks.
Columbia River Gorge panorama from Crown Point Wikimedia Commons • CC BY-SA
1
Drive-up • 0 hiking • 15 min stop
Vista House at Crown Point
A 1918 observatory perched 733 feet above the Columbia River with 360-degree panoramic views of the Gorge. Walk around the building, take in the scale. On a clear day you see east toward the Cascades and west toward Portland. This alone is worth the drive.
📍 Map
Vista House at Crown Point Wikimedia Commons • CC BY-SA
Latourell Falls in March Wikimedia Commons • CC BY-SA
2
5-min walk from car • Optional 2-mile loop
Latourell Falls
A 249-foot plunge over dramatic columnar basalt, visible right from the parking area. In March, the surrounding rock wears a vivid coat of yellow-green lichen and the falls thunder with seasonal runoff. Arguably the most photogenic waterfall in the Gorge. The optional loop to the upper falls adds ~45 minutes.
📍 Map 🚶 Trail Info
Multnomah Falls with Benson Bridge Wikimedia Commons • CC BY-SA
Multnomah Falls close up Wikimedia Commons • Public Domain
Wahkeena Falls Wikimedia Commons • CC BY-SA
3
Roadside • 10-min walk to bridge viewpoint
Multnomah Falls
The famous one. At 620 feet, Oregon's tallest waterfall and the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest. Walk to the Benson Bridge for the classic view with mist on your face. Saturday will be busy, but the sheer scale rewards even a brief stop.
Permit note: A $2 timed-use permit is needed if you park at the I-84 Exit 31 lot. Approaching from the Historic Highway (as this route does) usually avoids the permit requirement. Check day-of conditions.
📍 Map 🎫 Permits
4
Roadside • 5-min walk
Wahkeena Falls
Often overlooked because of its famous neighbor, Wahkeena is a cascading fan of water you can get remarkably close to. Quieter, more intimate, and just as beautiful. A perfect final stop before heading back toward Portland.
📍 Map

Driving Route

From Portland, take I-84 East. Exit at Corbett (Exit 22) onto the Historic Columbia River Highway. The waterfalls unfold in sequence along this winding, scenic road. Total driving between stops is minimal. Budget 2-3 hours for all four at a relaxed pace.

Portland→ Vista House→ Latourell→ Multnomah→ Wahkeena→ Back to PDX
Wind Down
3:00 PM — Back in Portland

Afternoon Beer

Post-Gorge decompression. Two options for settling into the afternoon before dinner.
Craft beer flight in Portland Wikimedia Commons • CC BY
Portland Oregon aerial Wikimedia Commons • CC BY-SA
Great Notion Brewing
NW 28th Avenue• Hazy IPAs & Fruited Sours• $• Open til 10 PM
Portland's most creative brewery. Known for boundary-pushing hazy IPAs and wildly fruited sours that taste more like smoothies than beer. The NW 28th location has a sit-down restaurant feel with a full food menu if you want a snack before dinner. Consistently packed for good reason.
📍 Directions 🌐 Website
Baerlic Brewing
SE 11th Avenue• IPAs, Lagers, Pizza• $• Open til 10 PM
One of the most reliable breweries in Portland. Their IPA program is among the city's best, and their helles lager "Chill" is a true Portland classic. The original location doubles as a pizza parlor. Unpretentious, neighborhood feel.
📍 Directions 🌐 Website
The Finale
6:30 PM — Reservations recommended

Dinner: Only in Portland

Something you genuinely cannot get back in Seattle. Each of these is distinctly, stubbornly Portland.
Olympia Provisions
SE Division Street• Charcuterie & European• $$• Sat 5-10 PM
Portland's own salumeria. They cure their meats in-house using old-world European techniques with Pacific Northwest ingredients. The charcuterie board alone is worth the trip, but the dinner menu goes deeper: steak frites, pork schnitzel, seasonal pastas, and an excellent wine list. This is Portland at its most confidently itself.
The SE Division location is the original. Reservations strongly recommended for Saturday evening. Budget ~$50-70/person with drinks.
📍 Directions 🌐 Reserve 📞 (503) 954-3663
Canard
SE Division Street• French-Inspired Wine Bar• $$• Sat 5-10 PM
From Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon fame. Casual but precise: signature steam burgers (sliders), garlic fries, duck liver mousse, and creative cocktails in a lively wine-bar setting. Walk-in friendly. This is how Portland chefs eat on their nights off. Budget ~$40-60/person.
📍 Directions 🌐 Website
Yalla
Multnomah Village• Mediterranean Smokehouse• $$• Sat 5-9 PM
A neighborhood smokehouse doing smoked meats, seasonal vegetables, and comfort dishes with Mediterranean inflections. Set in a charming Portland village that feels miles from the city. Not touristy at all. Great cocktails and a warm vibe. Budget ~$45-65/person.
📍 Directions 🌐 Website

Backup Plan

If the top picks are full, Higgins Restaurant & Bar (SW downtown) does contemporary French-American with locally sourced ingredients and a lively bar scene. Or head to Horse Brass Pub (SE Belmont) for a legendary English pub with a deep tap list, darts, and classic pub fare. Neither requires reservations and both are excellent fallbacks.

Before You Go

Need to Know

Drive
Camas to Portland: 30 min
I-84 West or SR-14 to I-205
Gorge Access
I-84 East to Exit 22 (Corbett)
Historic Columbia River Highway
Parking Pass
$5/day or NW Forest Pass
Covers Oregon-side trailheads
Multnomah Permit
$2 timed-use (Exit 31 only)
recreation.gov
Weather
Mid-40s to low 50s°F
Bring a shell. The Gorge funnels wind.
Budget (per person)
~$100-150 all-in
Brunch $20 + Beer $15 + Dinner $60

The Day at a Glance

Full Day Loop

The route flows naturally without backtracking: Camas west to Portland (brunch), east through the Gorge (waterfalls), loop back to Portland (beer + dinner), then east on I-84 back to Camas. Simple, scenic, zero stress.

Camas→ Portland Brunch→ The Gorge→ Portland Beer + Dinner→ Camas

Gorge Parking Tips

Getting Back to Camas After Dinner

If Plans Change