Portland, Oregon: a city filled with coffee, bookshops, rain, locally sourced (and delicious) food, and of course Birkenstocks. Bring up the city to almost anyone, and I guarantee most of them will have something positive to say about it. Most people can’t get enough of Portland and the quirky aspects of the wonderful place.

I am luck enough to call Portland my home for a majority of the year. Being a student at the University of Portland, I have had the opportunity to explore new places and discover all the fun the city has to offer. I haven’t gotten close to seeing all that I want to see or exploring every bit of excitement that the city has in store. But, I have seen enough places to decide for myself the best of them all (so far). For anyone visiting the Portland area (specifically northeast, where UP is) or new students that are curious as to where they should begin exploring, here are a few of my favorite places to go or sites to see.

1. Cathedral Park

Cathedral Park is fairly close to campus, and it has a beautiful view of the St. John’s Bridge. It is a great place to unwind with friends (or even by yourself), and a beautiful park to simply walk or jog around.

2. The St. John's Bridge

The St. John’s Bridge, as I mentioned in number one, is an absolutely gorgeous piece of architecture. It is an alluring shade of green and beautifully designed. Just sitting and looking at it often puts my mind at ease.

3. The International Rose Test Garden

I love roses. And on a perfectly sunny day (which should really be taken advantage of in Oregon), the perfect day trip for me would be strolling around Portland’s International Rose Test Garden. The colors, fragrances, and shape of each rose is so unique, it is honestly hypnotizing. After all, Portland is the city of roses!

4. The Tea Bar

If you like tea of all flavors, and a relaxing place to hang out, I would suggest checking out the Tea Bar located on Northeast Killingsworth Street. From hot teas to bubble teas, this is a fun place to bring your laptop and finally crank out that essay you’ve been putting off for too long.

5. Cathedral Coffee

Only about a mile or so off of the University of Portland Campus is an adorably cozy coffee shop called Cathedral Coffee. Whether you’re in the mood for a warm hot chocolate on a rainy day, or a double shot latte to get you through your studying, Cathedral Coffee is an awesome place to go.

6. Eb & Bean

My go-to dessert is frozen yogurt. Eb & Bean is an all-natural and organic frozen yogurt shop located on NE Broadway Street. Since all the ingredients are locally sourced and organic (including vegan options), I like to trick myself into thinking it's good for me! Good for the soul and that’s what matters, right? So if you’re not feeling waiting in that horrific line over at Salt & Straw, give Eb & Bean a try. You won’t be disappointed.

7. St. John's Market Place and Food Pod

Ah, yet again, another North Eastern Portland treasure: the food carts at St. John’s. With a wide variety of food to choose from (think grilled cheese, to falafels, to burritos) you are sure to find the perfect meal, and that might be entirely different than your friend’s perfect meal! The seating and patio area is adorable and has such a friendly vibe.

As you can probably tell, I am beyond excited to head back up to Oregon for school. Having been through the first big transition year, I cannot wait to explore more of what this wonderful city has to offer. Maybe a year from now I will have an entirely new list! So like I said before, if you’re looking for something fun to do in Portland, and Voodoo Doughnuts just seems too mainstream (it's honestly just a donut with cereal on it), skip the line, take a look at some of these places, and I’m sure you will be delighted.