Welcome back to The Bluff, Pilots!
We brainstormed 14 fantastic fall activities to help (re)unite you with UP and Portlandia. If you haven’t checked out these fun finds yet, we hope to tickle your interest and encourage you to explore more.
On-campus activities
1. Grab some friends and chill with a gelato at The Anchor.
2. Admire and appreciate Buckley Center’s monthly art exhibits.
3. Take a walk through UP’s past by visiting the infamous UP archives in Shipstad Hall's basement.
4. Keep your eyes peeled for events in the Mago Hunt Center. We have highly talented folks here on campus, so anticipate theatre and music programs to deliver dramatic entertainment.
5. Count on a free drink at Espresso UP every Wednesday night at 6 p.m. in St. Mary’s for that extra little pick-me-up.
6. Paint your face with some Pilot pals and go to the women’s soccer game this Saturday night at 7 p.m. Fireworks will be showcased after the game, followed by a bonfire on the River Campus.
7. Take a breather and set up a picnic on the bluff, ideally near the south side of The Commons.
8. CPB Movie Nights. Held every Friday and Saturday in the Buckley Center Auditorium.
9. Get dirty in the SLUG Garden and enjoy a view of the St. John’s Bridge near sunset.. You’ll find this secret gem a few hundred yards behind Fields and Schoenfeldt Halls
10. Play ball and join an intramural team. Bocce and badminton are accepting applications up until this Friday.
11. Check out the Activities Fair this Friday from 4 - 7 p.m. in the Shipstad Quad. Chat it up, join a club, and get involved.
12. Become friends with UP’s Outdoor Pursuits program on Facebook, or go to their Howard Hall office. All of your adventures lie just around the riverbend: paddleboarding, waterfall expeditions, biking trips, and many more.
13. Start a volley and break a sweat on one of the two campus sand courts. You’ll find one by Haggerty Hall and one by Shipstad Hall.
14. Take advantage of speaker events on The Bluff. Ladies listen up: Julia Gaskill is visiting campus Saturday, Sept. 21 at 9 a.m. to discuss women in leadership.
Off-campus activities
1. Try some truffle fries. Little Big Burger - right off of Mississippi Avenue - is a culinary must. And if you have room for dessert, swing by Ruby Jewel and watch the sunset off the Skidmore Bluffs.
2. Head to Last Thursday on Alberta for your monthly dose of local artists, musicians, performers and vendors. See #6 for another fun Alberta festivities.
3. Think global and act local at Portland’s Saturday farmer’s market from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Enjoy live music, good food and good people.
4. Throw a frisbee or read a book at St. Johns’ Cathedral Park.
5. Macklemore would approve of the Hawthorne District thrift shop scene. If you’re craving retail therapy, it’s guaranteed at Red Light Clothing Exchange, Buffalo Exchange and House of Vintage.
6. Alberta is an excellent area for an afternoon adventure. Townshend’s Tea is the place to grab a tea and study.
7. Sauvie Island is the largest island off the Columbia River, but is a breeze to conquer by bike. There’s a 12 mile loop trail, with excellents spots for berry picking breaks, birdwatching and sunbathing.
8. Escape the urban world and take a hike through Forest Park, right across the St. Johns Bridge.
9. Magic is in the hole at Voodoo Doughnut, located downtown. It’s always worth the 30 minute wait.
10. 23rd Avenue on the west side of PDX is hip. People watching at the Tea Chai Te with a bubble tea in hand is guaranteed to please.
11. Since we do live in the City of Roses, you may want to stop and take a smell at the International Rose Garden, right off of South West Kingston Avenue. Wander around 3,000 plantings with over 60 varieties of roses. Open daily from 5 a.m. to midnight.
12. Brunch is a thing in Portland. Plan ahead and make reservations unless you want to wait for an hour. Highly recommend: Mother’s Bistro & Bar, Gravy and Slappy Cakes.
13. Snap some photos from Council Crest Park in SW Portland, the highest point in the city. Then wander over to Pittock Mansion for more marvelous views.
14. Catch a movie at the St. Johns Theatre for just $5. Follow it up with a slice from Signal Station Pizza and enjoy those 1950’s vibes.
Maraya Sullivan is a reporter for The Beacon. You can reach her at sullivam15@up.edu.
