(Geeky) Things to do in Portland Oregon

Here’s a list of things that I consider “geeky” to do while visiting Portland Oregon

Ground Kontrol – an 80’s themed Video Game Arcade.

Powell’s Technical Book Store (which is in a whole separate building from the main book store.) Do not miss this, as they have a small computer museum of sorts inside.

Four blocks east and two south should put you right at Voodoo Donuts. Home of the Bacon Maple Bar and many different flavors of vegan donuts which are much better tasting then you’d think.

Across the river in the industrial district is FreeGeek. They get tons of computers donated to them and every once in a while you’ll find some great stuff there. They have a nice store available now, but if it’s not in the store, they don’t have it available. They do get a lot of older, rarer, equipment donated though. So keep your eyes peeled.

If you’re into Geology, the “Oregon State Building” which is the rounded dome building near Lloyd Center has displays of rocks and fossils from around Oregon. Most all the departments have a small historical display of some sort, so it’s worth walking around the building.

Also downtown, is the Oregon History Museum. My favorite display is about the USS Oregon and includes a few artifacts left from the ship.

A bit further abroad, visit Astoria, home of the Goonies. It’s about a 90 minute drive from Portland, but you should make it a day trip and hit Seaside/Cannon Beach too before heading home along Highway 26.

Evergreen Air and Space Museum in McMinville. Another bit of a drive, but the Spruce Goose is there. They built a new building in hopes of getting one of the Space Shuttles, but that didn’t happen. They’re currently working to build a hotel with a 747 integrated into the design. The space building has a couple of Titan Missiles a V2 rocket, a real moon lander and a Apollo Capsule being “rescued” by a Navy Chopper.

Across the Columbia River in Vancouver, check out Pierson Air Museum right next too Fort Vancouver.

On Beaverton Hillsdale Highway is vintageTEK, a museum dedicated to “pique the interest of young people in science and technology and to challenge them to become the technologists of the next decade”. They do this by displaying vintage electronics equipment produced by Tektronix who used to be a large employer in the area.

Along Highway 26, between Hillsboro and North Plains is the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks & Minerals. This is one of the best the such museums in existence. Built in the couples home over several decades the entire property is now dedicated to the museum. They have some gorgeous specimens from all over the world here, including one of the best petrified wood displays I’ve ever seen.