VISITORS GUIDE TO PORTLAND
For very basic visitor information, you can go to the Portland-Oregon Visitors Association website: www.pova.org. When you're on the street downtown, you may see people wearing dayglow green vests; these representatives of the Visitors Association can answer your questions. There are many good guidebooks to Portland.


KBOO WELCOMES YOU TO THE 2009 NFCB CONFERENCE

DON'T MISS ...
• KBOO Open House Friday evening
• BIG Music Event Friday Evening
• Free shuttle bus to both events from the Hilton

GETTING TO PORTLAND
 
ARRIVING BY AIR  
Most major airlines serve Portland.  If someone is meeting you at the airport security gate, make sure they know which airline you are on, because there are two security gates. Another good place to meet , by prior arrangement, is on the lower (baggage claim) level, next to Baggage Claim #2, where Baggage Claim #1 would be if there was a #1. If you are strangers to each other, you might ask them to carry a sign with your name. All the major car rental companies are at the airport, and they have downtown offices, too, but you really won't need a car for this conference.
 
GETTING FROM THE AIRPORT TO TOWN   
Portland's public transit agency runs a "light rail" train from the airport terminal to downtown and beyond. It's very convenient. It takes about 35 minutes to downtown, and costs $2.30. To board, go to the lower (baggage claim) level, past baggage claim #2. There are ticket machines just inside and outside the door (they make change for up to a $20 bill). Trains leave every 15 minutes, with the last departure around 11:30 p.m. Get off at the Pioneer Courthouse Square station and walk two blocks south to the Hilton. A taxi from the airport to downtown takes 20-25 minutes and costs $28-33. Each additional passenger pays $1.00. There are a number of shuttle bus services that go to various points in the city. Follow the signs to "ground transportation", and ask the concierge there. These rides take 20-25 minutes to downtown, and cost around $14. No reservation is necessary.

ARRIVING BY TRAIN
Amtrak's Coast Starlight arrives from California in the late afternoon. The Empire Builder arrives from the east in mid-morning. There are four trains from Seattle each day. The Amtrak station is at the north end of downtown, within the free public transit area.

ARRIVING BY BUS
The Greyhound station is at the north end of downtown, within the free public transit area.

ARRIVING BY CAR
Driving from the south on I-5, exit left onto I-405 at exit 299B ("Downtown and Portland State University"). As soon as you have exited onto I-405, move to the right lane and exit at 6th Avenue. Go straight ahead on 6th Avenue about 12 blocks to the Hilton, on your left. If you miss the 6th Ave. exit, take the next exit ("US 26-Beaverton") and you will find an exit for 12th Ave. branching off from the US 26 exit. Then find your way back to 6th Avenue. From the east on I-84, go to the exit after exit 1, where I-84 ends at I-5. Bear left into I-5 South ("Salem-City Center"). Immediately, bear right ("City Center"). You will cross a bridge into downtown. Go straight ahead to Broadway, which is where you would expect 7th Ave. to be. Turn left on Broadway. The Hilton is four blocks ahead, on the left.
 
PARKING
There are weird meters downtown - one for each block. They take change and credit cards, but no bills, and the time limits are strictly enforced (you may not add time later on). Meters are free after 7 p.m. and on Sunday, unless posted otherwise. The Hilton offers parking for $20 per night for guests only. For everyone else they charge $3 per hour. Look for public garages marked SmartPark; their price is the same as the meters on the street ($1.25/hour), but you can stay all day.
 
GETTING AROUND IN PORTLAND
Portland has five quadrants -- northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest, and north.  If you are looking for an address, make sure you know which part of town you are talking about. Downtown is mostly southwest. Streets are generally on a grid, though there are exceptions. There are 20 blocks to a mile. Most downtown streets are one-way. If you ask directions, Portlanders want to help, so they may guess, and may guess wrong. If they seem to be guessing, ask someone else, except the police. Stay away from the police; they are not nice.

CAR
Portland natives are not in a big hurry. Don't blow your horn; just go around.

BIKE
We have more bike lanes and designated bike routes than most cities, but riding in Portland is still challenging if you are not used to riding in a big city. Every city bus has a bike rack on the front, and Max light rail trains have racks inside. Bikes are permitted on most bridges.

BIKE RENTALS
We can recommend CityBikes, a workers cooperative, across the street from the KBOO studios at 734 S.E. Ankeny St. 503-239-6951.

PUBLIC TRANSIT
Portland's public mass transit agency is called Tri-Met. Just about any location in the city is within a few blocks of a bus stop. Almost all routes go to and from downtown, meeting along 3rd and 4th Avenues. Riding is free downtown -- just get on. If you can't figure out what bus to take, ask any bus driver; most are helpful. Or call 503-238- RIDE. The fare is $2.00 or $2.30 depending how far you are going; tell the driver your destination and he or she will till you how much to pay. You must have the exact amount; they don't make change. They do take dollar bills. You will be given a receipt which you can use to transfer to any bus or light rail train for two hours, even in the reverse direction. The trains, which we call "Max", are also free downtown, but if you are going further, you have to buy a ticket from the machine on the platform before you board. These machines do take up to a $20 dollar bill and make change. There is also a streetcar that runs through downtown to the Northwest Portland neighborhood. It is free through downtown -- just get on.

WALKING
Downtown is compact -- most people can walk from one end to the other. You can spot the natives -- they don't jaywalk. Panhandlers are a common sight but are rarely aggressive. Downtown Portland and most locations in the city are safe, even at night. But if you are concerned, ask us at the KBOO table. Just about every street has a sidewalk, and pedestrians are welcome on all bridges except the Interstate highway bridges.
 
WHERE TO STAY

HOSTELS
There are two: Portland International Hostel (AYH), 3031 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., 866-447-3031, and Portland International Hostel Northwest Neighborhood, 1818 N.W. Glisan St., 888-777-0067. Both are about 1 1/2 miles from the Hilton, and are served by public transportation.

HOTELS & MOTELS
There are five Hiltons in the Portland area; the conference is at the Hilton Portland and Executive Tower at 921 S.W. 6th Ave., in the heart of downtown.
 
WHERE TO EAT
Ask us at the KBOO table. For a reliable internet restaurant guide, go to www.wweek.com, then click on Food, and find their 2008 Restaurant Guide.

FOR A FAST LUNCH NEAR THE HILTON
There are many good food carts downtown.
There are twelve carts at 5th & Oak. There is another cluster at 9th & Alder. There are several in Pioneer Courthouse Square, which is a good place to people-watch.  Also:  Sisters of the Road Cafe (inexpensive, filling meals served by people who are working for their own supper, 133 NW 6th).

THINGS TO SEE
This is kind of a wide-open topic. Whether your interests are conventional or unconventional, ask us at the KBOO table in the vendor area.

RADIO STATIONS
Guest rooms at the Hilton have radios.

• KBOO broadcasts 24 hours a day at 90.7 fm and at www.kboo.fm. Our studios are located at 20 S.E. 8th Ave., about a mile from the Hilton. We will try to give you a tour if you come in weekdays between 9 am and 5 pm, though many of us will be at the conference. On Friday, we will have an Open House in the evening, with free shuttle buses from the Hilton.
  
• KPSU 1450 am, on the air from 5 pm to 2 am. www.kpsu.org
  
• KBPS (classical) 89.9 fm, 515 NE 15th Ave. www.allclassical.org
  
• NPR (Oregon Public Broadcasting) 91.5 fm www.opb.org
  

THINGS TO DO -- EVENTS
There is a free weekly newspaper called Willamette Week that has rather complete music and entertainment listings. It can be found in sidewalk boxes and elsewhere on Wednesday. The Friday edition of the daily newspaper, The Oregonian, has an Arts & Entertainment section. Or ask at the KBOO table.
 
MAPS
Click here for a good street map including public transit.
Your tote bag contains a copy of Tri-Met's "Getting Around Portland" folder, which includes a good downtown map.

WEATHER
High temperatures in April might be anywhere from the low forties to the low sixties. Morning lows should be around 40. Will it rain? Hey, welcome to Portland. But downpours are rare, and it's not often windy, so just dress for rain, and carry on. That's what we do.

SALES TAX
No sales tax in Oregon, except on hotel rooms and rental cars.
 
COMMUNICATING

INTERNET
Hilton guests may use computers in the hotel lobby. Pioneer Courthouse Square, which is a plaza two blocks north of the Hilton, has a wifi cloud. For internet cafes and other spots, ask at the KBOO table in the vendor area.

TELEPHONES
Cell phone reception in the conference area may be spotty; some of the meeting rooms are below ground level. To make a local phone call, you have to dial the area code first, but don't dial "1" unless you are calling long distance.