TRAVEL TIPS

Money

Meals in Portland are generally a little less expensive than in other major North American metro areas. Prices for first-class hotel rooms are high in summer ($250–$450), though the same rooms can drop to as low as $100 to $200 nightly in winter. The cheapest rooms you'll find downtown start at $75–$90 a night, and you can find even cheaper deals at budget motels out near the airport and in other outlying areas. You can eat well and find some great shopping deals in Portland, especially given that Oregon has no sales tax (this applies to restaurant tabs, too); admission prices aren’t terribly high here, either. One of the only notably expensive items in Portland is taxi rides, but public transit is extensive and parking less spendy than in many other big West Coast cities.

Debit cards and major credit cards are accepted at most downtown businesses, although a number of independent businesses in Portland accept only MasterCard and Visa. This has begun to change in recent years, as increasing numbers of small retailers—even vendors at the farmers’ market—use Square and other mobile apps to process credit-card payments, even for very inexpensive items.

ATMs and Banks

ATMs are common throughout Portland.

Credit Cards

It's a good idea to inform your credit-card company before you travel, especially if you're going abroad and don't travel internationally very often. Otherwise, the credit-card company might put a hold on your card owing to unusual activity—not a good thing halfway through your trip. Record all your credit-card numbers in a safe place, other than your wallet or purse, so you're prepared should something go wrong. Both MasterCard and Visa have general numbers you can call (collect if you're abroad) if your card is lost, but you're better off calling the number of your issuing bank, since MasterCard and Visa usually just transfer you to your bank.

If you plan to use your credit card for cash advances, you'll need to apply for a PIN at least two weeks before your trip.

American Express. 800/528–4800; 336/393–1111; www.americanexpress.com.

MasterCard. 800/627–8372; 636/722–7111; www.mastercard.com.

Visa. Visa 800/847–2911; 410/581–9994; www.visa.com.

BACK TO

Ready for a trip of a lifetime to ?

CONTACT US TODAY