Travel / Outdoors

Travel news, consumer advice and trip reports for the Northwest and beyond.

Planning a Portland getaway? Eat, drink and make merry with the Portland Passport that will get you some  free treats around the city.

Flashing your Portland Passport – a coupon deal from Travel Portland, the city’s tourist office –   will get you a free doughnut at the sinfully good Voodoo Doughnut shops; an ice-cream waffle

At Salt & Straw in Portland, waffle cones go nicely with the rich ice cream. (Photo by Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times.)

cone (in dozens of flavors, from the  adventurous such as  pear-blue cheese to  good old  toffee-chocolate) from Salt & Straw, which hand-makes gourmet ice cream;   or a free brewery tour and beer- tasting at Widmer Brothers Brewing.

To get those freebies, and a half-dozen others around the city, book your hotel through  Travel Portland for a stay from now until  April 1. With your email confirmation you’ll get the “Portland Passport” with the coupons redeemable for  the doughnut, brewery tour/tasting and more.  You could get  free Swedish meatballs at Ikea,  too, through  the Portland Passport,  if you do some  sales-tax-free  shopping for household stuff while you’re in Oregon.

For even more deals, book one of the “Portland Perks” hotels, another discount program run through Travel Portland.  That will get you free parking (some downtown hotels usually charge $25 a night);  free continental breakfast, and another coupon booklet with all sorts of discounts.  Portland Perks hotels include luxurious  ones such as the Benson or more budget-friendly ones such as the Mark Spencer.