Wali-G 2026 Travel Report in Portland

Wali-G Intel for Portland, Oregon
This report should help you get your bearings (or at least give you a start for checking out some of Portland) when traveling this weekend to the 2026 Moneyball Foosball Classic in Oregon.

Event: 2026 Moneyball Foosball Tournament
Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Downtown Convention Center
Address: 1441 Ne 2nd Avenue Portland, OR 97232 United States

Welcome to the Land of Public Transportation
Here are few things to know about Portland transportation:

1. Convention Center is south east 11.5 miles from the Portland International Airport
2. From the Convention Center downtown Portland is 2.5 miles south east
3. Portland-area drives like a parking lot; it takes a patience
4. Portland public transportation system is one the best in the U.S.
5. Transportation: Uber, MAX light rail, street car, TriMet bus, electric bike, electric scooter
6. Crowne Plaza airport shuttle: 4am to 11pm. $15. (503) 233-2401 for pickup.

An Uber cab can take you to the Crowne (20-30 minutes) and will run $25-45.

On Portland public transportation, for $2.80, your ticket is valid for 2.5-hours of unlimited rides on buses, Portland Streetcar, and the MAX light rail train. If you pay for two 2.5-hour fares in day ($5.60), you have service for the full day. You can pay by tapping your credit/debit card or using a virtual card on your phone.

The budget-way, and maybe even the fastest way to get from the Portland airport to the Convention Center is the MAX light rail. Red Line west.

When heading out the doors of the baggage area of the Portland Airport, turn right and follow the sidewalk. The Red Line is currently hiding behind construction, but it is there and waiting for you. Trains run every 15-minutes and head west to Hillsdale through downtown Portland. To get to the Crowne Plaza, you can either hop off the Red line at Convention Center MAX station or the Rose Quarter Transit Center.

The TriMet MAX Red Line and Green Lines can take you directly downtown from the Crowne Plaza. Takes about 10-minutes. I would recommend jumping off at the Morrison St Station or Pioneer/Courthouse/SW 6th Ave Station to put you as close to Portland’s city center as possible.

Riding different kinds of transportation is kind of a thing-to-do on vacation. If you are looking to cruise electric bikes and electric scooters, you can find them throughout the city. Probably the best cruise is along the west bank of the Willamette. No cars on this walking/bike path. Power tour the bridges of “Bridge City” by electric.

Aside from the hot tub speed boats you can rent by the south marina on the Willamette, I recommend the Portland Street car on “The Loop.”

The Streetcar is 10-minute walk from Crowne Plaza. The Crowne Plaza sits to the north and east part of The Loop. Take the Streetcar south to see Portland on a slow ride. The Streetcar is not the fastest but it takes you through a variety of cool neighborhoods when the weather is wet or you have been on your feet all day.

Enjoy the ride!

Portland is a Land of Foodie
If you can’t get away from the Crowne Plaza, just remember DoorDash is your friend. DoorDash will bring the food to you.

If you can get away from the Crowne Plaza, there are a multitude of food cart pods around the city. Food cart pods host two or more food carts, offering a variety of cuisine, typically sharing amenities like covered seating and restrooms. Here are few close to the Convention Center:

1. Cartside Food Carts
2. The Cart Blocks
3. Prost! Marketplace
4. Hawthorne Asylum

Each food pod has its own uniqueness and a variety of cuisines.

Many of these places you can order from through DoorDash.

Outside of the food pod recommendations, my favorite downtown restaurant suggestions:

1. Portland is known for brunch. Screen Door. Downtown Portland. 1131 NW Couch St
2. Burger: Killer Burger in downtown Portland. Best burger for the price in the city. Complete with a heavy metal and hard rock theme. Great beer selection. 510 SW 3rd Ave
3. Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen 11am-2:30; 4pm-11pm. 835 SW 2nd Ave
4. Portland Food Hall. Best burrito bowls and tacos for the price in Portland.
5. 40-lb Coffee Shop: best coffee and smoked pork belly bahn mi sandwich. 101 SW Main Street

The foodie list could go on and on, but these a few of my favorites I dine at quite a bit downtown.

Portland is a Music and Comedy City

Portland has a significant amount of artists in the city. There is terrific support for the music and comedic arts in the community. It is a stopping point for up-and-coming artistic professionals.

Music venues close to the Convention Center, downtown Portland, or off the streetcar loop:

1. Dantes. Hip, dungeon like rock venue. Open till 2:30am. 350 W Burnside St
2. McMenamins Crystall Ball Room. Live-music venue and dance hot spot. 1332 W Burnside St
3. Star Theatre and Starlight Lounge. Open till 2:30am. 13 NW 6th Ave
4. The Get Down Music Venue. 680 SE 6th Ave
5. Nova PDX. Dance floor, bars, live music and events. 722 E Burnside St.
6. Mississippi Studios. Intimate live music venue and recording studio. 3939 N Mississippi Ave

There are plenty more live music venues in Portland. These are just some of the closest to the Convention Center.

Pick your flavor on any given night!

Comedy clubs are also in the area:

1. Kelly’s Olympian. Low-lit bar with regular live music and Sunday standup comedy.
2. The Rose Quarter/Moda Center.
3. Helium Comedy Club. National acts. 21+.
4. Many of the live music venues listed above also host comedy night.

Portland Also Got Other Zing
1. Best bookstore in the Northwest: Powell’s City of Books. 1005 W Burnside St.
2. Portlander’s love beer and bloody marry’s as much as Wisconsinites
3. Cannabis is legal for recreation. 21+. Some of the best and cheapest herbs in the country.
4. Portland is also the “City of Roses.” Check out the rose gardens and Hoyt Arboretum.

5. If you are feeling a lil Irish-ish, Kell’s Pub is hosting their 4-day Portland Irish Music festival from Friday, March 13th to Tuesday, March 17th at their pub, at the waterfront, and at their brewery.

Welcome to Portland!
Population: 2.5 million residents in the metropolitan area (28th-most populous in the US).

6th biggest city on the West Coast.

Keeping it weird and very entertaining!