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Gresham often feels almost like an afterthought to Portlanders—a way station to gas up or grab snacks and supplies on the way to Mount Hood and points beyond. Living as I do right on the border between the cities, I can attest that there’s much more to the fifth-largest city in the state than you might catch on first glance. Taco trucks and Mexican restaurants abound, as do markets and bakeries catering to the Eastern European diaspora. Mt. Hood Lanes, one of the few remaining bowling alleys in this region, and the Mt. Hood Theatre, an independent movie house, are still going strong. And the city puts you within a short drive from any number of recreational spots from Multnomah Falls to Powell Butte to Rooster Rock State Park. Here is a list of other options to make your stay in Gresham even more enjoyable.
Get back to nature
The Springwater Corridor cuts its merry way through Gresham, and spinning off of that are a handful of shorter trails in the area that do an equally good job meshing urban gray with natural greenery. A favorite is the Gresham-Fairview Trail, a nearly 3½-mile pathway that takes walkers from, yes, Gresham to Fairview and back again. Along the journey, you’ll connect up with Southwest Community Park, a lush patch of undeveloped land that will soon be transformed into a proper park, where you can get great views of Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood as well as a snapshot of the demographics of the city as you pass through a series of neighborhoods.
If you find yourself in Gresham’s quaint yet often bustling downtown, take a moment to pop across Powell Boulevard to the Gresham Japanese Garden (124 S Main Ave., 503-502-7340, greshamjapanesegarden.org) for a breather. Built initially in the ’70s, the idyll has expanded greatly thanks to the efforts of landscape architect Jim Card. This meticulously cared for garden now includes areas for events, education, and quiet reflection among a gorgeous array of cherry trees, lace leaf maples, and azaleas.
Sample local flavors
Breakfast options ain’t scarce in Gresham, but for many locals, the only spot that matters for a morning meal is Jazzy Bagels (5 E Powell Blvd., 503-665-9191, jazzybagels.com). Your choice of bagels and schmears (all made in house) is plentiful, leaving you plenty of room to mix and match. (Chocolate chip bagel with jalapeño cream cheese? Why the hell not?) Bagel sandwiches and bagel dogs are also always on the menu if lunch is more your speed. And true to the shop’s moniker, a pianist stops in on weekends to perform the mood music for your nosh.
Making a decision about dinner is even more of a challenge as the main drag in Gresham is packed with restaurants. Italian, Thai, Mediterranean, Mexican…they got you covered. For all those choices, I somehow keep gravitating back to The Local Cow (336 N Main Ave., 503-489-5116, the-local-cow.foodjoyy.com), an unpretentious eatery that specializes in burgers served on pillowy, buttery brioche buns. My favorite pick from the delectable fare? The Rockwood Burger ($14.50), which arrives dripping with pepper jack cheese and guacamole and piled high with fried banana peppers.
Dig into your hobbies
Visiting Maggie Mae’s Bookshop (50 NW 1st St., 503-489-5471, maggiemaesbooks.com) feels like sinking into a soft easy chair. The warm colors and atmosphere, as well as the appropriately friendly staff, keep you comfortable and browsing long after you thought you were done. There are book clubs and titles for adults, but the selection of kids’ books is what truly sets this shop apart. It’s guaranteed Maggie Mae’s has and will continue to instill a love of reading in generations of young people.
A little farther outside Gresham’s downtown, stuck in a shopping plaza alongside enormous chain stores, stands Retro Shark Gaming (2155 NE Burnside Road, 503-491-1555, retrosharkgaming.com), a bastion of geek culture. While a vast array of used video games, DVDs, and tabletop games is a wonder to behold, the draw for this shop is its selection of Magic: The Gathering cards (both new and vintage) and the spacious area for players to do battle with friends and strangers alike.