DESTINATIONS GATEWAY CITIES | THE US 3 Portland


Oregon’s largest city has a hipster reputation, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s all style and no substance. The brewing and urban winery scenes are phenomenal, with several craft distilleries competing for attention too. On the food side, lots of experimental restaurateurs have moved from other states to take advantage of cheaper rent and open their own places serving innovative dishes, plus the city is dotted with food truck pods. It’s easy to plot your own tasting tour around Portland, although you could direct your clients straight to the most interesting spots with Urban Adventures’ craft brewery tour by bike (from £61) or a tasting tour downtown from Viator (£75). Top day trips out of the city include the photogenic, highly prominent Mount Hood volcano, the wineries of the Willamette Valley and the waterfalls of the Columbia River.


Salt Lake City


The capital of Utah is a fantastic gateway to the American West, with the state boasting five of the most impressive national parks. Seeing the likes of Zion, Bryce Canyon and Canyonlands makes Salt Lake City a perfect entry point for a self-drive trip, especially now that Delta’s route from Heathrow has become a year-round service. Access to the ski fields is important too. Park City, which hosted most of the 2002 Winter Olympics, is less than an hour’s drive from the airport, and has seriously impressive facilities. The city itself is usually seen as a weird oddity, with the grandiose Temple Square (pictured) – headquarters of the Mormon religion – being the highlight. But it has been becoming quietly cool, with a restaurant boom and a whole host of cocktail bars opening up in the trendy Central Ninth district.


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Charleston


For southern charm, the South Carolina port city of Charleston is hard to beat. Cobbled streets, handsome old houses, and verandas designed for rocking back and forth with a fresh lemonade are a key part of the formula. Joseph Manigault House and Aiken-Rhett House are two of the best to visit for the polished version of southern heritage, while the Old Slave Mart Museum tells the true story of the plantations. Outside Charleston, there’s a whole lot of South Carolina coastline to explore, with Myrtle Beach to the north ticking boxes for amusement parks, and the less rowdy Hilton Head to the south popular with golfers.


² travelweekly.co.uk 14 MAY 2020 25


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