Spring staycation, student style

Are you in town for spring break? Plan yourself an inexpensive staycation. Whether you choose to spend the week indulging or exploring, Portland has plenty to offer you. Many of the below activities are heavily discounted for students. Open up your Chinook Book app and take advantage of all the deals.

INDULGE

You can enjoy the height of relaxation without even leaving the city.

  • While a full-body massage might break the bank, the Foot Bar (909 N.W. 13th Ave.) offers a $25 foot massage that includes a hot-and-cool foot bath.
  • Sit down with a soothing cup of tea at Townshend’s Tea Company. Choose from 100 loose-leaf teas like Silver Needle, Coconut Oolong and Jamaica Blend Rooibos. There are three locations around the city. With your Chinook Book, you can get two beverages for the price of one.
  • Heal yourself after your busy winter term with a “Moving to Heal” class at StudioNia (918 S.W. Yamhill St., fourth floor). This class, which is held at 10:45 a.m. Monday through Thursday, features soft music and healing motions. Download a complimentary two-week membership coupon here.
  • For the ultimate in relaxation, gather a few friends and rent this luxury getaway for a couple nights. The waterside suite features a private deck, a natural wooden hot tub, on-site massage (extra charge) and private yoga classes. The lodging, which is suitable for up to four people, is $135 a night; there’s a two-night minimum.

EXPLORE

Experience some of Portland’s exciting destinations during your week off.

  • Billed as “the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan,” the Portland Japanese Garden (611 S.W. Kingston Ave.) is a true urban oasis. It comprises five lovingly maintained natural spaces: the Strolling Pond Garden, Tea Garden, Natural Garden, Flat Garden and Sand & Stone Garden. On March 29 and 30, the Japanese Garden will be the site of the Oregon Camellia Society’s Annual Spring Camellia Show. Admire more than 100 types of Japanese camellias at the Pavilion Gallery. Your Chinook Book app entitles you to $2 off admission.
  • The lovely Lan Su Chinese Garden (239 N.W. Everett St.) delights both tourists and locals with its amazing collection of 90 Chinese trees and shrubs. Springtime brings the blooms of laurels, edgeworthia and magnolias. Enjoy a view of the lake from the Moon Locking Pavilion, or munch on a lotus root cake at the Teahouse in the Tower of Cosmic Reflections. You get $2 off admission when you open up your Chinook Book app.
  • Have you toured all of Portland’s exciting neighborhoods? Admire the galleries of the Alberta Arts District and finish up with a slice of pie at Random Order Coffeehouse and Bakery (1800 N.E. Alberta St.). Visit Mt. Tabor, the only extinct volcano within city limits in the U.S., and then dig into a sandwich at Tabor Bread (5051 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.). Or walk down the new Jade District and shop for Asian groceries at Fubonn Supermarket (2850 S.E. 82nd Ave., No. 1).
  • Take a trip over to the Oaks Amusement Park and Roller Skating Rink (7805 S.E. Oaks Park Way) across the river. The large wooden rink is open year-round. Redeem your Chinook Book coupon and receive two-for-one admission.