If you have been following me on Instagram then you probably know that last month I was once again in my happy place–Portland, Oregon! The goal: to see fall colors, rain and a Ducks game. I accomplished all of these goals and more, but the one thing that stood out about this trip was my experience with Airbnb. I have not been able to stop talking about Airbnb since we booked this trip!

I’ve been to Portland numerous times always staying in the downtown area, right in the thick of things. This time, however, I wanted to know how the locals lived so on a friend’s recommendation, I booked a basement apartment through Airbnb. I cannot recommend Airbnb enough–the process was simple and I was able to chat with the host several times before booking! The apartment was more fabulous in person than it was in the photographs (when does that ever happen??)! It was spacious, super clean, had a fully equipped kitchen and as an added bonus, the host family had an amazing garden and a chicken coop with about 14 chickens! The host left fresh eggs for our breakfast! It was so incredible and I am now obsessed with chickens!

These ladies were kind enough to lay some gorgeous eggs for us! They were so rich and flavorful! Did you know that fresh eggs don’t need to be refrigerated? As long as they are unwashed, eggs have a natural coating or “bloom” that protects them from contaminants. As our host instructed, I simply washed the eggs well prior to using them. I definitely foresee backyard chickens in my future…

Our host’s garden was really special. What appeared to be a tumble of foliage was really a well-planned system where vegetables were interplanted with flowers. The flowers attract pollinators, who in turn pollinate the vegetables.

The apartment was steps away from public transit and getting downtown was an easy 30 minute bus ride. The neighborhood was called Mt. Tabor and it was  teeming with great bars, bookstores and coffee shops.

The Victory Bar was perhaps our favorite new discovery of this trip! The cocktails were unpretentious and well-balanced, but don’t leave without trying the Pork Belly Spatzle!

On our last morning in Portland, we walked to Tabor Bread and had an array of toast with peanut butter and carrot ginger jam. It was a perfect end to our trip–freshly baked bread and watching the locals as they went about their Sunday.

I’ve said before that I leave a little piece of my heart behind every time I leave Portland, well, this time it was more like a chunk! I’m already planning my next visit and I can honestly say that staying in a private home was the best possible experience.  I’ll definitely do it again! Have you ever booked through a vacation rental site like Airbnb? What was your experience like?