How does jumping on a bus and visiting a bunch of home tiki bars sound to you?
I have to say that the home tiki bar tour is truly the highlight of Tiki Kon. How cool is this? A bus picks you up at the hotel and then drives you to a couple of home tiki bars in the Portland area … and the bus makes stops at The Albi and Hale Pele! Everyone gets a drink at each home tiki bar and drinking is totally cool on the bus. The home tiki bar tour is a non-stop party! The first stop is at The Alibi …
What’s cool about The Alibi is that they have a brunch menu so you can eat a hardy breakfast while you sip a Zombie. What a way to start the morning!
After filling up on bacon, eggs and tiki drinks, it was time to get on the bus and hit the road. We headed down to Happy Valley, which is south east of Portland.
Greeting us outside were a couple of tropical birds …
This stop on the home tiki bar tour was actually a twofer! Heather and Donald Waters both have their own tiki bars. Yes! They not only have one home tiki bar but two!
The first bar, located upstairs, is called Uncharted Waters. This is Donald’s Bar …
The second bar, located downstairs in the basement, is called The Hula Hideaway. This is Heather’s bar …
Both bars are outstanding but what makes The Hula Hideaway even cooler is this Hula Hula pinball machine …
Here’s something you don’t see everyday, Sven Kirsten playing a Hula Hula pinball machine!
I really didn’t want to leave, but other home tiki bars await. We headed North back to Portland, to The House Of Bambooze …
Hidden in this cozy craftsman home is a really cool tiki bar.
Home bars are usually located in a basement or out in a garage, but not here. The home bar is right off the side of the living room. You don’t need to go far to have a tiki escape here. Actually a representative of The Real McCoy Rum was chilling in the corner giving out free samples of Real McCoy Rum! The Five Year was my favorite.
Just as we were all getting comfortable, it was time to head to our third tiki bar. Next stop, The Tabu Lagoon And The Voodoo Lounge …
This is the home of my good friend Aaron Thorpe … and his place is off the hook!
He has a full bar that is straight out of the mid-century. I could easily see Dean Martin, Sammy Davis JR and old Blue Eyes himself sipping martinis here.
Out back is this gorgeous pool …
With the even more gorgeous MeduSirena swimming in it!
The Voodoo Lounge is actually found back by the pool, in what used to be the pool shed.
Just watch what you drink, it could be a magic potion or poison!
Want free rum? On the other side of the pool, Lemba Rum (the sponsor for Tiki Kon) was giving out free samples. This is some good stuff!
Before we knew it, it was time to go. We had one more stop, not a home tiki bar but the best tiki bar in Portland, Hale Pele!
What a way to spend a Sunday, rolling around on a bus visiting tiki bars in and around Portland. Why do these things happen only once a year? Well, I guess we just have to wait for Tiki Kon 2020. See you all next year!
I’d like to thank Dieter Weber …
Jason Craig …
Travis Bay …
And Sveinn Kjarttansson for their pictures used for this post.
Here is the Sveinn Photography website
And Facebook page
They are all fantastic