Hey gents... I live in portland, what do you know! Anyone attending blade west, feel free to PM me with any questions about Portland and I'll be happy to answer them. I've lived here for the last 17 years (i.e. all of my life) and I know my way around.

The knife show is happening in a portland suburb/ satellite city called Clackamas, which is probably 25 minutes from downtown Portland. The city has many such satellite cities like Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigard. The Portland Zoo is one of the nicest in the Northwest, and they've recently had a baby elephant born, so I would recommend that for kids. If the wife is coming and wants to shop, there are two main areas I would recommend. NW 23th Av. downtown is a major one, with a great deal of boutiques and restaurants. The rather trendy "Pearl District" is very hip and has a LOT of cool shops, as well some great breweries and some FINE beer. In fact, Oregon is a national center not just for knives but also for beer making, and its microbrewery are famous (Henry Weinhard, Full Sale, Widmer being among them). The Pearl district, as any Google search will tell you, occupies an area near the river and is right in the heart of downtown. The museum scene in Portland is pretty good, with the main museum in town being the "Portland Art Museum", which isn't life-changing but is rather nice. Portland has both a Japanese Garden and a Classical Chinese Garden, which are both really nice. As for amusement parks, Portland isnt really the best place for that. The only one I can think of is Oaks Park, but its not very impressive if you've ever been to Six Flags or Disney Land/World. If you have only a day or two, i strongly encourage you to see what else Portland has to offer, rather than going to the amusement park. The real amusement parks of Portland and Oregon are its forests and mountains. Just 45 minutes outside of Portland is Mt. Hood and the surrounding forest, which are mostly old-growth and amazing. I would ESPECIALLY recommend the Columbia River Gorge. As for geography, the Columbia River forms most of the border between Oregon and Washington and carries all of the shipping traffic that sustains the Port of Portland. Starting about 45 min. outside of Portland, the Gorge offers some of the most scenic and rugged terrain in the northwest and has many sites worth seeing. A large hydroelectic dam (Bonneville) offers tours and is impressive for kids and adults alike, and Multnomah Falls is the largest in Oregon. A bit further into the Gorge is Hood River-- the windsurfer's mecca. This town revolves around wind/water sports (the gorge is very windy) but also had a lot of cools shops and places to eat. If you like fine beers, the Full Sail brewery in downtown hood river offers a full tour of they brewing and bottling facilities and typically gives you a free Pint glass afterwards. If you're there with kids or on your own, be sure to check out Mike's Ice Cream Shop at the top of Hood River's main street (its very good).
In the opposite direction of the gorge is the Oregon Coast. Forget whatever images you have of beaches or fun in the sun. At that time of year, the weather may be cold and the water is frigid all year long. That disclaimer aside, the coasts of Oregon are spectacularly beautiful and rustic and I think that, provided you bring both a swimsuit and a raincoat, you'll really enjoy it. Of the town nearest to Portland that are on the coast, my favorite is Cannon Beach. Other towns like Newport (which is further but has an awesome aquarium) and Seaside are also nice, but Cannon Beach is a beautiful little town with awesome beach views and cool shops. Also some very good saltwater taffy.
Although Portland is a sizable city, I still think it feels like a small town. The crime rate is very low, and the city is alive during the day and at night as well. If you have extra time during your stay here, I hope you get a chance to check the city out. Again, if you have any more specific questions, please feel free to PM me any time

-Cloak