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Attractions in Portland
Welcome to Portland, proclaimed as one of the most environmentally friendly and livable cities in the nation, and by Money magazine as North America's “Best Big City”. Everywhere you look you will find natural beauty within a bustling urban environment. Portland is known for its many bridges spanning the Willamette River that flows through its center, for its beautiful parks and walkways, and for its transportation innovations - from bicycle lanes along many city streets to light rail and street cars that make travel throughout the city a visitors' dream. Portland is renown for its vibrant downtown core and livable neighborhoods…the trendy Pearl District that has emerged from transfigured warehouses; the boutique shops and cozy restaurants of the Northwest; the stately old homes and parks of the Northeast. People live, play and work in the city. You are never more than five minutes away from a gourmet coffee shop or brewpub, and always just a puddle's jump away from a farmer's market, park or garden.
How can you enjoy a taste of the Portland experience during your visit? Here are just a few of the ways:
 Downtown Portland– Couple leaving the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. Photo credit Portland Oregon Visitors Association |
 Portland Skyline with Mount Hood Photo credit: Portland Oregon Visitors Association |
 Downtown Portland – Flower cart Photo credit David Falconer/Portland Oregon Visitors Association |
Things to do in Portland
Visit a garden or park
Japanese Garden
Photo credit Portland Oregon Visitors Association
The Portland Classical Chinese Garden is an authentically built Ming Dynasty style garden. Covered walkways, bridges, open colonnades, pavilions and a richly planted landscape frame Zither Lake, creating views that are never twice the same. This urban oasis of tranquil beauty and harmony, built by Suzhou artisans will inspire and engage all who visit. Public tours and audio tours are available. A teahouse is located within the Garden. www.portlandchinesegarden.org
Nestled in the scenic west hills of Portland, the Japanese Garden is a haven of tranquil beauty which has been proclaimed one the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan. Encompassing five and one-half acres and five separate garden styles, the Garden includes an authentic Japanese Tea House, meandering streams, intimate walkways, and an unsurpassed view of Mt. Hood. www.japanesegarden.com
Take a stroll or a ride
Take a walk or bike ride along the Willamette River on the Riverside Promenade. Just outside your hotel and across the street you will find a walk way along the river that makes a several mile loop along both sides of the river. Rain or shine, join the walkers, joggers and bicyclist enjoying the views of the river. Along the way you will find brief vignettes high lighting the early history and evolution of Portland and its neighborhoods.
Join a Portland Walking Tour. A rich diversity of cultures has contributed to Portland today, including its architecture. And getting out on foot is a great way to fully explore the ethnic heritage that makes up our city. Several walking tours highlight different cultures and areas, including Portland's underground. For more information, visit www.portlandwalkingtours.com
MAX light rail downtown
Photo credit Portland Oregon Visitors Association
Take Max, Portland's light rail, or the Portland Street car to nearby downtown cultural district or Pearl/Northwest District or the Lloyd Center/Northeast neighborhood. In the downtown cultural district you will find the Portland Art Museum, the Portland Center for the Performing Arts, and the Oregon Historical Society. Each offers exhibits or performances that you won't want to miss. Portland's living room, Pioneer Square, is nearby as are major shops and department stores. The trendy Pearl District is the hip place to be for new boutiques, restaurants, and performing spaces such as the Artists Repertory Theatre. It is also home to a bookstore that you will not want to miss: Powells, a long-standing Portland institution. You will lose track of time among the many floors of new and used books and it is unlikely that you will leave without a purchase. The Lloyd Center offers a range of shops and activities, including year-round ice-skating; nearby Broadway boasts coffee shops, small eateries, bakeries and shops. Not far from the hotel in downtown Portland is the Portland Saturday Market (open on Sunday too). It is the largest continuously operated open-air arts and crafts market in the nation.
Powell's City of Books
Photo credit Powell's City of Books
Enjoy a world class culinary experience
Portland is fortunate to have a bevy of options to satisfy all taste and appetite…from long established restaurants to new, innovative eateries. Wine Spectator magazine calls Portland a serious wine and food town, and we agree. You can enjoy the spectacular Northwest cuisine featuring regional organic fruits and vegetables, wild caught seafood and meat from local farms, or can chose from a range of very fine ethnic restaurants within the city. Or you can spend a relaxing evening in a local wine bar or brewpub, featuring menus of the area's finest wines and small batched brewed beer.
Tour the surrounding areas
Within an hour from downtown, you can explore the Columbia River gorge with its stunning waterfalls and scenic vantage points, the rugged Northwest Pacific Ocean coastline with its sandy beaches and small towns, the majestic Mt. Hood with its snowy slopes and inviting forest trails, and rolling hills and vineyards in the fertile Willamette Valley. Stay awhile and renew your spirit in the great outdoors of Oregon.
Columbia River Gorge
Photo credit Portland Oregon Visitors Association
We hope we have peaked your interest. And, don't forget a real perk of spending time in Oregon – we have no sales tax!
For more information, check out www.travelportland.com to get the latest information on activities and events during your stay and to find in-depth information on these and other attractions. Enjoy your stay!