Forest Park

Portland

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DESTINATIONS oregon portland Do & See Forest Park

Forest Park

Portland is home to the nation's largest wooded urban park: a short hike in, and you'll barely believe civilization is only steps away. 70 miles of trails traverse the forest overlooking the Willamette River, and although you'll have nature all to yourself at times, you're sure to also run into Portlanders out on a jog or walking their pups — prepare to be greeted with a friendly "hello." If you have time, hike up to Pittock Mansion, a French Renaissance-style château that was once occupied by the family of publisher and businessman Henry Pittock, and has now been turned into a historic house museum open to visitors. Another popular hiking destination is the so-called 'Witch's Castle' (pictured) — remnants of an abandoned stone house overgrown with moss, used by local students as a Friday night hangout location. The place is steeped in a bit of mystery, and although there is no record of any ties to witchcraft, its original dweller is rumored to have been the first person in Oregon to be sentenced to execution for murder in 1859.

Do & See

Portland is green, fun, and, at times, weird: the city's collection of museums contains not only the esteemed Portland Art Museum but also quirkier exhibits, such as The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium, with its "alien autopsy table", or the Movie Madness museum with the shower scene set-up from "Psycho". While this two and more help "Keep Portland Weird" — as the city's unofficial motto goes — a thriving food, coffee, and bar scene make for a seemingly endless exploration of world cuisines, craft brews, and coffee roasters.

Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI)

Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI)

The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is a gigantic playground for both adults and children. Focusing on natural sciences and technology, the museum features several labs in five exhibition halls – chemistry, paleontology, space, and more. You can also explore the USS Blueback Submarine and a planetarium. The Empirical Café and Theory …

Coffee Culture

Dubbed "home of the American coffee culture," the city knows what it takes to make a great brew. In a 2016 survey of 100 American cities, Portland came out victorious boasting the largest number of roasters per capita as well as the highest number of cafés. With that many places to enjoy a great …

Breweries

Portland's beer culture goes back to the 80s when the craft beer movement first began gaining momentum. What started as a handful of breweries has grown to be a crucial element of Portland's identity — one of its many nicknames being "Beervana" — with roughly 80 (and counting!) craft operations in the city. A great …

Portland Saturday Market

Portland Saturday Market

Saturdays from March until the day before Christmas see this eventful market unfold by the Willamette River. It's not just a place to shop — although there is plenty of that to be had here – the market is essentially a low-key open-air party, with live jazz music, international eats, and local artists and …

Portland Art Museum

Portland Art Museum

Ranked among the most prominent cultural institutions in the Pacific Northwest, the Portland Art Museum is home to Native American and Northwest art centers, in addition to rotating exhibitions and permanent collections in the Asian and modern & contemporary art wing. Notably, the museum boasts two renowned paintings: Monet's Waterlilies and Van Gogh's …

Japanese Garden

Japanese Garden

Portland's Japanese Garden covers a sprawling 5.5 acres and has been deemed by many to be the finest outside of Japan. The garden's serene environment, defined by peaceful waterfalls, koi ponds, and abundant greenery, remains an inviting respite year-round, with free guided tours running daily at noon. There's also a delightful café here that …

International Rose Test Garden

International Rose Test Garden

Experience first-hand why Portland is famously dubbed the 'City of Roses' at its very own Rose Test Garden, the oldest official garden of its kind in the U.S.A. It all began during WWI when the garden was first set up as a refuge for roses that risked falling victim to war bombings and resulting in …

Food Cart Pods

Portland owes its CNN-given title of "home to the world's best street food" to a unique phenomenon: the so-called "food cart pods" — clusters of food trucks and stalls that enjoy a semi-permanent location and often have a shared dining area with tables and seats. With several hundred food carts, the variety of cuisines …

Forest Park

Portland is home to the nation's largest wooded urban park: a short hike in, and you'll barely believe civilization is only steps away. 70 miles of trails traverse the forest overlooking the Willamette River, and although you'll have nature all to yourself at times, you're sure to also run into Portlanders out on a …

Freakybuttrue Peculiarium

Freakybuttrue Peculiarium

This museum of oddities is a temple of all things weird, bizarre, and — at times — gross and creepy. From an alien autopsy table and (somewhat disturbing) crime scene recreations to treats served at the on-site café (dessert with crickets and scorpion bits, anyone?), the Peculiarium is a bloody good time if you're …

Lan Su Chinese Garden

Lan Su Chinese Garden

The single-block Chinese Garden was constructed as a gift to Portland from its Chinese sister city, Suzhou, complete with decorative rocks brought from home by the Chinese workers. It's a pleasant green oasis in downtown Portland, with public guided tours (included in the admission price), rare plants native to China, a traditional tea house, …

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Before you head out to explore parks further afield, take a stroll through one of Portland's most popular urban spaces: the Tom McCall Waterfront Park overlooking the Willamette River. There's usually plenty of activity here, given all of the cyclists, skateboarders, joggers, and picnickers that come here, but even more, come to attend major …