Waterfront Park
The Tom McCall Waterfront Park and Esplanade, open since 1978, is the idyllic escape you’re looking for to stroll, bike ride, picnic, and get in touch with the people of Portland. Waterfront Park is the kind of place you’d take a first date, or propose marriage to your lover, or even just sit and people-watch or paint for hours on end.
Washington Park
The Portland International Rose Test Garden, known affectionately as the Portland Rose Garden, boasts citywide views and an enchanting and aromatic landscape to explore and enjoy. The gardens were first conceived of in 1917, and opened in the 1918, when roses shipped from Europe were preserved against the destruction of WWI. It is one of the distinctions which gives Portland its favorite moniker, “The City of Roses.” Explore the endless trails and wildlife at Portland’s historic Washington Park, home to the Oregon Zoo, a fan favorite amphitheater, the exquisitely manicured Portland Japanese Gardens, Hoyt Arboretum, the Portland Children’s Museum, the Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Oregon Holocaust Memorial. Nature and civilization converge in splendor and awe in Washington Park.
Mt. Tabor Park
Mount Tabor Park
Named for its biblical counterpart in Galilee, Portland’s Mount Tabor is home to one of Portland’s great recreational destinations: Mount Tabor Park. Situated inside a dormant volcanic caldera, the park features basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts, playground and picnic sites, horseshoe pits and dog park, as well as a number of world class public art installations. It is the perfect place to escape for exercise, leisure, and communal activities.
Shopping in Portland
No list of Must-Dos in Portland could be complete without talking about shopping. Did you know that Oregon is one of only five states in the United States that does not charge sales tax? Take advantage of the savings and find the best eccentric oddities, curios, and bargains in our many great shopping options. For voracious readers, make your first stop Powell’s Books, a “City of Books”, where new and used classics and line the walls, and every page is another adventure. Afterward, join the Portland Saturday Market in its 42nd season providing booths and stands for local artisans and craftsman to showcase their creations.
Portland Art Museum | Photo: Robert Meelar
Portland’s Museums & Tours
Immerse yourself in the culture, history, and heritage of our fair city in our many world-class museums and on our fun and interactive city tours. The Oregon Historical Society has faithfully maintained the history and artifacts that built our state, and curate a truly educational and adventurous journey through the rugged path to forging the progressive playground of the northwest. The Portland Art Museum has collected and displays the very best that our state and nation’s great emerging and established artists, as well as those masters who paved the way. Don’t miss their world class array of paintings and sculptures. For something a little more grassroots, take part in First Thursday Art Galleries in the Pearl, where local artists show their work and the cities creatives come together for fun, food, and festivities. Afterward, take in more of the city on any of our great Portland Tours, including the Portland Underground Tour, Brewcycle, and the OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) & USS Blueback submarine tour.