Sights in Oregon
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International Rose Test Garden
These gardens practically gave Portland its 'Rose City' nickname. They sprawl across five acres of manicured lawns, fountains and flowerbeds, and on a clear day you can catch peeks of downtown and Mt Hood. Over 500 rose varieties grow in the permanent gardens, including many old and rare varieties. From April through September the scent and colors are intoxicating. Call ahead for tours.
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Alfred a Loeb State Park
Oregon's only redwood forests, along with old-growth myrtle, are found in Alfred A Loeb State Park, 10 miles east.
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Saturday Market
The best time to hit the river walk is on a weekend to catch the famous market, which showcases handicrafts, street entertainers and food carts.
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Jamison Square Fountain
For simple pleasures, visit the Jamison Square Fountain, which attract splashing kids.
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Iris Hill Winery
At the boutique end of the spectrum is Iris Hill Winery, a small family-run operation.
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Chinatown Gates
The pagoda-style Chinatown Gates is impressive.
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Crater Lake National Park
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Voodoo Doughnut
There's nothing quite like this standing-room-only, downtown hole-in-the-wall (pun intended). It bakes up creative, sickly sweet treats – go for the surprisingly good bacon maple bar or the 'voodoo doll' (shaped like a…well, yes). Also at 1501 NE Davis.
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Vaux Swifts
Every September, tens of thousands of these little birdies roost in Chapman Elementary School's old brick chimney. Seeing them spiral down in their multitudes, right at sunset, is an unforgettable sight.
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Trek in the Park
Are you a Star Trek fan visiting Portland on a weekend in July? Then you must not miss Trek in the Park, which features a local theater company putting on a famous Star Trek episode from the original series. It's well-done and hilarious; go early to score a good seat.
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South Park Blocks
Two important museums flank the South Park Blocks, the 12-block–long greenway that runs through much of downtown. The blocks themselves are a fine leafy refuge from downtown's bustle, and host a farmers market and occasional art shows.
The Oregon Historical Society is the state's largest historical museum, and includes a research library (with limited hours).
Across the park, the excellent Portland Art Museum has an especially good collection of Asian and Native American art. Upstairs galleries contain a small international collection, and blockbuster exhibits are mounted regularly.
At the southern end of the South Park Blocks is Portland State University, the city's…
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Sauvie Island
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Saturday Market & Skidmore Fountain
Victorian-era architecture and the lovely Skidmore Fountain give the area beneath the Burnside Bridge some flair. Hit it on a weekend to catch the Saturday Market, a fun outdoor crafts fair with street entertainers and food carts.
Beside the fountain is the New Market Theater, built in 1871 as Portland's first theater for stage productions. It's now home to shops and restaurants.
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Rose Garden Arena
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ReBuilding Center
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Pdx Adult Soapbox Derby
Great spectator fun, where homemade, non-motorized vehicles (from Mr Potato Head models to aerodynamic speedsters) swoosh down Mt Tabor's sinewy road, driven by costumed contestants.
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Oregon Convention Center
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Old Town & Chinatown
The core of rambunctious 1890s Portland, the once-seedy Old Town used to be the lurking grounds of unsavory characters, but today disco queens outnumber drug dealers. It's one of the livelier places in town after dark, when nightclubs and bars open their doors and the hipsters start showing up.
Running beneath Old Town's streets are the shanghai tunnels, a series of underground corridors through which unscrupulous people would kidnap or 'shanghai' drunken men and sell them to sea captains looking for indentured workers. Call the Cascade Geographic Society for tours.
The ornate Chinatown Gates define the southern edge of Portland's so-called Chinatown – you'll be lucky to…
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Museum of Contemporary Craft
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Mill Ends Park
Having the largest park (Forest Park) within city limits perhaps isn't an oddity, but having the smallest one might be. Mills End Park – located on the median strip at SW Naito Parkway and Taylor St – is a circle of green 24in in diameter (it's the reputed home to leprechauns).
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Lloyd Center
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Holiday Market
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Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
To the south is the 9.5-acre garden near Reed College. Its large, beautiful grounds are covered with more than 2000 full-grown rhododendrons and azaleas and a large lagoon; peak bloom is late April.
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Cove Palisades State Park
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Museum of Natural and Cultural History
Housed in a replica of a Native American longhouse, this museum contains good displays on Native American artifacts and fossils – there's even a fun kids' 'laboratory' section.
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