Welcome to Portland!
Located at the confluence of the mighty Columbia and Willamette rivers, the “City of Roses” offers an exciting range of attractions for the curious mind. Portland has the personality of a small community, as seen in the abundant districts of Portland, with the plethora of year-round activities of a large city.
Our small city has been garnering national accolades for years. In 2011 The New York Times named Portland as the West Coast Capital of Urban Cool and The Huffington Post proclaimed the Portland Airport a top pick in a roundup of The World’s Best Airports for Shopping; in 2010 Travel + Leisure deemed Portland’s Waterfront Loop one of America’s Coolest Riverwalks and Food & Wine put Portland on U.S. and Canada’s Best Places to Eat list.
We created a Top 10 list for you to find out what you didn’t know about the great, green city of Portland, Oregon! Whether your affinity is for books, fine food or the great outdoors, the city holds a gem for you. We look forward to your visit!
1. Portland’s International Rose Test Garden is the oldest, official continuously operated pubic rose garden in the Unites States. The majestic view from hillside terraced garden – the snowcapped Mount Hood and 8,000 vibrantly-hued roses — make it one of the city’s signature landmarks. (Rubicon Tip: Take a tennis racket to play a game at the hidden courts that overlook the beautiful gardens).
2. The downtown Portland Farmers Market, held on Saturdays set under sun-dappled trees in the South Park Blocks at Portland State University, is considered one of the world’s finest with farmers and fishers, cheesemakers and bakers, winemakers and even artisan ice cream makers offering a taste from the bounty of Oregon. (Rubicon Tip: The Enchanted Sun Burrito stand offers the best breakfast burrito we’ve ever tasted).
3. Portland’s Saturday Market located in Waterfront Park, along the Willamette River, is the nation’s largest weekly open-air arts and crafts market and is a great people-watching spot. (Rubicon Tip: Grab a donut from the infamous Voodoo Donuts, just a few blocks away).
4. Portland’s Japanese Garden, a tranquil oasis in the hills above Washington Park, has been proclaimed one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan. Spanning 5.5 acres with five separate garden styles, the Garden includes an authentic Japanese Tea House and a stunning view of Mount Hood. (Rubicon Tip: Pack a picnic, you’ll want to linger).
5. Powell’s City of Books, a landmark destination in Portland, is the largest used and new bookstore on the planet – it spans an entire city block and has fresh shots of espresso on the premises. (Rubicon Tip: Save room in your suitcase for books and pounds our locally roasted artisan coffee beans to take home).
6. The Lan Su Chinese Garden is an urban oasis. The authentically built Ming Dynasty style garden with bridges, pavilions and an idyllic lake was crafted by artisans from Portland’s sister city of Suzhou. (Rubicon Tip: The Tao of Tea inside the garden in the Tower of Cosmic Reflections is not-to-miss).
7. Public Art: Portland has the second largest copper hammered statue in the country (the largest is the Statue of Liberty). Portlandia is based on a figure in Portland’s city seal of a woman, dressed in classical clothes, who welcomes traders into the port of the city.
8. We’ve always loved this quote by writer Christopher Morley: “The bicycle, the bicycle, surely should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets.” Lauded as one of the best cities for biking in the world, rent two wheels downtown to take in the waterfront trails along the esplanade, one block away from the Atlas Education Centre.
9. Majestic Vistas: At 11,239 feet the iconic Mount Hood stands as the tallest peak in Oregon. Mount Hood is actually a dormant volcano. (Rubicon Tip: Stay an extra day to hike the glorious wildflower trails in the heart of summer).
10. Curbside Cuisine! Portland is currently experiencing a food cart revolution. U.S. News & World Report voted Portland’s street food scene and “sidewalk chefs” #1 in their Top 10 List of World’s Best Street Food.
How do you access all this glory? Portland International Airport, located just 20 minutes from downtown Portland offers many nonstop flights by most recognized passenger carriers to and from Portland to various destinations.
