Settled in 1829, Portland was named in a coin flip after Portland, Maine, birthplace of one of its founders (the losing option was Boston). An hour from skiing at Mount Hood and 90 minutes from the Oregon Coast, Portland is a recreational paradise.
Nationally recognized for its modern, urban style by magazines like Elle Décor, GQ and Travel + Leisure, the centrally located Jupiter Hotel is a popular stop for travelers, creatives and nomads looking to experience the heart of Portland.
AAE Hostels has 2 locations in Portland. Offering Private Ensuite Rooms at discounted backpacker rates. Save $$ at our location, walk from Amtrack and Greyhound Stations or use the free trams to get around Portland!
One of the best things about discovering a new city is finding the hidden funky neighborhoods that shape the fashion and art undercurrents found around town. Alberta Street, in North East Portland, is one of these. For years it was known as a problem neighborhood riddled with crime but in the early 90's as Portland hit a growth spurt, Alberta was cleaned up and reborn as an epicenter of youth and culture.
It has been known by three names, has been the site of at least one documented gun fight, and to this day attracts the rich and the poor alike.
It’s the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and its history is as rich as the sound from the main stage when the Oregon Symphony holds a concert.
“There are a lot of stories about different aspects of the building,” says Alicia Loos a public relations coordinator for Portland Center for the Performing Arts, the group that manages the historic former movie house.
Although it is now known that Dawn Redwoods graced the landscape of the world's northern temperate regions during the time of the dinosaurs (Late Cretateous), fossils of this species were first discovered in 1941 in Japan. At that time the tree was believed to have been long extinct. But in 1944, live trees were found in a remote valley in central China. Fossils have since been discovered in the Columbia River Gorge. Harvard's Arnold Arboretum arranged for seeds to be collected in China in 1947; these seeds were then dispersed to several arboreta and institutions in the U.S. in 1948.
These routes in and around Portland vary in difficulty and offer something for everyone in the family
Portland has been voted one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in United States by Bicycling Magazine since 1995. There are many great rides in and around Portland. Here are five in different sections of the city with varying degrees of difficulty.
These directions are meant to get you started, but we suggest you obtain more detailed maps. Mileage is approximate.
Water everywhere, for everyone: public fountains in downtown Portland
"We're a water city, surrounded by rivers. It's nice to be able to see it everywhere," says Margaret Smith, a lifelong resident of the area, while she watches granddaughters Dionika and Nikayla Newell splashing in one of the many fountains maintained by the Portland Water Bureau. On summer days, three generations of her family, including daughter Nicole, enjoy the cooling waters, and they are far from alone.
Portland offers more parks than any other city in the nation and one of the best on a warm sunny day is Jamison Square. Located in the artistic Pearl District, Jamison Square is an interactive fountain offering wonderful water fun that is safe for kids of all ages. Pack a picnic, roll up your pants, dress the kids in their bathing suits for a day of splish-splashing fun for the whole family. Once you go your kids will be begging to go back.
Every time Marilyn Depew walks through the Japanese Garden, she notices something different.
"It really is amazing to be able to walk through the garden for years and years and still make new discoveries," Depew says while walking down the strolling garden's zigzagging bridge. "I think that says a lot for the designer when he envisioned this place."
Depew has been a volunteer tour guide at the Japanese Garden in Portland for many years, showing and explaining the unique garden to everyone from students to seniors.
