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Portland Travel & Sightseeing Guide

January 10, 2008 |

A trip to Portland

Known for its spectacular scenery and unspoilt nature, Portland is Oregon’s largest city. People flock here from all over the world to see the snow-capped peak of Mount Hood and take in the beautiful views over the Willamette River. The city seamlessly blends the old with the new, and boasts a vibrant arts scene, numerous annual waterfront festivals and a microbrewery industry - just a few of the characteristics that make Portland attractive. Reaching Portland is easy via Portland International Airport, located just outside the city centre.

Flights to Portland
Portland’s international airport is a major airline hub and has direct flights to numerous domestic and international destinations. Nearby destinations include major cities in Canada, but cities such as Tokyo (Japan), Guadalajara (Mexico) and Frankfurt (Germany) are also accessible from here. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Portland try Ebookers.

Public transportation is cheap, efficient and reliable in Portland. There is a light rail system called MAX Tri-Net that connects the airport to the city centre, departing every 15 minutes and taking just under 40 minutes. There are also long distance Greyhound buses as well as the national railway, Amtrak, which connects Portland to numerous US cities.

Portland


Sightseeing in Portland
A great day out is to visit Washington Park and its numerous attractions including the Oregon Zoo, Portland Children’s Museum, World Forestry Centre Discovery Museum and the Hoyt Arboretum. Also within the park is the International Rose Test Garden, where visitors can see more than 500 varieties of roses. There is also a Japanese Garden here, considered to be one of the most authentic outside Japan. Don’t miss Mill Ends Park, the smallest part in the world.

Portland is full of things to do with nature. Just a short drive outside of the city, visitors will find Mount Hood, Mount St Helens, and the beaches of the Pacific coast, as well as the Columbia River Gorge. For a rainy day, there are several museums worth visiting. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a great place to visit with children, with many interactive displays and hands-on activities. The Portland Art Museum and Oregon Historical Society are the two other main museums in the city.

Book Sightseeing Tours

Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
Portland is known as the microbrewery capital of the US and no visit to the city would be complete without visiting a brewery or two. Brew pubs, where the beer is actually brewed on premises, are the places to sample Portland’s golden nectar. The most popular is the Laurelwood Public House and Brewery, considered to be the quintessential Portland brewery experience. Here you can eat and drink until your heart’s content. For the most funky and trendy bars and restaurants, head to the Nob Hill district. This is the hippest area of Portland, with many shops, restaurants and bars.

Fun by day - shopping and activities
Like most American cities, Portland has plenty of malls to meet any shopping desire or ward off boredom during a rainy day. The most popular are llzod Centre and Pioneer Place. Otherwise, there is plenty of shopping to be had by just strolling around the city centre. Many visitors head to the Columbia Sportwear Company for the best in outdoor gear.


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