things to do in Portland, Portland information

City of Portland

Portland, Oregon, one of the most environmental friendly or ‘green’ cities in the world, is also known as the ‘City of Roses’. Its International Rose Test Garden is among the many several things and places which attracts several tourists to this city every year, making it one of the best places to visit in Oregon. There are a wide variety of things to do in Portland, including abundant outdoor activities and such. Portland is also very famous for its beer and coffee enthusiasm. Visiting Portland or planning to visit Portland? Read on to know about some of the best things to do in Portland.

1. Hiking

Considered as America’s best walking city, hiking is one of the best things to do in Portland. Some of the best places for hiking include the nation’s largest urban wilderness, the Forest Park, which also features the 30 mile; the Wildwood Trail, where hikers can see close to 185 different species of animals. The Council Crest in the West Hills is also a great place to hike since it offers a grand view of the city’s skyline.

2. Sporting events in Portland

The range of things to do in Portland includes the variety of sports and related events it offers. The options here range from major to maddening.

The Portland Timbers are one of the most popular soccer clubs, especially after their ascension into Major League Soccer. Also, the Memorial Coliseum is the place where the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League play.

Portland is also home to the Rose City Rollers, which features an all-female flat track roller derby league.

3. Performing arts

If performing arts are your thing, then there are surely a lot of things to do in Portland for you. Right from dancing at the Oregon Ballet Theatre to music at the Chamber Music Northwest, there are surely a variety of things to do in Portland for those who have a taste in the arts. The Oregon Symphony, which features several performances ranging from classical to pop under Carlos Kumar’s direction is surely a must check out. 4. Visit: Oregon Zoo

Located in the West Hills of Portland, visiting this zoo should be in the list of things to do in Portland of any tourist. Formerly known as the Washington Park Zoo, this zoo also features as exhibits dinosaurs, the African rainforests, the Savannas of Africa and much more. During the summers, this zoo is also host to a concert series. It is the largest paid attraction in Oregon, having recorded over 1.6 million visitors in the 2008-2009.

5. Ride over bridges

This is probably among the most unusual things to do in Portland, and one that would be a one of its kind experience for you. Visiting the bridges of Portland by bicycle is a great thing to do, and you can also join one of Pedal Bike Tours or some other such company for a tour of the city on bikes. Statistics say that more than 6% of its residents commute by bikes daily. Sounds like a great thing to give a shot doesn’t it?

6. Check out what ‘Beervana’ is all about

Portland is also known as ‘Beervana’, primarily because of the fact that it has 31 breweries operating her- as per the Oregon Brewers Guild- which is more than any other city in the world. As we told you earlier, this is a city famous for its beer enthusiasm, and this is surely proved by the large number of microbreweries it has.

If you are in the mood, give a shot to the hard stuff on Distillery Row which is in Southeast Portland. Beer and the spirits should also be a must do on your list of things to do in Portland.

7. Check out Powell’s Books

The largest independent chain of bookstores in the world, Powell’s City of Books is also one of the best things to do in Portland. Once you get in there, you will literally need a map to get your way around the store, and truly enough, the store will provide you with one. The super success of this super book store is an indication of the wild and geeky business acumen of Portland.

8. For foodies: the Food Cart Tour

Food carts first started in Portland in order to serve the hungry workers cheap food, and have now evolved into vehicles which move around the whole city. These carts are clustered in pods all over the town, and for one-dollar you can become a ‘master cart jumber’. Ranging from chicken stock to French fries, these carts offer everything possible to the hungry ravishing tourist.

Thus, Portland definitely is a great place to visit and have a memorable trip at. With a wide range of things to do in Portland, there will never be a dull moment of your visit here and you will most likely fall in love with this City of Roses.

Things to do in Portland