Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Portland, OR
Year Listed: 2008
The historic “Portland” sign was salvaged from an old movie palace. It is now attached to another gorgeous old movie house that is used as a performing arts space. The renovated, historic venue is called the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. It is home to the Oregon Symphony and also used for concerts, lectures and other performances.
Credit: David Falconer
With the charm of a small town community and the urban vitality of a big city, Portland, Oregon, offers a dynamic mix of natural beauty, lively downtown entertainment and landmark historic attractions.
Effortlessly accessed by bike, an award-winning transit system or on foot, the city delights with its diverse neighborhoods, historic core and sustainable lifestyle. Whether in the city’s downtown area, trendy Pearl district or Old Town/Chinatown quarter, Portland offers the best of the Pacific Northwest’s heritage.
Kids playing in the historic Skidmore Fountain, Portland’s very first piece of public art. The fountain is located in Ankeny Square in Portland’s Old Town neighborhood. For the opening day of the fountain, brewer Henry Weinhard offered to pump beer from his brewery to the fountain (the city leaders declined).
Credit: Barbara McIntyre
Oregon’s Urban Growth Boundary legislation, which forbids city sprawl, has encouraged the preservation and re-use of many historic areas in Portland. One of the most stunning examples of re-purposed land is the city’s Pearl District. What was once a decaying industrial warehouse area has been transformed into a chic urban neighborhood filled with a continually emerging collection of gourmet restaurants, cozy coffeehouses, eclectic boutiques and dynamic public art spaces. The Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood, the original heart of Portland includes the Portland Classical Chinese Garden - an urban oasis of pavilions, plants and walkways surrounding an 8,000-square-foot pond, the Portland Saturday Market - the largest continuously operated open-air arts and crafts market in the nation, and one of the country’s largest collections of cast iron buildings.
Forest Park is a 5,156-acre park located inside the Portland city limits (about 10-15 minutes from the core downtown area). Except for hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trails, Forest Park is undeveloped. The hikers in the photo are hiking through the park on the Wildwood Trail.
Credit: David Falconer
From summer hiking and mountain biking to winter adventures on Mt. Hood, and kayaking and fishing on the nearby Columbia River, Portland’s moderate temperatures and dramatic terrain make it the quintessential outdoor city. The metro area is home to 37,000 acres of open space, including the 5,156 acres within Forest Park. The short, 200-foot city blocks combined with fountains, gardens and a scenic waterfront foster exploration of the downtown area.
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