Travel to Portland

Travel to Portland

Not far from the Pacific Ocean, Portland, Oregon, attracts visitors to its outstanding parks, mountains and culture, as well as its laid-back atmosphere. In the summer, visitors are drawn to the citys many diverse parks, and in the winter skiing is popular on Mount Hood.

Transportation to Portland

Portland International Airport (PDX) provides connections to cities all over the US and selected international destinations. Located next to the Columbia River, it is less than 10 miles north of the downtown area. Amtrak trains run to the bordering states and beyond to the north, including Vancouver in Canada, south and east, allowing travellers to see Oregons beauty from a moving window. Greyhound buses offer daily services to most large towns, with connections all over the US. By car, I-84 runs east to Idaho while I-5 passes from Washington through Oregon to California.

What to see

Portland is also known as the Rose City and every June its Rose Festival attracts over two million people. The citys booming arts scene is manifested in the many street entertainers and the Portland Art Museum. Portland features several historically important and restored buildings, including the Pioneer Courthouse, which dates from 1869 making it the oldest public building in the northwest. Visitors can learn more about Oregons maritime history at the Oregon Maritime Center and Museum. Inside, models of ships which plied the states waterways are on display, including the last operating stern-wheeler tug in the US. The Portland Saturday Market is a great destination for shoppers, with its hundreds of stallholders selling arts and crafts and ethnic food.

Day trips

With more than 70 waterfalls, including Americas second highest, the Columbia River Gorge is one of the regions most beautiful attractions. River tours of the canyon depart from the town of Cascade Locks on the Sternwheeler Columbia Gorge, an original triple-decker paddle wheeler. Mount Hood can be reached by highway US-26, about 56 miles east of Portland and visitors to its pristine slopes, abundant with nature, come to enjoy excellent outdoors leisure activities.

Activities and leisure

Portland is home to a wide variety of parks offering walking and cycling, as well as boat rental facilities. The city itself is very bicycle friendly, providing miles of cycling paths. Nearby Mount Hood offers all-year-round winter sports and is only an hours drive away. The Portland International Raceway features car racing, and for those wanting to try their luck, there is also a horse racing track. One of the many sites for a picnic, the Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site is located at the western entrance to the Columbia River Gorge along the Historic Columbia Highway

Safety issues

Vigilance should be advised in some areas of the city after dark. Also, if you are going hiking, ensure you take enough water and supplies in case you run into difficulties. Due to the high cost of medical care in the US, should you have an accident, it is highly recommended to take out travel insurance.