Categories: Misc.; Travel & Events

Find Portland's Outer Beauty

By leigh
updated about 1 month ago

One of the great ironies about Portland is that the excess of precipitation that makes the city so beautiful also makes it a pain to be outside. Still, it's one of my dream places to return to, and when I do, here are some of the places you'll find me.

Powell's City of Books

1005 W Burnside, Portland, OR 97209

When in Portland, Powell’s is a must visit. Home to more than a million new and used books, Powell’s City of Books also has a cafe. Make it the first stop in the day and get energized or stop by in the evening for a wind-down bookstore stroll.

Pittock Mansion

3229 Nw Pittock Dr, Portland, OR 97210

This fabulous mansion sits up above the city, overlooking Portland and the Cascades beyond. Fabulous Victorian architectural details make the home a visual wonder in its own right, but the miles of trails winding through gardens and forest around the home provide an abundance of fantastic natural scenery.

Pearl

Portland, OR

Portland’s Pearl District is known for its small art galleries, cafes and brewpubs. Live music, art and liberal thinking abound in this lovely urban neighborhood.

Portland Art Museum

1219 Sw Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205

If the weather is REALLY bad, there’s always the Portland Art Museum to give a bit of beauty while staying indoors. Check out the landscapes, maybe?

Portland Classical Chinese Garden

Nw 3rd & Everett St, Portland, OR 97209

Incorporating the five traditional elements of a Chinese garden: stone, water, literature and the arts, architecture ...

Incorporating the five traditional elements of a Chinese garden: stone, water, literature and the arts, architecture and plants; the Portland Classical Chinese Garden is a tranquil retreat from the bustling city. Hundreds of plant species, from trees to small flowering plants interweave seamlessly with the man-made structures circling the garden's large central lake. Located just north of Chinatown in the Old Town district, the garden occupies a full city block right in the heart of Portland.

International Rose Test Garden

400 Sw Kingston Ave, Portland, OR 97205

A place to test new varieties of roses and preserve some of the most prized rose varieties in the world, the Internat...

A place to test new varieties of roses and preserve some of the most prized rose varieties in the world, the International Rose Test Garden in Portland is full of beautiful, exotic and fragrant roses. Its 4.5 acres is divided into many areas, with the Gold Medal Garden containing roses grown in the garden that have garnered this prestigious award while the Royal Rosarian Garden honors the civic group by this name. Part of the expansive Washington Park, the garden is close to other attractions including the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Japanese Garden and the Hoyt Arboretum.

Portland Japanese Garden

611 Sw Kingston Ave, Portland, OR 97205

Designed as a place for relaxation, tranquility and contemplation, the Portland Japanese Garden incorporates all the ...

Designed as a place for relaxation, tranquility and contemplation, the Portland Japanese Garden incorporates all the basic elements of traditional Japanese gardens in a 5.5-acre area. Gently winding paths climb past pools and waterfalls, traveling around and through Japanese-style architectural and artistic elements and right amidst a beautiful selection of green and flowering plants and trees. Tours of the gardens further inform visitors on stylistic details, such as the calm found in the seemingly barren elements of the Sand and Stone Garden and the symbolism behind seemingly unintentional elements in the Flat Garden. The gardens are part of Washington Park, which also holds the Oregon Zoo and the International Rose Test Garden.

Hoyt Arboretum

4000 Sw Fairview Blvd, Portland, OR 97221

Celebrating nature through a collection of more than 1,000 species of trees, Hoyt Arboretum's 187 acres of land offer...

Celebrating nature through a collection of more than 1,000 species of trees, Hoyt Arboretum's 187 acres of land offer visitors a beautiful, rejuvenating experience. More than 12 miles of paths are available for walking and hiking, passing by lush meadows and scenic overlooks and traveling under the shade of thousands of towering trees. For an educational trip, visitors can pick up a map at the visitors center that helps identify different tree species or browse the hundreds of gardening and nature-related books in the arboretum's library. It is located in Washington Park, which has a number of nature-oriented and family-friendly sites, including the Oregon Zoo, the International Rose Test Garden and the World Forestry Center.

The Ocean

An unintended effect of moving to Colorado is that I would do almost anything to get out to the beach again; even the Oregon beach, where it’s probably raining and almost definitely overcast. Needless to say, it’s not like visiting Florida, where you lay out on the towel and sun. The Oregon coast is wonderful for its natural scenery, abundant wildlife and miles of open space. The entire length of the coast in Oregon is owned by the state, so there are no private beaches to get in the way of a good stroll.