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Portland, OR Travel Guide

USA

#5 in Best Places to Visit in Oregon

1-Day Itinerary in Portland, OR

Explore the best things to do in Portland, OR in 1 day based on recommendations from local experts.

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Day 1

#1

#1 in Portland, OR

Local Pick: Must-see ? Free
Whether or not you're an avid reader, Powell's City of Books is worth checking out. It occupies a square city block and rises three stories high; in fact, this bookstore is so large that exploring it actually requires a map.
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Shopping Type
1 to 2 hours Time to Spend
Powell's City of Books
Whether or not you're an avid reader, Powell's City of Books is worth checking out. It occupies a square city block and rises three stories high; in fact, this bookstore is so large that exploring it actually requires a map.
... more

10 minutes by car

#4

#4 in Portland, OR

Local Pick: Must-see ? Free
Many critics, travelers and locals agree that of all of Portland's parks (and they are numerous), Washington Park is perhaps the best. Home to such notable landscaping feats as the Portland Japanese Garden and the International Rose Test Garden, as well as the World Forestry Center, Hoyt Arboretum and several memorials dedicated to pivotal points in Oregon's history. 
... more
Parks and Gardens Type
2 hours to Half Day Time to Spend
Washington Park
Many critics, travelers and locals agree that of all of Portland's parks (and they are numerous), Washington Park is perhaps the best. Home to such notable landscaping feats as the Portland Japanese Garden and the International Rose Test Garden, as well as the World Forestry Center, Hoyt Arboretum and several memorials dedicated to pivotal points in Oregon's history. 
... more

5-20 minute walk

#3

#3 in Portland, OR

Local Pick: Must-see ? Free
Not until you visit these sprawling gardens will you fully understand the reasoning behind one of Portland's nicknames, the City of Roses. Established in 1917 by the American Rose Society, it began as a sanctuary for European grown hybrid roses during World War I and is now the oldest official continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States.
... more
Parks and Gardens Type
1 to 2 hours Time to Spend
International Rose Test Garden
Not until you visit these sprawling gardens will you fully understand the reasoning behind one of Portland's nicknames, the City of Roses. Established in 1917 by the American Rose Society, it began as a sanctuary for European grown hybrid roses during World War I and is now the oldest official continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States.
... more

5-10 minute walk

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#2

#2 in Portland, OR

Local Pick: Must-see ?
When the hustle and bustle of Portland start to get the best of you, you can seek out the Zen-like tranquility at the Japanese Garden within Washington Park.
... more
Parks and Gardens Type
1 to 2 hours Time to Spend
Portland Japanese Garden
When the hustle and bustle of Portland start to get the best of you, you can seek out the Zen-like tranquility at the Japanese Garden within Washington Park.
... more

5-10 minutes by car

#8

#8 in Portland, OR

Local Pick: Recommended ?
The 16,000-square-foot Pittock Mansion is one of Portland's few historic attractions and definitely one of the most unique. Commissioned in 1912 by Henry Pittock – the owner of The Oregonian newspaper – and designed after the French Renaissance style, this 23-room mansion contains a Turkish smoking room, a library, a music room, and two sleeping porches, among other features.
... more
Historic Homes/Mansions Type
1 to 2 hours Time to Spend
Pittock Mansion
The 16,000-square-foot Pittock Mansion is one of Portland's few historic attractions and definitely one of the most unique. Commissioned in 1912 by Henry Pittock – the owner of The Oregonian newspaper – and designed after the French Renaissance style, this 23-room mansion contains a Turkish smoking room, a library, a music room, and two sleeping porches, among other features.
... more

15-20 minutes by car

#5

#5 in Portland, OR

Local Pick: Recommended ? Free
If you're looking to spend some time outside but aren't willing to make the trek to Mount Hood, Forest Park is the place to go. With more than 5,000 acres, it's one of the largest urban parks in America.
... more
Hiking Type
2 hours to Half Day Time to Spend
Forest Park
If you're looking to spend some time outside but aren't willing to make the trek to Mount Hood, Forest Park is the place to go. With more than 5,000 acres, it's one of the largest urban parks in America.
... more

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