How to Plan Day Trips From Portland
Portland is a beautiful place to visit with a ton of things to do. But it also serves as a great starting point for day trips into the outlying areas. Located in the heart of the Northwest, you can head out from here to the mountains, the ocean, the rivers or other nearby cities.
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Check out the Columbia River Gorge. Head east on Interstate 84 and, between Portland and Hood River, you'll find a wealth of waterfalls, lookout points and trails along this corridor that follows the Columbia River. You can even cross the Bridge of the Gods and head into Washington to visit the Interpretive Center, a museum that gives the history of the area. The drive along the Old Historic Highway ends at Multnomah Falls, a beautiful waterfall and picnic area.
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Head up Mt. Hood for year-round activity. In the winter, this mountain offers some of the best skiing and snowboarding around. For fans of "The Shining," you can visit Timberline Lodge at the top of the mountain where it was filmed. During the spring and summer, Ski Bowl becomes an activity park complete with quarter-mile-long slides and mountain biking. There are several wildflower hikes you can take as well.
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Go west and take in the beautiful Oregon coast. About an hour and a half east on Highway 26 will take you to Cannon Beach and Seaside. Head further south to get out of the tourist zone and check out Florence or the aquarium in Newport.
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Consider heading up to Portland's northern neighbor, Seattle. It's just over a three-hour drive. Amtrak runs regularly between the two cities, and the views from the train along the Puget Sound are amazing.
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Remember that south of Portland you'll find Eugene, Bend and Ashland. Bend is home to Mt. Bachelor and some great fly-fishing. Brush up on your Shakespeare at Ashland's annual festival.
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Nov 22, 2005
There are three MAX train lines in Oregon. The Blue line generally runs from Gresham to Beaverton, the Red line goes from the Airport to Beaverton, and the newly opened Yellow line takes commuters from the Expo Center (via Interstate Avenue) to City Center (the heart of downtown Portland). Taking MAX is a great way of getting around in the Portland Metropolitan area especially if you are unfamiliar with the area. The ease of use, possibility of an all day ticket purchase (highly recommended; you take whatever train you want and get on and off as many times as you desire) and continuous service makes it very simple to do a lot of exploring without the hassle of driving. If you find yourself lost, most Portlanders are very helpful for those not familiar with the area or Tri-Met (MAX) service. You can take the Blue or Red line out to the beautiful Rose Gardens near the Zoo. All lines will drop you at Skidmore Fountain - the site for the Saturday/Sunday Market. While you are there, take a stroll on the Waterfront. You can also jump onto the Portland Streetcar (MAX ticket can be used for this) and head out to Northwest 23rd for a day of upscale shopping. Be sure to stop at Rose's deli for a delicious sandwich and Higgins for a big slice of cake. The Streetcar will also take you through the Pearl District which is full of wonderful art galleries and little shops. At times, the train can be very crowded. Rush hour and special events at the Rose Garden or PGE Park can make travel slightly uncomfortable. However, Tri-Met generally handles the extra traffic well (increased number of trains and not much wait time in between). Portland is pretty safe so bringing large bags or suitcases with you is not a problem...Just keep your eye on them. -
Nov 22, 2005
There are three MAX train lines in Oregon. The Blue line generally runs from Gresham to Beaverton, the Red line goes from the Airport to Beaverton, and the newly opened Yellow line takes commuters from the Expo Center (via Interstate Avenue) to City Center (the heart of downtown Portland). Taking MAX is a great way of getting around in the Portland Metropolitan area especially if you are unfamiliar with the area. The ease of use, possibility of an all day ticket purchase (highly recommended; you take whatever train you want and get on and off as many times as you desire) and continuous service makes it very simple to do a lot of exploring without the hassle of driving. If you find yourself lost, most Portlanders are very helpful for those not familiar with the area or Tri-Met (MAX) service. You can take the Blue or Red line out to the beautiful Rose Gardens near the Zoo. All lines will drop you at Skidmore Fountain - the site for the Saturday/Sunday Market. While you are there, take a stroll on the Waterfront. You can also jump onto the Portland Streetcar (MAX ticket can be used for this) and head out to Northwest 23rd for a day of upscale shopping. Be sure to stop at Rose's deli for a delicious sandwich and Higgins for a big slice of cake. The Streetcar will also take you through the Pearl District which is full of wonderful art galleries and little shops. At times, the train can be very crowded. Rush hour and special events at the Rose Garden or PGE Park can make travel slightly uncomfortable. However, Tri-Met generally handles the extra traffic well (increased number of trains and not much wait time in between). Portland is pretty safe so bringing large bags or suitcases with you is not a problem...Just keep your eye on them.
