Travel

Thank you for considering a visit to Portland — a city that’s always been a little bit different. In fact, one of the city’s unofficial mottos, displayed on a large mural near the famous 24-hour Voodoo Doughnut, is “Keep Portland Weird.” As you explore the city, you’ll be delighted by what sets Portland apart.

Start with the hundreds of food carts operated by independent owner/chefs. That’s just the beginning of the staggering selection of food and drink options: Portland also has more craft breweries than any other city on earth. To counteract all those calories, plan to hit the pavement with one of many walking tours or take a hike in one of the country’s largest urban forests, just minutes from downtown.

Other things visitors sometimes find surprising, Portland locals just take for granted. Here in Portland, for example, it’s perfectly normal not to pay any sales tax, which makes the indie boutiques and big brands all the more affordable. Inviting shops, attractions and eateries are scattered throughout Portland’s neighborhoods, and you’ll find the diverse population extremely welcoming.

Portland’s Top Sights

Portland’s fun and unexpected attractions range from gardens and museums to retailers of doughnuts and books.

Built by artisans from Portland’s sister city of Suzhou, Lan Su Chinese Garden is an authentic Ming Dynasty-style garden with covered walkways, bridges, pavilions and a richly planted landscape framing a picturesque lake.

The Portland Art Museum, in the heart of downtown’s cultural district, is internationally renowned for its permanent collections (featuring an extensive collection of Native American art), modern art and special exhibitions.

At the Oregon Zoo, you can travel around the world in an afternoon, observing more than 2,000 animals from around the world, including a herd of eight Asian elephants. The youngest, Lily, was born in 2015.

In the popular Old Town nightlife district, people line up 24 hours a day for Voodoo Doughnut’s wacky creations with toppings like bacon, Cap’n Crunch and Oreos. Nearby, the Portland Saturday Market, is the largest operating arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S. And no trip to Portland is complete without a visit to Powell's City of Books. Covering an entire city block, this is more than a great bookstore: It’s a microcosm of Portland, packed with smart and eclectic offerings, passionate people and, naturally, its own coffee shop.

Beer Capital of the World

Beer lovers, look no further — in Portland, you’ll find 53 breweries (more than any other city on earth), scads of annual beer fests, brew ‘n’ view movie theaters, beer pairings at fine restaurants and tap lists galore. Since the early 1980s, Portland brewers have been hard at work, pioneering the craft beer movement with fresh local ingredients. Along with bustling brewpubs and a calendar overflowing with beer-themed events, their innovative, tasty brews help the city to continually earn its “Beervana” nickname.

Come visit soon to see firsthand what makes Portland extraordinary. After all, that’s just a fancy word for weird.

Portland, Oregon Highlights