If you’re looking for things to do in Portland, Oregon, you’ve come to the right place. Located in southern Oregon, Portland offers visitors an abundance of cultural activities. From world-class museums and forests to the National Hat Museum, there’s something for everyone. Here are a few of our favorite activities and attractions in the city.
Powell’s City of Books
If you’re looking for a place to buy books in Portland, Oregon, you’ve come to the right place. Powell’s City of Books is a literary haven, with over 200 professional bibliophiles on staff. The people at Powell’s know their books, and they love to share them with customers. The store also accepts used books.
This independent bookstore spans a full city block in downtown Portland. It features upwards of a million titles, from first editions to autographed copies of bestsellers. You can also find rare books and lesser-known titles. The store is open on the weekends. It’s also wheelchair accessible, and ADA parking is available near the Orange Room and 11th Avenue.
One of Portland’s most unique attractions is the Powell’s City of Books. Located in the Pearl District, this bookstore is huge, and has nine color-coded rooms. Whether you’re looking for a new novel or a secondhand copy of an old classic, you’ll find what you’re looking for here. The store also sells used books, and has a special room dedicated to rare books.
In addition to books, Powell’s City of Books has an impressive selection of gifts. From children’s books to adult literature, Powell’s has a wide range of literary works. From the famous Beverly Cleary to the author of the bestselling novel Fight Club, you can find anything you want here. The bookstore has a cafe on the second floor where you can enjoy your book.
World Forestry Center Discovery Museum
The World Forestry Center is a nonprofit educational institution located in Washington Park, near the Oregon Zoo. It was founded in 1964 as the Western Forestry Center, and the current building was opened in 1971. The Center is a great place for children of all ages to learn about forests. The center also has a variety of programs for the whole family.
The center is a 20,000-square-foot wooden building that combines interactive exhibits with the science of trees. The museum also features two working forests. The World Forestry Center also offers professional programs for scientists, foresters, and other professionals, and a diverse roster of conferences on natural resource issues.
The World Forestry Center’s mission is to connect people with sustainable forestry. The center is comprised of three main programs: a Discovery Museum, two donated working forests, and the World Forest Institute. In 1989, the Center launched the World Forest Institute to answer the growing demand for information about forestry and promote international collaboration. The organization’s founder, Harry A. Merlo, was one of the early visionaries of the global forestry movement.
A visit to the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum is an excellent way to learn about the history, science, and culture of forestry. The exhibits will help visitors understand the importance of forests to Oregon’s ecosystems and streams. Visitors will learn about forest systems, forest cycles, and forest ecology. The exhibits include hands-on activities like rafting on the Clackamas River and Timberjack harvesting.
National Hat Museum
The National Hat Museum in Portland has a wide range of collections to browse. Its collections are geared toward academics and milliners. It is recommended to prebook your visit. The museum offers special tours for a small fee. The museum is open Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 5pm.
Guests can choose from a 90-minute or two-hour tour to get a better understanding of the museum’s collection. During the tour, most hats are not touchable, but visitors are encouraged to take a look through using the provided magnifying glasses. The museum also provides supplemental books explaining the history and process of hat making.
The Hat Museum is open to the public, but you must make sure you book ahead of time. It’s recommended to plan a visit around the weather in Portland. The weather is mild in this city. You can enjoy the sun for a few hours, but avoid the windy afternoons and early mornings. The temperature feels like 45 degrees, with an 89 percent humidity.
The National Hat Museum is located in a historic Edwardian home near Ladd Circle in southeast Portland. It was founded in 2005 by Portland author Alyce Selby, who was known for wearing a hat to every event. The museum is part of the Keep Portland Weird movement.
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
If you’re looking for a place to run, walk your dog, or swim, Tom McCall Waterfront Park is the place to be. It offers a variety of walking and bike trails, a playground, and a theater. Open from dawn to dusk year-round, the park is an ideal spot for a day filled with outdoor fun. The park features an award-winning green space that showcases Portland’s waterfront.
The 23-acre park fronts the Willamette River. Originally, the area was a bustling river port, but in 1929, the city decided to close its wharves and build a seawall. The city eventually reclaimed the area and developed the waterfront using pedestrian-friendly principles.
There are several activities and events held throughout the year. Visitors to the park can catch free concerts and light shows during the summer. There are also playgrounds throughout the park that are perfect for kids. There are also many festivals held here, including the Rose Festival. It’s worth checking out if you have the time!
Portland’s waterfront park offers scenic views and hiking and biking trails. You can even take a boat ride down the Willamette River. The park is also a popular venue for events like the Portland Rose Festival, the Oregon Brewers Festival, and the Waterfront Blues Festival.
Mount Tabor Park
If you love hiking and exploring the outdoors, Mount Tabor Park is a great destination in Portland, Oregon. This 2-mile round-trip hike provides stunning views of the city and a 350-foot elevation gain. Dogs are allowed in the park but must be on leashes. A designated dog area is located near the Harrison entrance. On Wednesdays, the park is closed to motorized traffic.
For dining, Mount Tabor is home to the highly rated Coquine restaurant, which serves modern American fare. Its menu features a variety of dishes, including Dungeness crab, Vesuvio pasta, beef short ribs, and a specialty Coquine burger. For dessert, you can order the delicious chocolate mousse or cookies.
Portland is home to more than 200 public parks, including Mount Tabor Park. This 191-acre public space is home to an extinct volcano and provides spectacular views of downtown. It also offers picnic tables, restrooms, playgrounds, and paved paths to the summit. Despite its unusual name, Mount Tabor has become a popular destination for Portland locals.
In addition to being a popular destination for outdoor recreation, Mount Tabor Park offers an excellent opportunity for birding. The park is a green oasis within the city, offering a unique habitat for nesting and migrating neo-tropical songbirds. The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation classifies Mount Tabor Park as a hybrid park, combining natural and active use components. Its invasive plant species are threatening the park’s habitat and structural complexity.
Stark’s Vacuum Museum
Located in Portland, Oregon, Stark’s Vacuum Museum is a great place to learn about the history of vacuum cleaners. The museum displays over 100 different vacuums ranging from hand-pumping vacuums to ceiling-mounted vacuums. The museum also accepts donated, traded in, or old vacuums.
The Stark’s Vacuum Museum, also known as the Stark’s Vacuum Cleaner Museum, features more than 100 vacuums from every era of the vacuum-cleaning industry. The museum is free and open to the public. Vacuums on display include a Duntley Pneumatic attached to the ceiling, an Electrolux mounted on runners, and hand-pumped vacuums.
The museum also showcases an extensive collection of vacuum cleaners from different countries. While the museum is primarily dedicated to vintage vacuum cleaners, it also displays newer models that are available for purchase. There are also many educational displays about the history of vacuums. Visitors can learn about vacuum cleaners from all eras and have the opportunity to inspect them in person.
The museum’s inventory is extensive, but only about a quarter of the entire collection is currently on display. Many of the vacuums are not tagged with the manufacturing information, so the research is ongoing. The museum’s contact at the Smithsonian has helped in this research. Specifically, the Smithsonian has been interested in finding a Hoover Model #0.
Oregon Historical Society Museum
The Oregon Historical Society Museum features a range of exhibits and programs to inspire and educate visitors. Visitors will experience Oregon’s rich history, culture, and natural resources as they walk through the exhibits. Exhibits are often accompanied by popular publications and catalogs. The museum’s Captain Cook exhibit featured artifacts from institutions around the world. Other exhibits include a study of the fur trade in the Pacific Northwest and a copy of the Magna Carta from Lincoln Cathedral. This exhibition received widespread media attention and saw an average of 55,000 visitors per day.
The Oregon Historical Society Museum is located in the South Park Blocks, just south of downtown Portland. The museum’s four million dollar Experience Oregon exhibition covers 7,000 square feet. Visitors can explore the early history of Oregon, from its Native American inhabitants to the European explorers who came to explore the region. The museum also showcases the lives and contributions of the first settlers on the Oregon Trail.
The Oregon Historical Society Museum was founded by Thomas Vaughan, a Seattle-based historian with degrees in history from Yale and Wisconsin. Vaughan had served in the Marine Corps. In 1958, he launched a program to recognize the families of Oregon’s Century Farms. He also assembled a “Van of History” to tour the state with artifacts and historical documents.
