Portlandia...I actually think I have heard of the TV show of the same name before hearing the…read moreexistence of this statue. But the statue definitely came prior to the show. The trident wielding woman is enormous and is awe inspiring and beautiful and perhaps to a certain kind of man perhaps intimidating but that isn't necessarily a problem there. This statue is on the Portland Building and if you simply wall by or near it's nearly impossible to miss. This is also an attraction where there is no fee to take a look at it as it can literally be seen quite easily from the public sidewalk. Yet another iconic downtown Portland landmark that is not to missed!

Nice statue. I believe this is the second largest copper statue in the United States after the…read moreStatue of Liberty. I'm impressed by the vexillology that is also used here, since there's a flag of Cascadia along with the flag of the city of Portland, OR.

My best friend took me to Hopscotch while I was visiting Portland, and it ended up being one of the…read morebest parts of the entire trip. We went with her 3 year old, and honestly, I think we had just as much fun as him. Every room had something different to see or interact with, and it felt like there was always another surprise waiting around the corner. The mix of lights, art, music, and creative exhibits made it easy to lose track of time. One of my favorite areas was the Secrets room. You could step into a phone booth, record a secret, and then hear anonymous secrets playing through the giant speakers overhead. Some of the kid-submitted ones were absolutely adorable and had everyone smiling. The biggest hits for our group were definitely the interactive light rooms, where the lights seemed to react to your movement, and of course the giant rainbow ball pit. Watching everyone dive in and immediately turn into kids again was pretty entertaining. We also checked out the gift shop on the way out. I ended up grabbing a magnet, a postcard, and a few stickers that I thought were really cool. And I have to mention this: I was oddly happy to find out there was an actual hopscotch game inside. After walking through the whole experience, I was starting to wonder if the name was just symbolic. Nope. There was hopscotch, and it made me laugh. Overall, we had an amazing time. It's fun, colorful, interactive, and works just as well for adults as it does for kids. If you're looking for something different to do in Portland, I'd definitely recommend checking it out. For us, it was absolutely worth the price of admission.

Super interesting place! While we did have fun, I was a bit underwhelmed. Honestly, I was thinking…read moreit was more a "Meow Wolf" type of place... so I guess I should've just entered the space without any expectations. The bar in the beginning was a nice touch. You can walk around with your drinks and explore the different rooms they had. You can even take a break and grab food- once you get in your time there is unlimited! One of the best rooms was the Secret Garden. This is where you stand under a cloud like dome and hear secrets from people who have recorded them from a month or two ago. They have a recording booth within the room and you sit there and confess things. Then it plays it back after a couple of months to make sure you remain anonymous. The secrets we heard were gnarly... Won't repeat any, just go there and see! That was probably the best room we went into. The other rooms were super cool, which included a ball pit, infinity room/light looking room as well as a semi-bouncy room. Really interactive and creative space. Entrance fee is not bad for the type of space it's in [Around $22ish?]. Just don't be a jerk and be respectful of peoples' spaces. Not that anyone was disrespectful to us, just saying!

Passing through Portland and I got the chance to meet Ole Bolle. Ole Bolle is located at the Nordic…read moreNorthwest Campus. Parking was a plenty and just a short walk to find Ole Bolle. Ole Bolle is peering into a cabin. The view from inside the cabin to see Ole Bolle is awesome. The cabins and grounds are serene and relaxing. Definitely glad I got to visit.

I think this is my favorite Thomas Dambo troll yet. Part of the Way of the Bird King series, this…read moreguy is located at a Nordic cultural center where you can take a class on trolls, get a bite to eat and purchase a traditional troll doll. Parking on two sides of the cultural center with a path leading from each lot to the troll. It is located on a busy road so look for the 'sandwich board' that says "Ole Bolle Troll" to help locate the entrance to the lot. Great fun for adults and children.

Finally got the chance to see and be where the stag sign is after many years! Street parking is…read moreavailable in the area and a quick walk towards the park where you have a better view of it. You can also go up the stairs and see it from a closer view. Tree branches do obscure the view a bit. Very satisfying experience!

One of the iconic things about Portland is the white stag sign that sits just across a bridge that…read morelights up the sky at night. It is used in so many shots to depict Portland that while in the area though raining, I had to get some up close photos. Thankfully, the bridge wasn't busy so Ben was able to drive pretty slow as I took picture after picture while we got closer. After a little while, I told him to just stop the car and let me out and I'd walk the rest of the way to avoid anything getting in the view of my pictures. There was a small little pull off (kinda) that I told him to wait for me at right at the end of the bridge. I love these types of things, unique and distinctly Portland.

I found this place on Atlas Obscura and I felt like visiting with my partner and our dog. To our…read moreluck, our well behaved dog got us 1 free admission! We spent about 15-30 minutes in here just taking it all in and reading as much information as we could. There are plenty of photo ops as well as interactive things to play with. We were lucky to find a parking spot a few steps away and paid about $1-$2 to park for almost an hour. The person behind the front desk was kind and welcoming. The merch selection was vast and interesting. I just wish they had a photo booth because it would tie into the place perfectly. Overall, highly recommend as it is a fun spot to hangout for under an hour.

This is a quirky throwback to Portland high-weirdness and is more like a circus sideshow exhibition…read moreof yesteryear. Like a lot of these places in Portland, it's a gift shop in front with exhibits in the back. It's an eclectic collection of oddities covering everything from sci-fi & horror, to bigfoot, to exhibitions to urban folktales. It might be slightly pricy for what is there, because the museum portion is quite small, maybe taking thirty minutes to navigate. However, it has a few instagrammable exhibits for fun photos, my favorite was the one they dedicated to the Talking Heads lead man. The staff is friendly and welcoming and very chill. The gift shop is a parade of off-side oddities that's very different than anything most anything I've seen, but so different I couldn't find anything for me.

Been a good few years since I visited the Japanese Gardens, and a lot has changed. But wow if they…read morearen't still worth a visit. The plants and water features are outstanding, and it is such a delight to just wander around and soak it all in. Really, what can I say that hasn't been said by many other visitors? If you aren't captivated by the running water, the intricate rock gardens, or the lovely koi fish, then there is something wrong with you. This is such a gorgeous gem, and a must-see attraction in Portland, especially if you are already wandering around the Washington Park area. Some of the changes in the years since I visited are a whole new entranceway, with an amazing water foundtain. Plus, a redesigned plaza with new gift shop, cafe, and a library. Oh, and speaking of the the cafe, do try out some of the excellent teas and Japanese snacks on offer here. Plus, all the staff and docents working here were very friendly and helpful. As for a few things to be aware of: First, the parking situation is a pain. There are pay-to-park spots, but not enough for the crowds. So you should really plan to either walk over to the gardens from somewhere else in the park, or take the park shuttle service. Also, as some have also noted, the number of people visiting can sort of harsh the serenity a bit. So do your part, and be a courteous visitor, and try to keep things mellow, chill, and quiet enough for others to also enjoy. In a city so full of other gorgeous gardens, I have to say these stand out. It's a city favorite for a reason.

Was a well maintained garden. Super pretty but not sure if it's worth the price tag for it. If you…read morepartner it with the rose garden it seems a bit more reasonable but probably closer to being worth a $10-15 experience. We took our time strolling through and were out around in an hour. Highlights were the waterfall and view of Mt Hood. They do have a shuttle that also takes you to the gardens itself. Parking can get busy in the area.

A place of peace,prayer and natural beauty place for all religions every one is welcome hereread more

I really wish I had more time here. This was one of the very last places to visited before I had to…read morefly home. I got here late about 30mins before closing so I only walked around for a little. It's so Beautiful, peaceful, & calm here. The Grotto is a 62-acres sanctuary founded in 1924. There are so many beautifully carved statues. All the statues are made from marble, granite, bronze, wood, polyester resin and fiberglass. On their webpage, The Grotto's Vision is To forever be a place where the human spirit can seek peace and consolation. The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother embraces and supports people of all cultures and all faiths who seek a place of prayer and meditation; The Grotto values the dignity of everyone. I'll definitely come back here the next time I'm in town so I can spend a bit more time exploring. There's a decent sized parking lot. It was empty as I got here close to closing but I'm sure it gets very busy here.

These are some cool modern takes on the northwest Totem Poles. They are located on one side of…read moreJamison Square. Brightly colored the full name is Tikitotmoniki Totems There are 4 of them in all. They are interesting and really fit into the area. Fun Fact: they hide poles for the trolley inside.

SSSSSS!!!!! Stellar! Sensational! Sensual! Scintillating! Stimulating! So-ssssss! Words can only…read moredescribe the beauty and profoundness viewing the mural by Faith47, South African artist! See it sizzle your emotions. Next-door is the new Stumptown coffee shop. Sit with coffee. Emotions sizzle sizzle with the kiss of ecstasy and wonderment - who is this mysterious lady and why are you here? You question - lost in your own muse!

The architect for the new building has been able to design the new building to preserve views of…read morethis mural! Thanks ZGF and developer! http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2017/07/eleven_west_tower.html and http://www.nextportland.com/2017/12/13/eleven-west/

Excellent cocktails and booze selection. Bar food is super mediocre. Stuff you can put together at…read morehome super quickly. I opted for the cheeseburger. Drinks are good though and super convenient in the hotel. I would add a few stars if they actually put a bit of effort into the food quality. Service was quick and efficient for one person working the bar late at night. Thankfully they ARE open late for travelers. Lovely table and bar layout. Super friendly staff.

A few friends and I went into WXYZ lounge to sit and get caught up…read more We started at the bar with a very well made margarita, then felt we wanted to order some appetizers so moved into the lounge area. The gal who made us our drink then served our food was very delightful. Food was decent and fair priced. Atmosphere was very relaxing. We were there from 5-6pm and there was a small crowd, but when we walked by later about it was very packed and pretty loud. Would stop in for a cocktail and appetizer again.