I'm rating Tom McCall Waterfront Park 5 stars due to the happy, grateful moments, every time I am here, especially during this March 2026 visit, My chasing cherry blossom dreams came true. I tried coming every year to catch the blooms for past 5 years ( I was either too early or too late) but Wow, this year I finally caught the blooms. My heart is filled with Joy! I have a LOVE for Sakura/Cherry Blossoms. Tom McCall Waterfront Park sure brings back wonderful memories when I visited Portland for the first time during my daughter's college day, very beautiful park! Tom McCall Waterfront Park if for Governor Tom McCall is about 36. acres with a view of Williamette River in downtown Portland, bordered by RiverPlace to the south, Steel Bridge to the north. Did you know this park used to be 6-lane highway, activists held picnics on the tiny riverfront walkway in 1969 to protest the lack of public space. Gov. Tom McCall formed a task force, Harbor drive closed in 1974 and the park opened in 1978. Besides annual cherry blossoms this park has trails, salmon street springs, monuments, various festivals, protest, events, are held here. Near by to Portland Saturday market. Parking is very limited, either street parking or private lot. I can't wait to visit Tom McCall Waterfront Park again, with or without cherry blossoms or for Fall, foliage- I hope to catch the blooms again next year! same time, same place, I loved to be back! read more

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Great park that used to be a freeway! It contains a bunch of points of interest: the Battleship Oregon Memorial, Salmon Street Springs, the Japanese American Historical Plaza, etc. It definitely makes the park more interesting, since otherwise it's flat and grassy with not a lot of other features. Amazing for cyclists and joggers though. The views of the river are pretty, and you can spend your lunch break walking around and getting fresh air. Portland's Saturday Market is hosted on the weekends (March until December) on the northern end of the park, right next to the Bill Naito Legacy Fountain. There's also other festivals that use the park as the grounds. I've heard that the cherry blossoms in the spring are very pretty, so I'll have to return for those! read more

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A wonderful place to sit, enjoy the weather, and catch up with a friend. More benches though, please.

Cinco de mayo festival and Rose city fair, absolutely a blast. The waterfront is great for events! We had so much fun, there's lots of room, brings out so much people, many food vendors and all around good time read more

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I love visiting Portland in Spring, just so i could come here for cherry blossom. It's absolutely amazing. I've been here before but it was raining every time. It was warm and blue skies this time. It's nice to enjoy the walk under the cherry blossom trees. Highly recommended. read more

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Tom McCall Waterfront Park is within walking distance from downtown Portland along the Willamette River, the park is opposite side of Vera Katz Park (trail)...so several bridges connecting either side. On an early Sunday, the waterfront buzzes with joggers, cyclists, and casual strollers -- including people eating at cafe with outside tables to give patrons view of the river. During the morning hours, the promenade with shops were still closed but I can only imagine how busy it gets during normal business hours, especially since the area is so scenic. I would recommend visiting local parks while in Portland. It's free and gives you a chance to see the communities. read more

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Tom McCall Waterfront Park is where my stroll took flight, With Mt. Hood photobombing faintly on a clear, good night. No waterfalls just the Willamette sliding by, And bridges stretching out like they're trying to kiss the sky. From the lawns you catch Big Pink, bold as can be, And the Wells Fargo Tower saying, "Yeah, you SEE me." Events pop up here like seagulls chasing fries Ship Week, Mardi Gras, summer fairs of every size. Food carts hissing, crowds cheering loud, Jugglers, drummers, that Portland-proud crowd. Fall leaves paint the scene, Christmas lights ignite the mood, Even the KOIN Tower glows like it's feeling pretty good. Then come the bridges the reason this town flexes hard: Hawthorne, Morrison, Burnside standing guard. Tilikum Crossing shining like a futuristic dream, Steel Bridge lifting up like it's part of the team. Across the river the Moda Center peeks into view, Like it's checking in just to say, "Hey, I see you too." But returning to Tom McCall, that's the moment you know, You've reached the soul of Portland, where the good vibes flow. The park whispers, "Welcome back," as the river winds slow, And even the skyline seems to put on a show. Weird, warm, walkable right on the city's front lawn It's the place that keeps calling you back at dawn. read more

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Another great location to get your steps in and explore the waterfront. From people watching to seeing the nearby shops and eats, you can make an entire day out of it. There are plenty of grassy areas to lay out a blanket and bring some snacks to nibble on. Whether you like to run a couple miles or walk off your carbs, it's all worthwhile here. I had the chance to visit during July and it was such a nice way to embrace the sunset and enjoy my last evening in town. read more

It's currently cherry blossom season. I wanted to seize the moment by visiting one of Portland's popular spots for a spring bloom sighting. I have never seen so many cherry blossoms in one spot. I felt like my photos didn't capture its true beauty. The 100 beautiful trees were a gift from Japan and part of the Japanese American Historical Memorial Plaza. Since it appeared to be at its peak bloom, it was busy when we arrived late Tuesday morning. My husband and I snapped some photos like everyone else. Then, we enjoyed our walk by the river and under the trees with the grass covered with petals resembling confetti. The view consisted of a landscape shared with downtown, the Willamette River, and bridges connecting the east and west sides. You can also see the iconic Portland White Stag sign. It seemed to attract both locals and out of towners on their spring break. There were solo park goers, families of all ages, and friend groups enjoying the warmest day of year so far. It also appeared dog friendly too. Parking was just like any downtown spot. There's street parking and various parking lots spread out in the area, and your options depend on availability and where you prefer to enter the park. We paid for one hour parking, and the time seemed to fly as we enjoyed a lovely spring day. read more

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Please bring the grass back. All the festivals in the summer ruined the grass and the grass makes the area magical. Otherwise, this area is beautiful during Cherry blossom season (March). And love that the fountain near the waterfront comes to life and they put a Coraline cat statue there! read more

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The waterfront is a nice place to walk, run, bike, and take in the views of the Williamette River and the bridges. I had walked from the hotel in the downtown area since it was a short distance, but it doesn't feel safe in some areas because of the homelessness and some people with clear issues. So, be extra vigilant if you want to walk from downtown. read more

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Favorites among locals include this riverfront park that goes through downtown. It has a lot to see in and around it. Tom McCall Waterfront Park is one of the highlights of Portland. Amazing that it came about after the removal of a freeway. Walk along the beautiful Williamette River and see the results of the freeway removal movement's biggest successes. Best place to go bicycling. It's got plenty of paths to go on. This is also popular with joggers and runners. An interesting history. This was started with the 1974 removal of Harbor Drive, which was a major freeway with lots of traffic. In 1984 it was renamed after the former Governor. Through his efforts the west bank of the Williamette River was beautified to what it is today. A lot of things to check out in here. There's The Esplanade, a paved walkway. An area known as The Bowl is a grassy lawn that slopes to the water south of the Hawthorne Bridge. This serves as an amphitheater for concert, and is site of the dragon boat races in the Portland Rose Festival. Salmon Street Springs is north of the Hawthorne Bridge. There's a fountain that's popular in summer. Also the park is popular for speaking events. This was the largest gathering site for Barack Obama's 2008 campaign for President. Has to be a part of any visit to the city. It's located along the Williamette River. This stretches between SW Harrison and NW Glisan along Naito Parkway and has many places to just chill out or whatever. read more

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After a long day of working, I needed to take a walk. I knew I wasn't far from the waterfront and drug my coworker with me so that we could get out of the hotel and enjoy the nice weather Portland was having. Once we got here, it was a welcomed sight. One thing you will notice is the view...of ongoing movement of items that are used for all kind of things that happen here. With that, there is a lot of detours just to make it to the walking trail along the river. It's mildly infuriating when you are attempting to cross the street and find a fence at the other end of the crosswalk. But once at the edge, you get some pretty spectacular views. It was a nice stroll in both directions as I came here on multiple occasions. Later in the week we stumbled upon a fair of sorts with booths for goods and food. It honestly is a nice distraction with downtown right at the doorstep. You can kind of let all the noise melt away as you just sit there and take in your surroundings. read more

Together PDX hosted and evening of Christian worship and prayer at the waterfront. It was a glorious event. You can see some of my photos below. The review though is about Portlands Waterfront. I grew up in Portland. The landscape of the Waterfront is the same, the energy and vibe is quite different. With all that Portland has been through regarding riots, the houseless crisis and open air drug market our downtown and waterfront have been negatively impacted. I've tracked to many big cities where vigilance is required"head on swivel's regarding personal safety. I've never had the fat feeling or need while being in Portland's downtown waterfront area until now. My hope is that our city leaders will bring solutions to restore the Portland waterfront to its former glory. read more

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The waterfront is gorgeous! There's always something happening though it's prettiest when cherry blossoms are out. Watch the flood of pictures friends will post on their pages. Rose Festival will off games and booths. Pride is wonderful there. Concerts aplenty. A friend and I used to bring lunch, a blanket and play backgammon for hours. Lots of joggers or people just walking, playing in the fountain. read more

Love seeing Dragon Boat in action at the dock here. Come check them out during practice annually on weeknights and weekends from April-mid June. The Annual Portland Dragon Boat Rose Festival Races is the second weekend of June. This year it will be on 6/10-6/11. Show up to cheer and watch them races. You will enjoy it! Curious already? Visit their website for seasonal (Taiwanese style-Portland Rose Festival https://www.rosefestival.org/events/2023/dragon-boat-race), or year-round (Hong Kong style-https://portlanddragonboats.com/), and everything Dragon Boat at Dragon sports.org to look for team roster and see which one fits your life style best. Your first 3 trial practices/first 2 weeks are FREE! Then annual fee between $100-$150 depends whether you're new or returning paddler (included all practices and a team shirt). Give it a chance or put it on your bucket list! You will not regret it! read more

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Portland is so lucky to have the Tom McCall Waterfront Park! Not only does it help the river ecologically, but it's a gorgeous place to spend time and it makes for an incredible view of the city from the river's east bank. I highly recommend visitors to the city spend a morning here, walking, jogging, biking, rollerblading. Visit the Saturday market or another festival if one's going on while you're here. Take in views of the river and bridges and skyline. Stop at some iconic Portland landmarks like the world's smallest park and the white stag sign. Bonus points if you visit when the cherry blossoms are blooming! read more

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Cherry blossoms in the spring. Dragon boats year round. Enjoy the endless running and biking loop from Steel Bridge to the Tilikum Crossing. Portland's only riverside dining at the River place Marina boardwalk. The best cityscape view of downtown from the many pedestrian fishing friendly docks on the northside of the river. Poets Beach a tranquil jem during the summertime. The only park with a resident submarine. read more

Tom McCall Waterfront Park - PDX Winter Light Festival ;) - Parks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Long park is looooooong! This waterfront stretch of green space, concrete and river views is host to a number of different events and festivals throughout the year, most notably the Rose Festival Fleet Week, Cinco De Mayo, Portland Blues Festival, The Bite of Oregon, the Saturday Market, and probably a whole lot more than I can count or remember. Sporting gorgeous cherry blossom trees (particularly beautiful in mid-April), a view of the Willamette (filled to the brim with brown trout!), an awesome fountain perfect for cooling off on a scorching hot summer day (or showering outdoors, as many of the homeless do), and scores semi-aggressive geese (that fill the park with squishy "land mines" so...watch your step!), it alternates between a wonderful place to picnic on a sunny weekend afternoon, and a soggy slog of swampy strata filled with vermin and crazies. More often than not, it's the former, but...I recommend visiting during the day, or early evening. After dark, the Walking Dead emerge. Regardless of when you visit, you'll constantly be dodging joggers, runners, bikers, strollers, wayward animals, and the occasional person undergoing a mental health crisis, screaming at the crows and pigeons. Stay alert and keep those calves and hammies warmed up! I know it sounds like I'm shitting on Tom McCall Waterfront Park, but really, I'm not; the geese do enough of that for the both of us. On the whole, it's a fantastic public space that unfortunately comes with a warning labels to ensure the safety of its users. Keep those in mind, come prepared, and you're sure to be fine. Just keep your valuables close at hand. read more

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Beautiful views on a beautiful day. Some homeless but everyone was chill and enjoying the weather with us. Best bridge views, great boats for kids to look at. read more

I regularly run along the waterfront so I wanted to come on here and give it a shoutout! I always start at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park and make my way across the steel bridge. Once I'm on the other side of the river, I run to the Springwater Corridor - I highly recommend that trail for walkers, runners and cyclists! The waterfront offers panoramic views of the city's skyline, architecture and furry friends. You'll see a lot of geese and squirrels along your route. Also, there are always a lot of people on these trails so you'll feel safe whether you decide to go solo or with a group. Highly recommend this route for your next adventure! read more

Tom McCall Waterfront Park - Parks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Stretching along the Williamette River from RiverPlace Marina to the Steel Bridge, passing through the Portland Saturday Market, this "park" is primarily used by those taking a stroll, jogging, biking or riding scooters. It's beautiful in every season and in all types of weather. With Spring arriving, walking under the pastel pink Cherry Blossom trees is a must! The paper thin blossoms cover the grass and pathways while the pale pink and white blooms on the branches illuminate the sky. This is an experience you need to enjoy! The pink trees are an incredible backdrop for your pics and selfies, so practice up on your skills. Since the location is super convenient for those working downtown, 11:00-1:00pm and 3:00-5:00 on weekdays is the busiest with people taking a nature break fro the hustle and bustle. Weekends come alive with the Portland Saturday Market attracting crowds, but it's the festivals (Rose Festival, LGBTQ Parade, Oregon's Brewers Festival, Bite of Portland, Cinco de Mayo, Blues Festival, Dragon Boat races) and runs (Shamrock, Susan G. Moment, Alzheimer's, etc) that draw the most people. The majority of events are held late spring though October when our weather is best. This location is also a prime spot to view the Friday night fireworks that mark the start of The Rose Festival (date is posted on The Rose Festival website.) And for the July 4th Fireworks, there is no where in Portland with a better view to enjoy the show, which is one of the nations best! While I see lots of people picnicking and napping on the grass, I admit, I'm too much of a germaphobe to venture off the paths. Over the past few years with the tremendous spike in homelessness, there's has also been a noticeable increase in the transient population utilizing the park. I limit my strolls to daylight hours and the times where there are lots of people around me. On the south end of the park in the Riverplace Marina area, there is a pathway with a few small restaurants, shops, ice cream and candy store, anchored by King Tides Seafood on the north end and McCormick and Schmicks on the south end. Wish there were more options in this small area; there is so much potential. Give the people a reason to come to the Williamette River and enjoy this special part of Portland. read more

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This park is a great people-watching location. I was here on a late Saturday morning so be prepared to see tons of people and many who take up the entire sidewalk. On a lazy summer day bring a picnic blanket and some snack food so you can lay around while enjoying the refreshing Portland summer air. read more

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On our first night in Portland, we took a walk down to Waterfront Park. Though the view of the river is cool; I'd have to say perhaps we expected a bit more as it's not quite as pretty as we expected. It looked like a fair or carnival had just ended right by the park and the grass looked worn out. There were also a couple homeless people in the area. We even saw some folks doing laundry by the fountains. It did seem as we walked further south, the atmosphere changed a bit as there was restaurants and a hotel by the river. Overall the Waterfront Park made for a good, lengthy stroll and seeing a a family of geese at the end of our stroll made for an amusing, cute way to end the walk. read more

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Well hello beautiful. The views from here are wonderful if you love our city. The Cherry Blossom trees are a must see. The homeless and graffiti are the only thing stopping me from 5 stars. The park is fairly clean otherwise and again the views and the Cherry Blossoms make it worth while. It's a beautiful stroll on the waterfront on a beautiful Portland day. read more

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Pretty views of the many bridges by the Williamette River. There is not much here except for benches, so a river stroll is the way to go. read more

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Getting our steps in was a cinch for Jamie W. and me as Portland is most definitely a walkable city. Apparently this park only came about when a freeway was removed and allowed city officials to create a 1.5-mile stretch of green space and waterfront concrete along the Willamette River. Truth be told, it looks a bit worn, and many of the benches get taken over by the local derelicts. No matter as the scenic urban views provide solace for tourists like us. It also provides a convenient site for a number of the city's festivals and in fact, we were there during the truly fabulous PRIDE 2018 festival in June. It was a worthy spot to raise our rainbow flags (photo: http://bit.ly/2BQLZke). RELATED - Going to Portland? Here are the places I visited and reviewed: bit.ly/2B0haJD read more

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Ventured here to watch the Holiday Boat Parade, sadly it was cancelled, but the view and walk along the river was quite pretty. A parking garage is very close to the park and during the day I'm sure it would be a lovely place to venture for the day. It's also a great path for biking. read more

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Not much to see...views aren't great. I mean there's literally nothing going on here besides it being a random park that happens to be located on the waterfront. I wasn't exactly expecting the waterfront on the River Seine or Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. I wasn't even expecting Fishermen's Wharf in SF or the Riverwalk in Chicago....but even Mills Ruin Park in Minneapolis is way more interesting read more

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Took a long leisurely stroll from one end of the park to the other on this warm sunny afternoon. With gorgeous views of the river, bridges, and cherry blossoms, and in the company of people walking their dogs, riding their bikes, and taking pictures, I felt both relaxed and energized. Lovely place to refresh and take your mind off things! read more

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The park is a reminder of how beautiful Portland is year-round and how lucky I am to live in this amazing city. Running along the Willamette River the waterfront spans a large stretch - perfect for walking, Cycling, running, people watching or just a casual picnic. The waterfront also witnesses some really fun events around the year like the blues festival, Saturday market, Beer fest, Rose festival and numerous more. It's also one of the cool spots in the city for all the amateur photographers during the cherry blossom season. With the perfect view of most of the city bridges from here as well as mount Hood, this makes for a good tourist spot as well. Its always bustling with people cycling, running or just chilling on the benches however if you are looking for a quite spot their won't be much difficulty finding one either. read more

Great place to take pictures, picnic, and enjoy the scenery. Parking is on the street (we paid $4 for two hrs on street meter) well worth the mini walk to see the water front. Easy and short walk from downtown and super close to World Trade Center. There's a boardwalk, so some people walk, run, or come out with their bicycles. Along the way I did see they had free bicycle station for repairs. There's also geese (I believe) that live here. Watch them stroll and pick at the grass. Want something thrilling? You can walk under the bridge and see the cars driving right above your head! read more

Tom McCall Waterfront Park - Beautiful scenery - Parks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Being a lifelong resident of LA, the more colorful residents of the city of Portland didn't surprise me. I heard from quite a few of the locals in the smaller towns of Oregon about how they avoided visiting Portland because people there are so weird. We ended up in Portland last week and found it for the most part just a normal city. Walking from Pioneer Courthouse Square to Voodoo Doughnuts was pretty tame. Then walking from Voodoo Doughnuts to Tom McCall Waterfront Park started to take us down a questionable street with many homeless people which didn't faze us much but it was uncomfortable when a mentally deranged man was walking towards us and started yelling at my family as we walked by and then we saw a few prostitutes. Walking into Tom McCall Waterfront Park, the vibe didn't get much better. While it did offer beautiful views of the water and bridges, the park itself is busy with all types of people (families, working people, tourists, and a good amount of homeless) riding bikes, walking, sitting and sleeping in it. It seemed safe based on the fact that the homeless there didn't bother us, but not the place I'd like to hang out with my family for any length of time. it was clear that a number of the homeless population live in this park and therefore the park is not so great for relaxing and letting your guard down. read more

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Beautiful park to visit during our visit to Portland. We went on a Saturday (pre-covid) and it was so so lively and such a fun place to be. They had a market filled with food and stands to purchase goods and we were just thoroughly enjoying ourselves as we walk by each stand. The park itself is gorgeous with beautiful water scenary. We saw plenty of people going for jogs. read more

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Great place for a romantic picnic especially watching the stars at night. And an excellent place to go for a walk with a your dog and a romantic partner read more

This is a beautiful downtown park right along the waterfront with a great view of the Willamette River. They have open grassy areas, a variety of shade trees, pavilions and fountains, access to a cool waterside shopping center, and there are lots of geese and ducks everywhere. The park is often the site of live music events and fair rides during the summer. It's especially scenic at night when the city lights reflect off the water. However, I'm not entirely sure how safe the park may be. There are the occasional sketchy people and a lot of trash nearby, so it may seem uncomfortable at times. It may not be ideal for everyone, but it's definitely worth checking out. read more

The local weekend marketplace takes place here. Great views of the city scape in the background. Be aware the transient population is apparent here as well panhandling or passed out on the sidewalks. Watch where you step. read more

Tom McCall Waterfront Park - Parks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Literally my favorite thing I did at Portland! We rented a double coupe for $25/hour, but there are also bikes and tandem bikes for rent for cheaper! It's a great thing to do on a sunny day in Portland because you can bike around the waterfront and see the city view! It's a really nice thing to do with friends or significant others. I prefer the coupe over the tandem bike for rental since you can sit next to someone and just talk as you're taking your stroll! read more

Tom McCall Waterfront Park - Rented a double coupe! - Parks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great if you want to go for a run down a gorgeous tree-lined path. Trees are especially beautiful in their full colors, during the fall. The traffic noises, highway bridges, and vibes nearby aren't great, but I would definitely use the path for a straightforward run. read more

I loved this park! As many have already stated, the park has beautiful views of the river and the Portland skyline. Besides, the views, the park has a wide/spacious tree-lined grassy areas, water fountains/features, and benches spaced out overlooking the river. On this particular day, the sun was shining and I just the time took to enjoy my surroundings. I wasn't the only one who took advantage of the sunny weather, as there were many people jogging/walking, tourists taking photos, and people having their lunch enjoying the view. BOTTOM LINE: Wonderful park. Great views. An ideal place for jogging/walking, and people watching even. read more

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