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Portland, Oregon City Tour: Parks, Plazas and Views

Overview
Learn the story of the Portland, Oregon while enjoying its highest and most intimate viewpoints, smelling roses, wandering through gardens, peaking into a forested park and sampling donuts.

After we pick you up at Director Park downtown, we’ll drive up the city's north/south dividing line, head to the summit of King’s Heights, and walk the grounds of the mansion built by a newspaper baron to the view that was once available only to the city’s elite.

We'll visit Washington Park, and walk through our favorite secret garden, and into the Rose Test Garden. In season, we'll smell the roses -- literally and figuratively!

Next: the city center and cultural district. It wouldn't be Portland without a stop for doughnuts, so we'll discuss the history of the city's foundation and the design of these blocks after we duck into one of our favorite shops and grab a treat.

We'll visit the South Waterfront, an inner Eastside neighborhood, and give you lots of foodie ideas before we drop you off!
City: Portland
Sat 19 Oct
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You can choose the date already on the booking website
Starting at $65.00
Sat 19 Oct
Starting at $65.00
Make a reservation
What's Included
Doughnut or other morning treat
Bottled water
Additional Info
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Gear/equipment sanitised between use
  • Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
  • Regular temperature checks for staff
  • Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
  • Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
  • As mask mandates lift, face masks are no longer required for guides and travelers in vehicles
What To Expect
1
Director Park
We’ll pick you up in central downtown Portland at Director Park in one of our roomy vans. We’ll then drive up Portland’s north/south dividing line, pointing out important sites, including some of the city’s bike art, and historical buildings.
2
Powell's City of Books
We’ll pass Powell’s Books, and tell the story behind the biggest independent book store in the world
3
Pearl District
Learn about the history of this art and food rich neighborhood. (We do not stop to walk around in this neighborhood)
4
Pittock Mansion
Once we reach the summit of King’s Heights, we’ll walk around the grounds of the mansion built by a newspaper baron to the view that was once available only to the city’s elite. It's one of the best places to develop the context by which to experience this city. We'll take photos at the summit overlooking the city. We’ll walk through the mansion’s grounds and back to the van. (We will not visit the inside of the mansion.)
5
International Rose Test Garden
We'll learn about the story of the roses here and the rose city; we'll investigate our favorite varieties; we'll take photos and (in season) inhaling the scent of the roses, we'll get into the van for our next stop. (When roses aren't in season, we may make an alternative stop at the Hoyt Arboretum.)
6
Washington Park
we will drive into the SW Portland neighborhood of Arlington Heights, on the edge of Washington Park. Here we'll take a walk through our favorite secret garden, and into the International Rose Test Garden, introducing you to the story of the rose city. (When roses aren't in season, we may make an alternative stop at the Hoyt Arboretum.)
7
South Waterfront Park
TIME PERMITTING. After this, it's a drive along Portland's South Waterfront and the waterfront park, telling the story of the shining Swiss Alps-style engineering of the Aerial Tram and the development of this brand-new neighborhood and its beautiful, one-of-a-kind Tilikum Crossing bridge.
8
South Park Blocks
From here, we'll head back into the city center, driving through what Portland calls the cultural district -- once the literal heart of the city, the center line along which once the merchants and lumber barons lived, and now institutions like the Portland Art Museum, the Oregon Historical Society and Portland State University dominate. It wouldn't be Portland without a stop for doughnuts, so we'll discuss the history of the city's foundation and the design of these blocks after we duck into one of our favorite shops and grab a treat.
Show 5 more stops
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Traveler Photos
Reviews (21)
Karen_D
Jun 2022
We live in the desert, so of course the immense trees and the green plants impressed and refreshed us. How lucky you are to have the huge swathes of forest in the city The past an future comes together in the urban neighborhoods. Lots of stories here, and still building. We
875janetb
May 2022
Definitely recommend this tour. Great overview of the city. Our tour leader (didn’t get her name because we were late) was very knowledgeable about all things Portland. There were six of us on this tour. Just right number of people. We had a chance to walk around the grounds of the Pittock Mansion. There were some awesome views of the city from there. Also walked around Portland State University. And of course had a delicious donut at Sesame Donuts.
Stephen_M
May 2022
We were in Portland for an overnight visit. The half day tour was the perfect way to get acquainted with the city. Sarah was a great guide, knowledgeable and fun!

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