Portland Sightseeing
If you wish to explore Portland, we encourage you to start with these do-it-yourself sightseeing suggestions originally compiled by Shelley Emond '96, Barbara Smith-Thomas '64, and Sandy Blake Boles '90.
Walking & biking trails
Two of the best ways to sightsee throughout Portland are on bicycle and on foot. A wide variety of trails allow visitors to explore historic neighborhoods, scenic parks, natural areas, and quaint shopping districts. The following websites have links to trails throughout the city and surrounding areas, including the immediate Reed campus area:
Activities with kids
There are tons of things to do with children in Portland!
- Finnegan's Toys and Gifts
- Jamison Square
- Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
- Oregon Zoo
- Portland Children's Museum
- Powell's Books
- Salmon Street Springs
- Washington Park:
Portland gardens
All that rain makes wonderful gardens. Here are some of Portland's premier gardens:
- Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
- Hoyt Arboretum
- International Rose Test Garden
- Lan Su Chinese Garden
- Portland Japanese Garden
Thrift stores
Welcome back to Portland: a bargain hunter's paradise. For those hankering to hit some thrift stores, here are a few to get you started:
- Goodwill Boutique
- Goodwill Outlet (The Bins)
- Goodwill Superstores
- Red, White and Blue Thrift Store
- Value Villages
Food carts
If all that exploring leaves you famished, keep an eye out for the many food cart pods located throughout the city. Do look up hours (which can be sporadic), locations, and the latest news at foodcartsportland.com. Here are a few to get you started:
- SW 10th at Alder
- SW 5th and Stark
- SW 3rd and Washington
- SW 4th and Hall
- Cartopia (SE 12th and Hawthorne)
- Carts on Foster (SE 52nd and Foster)
- Mississippi Marketplace (N Mississippi and Skidmore)