Settled as it is ‘twixt Seattle to the north and San Francisco to the south, Portland is a perfectly positioned destination of choice. The city is among the most livable in the country, a place where environmentalism isn’t a marketing ploy but a way of life.
Alaska Airlines is the major airline in town, and they’ll fly you to PDX from a range of West Coast cities, as well as – increasingly – many in the East.
When you get off the plane in Portland, here are some must-sees:
- Think real, live books don’t have a place in this e-world anymore? A trip to Powell’s City of Books may change that perception. When they say “city,” they mean precisely that. Powell’s harbors 1.5 million of our little flat friends, and does so in 3,500 sections. Grab a cup of coffee, tune the world out, put your smart phone on airplane mode and settle in at one of planets great book shops.
- Want to delve deeper into Portland’s psyche? Carve out some time for Portland Saturday Market, billed by locals as “the nation’s largest weekly open-air arts and crafts market.” The market is readily accessible. You don’t need a car to get there. It’s located in Waterfront Park, at the Skidmore Fountain MAX station.
- Hang out for a half-day at the Oregon Zoo, an ecologic enclave that’s home to more than 2,000 critters. This zoo is more than just for show. Its conservation efforts focus on its Asian elephant-breeding program. Oregon Zoo is in Washington Park. Take MAX light rail (either the Blue or the Red line) to the Washington Park stop.
- Portland residents tend to be a brainy lot. That’s one of the reasons they live here. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, or OMSI, is a magnet for like-minded locals and visitors alike. Interactive exhibits abound. The planetarium is particularly good and you can even check out a real submarine.
(Image: LWY)
