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Your Visit to Portland
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 The
purpose of this section, Visit Portland, is to help you with your
stay in Portland. It assumes you are visiting Portland because you
are considering relocating to Portland and want to know what to see, what
to do, and what neighborhoods to visit.
First piece of advice. Stay in the downtown area.
If you want to understand Portlandia, you have to mingle with the Portlanders
and downtown is the best spot to see the good as well as the bad.
Unlike most USA cities, Portland is one of a handful of cities to increase
its core density population according to the 2000 US Census. It is
a thriving city, not a decaying city.
Maps Get a map of Portland and if you're planning
to visit areas outside of Portland, get a map of Oregon. Best source
of maps is the
American Automobile Association. If you going to travel
outside of Portland, request travel publications from the
Oregon Tourist Commission.
Guide Book Last piece of advice. Get
a basic guide book. We recommend
Portland's Best Places or the
Insiders Guide To Portland Oregon. Both are available at
Powell's Books right
here in Portland. If you're going to explore beyond Portland consider the
Lonely Planet Pacific Northwest: Oregon & Washington.
Transportation It's possible to get by without
a car as public transportation is available in most sections of the city.
If you're exploring neighborhoods, it's best to have a automobile.
MAX (light
rail) has 43-miles of rail line and covers a east/west route as well as
a line to the Portland International Airport.
Portland streetcars
started operation on July 20, 2001. The streetcars link downtown with
the Northwest area, Downtown to the Portland State University campus, and
South Waterfront.
Driver Warning on Intersections Intersections
are a real problem in Portland because the city allows cars to park very
close to the intersection thereby obstructing the driver's view of traffic.
You have to pull well into the crosswalk in order to determine if any cars
are coming from your left or right. This action causes problem for
vehicles turning into the street where you are stopped as well as pedestrians.
So approach intersections with caution.
Watch for Bikers Portland is arguably the
most bike-friendly big city in America, which makes it a crucial laboratory
for laws that encourage cycling over driving. The city has more bike
lanes than any other city in America. This translates to thousands
of cyclists on the street of Portland. In 2007, there were six fatalities
from biking accidents. Most were the result from bike lanes laid adjacent
to car lanes: the gruesome "right hook," in which a car turns right, crossing
over a bike lane, the driver often unaware of cyclists riding up in a blind
spot. Make certain your vehicle's mirrors are adjusted so you can
see bikers. And when turning right, look in the mirror and over your
right shoulder. See Bike Safety for a detailed
explanation of the "green boxes" designed to prevent the crossing over a
bike lane.
Driver Warning on Walkers Oregon law treats
all non-motorized crosswalk users as if they were pedestrians, even bicyclists.
The Oregon Pedestrian Crosswalk Law of 2006 requires that vehicles allow
pedestrians to exercise the right of way in a marked, or unmarked crosswalk
or with a walk signal if the pedestrian is in the lane or next to the lane
of travel. An "unmarked crosswalk" is a place where a "marked crosswalk"
would be placed between two corners if someone decided to paint crosswalk
lines. Further, if the intersection has a traffic control device, the vehicle
must yield if the pedestrian is less than six feet from the lane into which
the vehicle is turning. If the roadway has a safety island, then the vehicle
must only yield when the pedestrian is on the vehicle’s side of the island.
Getting Around
The
Lion and Rose Bed and Breakfast Innn in the Northeast neighborhood of
Irvington has an excellent video on "Getting Around in Central Portland."
Click
here
to view it.
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Portland Airport
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 Airlines
PDX
is the Portland airport code. In 2008, the Portland International
Airport was chosen for the third consecutive year as the best U.S. airport
by Conde
Nast Traveler magazine.
There are a number of ways to get to and from the Portland
International Airport and downtown. The airport is 12 miles from downtown
Portland, but the travel time may vary depending on time of day and the
method of transportation. The airport's
Ground Transportation page on their Web site is helpful.
Car Rental The airport maintains a list of
Rental Agencies available at Portland International Airport.
Portland Airport Hotels The
Portland
Airport Hotels Web site lists 12-14 hotels within 2.5 miles of the airport.
You can check availability at any of the hotels and book a room. It
also provides maps and reviews.
Gray Line Shuttle One of the most economical
options is the Gray Line Shuttle Service. Pick up service takes place 24
hours a day, with service during peak periods of the day every half hour.
One way fare for adults is $15. Tickets are discounted for seniors 60 and
older as well as for children 12 and under. Gray Line has two different
shuttle routes serving various hotels and convention locations. Please check
the schedule and use Shuttle #2.
Taxi A taxi ride may also appeal to you. The
fare is more expensive at roughly $25-$30 (not including tip) but the trip
is faster. Limo service is also available.
MAX Light Rail Portland's
MAX
light-rail Red Line service runs from Portland International Airport
to downtown Portland every 15 minutes from 4:37 a.m. until 11:35 p.m.
MAX operates every day of the year and a one-way trip from the airport to
downtown takes about 40 minutes. Tickets may be purchased at an automated
ticket machine, conveniently located near the Airport MAX station or at
a MAX station stop in the Portland area.
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Driving in the Portland Metro Area
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Red-light Camera in Portland
Red-light camera are underground sensors at
the crosswalk or stop line that are activated when a car crosses over them
while the light is red. Drivers caught by the automatic cameras receive
a $242 ticket. It is not the same as a photo radar where you see a
trailer you see parked along the curb that catches speeders. They
are posted at the following locations in Portland:
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W. Burnside at N.W. 19th Avenue, eastbound approach
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E. Burnside at S.E. Grand Avenue, northbound approach
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S.W. 4th at S.W. Jefferson Street, northbound approach
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N.E. Broadway at N.E. Grand Avenue, westbound approach
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N.E. Sandy Blvd. at N.E. 39th Avenue, westbound and
northbound approach
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S.E. Grand Avenue at S.E. Madison Street, northbound
approach
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S.E. Foster at 96th Avenue
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S.E. Stark at 99th Avenue
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S.E. Stark at 102nd Avenue
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S.E. Washington at S.E. 103rd Avenue, eastbound approach
Be aware that other cities in the metro area also use red-light
cameras.
Bike Safety for Motor Vehicle Drivers
Portland, which has a higher percentage of people who bike
to work than any other large American city, is already considered one of
the country’s most bike-friendly urban centers. We have almost 300
miles of marked bike lanes.
A number of deaths have occurred in recent years - six
in 2007. Most are caused by what is known as the "right hook" turn
in which a car turning right fails to see a bicyclist riding along the street's
right side. The biker hasn't much of a chance when a car turns into
them. So when you are about to turn right (especially if you are driving
next to a marked bike lane), it is important to check your right outside
mirror as well as to look over your right shoulder to ascertain if any bike
riders are in the path of your turn. You must yield to the biker!
 The
colorful green boxes reserve a spot for cyclists in front of cars when all
are stopped at red lights. When the light changes, bicyclists are able to
move ahead of cars, whether they continue straight or make a right turn.
The city installed 14 of the boxes in 2008. The photo on the left
is a city crew installing a box in March, 2008. The photo was taken
by Doug Beghtel, a photographer with The Oregonian.
Here are the rules:
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When traffic signals are red, only bicyclists are
allowed in the 14-foot-long green boxes painted across traffic lanes.
Cars and trucks must line up behind the boxes.
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Motorists at the intersections can no longer turn
right on red, even if bicyclists aren't in the boxes or in green-painted
bike lanes leading to and from the boxes.
Motorists who enter the boxes at a red light or turn right
on red could face a fine of $242.
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Portland Hotels
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Downtown
Portland has all the major chains (e.g., Marriott, Hilton, Embassy Suites,
etc.) plus a handful of independents. Try the
Portland Oregon
Visitor Association reservation system - book a hotel online via the
POVA Big Deal system. Another site that allows visitors to book a
hotel is
Downtown Hotels.
If you're in town to attend a meeting at the Convention
Center, you can locate a hotel at the Portland
Convention Center Hotels Web site.
This map of downtown shows all the hotels
− click
here to view it.
Downtown Historical Hotels
Boutique Hotel in Downtown Portland
In January 2005,
Travel & Leisure
magazine reinforced something many travelers already know about Portland:
It’s a great boutique hotel town. In the hospitality business, “boutique
hotel” is a term used to describe a smaller hotel, often not part of a chain,
where the emphasis is on personal service and unique, often luxurious décor
— all aimed at creating a memorable stay.
Four local hotels earned a place on Travel & Leisure magazine’s
list of the 500 Greatest Hotels in the World. Seattle, by contrast, had
only three hotels on the list; Denver had two. The 5th Avenue Suites Hotel,
ranked No. 1 in Portland, got a higher score than any of the Seattle hotels.
The Heathman Hotel, the Hotel Lucia, and the Hotel Vintage Plaza also made
the list, the Lucia for the first time.
Our Hotel Choices
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Ace
Hotel A great place to absorb Portland's artful vibe and green
sensibility. The Ace features artwork painted directly on the walls
and a fleet of bicycles so guests can traverse the city like natives.
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Avalon Hotel + Spa Located at the edge of the new South Waterfront
District on the Willamette River.
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Downtown
Portland Hotels A single source of information on close to
20 hotels in and around the downtown area — the rates for each hotel
are available on the site.
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Hotel
deLuxe Former the Mallory, this hotel has been remodeled and
reopened for business in May 2006. The hotel’s restaurant — called
Gracie’s after comedian Gracie Allen — serves breakfast, lunch and dinner
in a handsome room that brings to mind a classic Brown Derby restaurant.
The deLuxe accepts pets. It is located in the Goose Hollow neighborhood
at 729 SW 15th Avenue.
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Jupiter Hotel
Conde Nast Traveler magazine called it, "One of the 116 best new hotels
in the world.” The hotel is eight blocks east of the Burnside
Bridge at 800 E. Burnside. The hotel's Doug Fir restaurant has
also received good reviews.
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Mark Spencer
A good choice for downtown. Its reasonable and all rooms feature
fully equipped kitchens for convenient in-room dining. Walk out
the front door of the Mark Spencer and you can catch a streetcar. A
3-minute walk to Powell Books. Just across the street is Kenny
& Zuke's Deli - they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their
pastrami sandwiches are famous along with Grandma Zukin's goulash.
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Park Lane Suites
Located in the historic King's Hill District - just blocks from Northwest
21st and 23rd Avenues (Nob Hill). The Park Lane offers one and
two bedroom suites, kitchenettes, and complimentary parking.
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Pearl
District Hotels This site connects you to Pearl District hotels
plus many other hotels in Portland.
Hotels Accepting Pets
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Visit
Pets Welcome,
the internet's largest pet/travel resource. They list over 25,000
hotels, B&Bs, ski resorts, campgrounds, and beaches that are pet-friendly.
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Eating in the Rose City
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Visit our restaurant
page for a complete guide to dining out in the Portland metro area.
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