What fun things are there to do in Portland, Oregon?

Question

I'm from the central valley in California (Selma), and my dad just got a job in the Portland area. We're moving up there in mid-March. What fun/cool things are there for teens to do there? Thanks for any suggestions!

Answer 1

If you're from Selma, then consider Portland as a kind of Fresno in size. Unfortunatley Portland doesn't have any really big waterparks nearby, but there are fun things to do in the city for high schoolers. One park is called Oaks Park and it has a variety of rides and attractions, as well as a really cool skating rink (lots of kids hang out there). Most kids like the Willamette river and some sort of water activities - water skiiing, jet skiiing, or similar. It gets hot in the summer, but not the kind of dry hot you're used to. You'll hear kids complain but just laugh and tell them they don't know what they're talking about.

If you live in Portland proper you will love the MAX for getting around. And if you live in one of the smaller communities (not as small as Selma though) you will find you have classes with the same kids frequently and that people are generally fun to hang with. They will be happy to share with you their fav things to do. It will be differnt, but there is still a lot of fun to be had.

Answer 2

I've only been there a few times, so I don't know much about entertainment... There are a few movie theaters, each with their own specialties (one theater will play mostly documentaries and independent films that you might not see advertised as often, another will focus on thrillers and horror movies).

Anyway, I know it's not much help, but you should check out Rocco's Pizza and the Greek Cusina restaurants, they're both around the downtown area and both make the best food I've had.

Oh and the Crystal Ballroom, down the street from Rocco's, has a very interesting floor that's on top of springs, and so if you go to a concert there, you'll experience a nice rolling motion (especially if the crowd gets into it). There's also a bigger venue, but the name escapes me.

Eh, sorry I couldn't help you more but yeah, those restaurants rule :D

Answer 3

The zoo is great but it's going through a great deal of construction at the moment; one of our elephants had a baby in August and his name is Samudra, just saw him on Tuesday (4/21). The Japanese gardens are close to the zoo. There's the Shanghai tunnels, but need to make arrangements for that ahead of time. There's the Portlandia, which is the second largest statue in the U.S. The coast is wonderful. On the weekends there is the Saturday Market and walking along the waterfront is fantastic.

Answer 4

Did you know that Oregon is the home to loggers and environmentalists, ultraconservative voters and hippies, deserts and rain forests, beaches and volcanoes? It is how yahoo travel describes the place Oregon.
Did you know that the deepest lake in the US in on top of a mountain? Crater Lake , according to Microsoft Encarta for Kids, lies on top of a mountain in the Cascade Range in Oregon. The lake is 2,000 feet deep.

CAPITAL: Salem
MAJOR CITIES:
Portland
Eugene
Salem
Oregon is the 10th state in terms of area! it is 27th in terms of population. It is known as the
Beaver State. Beaver top hats had been a fad among wealthy men in Europe.


Top 10 popular attractions as suggested by yahoo travel:
1. Classical Chinese Garden
Open: 10am- 5 pm daily
website:
http:// portlandchinesegarden.org/
Location: NW 2nd & 3rd NW Flanders
& Glisan in Old Town /
Chinatown.

This garden started its operation
in 2000. Admission for adults is $7.00
and lesser for seniors and students.

2. Washington Park

3. Waterfront Park
Location: NW Front Avenue
Open 24 hours
Website:
www.oregonparks.org/Parks/
www.portlandonline.com/parks/

This is officially known as the Tom
McCall Waterfront Park. This is often
the center of activities in Portland. This
is a 2 mile grassy parkland along the
west bank of the Wilmette River.

4. Pionner Courthouse

5. Saturday Market

6. Macleay Trailhead

7. Vietnam Veterans' Living Memorial

8. International Rose Test Garden

9. Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

10. International Raceway

There are 51 pictures as slideshow in Yahoo travel:
1. Oregon Maritime Center & Museum
= traces the history of Portland as a shipbuilding center

2. The tower of Union Railway Station was
built in 1890.

3. The Hawthorne Bridge & Portland skyline is
nice to see at night.

4. Horsetail Falls

5. Multnomah Falls

6. The Oregon History
Did you know that it is once known as
the Willamette Falls? it was the early site
of an Indian Salmon Fishing Village. The
falls furnished the power for a lumber mill
which began operation in 1842. A flour
mill in 1844.
This is a part of the inscription on a
stone about its history!

7. Interstate Avenue Max
8. Portland State University

Answer 5

pet and feed the throngs of homeless gutter punks - plenty of that going around.