Portlandia...I actually think I have heard of the TV show of the same name before hearing the…read moreexistence of this statue. But the statue definitely came prior to the show. The trident wielding woman is enormous and is awe inspiring and beautiful and perhaps to a certain kind of man perhaps intimidating but that isn't necessarily a problem there. This statue is on the Portland Building and if you simply wall by or near it's nearly impossible to miss. This is also an attraction where there is no fee to take a look at it as it can literally be seen quite easily from the public sidewalk. Yet another iconic downtown Portland landmark that is not to missed!

Using imagination Portlandia emerged from the sea - all copper - and crouches vigilant on the…read morePortland building. Watching us! Her captivating eyes draw you to a closer look. With one hand reaches out to us. In a way we are like her as we all emerged from the sea (water) from our mothers womb. She reaches for us to live as one in peace the way John Lemon wrote is his song "Imagine" - "Imagine all the people livin' life in peace." In the one hand Portlandia holds a trident, perhaps symbolizing protection for the city dwellers - for Portlandian's. Portlandia reminds me we are one city! One people! One earth! That's just my spin of this beautiful copper lady.

Fun family activity for a couple hours. Twelve mostly large scale or interactive exhibits that you…read morecan puruse at your leisure. Our family highlights included any dancing videos (of yourself). Unsurprisingly, the kids loved the ball pit and 'trampoline' room, we loved the music and ball light installation as well. As they will remind you of you but tickets ahead of time, remember to bring socks as they are required for a few rooms. Not quite the TeamLab experience, more refined than Meow Wolf, but still a lot of fun.

Super interesting place! While we did have fun, I was a bit underwhelmed. Honestly, I was thinking…read moreit was more a "Meow Wolf" type of place... so I guess I should've just entered the space without any expectations. The bar in the beginning was a nice touch. You can walk around with your drinks and explore the different rooms they had. You can even take a break and grab food- once you get in your time there is unlimited! One of the best rooms was the Secret Garden. This is where you stand under a cloud like dome and hear secrets from people who have recorded them from a month or two ago. They have a recording booth within the room and you sit there and confess things. Then it plays it back after a couple of months to make sure you remain anonymous. The secrets we heard were gnarly... Won't repeat any, just go there and see! That was probably the best room we went into. The other rooms were super cool, which included a ball pit, infinity room/light looking room as well as a semi-bouncy room. Really interactive and creative space. Entrance fee is not bad for the type of space it's in [Around $22ish?]. Just don't be a jerk and be respectful of peoples' spaces. Not that anyone was disrespectful to us, just saying!

What a beautiful hidden gem in the middle of a neighborhood in Portland…read more This is a little sweet piece taken out of Scandinavian children's books in the heart of Portland. Great artwork made by the artist. You actually feel disconnected from the US and in another country. Cute short walk around the houses and the Troll sculpture made of recycled wood. The place also has a small coffeeshop and if you are interested in connecting with Scandinavian community there is a lot of information there.

We are huge fans of Thomas Dambo's trolls so whenever we're near one it's pretty much a guaranteed…read morestop. Ole Bolle definitely stands out for me as one of the more whimsical Dambo experiences. You follow a path into the woods and then all of a sudden you spot this giant troll lifting the roof off a tiny house like he's trying to sneak a peek inside. It's such a fun scene and you can't help but smile. You can actually go inside the Little House and look up at Ole Bolle from a completely different perspective. This it makes the sculpture feel more immersive than some others we have seen. The setting is also beautiful and the wooden trail makes you feel like you've wandered into a fairy tale. There are shaded picnic tables nearby if you want to sit and relax for a while. There is also a nice spot at the beginning of the trail to have a good lunch that I just reviewed as well. This place will make you feel like a kid again and I definitely recommend a visit.

Beautiful and iconic landmark for the city of Portland OR. It can be seen during the day but really…read morepops at night. It sits atop the White Stag Building at 70 NW Crouch Street. A bit of history.... 1940 - The sign was installed and originally advertised White Satin Sugar 1957 - Converted for White Stag Sportswear, adding the now- famous leaping white deer 1978 - Designated a historic landmark. 1997-2010 - It read "Made in Oregon - Old Town" 2010 - present - The city of Portland acquired the sign and changed the main lettering to "Portland, Oregon", while retaining the stag and the "Old Town" panel. Christmas tradition: The stag's nose is illuminated red like Rudolph

Portland is a gorgeous city with some beautiful views, incredible food, and plenty of places worth…read moreexploring. My friend and I were able to get some great pictures in front of the iconic Portland Oregon White Stag Sign, but unfortunately, the surrounding area raised some serious concerns for me. The unhoused population in this area was probably the largest and most visible I have personally encountered. I am a strong believer in treating unhoused people with dignity and making sure people have access to adequate housing, mental health care, sanitation, and other resources. Seeing so many people seemingly living underneath the bridge and throughout the surrounding streets was genuinely upsetting. As we walked around, we also encountered several people who appeared to be experiencing mental health crises or otherwise struggling without adequate support. There was also a significant amount of human waste on the streets, which immediately made me wonder whether there are enough accessible public restrooms and sanitation facilities available in this part of the city. More than anything, the experience left me wondering what resources are actually being provided by the city and local elected officials to address homelessness, mental health, sanitation, and basic human needs in this area. These are human beings who deserve better than being left to live in conditions like this. The sign itself is absolutely worth seeing, but the conditions surrounding it made the experience uncomfortable and honestly pretty heartbreaking.

When it comes to Keep Portland Weird, this is the place I think of first and a must see if you like…read moreodd things. They have a quirky collection of oddities and I love the interactive pictures you can take. Make sure to look at every corner high and low. It's a fun use of an hour of your time. Free popcorn too while you peruse the displays. Since the last time I was here they changed out a few of their things which is great. Also make sure to check out their gift shop.

IT'S A PORTLAND TREASURE! You could spend as few as 20 minutes or as long as an hour or more if you…read morewant to look at everything & read all the stuff. There's a greatmust-do selfie -- hanging off a building (spoiler: not really ) and lots of other peculiaria. I think they don't charge admission if you show up in costume, but that may no longer be true?

I already knew the Portland Japanese Garden was a must-see, and it definitely didn't disappoint!…read moreThis place is beautiful, peaceful, and full of gorgeous scenery. When you first enter, you make your way up a pretty steep hill surrounded by tall trees and lush greenery. Along the way, you cross a glass bridge and climb some stairs that take you past the Umami Café, Japanese Arts Learning Center, gift shop, and a few other buildings before you enter the actual garden. The garden opened to the public in 1967 and covers 12.5 acres, so there's plenty to explore. Be prepared for some winding paths, a few super narrow walkways, and some steep inclines and descents. Some of my favorite spots were the Sand and Stone Garden, Zigzag Bridge, koi pond, Moon Bridge, and Natural Garden. Everywhere you turn, there's something beautiful to see. I highly recommend you put the Japanese Garden on your 'must see' list. It's well worth the visit!

Hubs & I love visiting Japanese Gardens whenever we get the chance. Portland Japanese Garden is…read morequite unique in that it can take advantage of its location within Washington Park and all its trees add to its beauty. I also love looking at bonsai trees, and the collection here did not disappoint. Loved the sand garden. The entire layout was a bit smaller than I imagined from the guide. There are a few steeper / hilly climbs, so I would recommend wearing good walking shoes. I wouldn't say this is the most handicap/wheelchair friendly, though they do have a shuttle that can take you up from the ticketing area to the main garden entrance...but inside the garden there are some spots that have a lot of stairs and some paths & walkways are quite narrow. They have their own designated parking lot that seems to fill up fast. We found parking near the Rose Garden and walked over. It's incredible to think that this garden is just a mile or so away from the city! They also have a tea house and a cute gift shop. A couple of restrooms available located throughout the garden.

Serene and beautiful area to pray, meditate and leave your worries…read more Parking & entrance is free to grotto. If you want to experience the garden and statues that is located on the cliff above, there is a $12 fee for entrance. Very helpful and cheerful young man inside the visitors center where you can learn more about the grotto and purchase candles to leave at the grotto alter. #BayArea (lol he was very knowledgeable about the bay )

I really wish I had more time here. This was one of the very last places to visited before I had to…read morefly home. I got here late about 30mins before closing so I only walked around for a little. It's so Beautiful, peaceful, & calm here. The Grotto is a 62-acres sanctuary founded in 1924. There are so many beautifully carved statues. All the statues are made from marble, granite, bronze, wood, polyester resin and fiberglass. On their webpage, The Grotto's Vision is To forever be a place where the human spirit can seek peace and consolation. The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother embraces and supports people of all cultures and all faiths who seek a place of prayer and meditation; The Grotto values the dignity of everyone. I'll definitely come back here the next time I'm in town so I can spend a bit more time exploring. There's a decent sized parking lot. It was empty as I got here close to closing but I'm sure it gets very busy here.

These are some cool modern takes on the northwest Totem Poles. They are located on one side of…read moreJamison Square. Brightly colored the full name is Tikitotmoniki Totems There are 4 of them in all. They are interesting and really fit into the area. Fun Fact: they hide poles for the trolley inside.

SSSSSS!!!!! Stellar! Sensational! Sensual! Scintillating! Stimulating! So-ssssss! Words can only…read moredescribe the beauty and profoundness viewing the mural by Faith47, South African artist! See it sizzle your emotions. Next-door is the new Stumptown coffee shop. Sit with coffee. Emotions sizzle sizzle with the kiss of ecstasy and wonderment - who is this mysterious lady and why are you here? You question - lost in your own muse!

The architect for the new building has been able to design the new building to preserve views of…read morethis mural! Thanks ZGF and developer! http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2017/07/eleven_west_tower.html and http://www.nextportland.com/2017/12/13/eleven-west/

Excellent cocktails and booze selection. Bar food is super mediocre. Stuff you can put together at…read morehome super quickly. I opted for the cheeseburger. Drinks are good though and super convenient in the hotel. I would add a few stars if they actually put a bit of effort into the food quality. Service was quick and efficient for one person working the bar late at night. Thankfully they ARE open late for travelers. Lovely table and bar layout. Super friendly staff.

A few friends and I went into WXYZ lounge to sit and get caught up…read more We started at the bar with a very well made margarita, then felt we wanted to order some appetizers so moved into the lounge area. The gal who made us our drink then served our food was very delightful. Food was decent and fair priced. Atmosphere was very relaxing. We were there from 5-6pm and there was a small crowd, but when we walked by later about it was very packed and pretty loud. Would stop in for a cocktail and appetizer again.