Amazing park that makes you feel so secluded and in the middle of nowhere. Towering trees crowd out…read morethe sun, so that only small golden rays can filter through and dapple the ground. Some parts of the trail cross streams. Birdsong fills air, and you can see occasional robins hopping on the trail, trying to find a snack. Tiny songbirds flit through the air. There are some inclines and slopes on some of the trails here, but nothing too bad. Take it in at your own pace. You can elect to just sit and soak in nature. Parking can be difficult to find at times, as this area is so popular due to its proximity to downtown, as well as being a beautiful experience! I highly recommend experiencing everything this park has to offer if you have the time.

I love coming to Forest Park when visiting Portland! There are many trails to choose from, it's…read morewell maintained, and there's a lot of signage, making it fairly easy to navigate around. I've come here a handful of times and have done some easy walks, as well as the more strenuous trek all the way up to Pittock Mansion. The observation deck is always a favorite stop too since it's such a pretty area. The whole park is very lush and seems to stay that way no matter the time of year. Not sure if all of the trails are dog friendly, but we have brought a dog on some and see lots of them throughout the park.

A beautiful environment that accommodates everyone from athletes to casual strollers. With its…read morescenic duck pond and lively community energy, this is easily one of the best parks in Portland. Whether you want to play pickleball or tennis, hit the skate area, spread out on the grass for a picnic, or take a walk along the paved paths around the pond, there's something for everyone. The natural scenery is peaceful and perfect for solitary unwinding or weekend gatherings with friends and pets. Logistics Tip: Laurelhurst doesn't have a dedicated parking lot, so look for neighborhood street parking. Google Maps took me to a street near the playground area. Restrooms are limited and near the center of the park by the lake, so plan your walking route accordingly.

After a very filling meal, I decided to walk to this park since it was within walking distance of…read moreOld Town Portland, where I was staying. I instantly fell in love with it. Even though it was a hot day, the park felt surprisingly cool and refreshing thanks to all the trees and shade. There are plenty of trails for walking, running, and biking, along with basketball courts, a small skate park, and a playground for kids. There also happened to be an event going on while I was there, and it was great to see the park come alive with so many people. It's such a spacious park that I can easily see it being a great venue for both small and large events.My favorite part, though, was the lake. It created such a peaceful atmosphere and made it easy to slow down and just enjoy the moment. I loved the multiple viewpoints overlooking the water, and seeing the ducks swimming around was the perfect finishing touch.This ended up being one of my favorite places to unwind during my time in Portland.

TACKLING TERRIFIC TABOR…read more Every time I'm in Portland, I head to this urban oasis for a hike and some overdue forest bathing. There are plenty of different trails to explore, and the views are amazing. You'll feel like you're miles away from the city in this cool, shady enclave. Last time I was here, a couple was taking wedding photos. If you have a dog, stop at the ranger station for a free treat. There's a playground for kids, too. Time to park it!

There's so much to do and see here. It's definitely a great urban park oasis. They have a lot of…read moreevents, a great dog park and playground, and it's clean!! The view by the reservoir is lovely during sunset. We go yearly for the soapbox Derby and I love how Portland comes together as a community for it.

Beautiful neighborhood park! Wow! This is not a park or playground from yesteryear, it's completely…read moremodern with very unique play structures and art. Plus walking paths through several acres of rolling hills with wonderful views immersed in nature. The splash pads are open again (until 7pm) and the kids were certainly joying them. The play structures are both stunning and interactive, even a look-out tower with a telescope that views a constellation ceiling. Very cool. Slides, step rocks, climbing structures, picnic tables in the open and shade, lots of benches, even water bowls for dogs - clearly a lot of thought went into the design and build of Spring Garden Park. It's close to Multnomah Village which is how I discovered it after visiting the food truck area and wanting someplace serene to enjoy my meal. Park right on SW Spring, just be mindful of not blocking the neighbors driveways as it's in a residential area. Close to SW Barbur.

This is such a sweet little park! The unique pieces of art all around the property are pretty neat…read more Lots of cute paths to walk on that lead to pretty views of Portland. We went on a sunny day and it wasn't over crowded. -1 star for personal reasons: my daughter is young (19 mo) and was able to swing on the baby seat swing, however, she was not confident to try the older play structure. The structure seems more appropriate for 2.5 and older. It has a pretty cool rock climber for older kids. My experience makes me wonder if there are parks in Portland that are more inclusive for all children and their abilities? I hope that Portland Parks and Recreation would be willing to rethink how they can be more inclusive when designing a park. I will be the first to admit I know nothing about building a park, but If I did I would want everyone to feel included.

Right along the city of Portland by the Willamette river with the bridge…read more This is a busy area which often hosts events like festivals. It is also nice for walking, running, bicycling. There's also benches to sit that overlook the river. Theres so many people in the evenings and looks especially beautiful in the spring with the cherry blossoms. A landmark in the city.

I'm rating Tom McCall Waterfront Park 5 stars due to the happy, grateful moments, every time I am…read more here, especially during this March 2026 visit, My chasing cherry blossom dreams came true. I tried coming every year to catch the blooms for past 5 years ( I was either too early or too late) but Wow, this year I finally caught the blooms. My heart is filled with Joy! I have a LOVE for Sakura/Cherry Blossoms. Tom McCall Waterfront Park sure brings back wonderful memories when I visited Portland for the first time during my daughter's college day, very beautiful park! Tom McCall Waterfront Park if for Governor Tom McCall is about 36. acres with a view of Williamette River in downtown Portland, bordered by RiverPlace to the south, Steel Bridge to the north. Did you know this park used to be 6-lane highway, activists held picnics on the tiny riverfront walkway in 1969 to protest the lack of public space. Gov. Tom McCall formed a task force, Harbor drive closed in 1974 and the park opened in 1978. Besides annual cherry blossoms this park has trails, salmon street springs, monuments, various festivals, protest, events, are held here. Near by to Portland Saturday market. Parking is very limited, either street parking or private lot. I can't wait to visit Tom McCall Waterfront Park again, with or without cherry blossoms or for Fall, foliage- I hope to catch the blooms again next year! same time, same place, I loved to be back!

The best location in NE Portland for watching sunsets, taking in panoramic views of the city,…read moregazing at stars (and other astronomical events, even despite the light pollution), and watching planes take off and land at nearby PDX. On a clear day, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams can be seen by those with good eyesight. An old, decommissioned aviation beacon still blinks away at all hours of the day and night like a lighthouse, and the rustic lanterns around the perimeter make the park feel as if it were time-shifted from an earlier era. For a real treat, visit the park when the city below lies under a blanket of fog.

It's a park. Gotta park for the park and walk. Great views, lots o people…read more Watch airport landings, StZ Helen's blow up in the future, and Mt Hood turn green. Oh and the sunset if you are patient enough to wait. Only downside is the volume of the traffic on 84 in the background.

It was our first visit to this iconic park and we were not disappointed. We didn't have a full day…read moreto explore everything that we certainly enjoyed Rose Garden, as well as the wonderful shuttle driver who gave us a very nicely, guided informal tour all the way up from the parking area by the zoo to the dairy top by the rose garden, including very interesting facts about the park and the local neighborhood surrounding the park. As it was late April, there were not a lot of roses yet in bloom, but it was still nice to see the garden and all the other sites in the park most of which will have to wait for our next visit.

Washington Park (in Oregon) is way more than a park -- it's mini attractions with the park -…read moreresidential area. So, within the "park", there's Oregon Zoo, Portland Japanese Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, International Rose Test Garden, and Children's Museum -- all require admission feee. The park and trails are free. Washington Park is hands-down one of the most incredible urban parks but I only had time to check out Portland Japanese Garden (separate review). I did walk the perimeter of the Hoyt ArboretumFor hikers and nature lovers, this is a gem.Washington Park has a free shuttle that loops around all the major attractions (seasonal). Parking can be a little tricky during peak times, so plan ahead or take public transit. The cool thing is getting around Washington Park -- there's free shuttle that's takes you to all these places within the park so you don't have to stress about limiting parking spots. Yelp Tip:There are plenty of quiet spots with tables and open lawns to relax between visits -- so do a picnic. Highly recommend carving out time in your Portland trip to explore it properly.

Skidmore Bluffs Park is more of a park for the view. Yes, there are trails there but they go down…read morevery steep slopes and if it's muddy you are bound to get some slipping and sliding in. In fact if you are really lucky while you are slipping and you grab at random things you may even grab a plant with thorns on it. Yay you! Skidmore seems like a park you have to walk to from the neighborhood that it is surrounded by. There is a small, round circle that appears to be a small parking lot but going off of the signs all over there it apparently isn't a place to park. It's more of a cul de sac. Overall I wasn't too impressed with the park but that view is great and if you want a good, panoramic view then Skidmore is the place to go.

Such a beautiful location with a nice view of the river and a lovely spot to have a picnic.read more

My favorite kids friendly park in sw Portland. Tons of fun activities to do! Large crowds most days…read moreat the park. Very fun!

I drive by so often I sometimes forget how freaking great Gabriel Park is. The place is huge,…read morenicely laid out, and it is IMO a lovely place to spend an afternoon or even a weekend. Plus it's got a little bit of everything; paved walking paths, or dirt trails if you like; basketball courts; lots of picnic tables; tennis courts; two baseball fields; two dog parks; a skate park; an old growth forest (no joke!); open meadows; an up to date playground, and I'm sure a bunch of other things I'm missing. There's a small parking lot and usually plenty of on street parking if you're driving here, and Multnomah Village is just over the hill. And it's all free.

We wanted to get outdoors for a bit to have lunch and try our hand at kite flying. Despite what the…read moreweather said there wasn't quite enough wind to really get kites going but this was a nice park to visit. Lots of street parking in the neighborhood and there are tables and garbages around to use. They have cute little play areas that look like they're meant for some real physical activity. Plus they have the water with all the ducks. All I need is to see some wildlife and I'm happy so getting to see some juvenile ducks hanging out with mom was pretty cool. This is a nice park to enjoy, seemed calm.

Ended up here during one of the pedalpalooza rides earlier this Summer. I'd passed by many times on…read morethe 99E & was always curious. It's much larger than I expected & lots tucked away that you can't see from the road. There's tons of room to spread out & some nice little walking paths. I always appreciate a park with some type of water feature & Westmoreland park supplied that, complete with ducks!