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    Washington Park

    4.7 (198 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Washington Park Photos

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    Reviews With Photos

    Oregon Zoo
    Lexa A.

    This park is absolutely beautiful and especially in the summer when the roses are in bloom. We have a zoo membership so my son and I go all the time. If you do go in summer it really any warm day it will be absolutely packed and parking will be a nightmare. The Japanese tea gardens are stunning and well worth it. I do wish they kept the children's museum and I hope they bring it back.

    Nithisha R.

    Washington park is a place in itself. It's beautiful, serene, and a must visit in Portland. For me, it's always been my cherry blossom season ritual. My favorite part has always been the bridge walk. It's an amazing feeling walking on an engineering marvel. There are a lot of paid and street parking available near the park. A must visit in Portland.

    Flower
    Carlo G.

    I loved this park! It was so convenient that there was a street car that can take you all the way from Downtown Portland into the park. Getting off at the park, my friend and I didn't know where to begin as the park was huge. Thankfully, there were staff there that were able to guide us and they even gave us a map and pointed us to the direction of the hikes. The hiking was great! It was amazing to see that different tree formations, nature, and overlooks. I loved seeing the tall redwood trees. The park also seemed well maintained and it was easy to navigate through it. I also like how there were markers scattered throughout the park, so you won't get lost. The park was huge and there's something for everyone! From the Japanese Gardens to the Pittock Mansion, I love how everything's connected. A must for sure for anyone visiting Portland.

    Elsa C.

    Washington Park in Portland is where the zoo, rose garden Japanese tea garden, Hoyt arborvitae, public tennis courts, public archery are all located. The great thing about Washington park is that they have a FREE trolley that will take you around the whole park. They seem to have lots of public parking spaces. They have a few snack bars and a couple of food trucks. They also have several public restrooms.

    Rhododendron in bloom
    Kim G.

    Located on the edge of the city, when you are at Washington Park you feel miles away! Other than the stunning city views from the International Rose Garden area, when you wander the other areas you are immersed in nature. As you walk the multitude of trails that meander through the forest you are surrounded in lush green and encounter incredible vistas along the way. With 400 hundred acres containing dozens of attractions and 100 miles of trails, you can visit over and over again. The entire park, including the trails and pathways, are well maintained, well marked and you can hike all year round. Some of the trails do get slippery in the rainy weather so be observant. There are trails for all levels, and lots of inclines so you definitely get your hear rate up! But Washington Park is more than just hiking trails. It's the home of the incredibly beautiful Japanese Garden where you can get lost in the peace, zen and tranquility. Evwryone snaps a pic of that iconic tree with the intricate twists and turns of it's branches, illuminated in shades of green in the springtime and ablaze in color in the fall, In the spring the huge rhododendron bushes and trees of every color line the pathways. Some of the blooms are twice the size of my head! In mid to late June the International Rose Garden is a flower lovers paradise with roses of every type, color and scent. It is truly an incredible sight to take in, so vibrant and fragrant. I often pack a picnic and head there in the evening to walk around, take photographers in the last hour of sunlight and then enjoy a meal. The amphitheater attracts picnickers and people who just want to sit and read or relax. And when there are concerts, it gets full. Definitely put attending a concert here on your bucket list! You can hike to the Hoyt Aboretum featuring over 2300 s pieces of trees and fauna. There is parking righ in front of the Aboretum, too. You can hike to or drive up to Pittock Mansion for more beautiful vistas and to take in the history. There are several memorials you can visit throughout the Park - the Oregon Holocaust Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Memorial, and the Sacajawea Memorial - all free. There are tennis courts that are lit up at night, an area behind the courts towards the rose garden with lots of picnic tables in the shade and a restroom. A playground for the kids is located by the zoo. It's filled with swings and slides and a sand pit with picnic tables and a restroom nearby. There is even an archery range! And of course, the Oregon Zoo which deserves it own review. There are parking areas throughout but you can also take the Max train which is super easy. This is how I arrive when attending concerts at the Zoo. Public transportation that goes between many of the attractions making it super easy to get around. While the park is free to enter, some of the parking requires payment; you can download the app which is handy if you want to extend your time. Some areas, like the gravel lot near the archery range, is free. So read the signs! Same goes for attractions. The Japanese Garden has a fee and you need to reserve and buy tickets online. The Zoo also has a fee. Best to visit the website (explorewashingtonpark.org/explore/attractions) for specifics. Washington Park is great for families, groups, couples, singles and it's dog friendly! Go!

    Katie R.

    Beautiful park with a multitude of intertwining trails making it the perfect spot for hikers of all levels. It's a very easy spot to get a range of hikes in, from short 20-30 minute hike to a 2+ hour hike, you can make as little or as much as you want from the adventure. We arrived with the intention of doing one trail but after seeing the map, and just how many there were, we decided to switch between a few of them as they intersected. Though the trails were marked very well, we missed one of our intersections and ended up on a different trail. The signage was very helpful and often times, when something was very close, gave distance in feet instead of miles. We took our new trail to the redwood deck and felt like making it longer so continued up to Pittock mansion. The trails were forested but had a nice range of scenery. We came across a bunch of different trees - a lot of which were labeled, some flowing water, some bridges, overall a really pretty spot to disconnect in the center of the city. Even though the trails were labeled, I only noticed one map the entirety of the hike. We took a picture of it so we'd be able to follow along through the park as it is such a large space. We were here post storm so there were a lot of trees down that were blocking the path and we had to climb over, this seemed to be more the case as we got closer to Pittock.

    Robert S.

    Portland's Washington Park contains a number of tourist attractions, including the famed International Rose Test Garden, a zoo, and museums. I will review some of the individual attractions separately. A one-time wild land first purchased by the city in 1871, it is located to the west of the city center. We could had spent the entire day exploring the park's attractions, and another strolling through the unusual gardens. The well-known International Rose Test Garden is where new varieties of roses are grown. In the city's mild climate, roses continue to flower into autumn, though the annual Rose Festival is in May and June. The Portland Japanese Garden is another all-day escape in Washington Park. It's one of the largest outside Japan and is landscaped on the grounds of an old zoo. Other popular things to do in the park include visiting the zoo, the Portland Children's Museum, and Hoyt Arboretum. Just a beautiful lush space for relaxing !

    Rose Garden
    Joe S.

    If you're looking for a hike without going hiking, this might be the place to do it. We walked over from Salt and Straw (not the OG location across town) then up a steep hill to the park. It didn't seem far until we forgot we weren't in Florida anymore and there was a huge hill to climb. Luckily, we were just walking up the bare ski slopes behind the Overlook Hotel (aka Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood), so this wasn't terrible. This has the International Rose Test Garden, which we walked through, a pretty cool view of Mt. Hood, some tennis courts, and lots of other cool things to do. We only saw a small portion as it was later in the day and other things were closing. Not wanting to venture back too late, we caught an Uber back to the hotel in Downtown. We went on a whim and didn't realize all of the cool things here, like the Oregon Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, Japanese Garden, and other cool things in the park. It's also close to Pittock Mansion and Witch's Castle which we almost went to for a hike. This side of town was pretty cool and I wish we would have gone earlier in the day.

    Rose garden
    Alice K.

    Washington Park has a fantastic rose garden. It is located by the Portland Japanese Garden.

    Lewis and Clark memorial column
    Jessica S.

    Even though the weather was working against us - it was November, so we knew not to expect sunshine and warmth - we did enjoy our wanderings through this area. We took advantage of the light rail to get from our hotel to an area close-ish to the park. The added walk was a bonus for us, and gave us a chance to explore neighborhoods we wouldn't normally have seen. The walk into the park was a bit more intense than we'd expected - our path took us up a steep set of stairs and further up a winding residential street before dropping us off close to one of the park's entrances - but again, we relished that extra bit of exercise and being outdoors. Once we got to the Lewis and Clark memorial we realized: we had no idea what to do next! The park was mostly deserted, it was drizzling and cold, and there was construction happening on the other side. We did a quick review of Google Maps and headed down the slope to the Sacajawea Statue (pausing so that I could swing my old bones on the swing set, naturally). From Sacajawea, we made our way to the Chiming Fountain. Finding that to be turned off and disused, we once more consulted the map and headed towards the Oregon Holocaust Memorial up the hill. This memorial, y'all. It's not at all what we set out to visit, but I'm so glad we found it. Powerful and moving, as a memorial should be, it's also a statement of humanity and the toll hatred can take on the world. We spent a good amount of time reading the panels (some of the etchings have been smoothed away by time and weather, but most of the words are still legible) before going back the way we came and hanging a right to head up towards the rose garden. The open-air amphitheater was a nice little surprise for us. Though it was muddy and a bit treacherous, we scampered down into the bowl and took some pictures before taking in the garden. We hadn't expected many flowers - winter, you know - but were pleased to see a few pops of color mixed in with the bushes and educational signs. Our last stop was supposed to be the Japanese Garden, but by the time we hiked our way up there, we realized we were famished, frozen and tired, so we tapped. It was a nice way to spend several hours and get some exercise and fresh air in.

    Mount St. Helens from a path in the arboretum.
    Jim W.

    To be clear, this review is for the park as a whole, while the constituent parts that we also visited within the park (the Hoyt Arboretum and the International Rose Test Garden) are reviewed separately. This is a sprawling park built into the hills on the northwest edge of Portland. It is easily accessed from downtown or via I-5. In addition to the attractions noted above, the park also has a Japanese Garden (which had a long line and an entrance fee of around $15 per person) as well as the Portland area zoo. We did not tour either of those places. They had a number of tennis courts near the gardens as well. The park also features at least one (probably more than one) children's playground and some memorials for some groups (veterans, etc.). The biggest issue we had with this spot was parking. We had read that it gets crowded on weekends, so we visited on a Monday afternoon. It seemed pretty crowded then too, honestly! We tried to park at the Rose Garden, but the nearest spot we could find was over 1/4 mile down the hill. You also pay to park here (either via an app or entering your license plate at a kiosk). So once we did park, we didn't want to move the car to see another area as we were not sure if we'd find another space and we'd have to pay again. The solution was to take the park shuttle bus, which runs every 20 or so minutes, I think (there are at least 2 buses making the loop). This was a great way to get from the Rose Garden to the Arboretum. Had we not already been tired after hiking there (plus prior hikes that day), it would probably have been an easy downhill 1+ mile walk back to our car. We instead rode the bus back. At least two areas of the park offer good views of mountains in the distance. If I returned here, I'd probably try to arrive in the morning in hopes of finding a better parking space.

    A map of the area in Braille ! So awesome!
    Denise S.

    Our niece and nephews loved this little play area at Washington Park! It's just down the way from the Rose Garden, tennis courts, and Japanese Garden so it's easy to find. The kiddos had some extra energy to work put before we went into the calm zen space of the Japanese Garden. They ran, and climbed, and swung, and ran some more. True to a park in PDX this play area had many, many bridges. There isn't an entry just for the play area - so let's hype up the whole area! The Zoo rocks! The Arboretum is stellar! The Rose Garden doesn't have much to see in Winter... But Spring - Fall is great! And the Japanese Garden is absolutely beautiful. Make sure to hop onto the free shuttle and work your way all around the Park! Sadly the water fountains are all turned off so pack extra bottles of water!

    Children's Playground
    Martina C.

    Cute little park and playground for kids! It's small for such a large area but pretty well kept and lovely for a stop after or prior to a Rose Garden walk!

    Washington Park Rose Garden

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Washington Park

    How can I plan an event here?

    Contact the park

    Is the playground open for children?

    This was from their website. COVID19 Update: Children's Playground is open with new social… 

    Does it cost money?

    the last time I was there it didn't!''

    Are the trails big enough to walk with a stroller?

    Mostly, yes. Just be aware, considerate of others coming, going.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Washington Park

    The kiddos had some extra energy to work put before we went into the calm zen space of the Japanese Garden.

    Mentioned in 67 reviews

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    Oregon Zoo - Beautiful paths...

    Oregon Zoo

    3.8(998 reviews)
    0.2 miSouthwest Portland

    Oregon Zoo is always a great time for us. We have repeatedly renewed our membership over the years…read more Our kids love going as a family, with friends and also for zoo lights. We really liked when they had the drive thru zoo lights options (during Covid). The staff are friendly and you can feel how much they care about the animals there. The zoo is always clean and has a good flow to it. We like to eat lunch (which they allow you to bring outside food) during the bird show in the main lawn area (by the elephants). I appreciate that they have several water refill stations throughout the zoo. Our kids like the train ride and the carousal which you get a discount as a zoo member if you purchase tickets. We typically arrive for the 10:00 AM time slot and haven't had issues parking. It's Parking Kitty or you need to go to the parking pay stations. I highly recommend checking out the zoo when in the area.

    I heard high praises about this zoo and had no idea it was a big deal! But we actually had a great…read moretime and it was definitely one of the better zoos that we have been to. I feel like often times the zoo in the summer can be pretty empty and most animals are either asleep or not even visible. But on this visit, we pretty much saw every animal available with the exception of the polar bears - but they have a camera on them in their room so we technically saw them sleeping. I especially loved the elephant area because of the large outdoor space, and the indoor viewing where you can sit on stadium style seating and just watch them roam. We were lucky enough to view a baby elephant during our visit too. The layout of the zoo itself is pretty self-explanatory and I really liked the different areas for little kids. We came across two separate sandpit areas that made for a nice break for both the kids and parents from all the walking!

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    Portland Japanese Garden - 3/14/2025 - I came in to see an amazing koto performance by Mitsuki Dazai.

    Portland Japanese Garden

    4.3(1.5k reviews)
    0.8 miSouthwest Portland

    Been a good few years since I visited the Japanese Gardens, and a lot has changed. But wow if they…read morearen't still worth a visit. The plants and water features are outstanding, and it is such a delight to just wander around and soak it all in. Really, what can I say that hasn't been said by many other visitors? If you aren't captivated by the running water, the intricate rock gardens, or the lovely koi fish, then there is something wrong with you. This is such a gorgeous gem, and a must-see attraction in Portland, especially if you are already wandering around the Washington Park area. Some of the changes in the years since I visited are a whole new entranceway, with an amazing water foundtain. Plus, a redesigned plaza with new gift shop, cafe, and a library. Oh, and speaking of the the cafe, do try out some of the excellent teas and Japanese snacks on offer here. Plus, all the staff and docents working here were very friendly and helpful. As for a few things to be aware of: First, the parking situation is a pain. There are pay-to-park spots, but not enough for the crowds. So you should really plan to either walk over to the gardens from somewhere else in the park, or take the park shuttle service. Also, as some have also noted, the number of people visiting can sort of harsh the serenity a bit. So do your part, and be a courteous visitor, and try to keep things mellow, chill, and quiet enough for others to also enjoy. In a city so full of other gorgeous gardens, I have to say these stand out. It's a city favorite for a reason.

    Was a well maintained garden. Super pretty but not sure if it's worth the price tag for it. If you…read morepartner it with the rose garden it seems a bit more reasonable but probably closer to being worth a $10-15 experience. We took our time strolling through and were out around in an hour. Highlights were the waterfall and view of Mt Hood. They do have a shuttle that also takes you to the gardens itself. Parking can get busy in the area.

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    Portland Japanese Garden - "kintsugi" Japanese restoration

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    Portland Japanese Garden - "kintsugi" Japanese restoration

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    Oregon Museum of Science and Industry - 6/7/2024 - I was able to see the wonderful T Rex exhibit when it was blissfully pretty empty. What a neat exhibit with some real fossils too

    Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

    3.8(671 reviews)
    2.3 miCentral Eastside, Hosford-Abernethy

    OMSI is a museum that is full of natural sciences, physics, and innovation. Though very large with…read morea theater and planetarium, I'd heed the warnings from other Yelp reviews: this museum is for kids!! Not adults!! I truly didn't look at Yelp before buying tickets to the museum and a showing of the planetarium. My fiancé and I finished walking the museum in 30 minutes because it was full of children from camp. We weren't going to play or interact with the museums when children were there and it was sciences we already knew. I was saddened thinking it was a museum for adults. In addition, we absolutely bought the wrong tickets for the planetarium. We ended up at a KPOP Delon Hunters Laser Show. We didn't know what to expect. Whoever made the show did an exceptional job, but we wanted to see something that completely encompasses the entire planetarium. Ultimately, perfect for children. Not adults. The 4 stars is that it is still a great museum.... For children.

    I think for the value of the Family Membership, OMSI gets 5 stars. Hot tip, purchase the year-long…read moremembership during Black Friday when it's 20% off and stretch your dollar even further! My kids can spend the whole morning or afternoon here. There's something for everyone, from toddlers to high schoolers, adults and beyond. I always learn something new here too. Bonus, mention that you're a member in the gift shop and get 10% off your purchase.

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    Oregon Museum of Science and Industry - Physics Lab

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    Oregon Museum of Science and Industry - 6/7/2024 - I was able to see the wonderful T Rex exhibit when it was blissfully pretty empty. What a neat exhibit with some real fossils too

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    International Rose Test Garden - 8/7/25. Oh Rose City, you have my heart.

    International Rose Test Garden

    4.7(917 reviews)
    0.8 miSouthwest Portland

    International Rose Test Garden is a must-see in Portland, admission is free, recommend arriving…read moreearly, as parking is limited. This rose garden is absolutely beautiful, with many varieties of roses in every color. My favorite parts was the labeled fragrance roses, remember to stop and smell each one. It's a fun way to experience the garden. Be extra careful, car break-ins can happen in this area. We saw a car with its window smashed during our visit. Don't leave any valuables or visible items inside your vehicle, even for a short time. Overall, it's a gorgeous place to walk around, take photos, and enjoy the variety of roses.

    I had some extra time during a recent work trip and was looking for something to do when I came…read moreacross the International Rose Test Garden. It's located in Washington Park and was the perfect way to spend a few relaxing hours. I had afternoon tea nearby, so I ended up taking a scenic walk to the garden. If you'd rather skip the hike, it's easy to reach by bus or the MAX from downtown. Washington Park also offers a free shuttle from the MAX station to the rose garden, making it very accessible. The garden is home to more than 10,000 rose bushes representing over 600 varieties. I visited in mid-June, which is peak bloom season, and the displays were absolutely stunning. Everywhere I looked, there were vibrant colors, beautiful fragrances, and countless photo opportunities. Best of all, admission is completely free! Whether you're a gardening enthusiast, love photography, or just want a peaceful place to stroll, the International Rose Test Garden is definitely worth a visit.

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    International Rose Test Garden - Purple roses

    Purple roses

    International Rose Test Garden
    International Rose Test Garden

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    Washington Park - parks - Updated August 2026

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