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What travellers are saying

  • Jim W.
    Atlanta, GA970 contributions
    Review of: Pittock Mansion
    Imposing house, beautiful gardens, and a spectacular view of Portland
    We had planned to stop here during our trip, but had stayed flexible on where to work it into our itinerary. We were on our final day in Portland where it made sense to try to visit this place (en route back from our day trip to Mount St. Helens) so we didn't have as much time or energy at that point. Had we visited earlier in the day, we might have toured the mansion also. As it was, we just toured the grounds, which is free.

    To get to the mansion, you climb several hilly roads, eventually making a very sharp turn onto the final street. That leads to a narrow driveway (I wondered aloud if it was 1-way until we saw as 'share the road' sign...). This widens a bit an leads to...another sharp turn into the parking lot. All of this is more challenging as you meet an oncoming (thankfully slow) vehicle, but is still navigable.

    The parking lot is fairly large. You have to pay to park here, which was the only expense we incurred. Also, I think there was a trail at the far end of the lot connecting to Washington Park, so you may be able to hike here from the park (you should research this if you want to pursue it).

    We checked out the gift shop briefly before advancing to the mansion. If you are jus touring the grounds / gardens, you can circle around either side of the house. There are various flowers, shrubs, and trees all around. Most of the flowers seemed to be on the far side of the house. This was also where the lawn was located, which sloped down to a bluff overlooking the city. You could also see Mt. Hood clearly from there. It seemed to be a popular place for picnics.

    The lot has a pronounced slope, so be prepared to climb stairs or a sloping asphalt path as you circle the house.

    Depending on your schedule and your level of interest in old mansions, a tour of the house might be worthwhile (I think it cost on the order of $10 per person, but check their website). This was a nice stop with beautiful scenery. We probably toured all of the grounds in 45 minutes. It is worth checking out.
    Written 4 August 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Shirley R
    79 contributions
    Review of: The Grotto - National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother
    Amazing, beautiful, and peaceful location
    I visited The Grotto twice because it was so wonderful. There is a church, many different shrines and statues of saints and our Lord. There are also Stations of the Cross and a monastery and it was developed by the Servite priests.
    Written 31 July 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Eva C
    Redmond, WA10 contributions
    Review of: Willamette Valley
    Beautiful area
    Beautiful scenic area with great wineries. We didn’t have reservations but were able to walk in for wine tastings wherever we stopped.
    Written 2 August 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Cynthia C
    Willamette Valley, OR882 contributions
    Review of: St. Johns Bridge
    A very nice side trip
    I would not go to the area just to see the bridge, but that said it is lovely, you must go out to the tower on the riverside to really appriciate it. Pretty sure it was the entrance to the library in The Librarians (2014 TV series).
    Written 3 May 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Dillon B
    3 contributions
    Review of: Tilikum Crossing
    Good views.
    It was a really long bridge. It was fun to walk acrossed it. It also looks cool if you see it from far away. You also get a good view of the Arial Tram. You can see the lake from there too. Half of it is a walking area, so there is a lot of space to be on.
    Written 31 March 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Deehi
    Houston, TX343 contributions
    Review of: Alberta Street
    Artsy Alberta Street not to be missed
    Alberta Street was a food and street art gem. Lots of varieties to offer from street food to cafes to small eateries with Ethiopian, Nepalese, American, Mexican and more. Little shops with a mix of clothing to unique souvenirs and art work. Plan to browse for a few hours.
    Written 18 September 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Ron S
    Fort Collins, CO131 contributions
    Review of: Pearl District
    Loved it.
    So much to do so little time. I went there specifically to go to the Salt and Straw ice cream place. It was the best kept area in Portland. They had a lot to investigate but time constraints left me wanting a return visit. I think you will like this.
    Written 26 September 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • PDXmilespoints
    Portland, OR382 contributions
    Review of: Northwest (Nob Hill)
    Great try 23 Hoyt.
    Great area local shops. Try the resturant 23 Hoyt. Very safe and pleasant to walk through day or night.
    Written 15 August 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • margaretcov
    Portland, OR314 contributions
    Review of: Multnomah Village
    It is a village...so nice to have in Portland
    A charming village with unique shops and restaurants. A few empty spots but new ones coming soon. It is a delightful place to stroll with friendly people and lots of dogs (some of the stores actually invite in well-behaved ones). And, don't forget the side streets such as the food carts in the French Quarter with two more delicious places across the street - Marcos and Grand Central Bakery. And for those who like the chains, to the east on Capitol Highway you will find a Starbucks, Blue Donuts and Little Big Burger. The locals love the place, especially on first Friday when the stores are open later, serving treats and beverages plus 10% off purchases.
    Written 31 January 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • pneon99
    Thousand Oaks, CA250 contributions
    Review of: Oregon Holocaust Memorial
    Moving and Essential so we dont forget
    This Memorial was on my list of places to see in Washington Park.
    located just south of the international Rose Garden this striking memorial has details you wont really understand until you are standing within the memorial. What initially looks like trash or something left on the ground or on a bench, turns out to be what is most impactful about this memorial. Bronze girls dolls, a broken violin, a tattered up set of paper, a suitcase, a menorah all ruminants of what the Nazis stole from the Jews and anyone else they deemed unworthy. All these items strewn about without a care for these innocent peoples belongings as they are shuttled into trains to be put to death. The cobblestone entry to the memorial very much like the cobblestones in the ghettos themselves. The memorial itself explaining in as much detail as you can in the space provided the horrors the Nazis and the words of the survivors that chill you to your core. This is a powerful Monument and one that ensures we never forget the atrocities that people are capable of just because you are different. I was surprised to see how many survivors moved to Oregon after the war with all the names and families etched into this beautiful memorial. This is a must see when you are in Oregon!
    Written 22 April 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Evan D
    Richmond, VA94 contributions
    Review of: Save The PT Boat, Inc.
    The BEST Experience in Portland
    This is the museum for PT-658, a WWII-era restored Patrol Torpedo Boat. This is a MUST-DO in Portland. This is literally the only PT Boat in the entire US that you can climb aboard and explore stem-to-stern on a regular basis - and it is readily accessible, with a little planning in the form of a phone call at least a week in advance of your visit. The PT boat has her own boathouse right within the grounds of Vigor Shipyard, and the boathouse opens to the Swan Island basin - leading right to the EXCELLENT Amphibious Forces Memorial Museum (LCI-713, an infantry landing craft from WWII). So, this museum and that of the adjacent LCI really go hand-in-hand despite being two separate non-profits. Plan accordingly! You really should see both (and I will do a separate review for the LCI). Here's some tips for visiting:

    1. CALL ahead! There is a contact email address on the Save the PT Boat, Inc., website. They are open to the public on Mondays and Thursdays from 9am to 3pm - and Saturdays by reservation. Because the PT is only 78' long, space aboard is limited - and the boat is functional. So, call ahead, let them know what day you're wanting to visit, and they'll take it from there.

    2. The gate to visit the PT boat is right across from the Peterbuilt at 5555 N. Lagoon Ave - what I did was use the Peterbuilt address for my GPS, then called the number on the gate (photo included in this review) when I arrived and waited for Jerry to come unlock the gate. You can wait either in the Peterbuilt parking lot, or you can park temporarily in front of the PT boat's shipyard gate - once they open the gate for you, you drive into the shipyard, turn right, and park right outside the PT boat's maintenance shed. I've included a labeled Google Earth map at the end of the photos in this review, hopefully some folks find that helpful.

    3. Bring a camera! Everything is SO well restored - you'll want to document these rare spaces for sure.

    4. Bring closed-toed, well-fitting shoes - to access the PT boat's interior, you have to navigate several steep staircases with 3-4 steps each, and the engine room and aft crew quarters are down vertical ladders. Note there is not air conditioning.

    5. Plan on spending 3+ hours. As I said earlier, this really goes hand-in-hand with the landing craft museum next to the boathouse. You can opt not to do both and they'll go unlock the gate for you to drive out - but I don't really see a good reason to skip either vessel. Both are unique experiences and very special, each very different in their own right.

    6. Be respectful! The PT is exquisitely restored - lots of little items have gone into this, including desalination packs, signaling mirrors, compasses, pictures, and other knick-knacks. While they're happy to let you handle the artifacts, let the crew lead the way - if they hand something to you, it's safe to handle. Otherwise, a good rule of thumb is to look but not touch. These things are not playgrounds - they are machines of war - and the oils from human hands does deteriorate them over time. If you bring kids, they certainly encourage interactive activities in the museum, but as a personal recommendation, I'd keep kids under close watch aboard the PT. They'll have a BLAST - just saying to respect the artifact is all. Plus, the boat is floating, and when other vessels pass outside, the wake does make the boat rock just slightly.

    7. DONATE. There is no price of admission. It is a FREE attraction. But keep in mind, these organizations run on donations and volunteers. They have no full-time staff. The guys showing you the museums are volunteers. The guys doing repairs are volunteers. Again, these are unique vessels - support them however you can, be it a review like this one, or telling your friends to go visit, or donating (or, better yet, all three!). There is a donation box inside the boathouse, and a separate one for the landing craft over inside that ship. They are separate organizations.

    I visited with my wife, and our guide arranged for some folks from his neighborhood and a friend from work to join since we went on a Saturday. I had contacted them two weeks in advance to ensure that would work - Saturdays are appointment-only days, and volunteers will be on the adjacent landing craft doing maintenance (gives it that real war-time feeling of constant chores, too). Overall our group was seven in total, plus our guide Jerry. That was a good number, many more and some of the smaller spaces would have been overcrowded. I hung at the end of the group so I could take pictures of the compartments in detail. Total tour of the PT was right at 2.5 hours, and some of that may have been extra since I probably slowed the group down with my incessant photography. Some folks opted not to go into the engine room or the aft crew's quarters based on how confined those spaces were, so food for thought. In general, I found the interior spaces to be small, but not overwhelmingly small - pretty much on-par with how cramped ship compartments usually are. Space comes at a premium, and is a luxury.

    All-in-all, this was a day we will never forget. I took over 400 photos of PT-658 alone, 385 of which made it past the cutting room floor and into my photo collection for posterity. Everything was so well done - packed with detail, clean, polished, quality, and fascinating. The crew even fed us pizza and gave us water (you'll want water) between seeing the PT and touring the landing craft - not sure how normal that is, but their hospitality was above and beyond and I cannot sing their praises enough. The knowledge Jerry brought to his tour was extensive and thorough - I learned quite a bit from the anecdotes he shared, and picked up a book on the way out to read more about PT shenanigans from one of the guys who volunteers there
    Written 6 August 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Vanjo
    40 contributions
    Review of: Portland Center Stage at The Armory
    High consistent quality productions
    Beautiful theaters.Excellent quality and thought proving selections. Have thoroughly enjoyed over the last 7 years.
    Written 6 March 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • billie1948
    8 contributions
    Review of: Sellwood
    A neighbor of this wonderful area
    This area is dog friendly, bicycle friendly and life style friendly. There are great restaurants in the area and a top notch walking, running and bicycling area. The Spring-water trail is fantastic.
    Written 29 August 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Metropolis2000
    Cambridge, MA127 contributions
    Review of: Sauvie Island Farms
    Frequent visits during summer. Family friendly fun
    Great u-pick options in summer. Just a short distance away from Portland and Hillsboro. Wonderful place to visit with kids.
    Written 16 December 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • irenencurdie
    Alexandria, VA104 contributions
    Review of: Pioneer Courthouse Square
    The weather statue is worth 4 stars.
    There are some adorable animal statues by the courthouse and the square entrance has some historic gates marking the entrance to what once was an enormous hotel. Apparently the initial hotel investor went broke so the local citizens paid to complete the hotel. The hotel was demolished and the square was eventually installed. I liked the animals but the square didn't hold my interest until I read the sign about the weather statue. There is a tall statue in the corner of the square that keeps track of local weather. Every day at noon, the statue performs, which is AWESOME. The entertainment starts with an instrumental melody announcing the enchantment to come. You will then see the bird on the statue disappear into a dome after which a dragon and spikes emerge. Water mist gets sprayed during the performance, need I say more? Go see this.
    Written 12 January 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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