Locals and tourists alike are drawn to Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Stroll along the Willamette River in a serene green space just minutes away from busy downtown Portland. Natives call it simply Waterfront Park, and many of the Rose Festival events take place here. The wide, tree-lined paths burst with colour and flank a well-manicured walkway that cyclists, joggers, and dog walkers all enjoy all year round.
From the park, you can see the Hawthorne Bridge to the north, and it’s an ideal place to stop and watch the boats float by. Pack a lunch and spend a relaxing afternoon in one of Portland’s best green spaces and one of the top public spaces in the United States.
Although this park is a pleasant destination any month of the year, it truly comes alive in the summertime. The ornate Salmon St. Springs fountain boasts 185 water jets and is the ideal place for families to escape the summer heat. Meander through the park and you will discover a monument to the Battleship Oregon, a U.S. naval ship built in 1893, and the Japanese-American Historical Plaza, which commemorates the Japanese-American citizens held in World War II internment camps, among several other monuments and statues.
Portland is home to many festivals, and Waterfront Park is the venue for several of them, including the Waterfront Blues Festival and the Oregon Brewers Festival in July. In August, Oregon Bite displays the best in all things culinary, and the Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival is held in November.
The Market Pavilion is the place to find locally made arts and crafts on the weekends from March through December. It started its run in 1974 and is the longest running market of its kind in the U.S. Visitors can find handmade items as well as a unique sampling of food. The international food booths offer anything from Nepalese-style dumplings to Philly steak sandwiches and everything in between.
