Washington Park - the urban oasis

Washington Park in Portland boasts over 450 acres of space filled with various gardens, an urban arboretum with 12 miles of well-maintained walking trails, tennis courts, memorials, and even an archery range.

While you can certainly drive here, if the weather is pleasant we prefer to visit the park using MAX (light rail system of Portland and nearby suburbs). Not only do both red & blue MAX lines stop here, free shuttles connect the MAX station to the park, as well as internal destinations within the park, so you won't really miss your car.

If you are visiting Washington Park in Summer, International Rose Test Garden is a very attractive spot to visit, both aesthetically and scientifically. You can probably tell from the name, it's a test garden for rose varieties. Even for me who isn't particularly into roses or flowers in general, this garden is always a treat, with its countless bushes of interestingly colored, uniquely shaped/sized roses that I've never encountered anywhere else!

image source: https://www.portland.gov/

Regardless of the season or weather, my favorite activity in Washing Park is wandering through the trails at Hoyt Arboretum, taking in the forest-y fresh air and looking down upon the downtown. Most trails here interconnect with each other so you could just put one foot in front the other, or you could pick one from the official trail map based on the length and features of your interest. Or, if you experience a decision paralysis as I did during my first visit here, you can find my recommended arboretum stroll introduced in the 'City Hikes' section of this post.

A peaceful walk through Hoyt Arboretum on some misty day

Redwood Deck at Hoyt Arboretum. Image credit: https://www.anchorandpinecollective.com/

To me personally Portland Japanese Garden doesn't live up to the $20-somthing entrance fee, but manicured gardens in general rarely hit the spot for me. So it's likely just me. This is one of the most popular attractions in Washing Park, and many friends of mine really enjoy the serenity as well as various events held here.

If you need further details or want to browse other attractions at Washington Park, their website is very well-organized and has downloadable maps in various languages. I do recommend taking a peek at the map before you visit, to familiarize with the overall layout (recall, the park is pretty big) and the shuttle route!