Portland - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 421

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Portland Planning
A visit to Portland doesn't require too much detailed planning. There are plenty of hotels
of all kinds and budgets in and around the city, and only the most popular ones book up
(usually in summer). You can walk into most restaurants, even the fanciest ones, in a hik-
ing jacket and jeans. Dinner reservations are taken at some of the most popular restaur-
ants (others don't take reservations for groups under six). Portland is a laid-back kinda
town.
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Transportation
» Public transportation Transit buses, the streetcar and the MAX light-rail system all
link up and can get you nearly everywhere ( www.trimet.org ). Taxi companies are abund-
ant, and another (more green) option is bike pedicab services.
» Bicycle Portland's often named 'the most bike-friendly city in the US.' Bicycle lanes
are plentiful and several shops rent bikes. For bike maps see www.portlandoregon.gov/
transportation/34809 .
» Car Parking on the east side of the city is generally easy to find; downtown, SmartPark
garages offer affordable parking ( www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/35272 ) . North-
west neighborhoods and the Pearl District often have metered parking; finding a spot
here can be harder. Car-share programs like Zipcar are popular.
For more details on transportation options in the city, Click here .
PORTLANDERS
Simpsonscreator Matt Groening, notorious figure skater Tonya Harding and Nobel
Prize-winning chemist Linus Pauling all hail from Portland.
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For Kids
» Oregon Zoo ( Click here )