There is always something to do here in Portland - and if you have a question, just ask a local Oregonian, we're happy to help you. From our exquisite natural beauty, to our five star restaurants and booming arts scene, there is something for everyone in the Rose City. It's easy to see why Portland has recently been named both the best place to live in the U.S. (Men’s Journal, 2006) and one of the best 12 travel destinations in the world (Frommer's, 2007).
Within Walking Distance
Portland is a great city for pedestrians — there’s plenty of handy mass transit and downtown is small enough in area that you can easily walk around and have a great variety of things to do.
Pop Art is conveniently located in the heart of downtown, so from here we can walk just about anywhere from PSU to the Rose Garden. Right next door, the Pearl continues to expand, offering plenty of high-end shopping and eating options, right in our backyard.
Here are some of our favorite places within walking distance of Pop Art:
Recreation In and Around Portland
Portland is located in the scenic Willamette Valley. Although the city itself is urban and offers many cultural attractions and entertainment opportunities, one of Portland’s greatest attributes is that it is located among beautiful wilderness areas, including massive expanses of pristine forests, scenic rivers, hills and mountains, and the Pacific Ocean. Opportunities abound for nearly any outdoor activity. In fact, in 2006 Portland was named the Best U.S. city for walkers by Prevention Magazine, as well as the Best U.S. city for cyclists by Bicycling Magazine.
The Oregon Coast is a ninety-minute drive to the west. Cannon Beach, Tillamook, and Lincoln City are some of the many great places for hiking, exploring tide pools, reading, beach combing, horse riding, scuba diving (in a wet suit), fishing, and surfing.
The Columbia River Gorge, National Scenic Area is a 45-minute drive to the east. Here you can observe or compete in world-class windsurfing, kayaking, and fishing. The Gorge also offers outstanding rock-climbing, although the more daring types may opt for the famous Smith Rock.
Mt. Hood has year-round downhill skiing with slopes ranging from beginner to the highly advanced double-black diamonds for experts. Popular nearby ski resorts include: Mt. Hood Meadows, Timberline, and Mt. Bachelor.
Visit one of the over two hundred Oregon Wineries, offering world-class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and a plethora of European varietals. Or, if you prefer, play first-class golf at the elite Bandon Dunes, or Pumpkin Ridge.
Portland’s own Forest Park is the largest urban wilderness in the United States. Less than a mile from downtown (and only a short walk from our office), it provides a runner and biker’s paradise with over 50 miles of trails through dense old-growth forest.
Other stunning trails in Waterfront and Washington Park make it no surprise Portland was named one if the top 10 running cities in the nation.
Beervana
With more than 30 breweries in and around the city, Portland has the marvelous distinction of being the world’s beeriest city (munch on that, Cologne, Germany!). Craft brewing is big business here, supported by a thirsty local fanbase, and a bevy of nationally distributed brands like Widmer, Bridgeport, Rogue and Deschutes (which is technically in Bend, but they have a new brewpub here, so we’re counting it).
There are a lot of reasons for our dominance: a large portion of the world’s supply of hops (a greenish flower that gives beer its bitter flavor and characteristic aroma) are grown in the Willamette Valley, or in the Yakima Valley, a few hundred miles northeast of Portland. Two leaders in the manufacture of brewer’s yeast are also nearby: Wyeast Labs is rumored to be FedEx’s biggest customer at PDX, since the live organisms used to convert sugar to alcohol are perishable, and must be used fresh. And, despite what you may have heard about Portland’s river water, there’s not much purer than the snowmelt from Mt. Hood that supplies the city’s drinking (and brewing) needs.
Finally, there’s the obvious reason: unique, locally-made beer happens to be a great fuel for Portland’s creative class, one that perfectly complements our ethos of high-quality, handmade products produced close to home.
Sports Teams
Although Portland doesn’t have as many major league sport franchises as some other cities, our city does have a proud history of athletic achievement and we fanatically support our local teams. The University of Portland, for example, has had a top women’s college soccer team for years and has produced players like Tiffany Milbrett and Brandy Chastain.
Other sports teams include the Trail Blazers (NBA), the Portland Beavers (minor league baseball), the Portland Timbers (minor league soccer), Portland Lumberjax (National Lacrosse League) and the Winter Hawks (minor league hockey). The Trail Blazers, Lumberjax, and Winter Hawks play in the Rose Garden Arena, which is also home to music concerts and other major entertainment events. The Portland Beavers play in the newly remodeled PGE Park, which is also the home of the Portland Timbers.
Both the Rose Garden and PGE Park are located within walking distance of Pop Art, just 10 minutes away at a leisurely pace.
Other Sports
If you are more interested in sports that put you in the action, Portland offers interesting options. The Portland Marathon held each fall follows a beautiful course through Portland and is a great race for first-time marathoners. If you are not quite ready for a marathon, try walking for fitness with the American Volkssport Association. Or, if you want to try something really intense, go down and check out Straight Blast Gym where you can train in all ranges of functional hand-to-hand combat: Brazilian jiu-jitsu, jeet kune do, western boxing, and wrestling.
Cultural Highlights
There’s a lot going on in Portland’s cultural scene. From the famous First Thursday in the Pearl District where myriad art galleries open their doors and invite the public in (it’s a great way to see a lot of art and mingle with art aficionados) to our symphony orchestra and opera performers, it’s no wonder that Portland was named Top 10 among U.S. cities for the arts by American Style Magazine in 2006. There’s also Portland’s world famous International Rose Test Garden, which is home to thousands of varieties of roses - quite a sight in spring!
Local News and Media
Looking for some great food, excellent live music, or the latest art gallery show here in Portland? Below are some of the best sources for finding out what is happening in the Rose City right now.