If you are an admirer of nature and want to explore a place that is filled with natural beauty, then Portland is your destination!
When thinking about this city, there are too many words that come to my mind, sustainable, innovative, diverse, counterculture, and beautiful place to visit like no other. This magnificently beautiful city is known all around the world not only for its naturally beautiful landscape but also for its historic and luxurious hotels, attractive tourist spots, and most importantly for its good viewpoints.
And to add more desire for you to visit these viewpoints in Portland is to let you know that this is the same city whose scenery was captured in famous movies like Twilight and Wild.
Here in Portland, you’ll find a destination with everything and a diverse counter-culture that every seeking traveler could desire, from beautiful scenery to a food-loving downtown and especially the best night views in Portland makes all the tourists and locals fall in love with this place.
Are you excited about knowing more about the viewpoints of Portland? Well, I got you all covered. Let us dive into some specific details about the pretty viewpoints of Portland which will make you pack your bags at this instant and visit it for your next journey.
What Mountain Can You See from Portland?
Views of three majestic volcanic mountains can be easily visible to you from Portland, Oregon:
- Mount Hood
- Mount Adams
- Mount St Helens
And these views are definitely going to leave you amazed.
Breathtakingly Beautiful Viewpoints in Portland
I’m going to shortlist the most beautiful out of the countless viewpoints in Portland that are worth your visit. On our list of best viewpoints in Portland, here’s what we got.
- Cathedral Park
- Council Crest Park
- Departure Rooftop Bar
- Tabor Park
- OHSU Campus
- Overlook Park
- Portland City Grill
- Portland Japanese Gardens
- Powell Butte
- Tom McCall Waterfront Park
- Washington Park
- White Stag Sign
1. Cathedral Park
The Cathedral Park was built in 1929 and is one of the most fantastic and popular parks in Portland among locals and tourists. Cathedral Park lies beneath the St. Johns Bridge, where more than thousands of tourists and locals pass overhead every day.
Walking beneath the towering cathedral-like footings of the St. John’s Bridge with the sun rays streaking through the morning mist, and the trees of Forest Park moving with wind at the distance as a cool breeze passes through them; it’s nothing short of a religious experience.
Cathedral Park is a great place to get out of the city and spend your precious time here with your loved ones. Here you can have a picnic, click lots of photos under the bridge and even get married between the arches.
2. Council Crest Park
Council Crest Park is indeed a splendid high-point park in Portland with alluring and beautiful sights which you can’t afford to skip if you are in Portland. In 1937, this exquisite park was founded and expanded on the land of Portland about 42, 95 acres.
The ministers named it Council Crest when they were convinced that native people have also held a council at this lofty site. You can seek a larger view of this beautiful city from this park, as it is 1073 feet above sea level. From this majestic height, you can witness and capture some spectacular views.
You can visit this place to spend your spare time, have a picnic, relax and gaze upon Portland’s famous mountains including Mount hood, mount rainier, and Mount Adam as well, a city in its beautiful natural setting.
3. Departure Rooftop Bar
Next on our list is the Departure Rooftop Bar from where you will get an excellent view of the surroundings, especially at night. No Doubt downtown Portland is amazing; it is packed with lots of bars and amazing eateries.
At the Nines in Portland, there is a restaurant with a rooftop bar called Departure PDX and it also goes by the name Departure Rooftop Bar.
It’s an aviation-themed restaurant with Asian foods and cocktails on its menu. There’s a small wine list but that short list has some great wines and drinks. You can visit the rooftop bar after eating your meal and can take in the views and have a glass of your favorite drink.
You can try different dishes in the Nines restaurants but if you are craving a perfect night view and delicate flavor drink, then the Departure Rooftop bar is the best place. For that, you must check it out in downtown Portland when you get a chance.
4. Mt. Tabor Park
Mt. Tabor Park is a large park in the city of Portland, Oregon. In 1909, it became Portland’s mesmerizing park because of its large public space and its centenary-old existence. The park is located around a group of historical reservoirs.
It is a great place to get outside and enjoy the beauty and nature. In Mt. Tabor like most city parks, there is a playground, Dog Park, basketball court, general meeting area, giant kid’s play structure, and other great amenities to go along with the hiking and walking trails.
This amazing park covers approximately 195 acres on an old volcanic vent. Mt. Tabor is about 400 ft above sea level, which provides spectacular views of Mt. Hood and downtown Portland, especially the sunset.
5. OHSU Campus
OHSU stands for Oregon Health and Science University which is perched on a hill west of the south waterfront, you might be wondering why a science university is on this list. Well! OHSU campus is famously known as a place that is located in the land of Volcanoes, striped rivers, and thick forests.
The OHSU campus is the place where you experience a calm nature around you a spot where you can learn, discover and heal your soul. Another amazing thing you can enjoy around this campus is the Portland Aerial Tram which was opened in 2006 by the funding of south waterfront owners and the OHSU campus.
This tram connects the burgeoning South Waterfront business district with the OHSU campus and it is quite famous because it’s one of the only two commuter tram routes in the United States.
6. Overlook Park
If you want to encounter the expansive sight of downtown Portland, then Overlook Park is one of the sites which gives the perfect view of it. In 1930, Overlook Park was established in North Portland. This astonishing Park covers the land of 10.93 arcs.
You can enjoy lots of activities in this park including a picnic with friends and family, playing on a volleyball court or baseball field, and walkable tracks paved with wonderful natural surface trails which will radiate remarkable vibes when you take a stroll in this park.
On the top of Overlook Park during sunset, you can witness the breathtaking sight of Fremont Bridge. This park also allows your pet dogs as it got a dog park.
7. Portland City Grill
The Portland City Grill is a landmark restaurant. I can’t resist saying that the Portland City Grill has one of the best Happy Hours in Portland, Oregon.
This fantastic restaurant is located at the top of the US Bank tower on the 30th floor, with marvelous views of the city. The Happy hours here begin at 4 PM, so if you want a window seat get here early to book your reservation.
The Portland city grill is one of the award-winning restaurants featuring delicious steaks, fresh seafood, salads for lunch and dinner, and daily happy hour.
This restaurant has lots of delicious mouthwatering food options that have reasonable and decent prices and are free to enjoy the impressive views of the tired city.
8. Portland Japanese Gardens
The Portland Japanese Garden is one of the most beautiful and authentic Japanese gardens in the world, and it was built on the site of the old zoo in Washington Park in 1950. This garden has a reputation of being the finest Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.
Probably one of Portland’s most important cultural attractions; in this garden, every season offers something special.
Among these gardens are including “The Strolling Pond Garden” with flowing streams and an iconic moon bridge, the “Tea Garden” a place for reflection on beauty and nature, and the “Natural Garden” that will encourage you to immerse in nature, and we raked gravel garden which highlight the distinctive beauty of all four seasons.
If you’re interested in Japanese culture, or just like quiet and calming gardens, I would highly recommend it. There is a variety of gates, ponds, tea houses, pagodas, and other distinctly Japanese touches that make you feel transported to another world.
9. Powell Butte
Powell Butte is another stunning location in Portland that you should visit if you are a lover of nature. Powell Butte is situated in southeast Portland, this Nature Park is a 608-acre park centered on an extinct cinder cone volcano.
It is primarily surrounded by mildly sketchy neighborhoods. Because of this one reason, it might not be the favorite nature spot for some. But, in reality, it is a beautiful and impressive combination of open fields and forest trails, meadowlands with hypnotizing views of Portland and even Washington in the distance.
It’s a fantastic natural area close to the city and easily accessible by bicycle. We highly recommend morning rides are they are the best due to low traffic and incredible views of Mt Hood to the east.
10. Tom McCall Waterfront Park
If you want to glance at the great views of the city skyline, then Tom McCall Waterfront Park is your destination for that. This beautiful park covers almost 37 acres of the area; it was established in 1978 and is located in Portland Oregon besides the Willamette River.
This park is a popular paved route with sights of the city and the bride; it is a 4.35 km circular route that is generally regarded as an easy course, taking an average of one hour to complete. This is a popular region for road biking, trail jogging, and walking. Each year, quite a large number of unique activities are held here.
The Tom McCall Waterfront Park is famous for its cherry blossoms among locals and tourists from all around the states. In this park, dogs are permitted but remember to keep on their leash and enjoy your walk.
11. Washington Park
Washington Park is a Public urban park in Portland in the state of Oregon. It’s one of the oldest and most well-structured Parks that covers over 400 acres of land.
It’s a must-visit place especially with family if you are looking for a place that is packed with all fun stuff including a forestry museum, Japanese garden, rose garden, memorials and so much more.
12. White Stag Sign
The White stag Sign is the most immediately noticeable part of the Portland Skyline. Which also goes by the name “Portland Oregon” sign, is a neon and beaming lighted bulb sign situated at the crown of the White Stag building, in downtown Portland at NW Couch Street.
This sign faces the Burnside Bridge. It is a sight to visit during Christmas as the sign turns red in Rudolph’s imitation the popularity of the sign increases per day as the local landmark.
Viewpoints in Portland – FAQs
Conclusion
Portland View Point is extremely popular around the globe for its wonderful and breathtaking beauty, there are lots of places that you should visit during your visit. If you are tired from your daily boring routine and are planning to visit a place that offers you everything in one place including peace of mind, then it’s Portland.
