Travel by Design
Travel Guide: Portland, Oregon, for Design Lovers
Get a dose of Portland's one-of-a-kind quirkiness through its outdoor artwork, eclectic hotels and engaging architecture
Yes, the dream of the '90s is alive in Portland, but the design-minded collection of artists, makers and innovators has catapulted this Oregon city into one of the country's hippest today. With a small but rapidly growing population of 600,000, Portland is still rather quaint, which accounts for its deadpan personality even amid its recent rise in popularity and its trendsetting status. The city's quirkiness spills over into its architecture, which blends modernism with a healthy respect for nature. All it will take is a weekend visit to this Pacific Northwest city to convince you that it's North America's youngest retirement community.
The Rose Building: Previously the city visitor's center
Location: 1020 SW Naito Parkway
Noteworthy: The building was designed in the 1940s by Portland's most esteemed architect, John Yeon.
A practical beginning for any trip to a new city is the visitor's center. But an office wall full of rafting and hot-air-ballooning adventure brochures isn't what you came to Portland for, is it? Don't worry; this isn't actually the city's info center anymore. Named the Rose Building and now the home of the Rose Festival Foundation, the building was designed in the 1940s by Portland's most esteemed architect, John Yeon (pronounced "yon"). Located within the beloved and always-bustling Tom McCall Waterfront Park, it was Yeon's only nonresidential endeavor. The building is a solid display of Yeon's Northwest regional style right along Portland's artery.
Today the inside is a collection of festival memorabilia for the Rose Festival. Even if festival history isn't your thing, stop by because the admission is free and you'll get easy access to an interior view of one of Yeon's most profound works.
Location: 1020 SW Naito Parkway
Noteworthy: The building was designed in the 1940s by Portland's most esteemed architect, John Yeon.
A practical beginning for any trip to a new city is the visitor's center. But an office wall full of rafting and hot-air-ballooning adventure brochures isn't what you came to Portland for, is it? Don't worry; this isn't actually the city's info center anymore. Named the Rose Building and now the home of the Rose Festival Foundation, the building was designed in the 1940s by Portland's most esteemed architect, John Yeon (pronounced "yon"). Located within the beloved and always-bustling Tom McCall Waterfront Park, it was Yeon's only nonresidential endeavor. The building is a solid display of Yeon's Northwest regional style right along Portland's artery.
Today the inside is a collection of festival memorabilia for the Rose Festival. Even if festival history isn't your thing, stop by because the admission is free and you'll get easy access to an interior view of one of Yeon's most profound works.
Watzek House: John Yeon's first residential design
Location: 1061 SW Skyline Blvd.
Cost: $15 (check website for dates)
Noteworthy: Monthly tours are offered.
Though less prolific than the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright, Yeon quickly entered the buzzed-about architectural landscape at age 25 with his Watzek home in Portland's west hills. With its instantly recognizable east facade of floor-to-ceiling windows surrounded by long, slender columns, the home would later go on exhibit at New York's Museum of Modern Art along with the visitor's center. Yeon's style earned renown for its simplicity and modernism, leading to his being heralded as one of the country's prominent practitioners of modern architecture, and more specifically the Northwest regionalist style.
A notable aspect of the Watzek House is its relationship to landscape, with a roof pitched to mimic its view of Mt. Hood, Oregon's highest peak, and a long, sloping lawn to accentuate the view.
In 2012 the University of Oregon Architecture and Allied Arts School, which inherited the Watzek House, began running monthly tours of the home to the public.
More info: Watzek House
Location: 1061 SW Skyline Blvd.
Cost: $15 (check website for dates)
Noteworthy: Monthly tours are offered.
Though less prolific than the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright, Yeon quickly entered the buzzed-about architectural landscape at age 25 with his Watzek home in Portland's west hills. With its instantly recognizable east facade of floor-to-ceiling windows surrounded by long, slender columns, the home would later go on exhibit at New York's Museum of Modern Art along with the visitor's center. Yeon's style earned renown for its simplicity and modernism, leading to his being heralded as one of the country's prominent practitioners of modern architecture, and more specifically the Northwest regionalist style.
A notable aspect of the Watzek House is its relationship to landscape, with a roof pitched to mimic its view of Mt. Hood, Oregon's highest peak, and a long, sloping lawn to accentuate the view.
In 2012 the University of Oregon Architecture and Allied Arts School, which inherited the Watzek House, began running monthly tours of the home to the public.
More info: Watzek House
"Pod" sculpture: Cool interactive public artwork
Location: 10th and Burnside, across from Powell's City of Books
Noteworthy: 15 feet high with 73 titanium rods
What do Portlandians enjoy more than art? Art you can play with. If you find yourself at Powell's bookstore, which you inevitably will upon the recommendation of everyone whom you ask what to see in Portland, you might be confused, curious or downright freaked out by the massive metal sculpture across the street. The tripod-spider-looking-thing is called "Pod" and was conceived by Portland artist Pete Beeman to capture the "infrastructure, energy and vibrancy of Portland," he says.
Supported by a 15-foot-diameter tripod base, "Pod" attracts passersby with its hairdo (for lack of a better word) composed of 73 wandering titanium rods, reaching 30 feet into the sky and connecting to an orb in the center of the tripod that can be pushed and pulled by anyone intrigued enough (and tall enough) to engage with the massive sculpture.
Bonus: Take a look at another piece of interactive art down the street: a massive pile of children's bikes stacked and chained together. Why? Every Sunday evening a massive crew of thrill-seeking bicyclists rides down the city's steep west hills, starting at the Portland Zoo. Hightlighting the citiy's involvement with its rebellious underbelly, these bicyclists erected the statue as a meeting point.
Location: 10th and Burnside, across from Powell's City of Books
Noteworthy: 15 feet high with 73 titanium rods
What do Portlandians enjoy more than art? Art you can play with. If you find yourself at Powell's bookstore, which you inevitably will upon the recommendation of everyone whom you ask what to see in Portland, you might be confused, curious or downright freaked out by the massive metal sculpture across the street. The tripod-spider-looking-thing is called "Pod" and was conceived by Portland artist Pete Beeman to capture the "infrastructure, energy and vibrancy of Portland," he says.
Supported by a 15-foot-diameter tripod base, "Pod" attracts passersby with its hairdo (for lack of a better word) composed of 73 wandering titanium rods, reaching 30 feet into the sky and connecting to an orb in the center of the tripod that can be pushed and pulled by anyone intrigued enough (and tall enough) to engage with the massive sculpture.
Bonus: Take a look at another piece of interactive art down the street: a massive pile of children's bikes stacked and chained together. Why? Every Sunday evening a massive crew of thrill-seeking bicyclists rides down the city's steep west hills, starting at the Portland Zoo. Hightlighting the citiy's involvement with its rebellious underbelly, these bicyclists erected the statue as a meeting point.
Pittock Mansion
Location: 3229 NW Pittock Dr.
Cost: $8.50
Noteworthy: Local craftsmen built the house in 1914.
The Pittock Mansion was built in 1914 for Henry and Georgiana Pittock, Portland pioneers and owners of the state's leading newspaper, The Oregonian. Incorporating what at the time was cutting-edge technology, including a central vacuum and intercoms, the home was built by local craftsmen and builders and used local materials, signifying the Pittocks' dedication to the city they helped build. Today the mansion is open to the public for tours and offers some of the best views of the city.
More info: Pittock Mansion
Location: 3229 NW Pittock Dr.
Cost: $8.50
Noteworthy: Local craftsmen built the house in 1914.
The Pittock Mansion was built in 1914 for Henry and Georgiana Pittock, Portland pioneers and owners of the state's leading newspaper, The Oregonian. Incorporating what at the time was cutting-edge technology, including a central vacuum and intercoms, the home was built by local craftsmen and builders and used local materials, signifying the Pittocks' dedication to the city they helped build. Today the mansion is open to the public for tours and offers some of the best views of the city.
More info: Pittock Mansion
Must-Eats
Food carts: Trailers-cum-restaurants
Location: Throughout Portland
What could be mistaken for a congregation of wayward parade vehicles is actually a village of specialty cuisine. Portland embraced the food cart phenomenon from the start, and now the trailers-cum-restaraunts are forming pods like schools of fish. These pods host a wide variety of cuisine, and cart owners tend to take as much pride in their cart's aesthetic as they do in their food.
Offerings range from a full menu of grilled cheese sandwiches aboard a double decker bus to European comfort food amid late-night dance parties. One of Portland's cleanest and best collections of carts is Good Food Here, located on 43rd and Belmont. Hours vary from cart to cart, but there's always something open.
Food carts: Trailers-cum-restaurants
Location: Throughout Portland
What could be mistaken for a congregation of wayward parade vehicles is actually a village of specialty cuisine. Portland embraced the food cart phenomenon from the start, and now the trailers-cum-restaraunts are forming pods like schools of fish. These pods host a wide variety of cuisine, and cart owners tend to take as much pride in their cart's aesthetic as they do in their food.
Offerings range from a full menu of grilled cheese sandwiches aboard a double decker bus to European comfort food amid late-night dance parties. One of Portland's cleanest and best collections of carts is Good Food Here, located on 43rd and Belmont. Hours vary from cart to cart, but there's always something open.
Portland City Grill
Location: 111 SW Fifth Ave.
Cost: Plates from $13
Noteworthy: One of the best views of Portland
For a bird's-eye view of the city in the heart of downtown, you're going to have to eat. Of course, you could just enjoy the view with a libation, but chances are, you'll get hungry making the trip up to the 30th floor of the U.S. Bank Tower, where Portland City Grill is located. Either way, the view of Portland and the not-too-distant Cascade Mountains is worth the visit. For the best show, plan to arrive around sunset. Just make sure you have a reservation.
More info: Portland City Grill
Location: 111 SW Fifth Ave.
Cost: Plates from $13
Noteworthy: One of the best views of Portland
For a bird's-eye view of the city in the heart of downtown, you're going to have to eat. Of course, you could just enjoy the view with a libation, but chances are, you'll get hungry making the trip up to the 30th floor of the U.S. Bank Tower, where Portland City Grill is located. Either way, the view of Portland and the not-too-distant Cascade Mountains is worth the visit. For the best show, plan to arrive around sunset. Just make sure you have a reservation.
More info: Portland City Grill
Must-Dos
Cycle Portland Bike Tours
Location: 117 NW Second Ave.
Cost: $40
Noteworthy: There's no better way to see the city than from two wheels, possibly explaining Portland's infatuation with bicycles. Several companies offer bike tours, or if you're a solo explorer, they'll rent you a bike. Consider taking a bridge pedal back and forth across the Willamette River to get an up-close perspective of the architecture and engineering that gave Portland the nickname "Bridge City."
More info: Cycle Portland Bike Tours
Cycle Portland Bike Tours
Location: 117 NW Second Ave.
Cost: $40
Noteworthy: There's no better way to see the city than from two wheels, possibly explaining Portland's infatuation with bicycles. Several companies offer bike tours, or if you're a solo explorer, they'll rent you a bike. Consider taking a bridge pedal back and forth across the Willamette River to get an up-close perspective of the architecture and engineering that gave Portland the nickname "Bridge City."
More info: Cycle Portland Bike Tours
Forest Park hike: Trails in an urban forest
Take advantage of Portland's natural aesthetic and hike in the nation's largest urban forest. Forest Park has 150 miles of trail, offering phenomenal vistas of the city through dense forest and even old growth in some areas. Plus, the skeleton of an old stone home still lurks alongside a trail in the park. Go find it!
Bonus: Hike through Forest Park to the historic Pittock Mansion, for two great experiences on one outing.
More info: The Forest Park Conservancy
Take advantage of Portland's natural aesthetic and hike in the nation's largest urban forest. Forest Park has 150 miles of trail, offering phenomenal vistas of the city through dense forest and even old growth in some areas. Plus, the skeleton of an old stone home still lurks alongside a trail in the park. Go find it!
Bonus: Hike through Forest Park to the historic Pittock Mansion, for two great experiences on one outing.
More info: The Forest Park Conservancy
Doug Fir Lounge: Concert venue and bar and restaurant
Location: 830 E Burnside St.
Noteworthy: The log cabin–style stage
Music lovers should always check Portland's concert calendar and pay special attention to the Doug Fir listings. Even if you're not too familiar with the band performing on any given night, a concert at this cabinesque venue is worth it. Enjoy food and cocktails at the Doug Fir Lounge before heading downstairs to the bar and concert stage with a log cabin–style construction. During the show pastel-colored lights splash over the stage and light up the wood grain behind the band.
More info: Doug Fir Lounge
Location: 830 E Burnside St.
Noteworthy: The log cabin–style stage
Music lovers should always check Portland's concert calendar and pay special attention to the Doug Fir listings. Even if you're not too familiar with the band performing on any given night, a concert at this cabinesque venue is worth it. Enjoy food and cocktails at the Doug Fir Lounge before heading downstairs to the bar and concert stage with a log cabin–style construction. During the show pastel-colored lights splash over the stage and light up the wood grain behind the band.
More info: Doug Fir Lounge
Must-Visit Shops
Beam & Anchor: Home furnishings store
Location: 2710 N Interstate Ave.
Noteworthy: Many of the city's finest designers work above the shop.
Portland proudly supports its local makers, and there's no better example than Beam & Anchor. The shop is a carefully curated collection of furniture, housewares and personal goods. It's so homesteady that you'll want to grab a Pendleton blanket and nap on a couch upholstered in reclaimed canvas.
But what makes Beam & Anchor really special is the commotion taking place upstairs. Above the storefront is a space that's home to some of the city's finest makers, including Maak Soap Labs, Wood & Faulk, Revive Designs and Phloem Studio. It's no wonder creativity seems to float in the air, and it demonstrates the shop's dedication to handmade goods.
Occasionally, the owners open the upstairs shop space for get-togethers to help connect the community with the craftspeople, everyone sipping local spirits and enjoying the musical acoustics of the woodshop.
More info: Beam & Anchor
Beam & Anchor: Home furnishings store
Location: 2710 N Interstate Ave.
Noteworthy: Many of the city's finest designers work above the shop.
Portland proudly supports its local makers, and there's no better example than Beam & Anchor. The shop is a carefully curated collection of furniture, housewares and personal goods. It's so homesteady that you'll want to grab a Pendleton blanket and nap on a couch upholstered in reclaimed canvas.
But what makes Beam & Anchor really special is the commotion taking place upstairs. Above the storefront is a space that's home to some of the city's finest makers, including Maak Soap Labs, Wood & Faulk, Revive Designs and Phloem Studio. It's no wonder creativity seems to float in the air, and it demonstrates the shop's dedication to handmade goods.
Occasionally, the owners open the upstairs shop space for get-togethers to help connect the community with the craftspeople, everyone sipping local spirits and enjoying the musical acoustics of the woodshop.
More info: Beam & Anchor
Reclamation Row: Neighborhood bustling with antiques and salvaged-furniture shops
The Southeast Industrial area is riddled with antiques and salvaged-furniture shops, earning it the nickname Reclamation Row. Located within blocks of each other, Rejuvenation and Seek the Unique both offer treasure chests of coveted artifacts of yore. Many odds and ends can be purchased, and each store also offers one-of-a-kind furnishings constructed using knickknacks.
More info: Rejuvenation, Seek the Unique
The Southeast Industrial area is riddled with antiques and salvaged-furniture shops, earning it the nickname Reclamation Row. Located within blocks of each other, Rejuvenation and Seek the Unique both offer treasure chests of coveted artifacts of yore. Many odds and ends can be purchased, and each store also offers one-of-a-kind furnishings constructed using knickknacks.
More info: Rejuvenation, Seek the Unique
Must-Stays
Kennedy School
Location: 5736 NE 33rd Ave.
Cost: $115 to $145 per night
The McMenamin brothers have built quite a reputation for their renovation of historical buildings in Portland and the rest of Oregon. One of their gems is the Kennedy School. Originally built in 1915, the building served as an elementary school until 1975, when it closed due to lack of student enrollment. To stave off demolition of the building, the McMenamin brothers proposed a hotel, which was warmly accepted by the community.
In 1997 the Kennedy School opened again. With a schoolhouse motif throughout the building, the venue offers more than just a place to stay. Access to a large food- and beer-friendly theater and a relaxing soaking pool is included with every room; the two areas are also open to the public for a fee if a day trip is all you can fit in.
There are a variety of restaurants and bars, including Detention Bar and Honors Bar for the bad and good members of your clan. The many activities and amenities make this a great family-friendly option. Plus, the location puts you near the Alberta Arts District, one of Portland's most entertaining neighborhoods.
More info: McMenamins
Kennedy School
Location: 5736 NE 33rd Ave.
Cost: $115 to $145 per night
The McMenamin brothers have built quite a reputation for their renovation of historical buildings in Portland and the rest of Oregon. One of their gems is the Kennedy School. Originally built in 1915, the building served as an elementary school until 1975, when it closed due to lack of student enrollment. To stave off demolition of the building, the McMenamin brothers proposed a hotel, which was warmly accepted by the community.
In 1997 the Kennedy School opened again. With a schoolhouse motif throughout the building, the venue offers more than just a place to stay. Access to a large food- and beer-friendly theater and a relaxing soaking pool is included with every room; the two areas are also open to the public for a fee if a day trip is all you can fit in.
There are a variety of restaurants and bars, including Detention Bar and Honors Bar for the bad and good members of your clan. The many activities and amenities make this a great family-friendly option. Plus, the location puts you near the Alberta Arts District, one of Portland's most entertaining neighborhoods.
More info: McMenamins
Ace Hotel
Location: 1022 SW Stark St.
Cost: $125 to $135 per night
If you truly want to feel as though you're crashing at a friend's home in Portland, check into the Ace Hotel. Vintage furnishings, modern art and salvaged fixtures mimic a traditional Portland living room.
The Ace is the epitome of trendy, with a lobby sandwiched between the town's premier coffee roaster, Stumptown, and Clyde Common, a raved-about restaurant. Its location in the heart of downtown makes exploring the city simple, and the complimentary bike loan makes it fun. If a standard bike isn't enough, locally made Hufnagel bikes can be rented for an additional charge.
More info: Ace Hotel
7 Design Ideas From the Portland Ace
Location: 1022 SW Stark St.
Cost: $125 to $135 per night
If you truly want to feel as though you're crashing at a friend's home in Portland, check into the Ace Hotel. Vintage furnishings, modern art and salvaged fixtures mimic a traditional Portland living room.
The Ace is the epitome of trendy, with a lobby sandwiched between the town's premier coffee roaster, Stumptown, and Clyde Common, a raved-about restaurant. Its location in the heart of downtown makes exploring the city simple, and the complimentary bike loan makes it fun. If a standard bike isn't enough, locally made Hufnagel bikes can be rented for an additional charge.
More info: Ace Hotel
7 Design Ideas From the Portland Ace
White Stag sign: Iconic graphic design
Location: 70 NW Couch St. (best seen from the Burnside Bridge)
Noteworthy: Only in Portland would a sign create nearly 75 years' worth of design controversy.
The White Stag sign, as it's known by locals, has undergone a series of entrepreneurial identities and designs since it was first conceived in September 1940 by Ramsay Signs. Merely an outline of Oregon encasing the text "White Satin Sugar" at first, the sign gained its infamous leaping stag in 1959 when White Stag Sportswear, occupant and owner of the building to which the sign is affixed, took over the advertising rights to it. This also marked the beginning of a holiday tradition in which a neon red bulb glows upon the snout of the stag.
After White Stag Sportswear left the building in 1973, the fate of the sign was in question. Who would foot the electricity bill to keep Portland's most beloved sign lit? The landmark faced threats of being shut down or removed. Eventually the dispute was settled in 1997, with an agreement that the sign would undergo yet another franchise facelift, this time for the gift retailer Made In Oregon. But the Made In Oregon run was short lived, ending in 2006.
Ramsay Signs finally grew tired of funding the sign's utility bill in 2008 and searched for a solution. More controversy came with the proposed advertising of the University of Oregon, whose Portland campus now occupies the building. But facing much heat, the university withdrew. Ramsay made final threats to decommission the sign in 2010, but this time the city and Ramsay came to an agreement, with Ramsay donating the sign and a $2,000 monthly utility payment to the city. For the first time in its 73 years, the White Stag sign no longer peddles any merchandise but simply reads, "Portland Oregon."