Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland

Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland

The walking trail in Waterfront Park along the Willamette River has been popular since the park was opened in 1978, replacing Harbor Way and former industrial sites. A major milestone in the freeway removal movement, it is now primarily used by those taking a stroll, jogging, biking, or riding scooters. Beautiful in every season and in all types of weather, it becomes an absolute must with spring arriving to witness pastel-pink cherry trees bursting into bloom. In October 2012, the American Planning Association voted it as one of America's ten greatest public spaces.

Broad, grassy, and well-kept, the 30-acre park affords fine ground-level views of Downtown Portland's bridges and skyline, with benches everywhere to take advantage. It is also the site for various events and annual celebrations, among them the Rose Festival, classical/blues concerts, Cinco de Mayo, Gay Pride, and the Oregon Brewers Festival. The arching water jets at the Salmon Street Fountain change pattern every few hours, and are a favorite summer cooling-off spot (bring spare clothes!). The fountain's three cycles are called "misters", "bollards", and "wedding cake".

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Portland. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Tom McCall Waterfront Park on Map

Sight Name: Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Sight Location: Portland, USA (See walking tours in Portland)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Portland, Oregon

Create Your Own Walk in Portland

Create Your Own Walk in Portland

Creating your own self-guided walk in Portland is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Portland Food Tour

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Portland Introduction Walking Tour

Portland Introduction Walking Tour

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Did you know that Portland was selected by Walking Magazine as among America's...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles