Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

This weekend is one of my favorite events of early spring — the SE Portland Artwalk. For two days, you can walk through inner Southeast Portland and enjoy the work of more than 80 artists in their homes, studios and hosted business locations!

I have been a participating artist for this event for 5+ years, and I love meeting people as they walk through the doors of local studios and get to talk about art, the creative process, that new coffee shop that opened down the street … just about anything!

The event is free, and you can download a map of artists and locations from their website.

Go out, take a walk, see some art. You just might discover something new!

Downtown's 12th Avenue stairs

Way back before I lived in Portland, I remember my aunt (who did live here) telling me how she loved to explore the city’s “secret stairways.” It stands to reason that a city flanked by hills would have its share of public staircases, but they really are a bit of a secret, even to many locals.

Recently, I’ve become familiar with several of these steep gems, thanks to a group of friends who do weekly stair runs around town. In addition to a great workout, most of these stairs provide wonderful views. Our top spots are the Summit stairs in Northwest Portland (where you can see the Fremont Bridge); the 12th Avenue stairs near Portland State University (with a great perspective of downtown, the river and the Cascade Mountains); and the 282 wide, tree-shaded steps of Mt. Tabor Park. At the top of the Tabor stairs, take a loop around the summit and enjoy the view of downtown and the West Hills.

Ready to explore? This website is a fantastic resource, with a map of all the city’s stairs, along with stats like number of steps and elevation gain. There’s also a pocket-sized guide to the city’s 196 (!) public staircases: The Portland Stairs Book, by Laura O. Foster.

Whether you prefer to sweat or stroll, Portland’s staircases are worth seeking out. Happy climbing!

Walk There!

Portland is a walker’s paradise. From the wide sidewalks (and short blocks) of downtown, to the eclectic eastside neighborhoods of Belmont, Hawthorne, Alberta and Mississippi, to the stairways hidden among the West Hills, Portland is a great place to enjoy a good stroll. For a city of its size, I’m constantly amazed at the great planning that makes walking an easy, safe and enjoyable task.

A favorite activity of mine is to head to a new area of the city and walk about. Lucky for me, Metro, the regional government, has put together a wonderful book called, “Walk There!” This guide does a great job of highlighting fun walks, whether you’re into exploring historic homes in Laurelhurst, walking to the top of Mount Tabor or from Portland Heights to the Oregon Zoo. As an added bonus, you may now download a free Walk There! app to your iPhone. Put on some comfortable shoes and start walking — you’ll be surprised how easy Portland makes it.

For those looking to explore trails, this post offers links to help you plan off-sidewalk adventures.

Ringed by a gentle dirt path, Reed Canyon is home to an impressive number of animals and plants. It’s a refreshing, easy walk (less than two miles; see here for details and directions) and can be combined with a visit to Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden (open year-round, and especially pretty in the spring) and a meal in the charming Sellwood/Westmoreland neighborhood (my favorite spot: Adobe Rose Café).