Portland, OR

other

Pittock Mansion

Pittock Mansion is a great spot to visit to get to know more about the history of Portland, but our favorite part is actually their view of the city and Mt Hood looming over. Can you imagine living in the mansion with a view like this? The mansion itself has limited hours, but the grounds around the house are free to explore and open from 6 AM to 9 PM. Just walk past the mansion to the far end of the backyard to get the best views of the city. Below is a photo facing east. This is probably my favorite spot to see both the cityscape and Hood

Portland, OR

outdoors

Portland Japanese Garden

The Japanese Garden is another spot where you’ll find plenty of photo ops within the grounds, but you can also keep an eye out for any openings towards to east to catch views of the city and Hood. Your best views are at the eastern overlook of the Garden’s pavilion.

Portland, OR

outdoors

International Rose Test Garden

Both the International Rose Test Garden and the Japanese Gardens are within Washington Park and very close to each other, so the views are quite similar. You can see the city skyline from the edge of the garden.

Portland, OR

outdoors

Council Crest Park

Council Crest Park is a small park with multiple lookout points. This is the highest point in the city and one of our friend’s lives down the street from here. To the east, you can see Fremont Bridge and the Rose Garden, and on clear days, you can see the 5 mountains in the distance. If you look to the west, you can see miles of greenery and trees.

Portland, OR

other

South Waterfront Lower Tram Terminal

This commuter tram takes you up to the OHSU Marquam Hill Campus aka Pill Hill, where they have indoor and outdoor observation decks. It’s a commuter tram, so most of the people on it are either going to school or work. If you’re a tourist, you tend to stick out like a sore thumb. Here, you can see the city, Mt Hood, Mt St Helens, the Willamette River and the bridges along the river.

Portland, OR

outdoors

Mt Tabor Park

Local Tip: The road up to the summit is closed to vehicles on Wednesdays. If you want a 5 min walk up the top go on other days, otherwise take the 2-mile round trip hike for your views. Also, I imagine you get more of a view when some of the trees thin out during the winter. Light on the city is best in the morning.

Portland, OR

outdoors

Joseph Wood Hill Park

If you’re looking for 360 views without many trees blocking your view, this is your spot. You can see downtown Portland from afar, and also the airport, Fremont Bridge, Columbia River, Hood, Helens, Larch Mountain, and the tip of Mt Jefferson.

Portland, OR

outdoors

Eastbank Esplanade

Head to the Eastbank Esplanade to get a ground view of the city and the Willamette (btw it rhymes with dammit. If you need help remembering it “it’s Willamette, dammit”). It’s an urban park with long floating walkways, boat docks, walking & bike paths, and public art.

Portland, OR

outdoors

Tilikum Crossing Bridge

Among all its nicknames, Portland is also known as Bridgetown or Bridge City. Hawthorne Bridge, Morrison Bridge, Burnside (also has the White Stag Portland Oregon Sign) are just a few of the bridges in downtown that you can walk across. They give you great views of the other bridges and parts of the city.

Portland, OR

outdoors

Powell Butte Nature Park

This is the furthest east of all the spots on this list, but if you make your way up to the summit, it has a great viewpoint of Mount Hood. You can also flip around to look west towards the city in the distance.