Portland
Portland, OR
Portland Ghosts: Poltergeists and Psychopaths
From $25 / person
7:00PM
Portland, OR
Portland Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl
From $35 / person
5PM
Portland, OR
Portland Ghosts: Poltergeists and Psychopaths
From $25 / person
7:00PM
Portland, OR
Portland Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl
From $35 / person
5PM
Portland
Portland By Junket
Did you know Portland has an extinct volcano within the city limits? Or that the name of the city was decided by a coin toss? Or that it is illegal to walk down the streets with your shoes untied there?
When people think of the bustling, lively city of Portland, images of green biking trails, misty mountain peaks, and curated food trucks come to mind. This eclectic city is vibrant with innovation and rich in history, with an effortless blending of modernization and nature rarely seen in a large urban metropolis.
The City of Roses
Nicknamed the "City of Roses" sometime in the 1800s after the fragrant flower became a popular garden staple, Oregon's largest city blooms with pioneer fortitude and progressive ideals. Best known for being focused on sustainability and an affinity for the environment, Portland embraces earth-friendly practices and artisanal creativity.
Framed by mountains in the distance and bisected by a winding river, Portland is an outdoor lover's dream and a hipster haven, abundant with independent coffee roasters, mural-covered buildings, and craft breweries. Shop with talented local arts and crafts vendors at the nation's largest continuously-operated open-air market. Browse the many shelves inside one of the largest bookstores in the world or take time to smell the roses at the International Rose Test Garden. Take a scenic bike ride along the Willamette River or on one of the many shaded paths through Forest Park.
Portland After Dark
The Junket Portland Experience makes the night come alive, immersing you in a fascinating exploration of the history and mysteries that make up the legends around Portland's most haunted locations.
Join expert local guides as they introduce you to the city's most notorious characters and strange encounters during the thrilling Portland Boos and Booze Pub Crawl, or take a closer look at the city's ominous past and hidden secrets on the celebrated Portland Ghosts tour. These fascinating tours explore a unique collection of the most haunted locations in town where you will:
- Uncover the hidden secrets of the Shanghai Tunnels
- Encounter the dark spirits of The Benson Hotel
- Unearth the mysteries of the Roseland Theater
- Discover the strange occurrences at Kell's Irish Pub
- And so much more...
In addition to the Junket Portland Experience, the city offers a wide range of cultural attractions, from boutique shopping and dining to an eclectic mix of neighborhoods and nature. Some of the most famous Portland activities include:
- Powell's City of Books: Occupying an entire city block, this three-story shop is one of the largest independent bookstores in the world.
- Portland Art Museum: Founded in 1892, this is one of the oldest galleries in the country and features more than 45,000 works of art.
- Washington Park: This spot of serenity is home to several family-friendly attractions as well as several floral gardens, including 12 acres of tranquil Japanese gardens.
- Portland Aerial Tram: Take a ride up to 500 feet high for an incredible panoramic view of the city.
Portland History
Before the appearance of European settlers in the early 1800s, the land that would eventually become Portland was occupied by the Chinook tribe of Native Americans, who fished and traded along the banks of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.
The area would become known to pioneers in 1805, after famous explorers, Meriweather Lewis and William Clark scouted and documented the Pacific Northwest and returned to Washington D.C. with praise of the lush green forests and abundance of rivers, lakes, and streams.
A Penny for Portland
Settler interest was piqued, and the area became known to American, Canadian, and British pioneers as "The Clearing" for several decades, as they used the area as a rest stop along the river while traveling between Oregon City and Fort Vancouver.
Pioneers and adventurers traveled from the East Coast to invest in the area's abundant resources. Two of these settlers, Massachusetts lawyer Asa Lovejoy and Maine merchant Francis Pettygrove, wanted to name the city after each of their hometowns- Boston, Massachusetts, and Portland Maine.
An 1835 copper coin was tossed to determine the town's name, now known as The Portland Penny.
The naming of it lay between us. We snapped up a copper, and he named it Portland. I should have named it Boston, because I came from there. He named it Portland because that was in his state. But Portland is a very good name. From that it sent on, and did not amount to much for some time."
A.L. Lovejoy, 1878
Backwoods Boomtown to Major Port
Incorporated in 1851, the rugged port town saw a boom in population, partly due to the California gold rush, which created demand for Oregon lumber and wheat. Those who settled in the region would make their living cutting timber for lumber, catching and selling fish, and raising cattle for market. Portland evolved into a major transportation center due to its proximity to rivers and railroads.
By the end of the 19th century, Portland had become the largest metropolis in the Northwest. Export goods were shipped through Portland, which had the biggest port up the coast from San Francisco. The city hosted the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition and Oriental Fair in 1905; establishing itself as a major port city and boosting the regional economy.
From humble beginnings as the backwoods of a logging town, Portland has grown into a bustling metropolis famous for its progressive attitude and modern innovation. Over time, the city has evolved from a collection of wooden shacks to a hub technological advancement and a cultural destination for visitors worldwide.
Portland Today
Keeping it Weird
Known for its lush parkland, craft breweries and distilleries, small business initiatives, and green-energy conservation, present-day Portland is home to a flourishing arts, culture, and food scene and remains a haven for artists and creatives, who are dedicated to Portland's unique vibes and "Keep It Weird" philosophy.
"Portland has all the accouterments of a big city, but the heart and sould of it is a small town, so that creates an intimacy in a large environment."
Dean Devlin
One of Portland's most well-known features is its affinity for the growing food truck scene. Outdoor food courts are assembled to feed the masses as locals and visitors alike stand in lines for their favorite flavors, with food from Norwegian to Korean and everything in between. A food truck experience is essential when visiting Portland, so come hungry.
Some of Portland's most famous wineries are located in the picturesque Willamette Valley, where visitors can enjoy wine tastings while touring immense vineyards along with pastoral walking trails, cascading waterfalls, and even hot springs surrounded by the natural beauty of the Cascade Mountain Range.
Located between ocean beaches and snow-capped mountains, Portland is home to scenery out of a postcard picture, with famous parks and natural conservatories in addition to dense woodlands, pastures, and hills featuring hiking trails.
Millions of visitors flock to Portland each year to take in the city's outdoor attractions and venues in addition to the impeccable beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
If it's not on your bucket list of amazing destinations to travel to, it should be now. Even though Portland is fondly called the City of Roses, it doesn't matter which season you decide to take advantage of- this beautiful, quirky, one-of-a-kind city is always in full bloom, forever humming with energy, activity, and the heartbeat of life, unlike any place you've been to. Book your unforgettable trip experience today!
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