Flights to Portland

 

Located at the junction of Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is a major port city in Oregon’s northwest corner. The dramatic backdrop of Mt. Hood, a snow-capped volcano that looms in the distance, contributes to Portland’s beauty.

Portland has a unique hipster vibe apparent in its many coffee houses, microbreweries and bike paths. It also has an active indie music scene, giving rise to the bands Sleater-Kinney, The Dandy Warhols, the Shins, and the Decemberists.

There is a large concentration of colleges and universities in Portland, including Reed College, the University of Portland, Portland State University, Lewis & Clark College, and Pacific University.

The city is famous for its eco-friendliness. It has one of the highest numbers of LEED-certified buildings per capita in the country, as well as more than 275 parks and 37,000 acres of greenspace. Bicycle is a common mode of transportation.

Portland International Airport (PDX) serves 16 regional, international, and domestic airlines, including Delta Air Lines. There are five concourses. The South Concourses are A, B, and C, and the North Concourses are D and E. They are joined by the Concourse Connector, allowing passengers who have passed security to move freely between concourses.

The airport has a robust arts program. A 17-seat theater on Concourse C shows short films and there are live musical performances throughout the terminals.
Children’s play areas are located in Concourses C and D. Private lactation rooms are located in the South Lobby by Capers Café and near Gate D2.

Dining options include Burgerville, Flying Elephants Delicatessen, Laurelwood Public House and Brewery, McDonald’s, Panda Express, and Starbucks.
For your last-minute shopping needs, there is Powell’s Books, Kiehl’s, Columbia Sportswear, Metalsmiths’ Sterling, Nike, and Pendleton.

  • MAX light rail service provides transportation between the airport and downtown Portland on the red line.
  • Taxi service picks up passengers on the lower level outside Baggage Claim.
  • Free hotel shuttles pick up passengers on the lower level outside Baggage Claim from the second median near the parking garage.
  • Uber, Lyft, Wingz and other rideshare services pick up passengers on the lower level outside Baggage Claim from the center of the first median.
  • To access several on-site rental car agencies, exit Baggage Claim and take the elevator or escalator down one level, turn left at the end of the first moving walkway, then take the elevator up.

Tom McCall Waterfront Park is a 36-acre park in downtown Portland that runs along the Willamette River. It is a popular place to run, jog and bike, but it’s also home to a boat dock, public art, a fountain and the U.S.S. Battleship Oregon Memorial.

Located in the heart of the city, Washington Park comprises 410 acres of wooded hillsides where visitors can play tennis, soccer or hike 15 miles of trails. There are also many attractions, including the Oregon Zoo, Portland Children’s Museum, World Forestry Center, Hoyt Arboretum, Portland Japanese Garden, and the International Rose Test Garden.

Portland Saturday Market is the oldest continuously operating outdoor market in the United States. And, despite its name, it’s held every Saturday and Sunday, rain or shine, March through Christmas Eve in Tom McCall Waterfront Park. In addition to hundreds of vendors selling arts, crafts, and food items, there is often live music.

The Grotto is a national Catholic shrine dedicated to Mary and is the ministry of the Servite Friars, whose monastery is located on the 62-acre greenspace. Inside a rock cave carved into a 110-foot cliff is a life-size marble reproduction of Michelangelo’s Pietà. There are also beautifully landscaped grounds with panoramic views, a visitor’s center, and a meditation chapel.

Hotel Lucia is a pet-friendly boutique hotel in a historic building in downtown Portland filled with the black-and-white photography of Pulitzer Prize-winning Oregonian David Hume Kennerly. Amenities include an honor bar stocked with locally-sourced snacks and beverages, free bike rental, a selection of specialty pillows, and craft beer hour.

For a unique overnight stay, Kennedy School was originally an elementary school that opened in 1915. Rooms still retain the original chalkboards and cloakrooms for atmosphere. Courtyard Restaurant and Concordia Brewery provide food and beer service. For entertainment, soak in the saltwater pool or watch a movie at the in-house theater.

For a truly Portland experience, consider Caravan, a tiny house hotel featuring six funky abodes on wheels, each one just 120 to 170 square feet.

Portland has a temperate climate with warm, dry summers and cool wet winters. The hottest months are July and August when the average highs hover around 81. The coldest months are December, January and February when the average lows are in the mid-30s. The city receives on average about 36 inches of precipitation a year, about four of that is snow. July and August are the driest months, with less than an inch of rain a month on average. But November, December, and January can see more than four or five inches of precipitation on average.