Washington Park

Address:Portland, Oregon

Enveloped in a blanket of greenery amidst the hustle and bustle of Portland, Oregon, lies Washington Park, one of Oregon's oldest, most visited parks. The fun will last all day as you roam about interacting with animals in the Oregon Zoo, brush up on your knowledge of all things green in the arboretum, and stroll several beautiful gardens including the most authentic Japanese garden outside Japan. The kids will love the Children's Museum and huge playground, as well as the fun train ride in the park. If you're feeling active, Washington Park has an archery range, tennis courts, and acres of wild forest with miles of trails. The park has a serious side to it as well, with many statues, sculptures and memorials from different periods in history.

The Japanese Garden is a treat for all your senses, as it represents five separate garden styles. To learn about the plant life and other exotic things in this garden, a guided tour is best. A shuttle bus will drive you to the Japanese Garden at the top of a steep hill. If touring isn't for you, you can walk around the garden on your own. Travel from the Japanese Garden to the zoo in style. Hop onto the Zooliner, a 30-year-old steam engine, for a scenic ride where you will see birds, mammals and great views of the Cascades. Keep in mind, the train doesn't run during the rain season or when zoo attendance is low, so call the zoo to check before your visit. Admission to the zoo needs to be paid when getting on the train.

Located in the forest, with an extensive collection of flora and fauna from around the world, the Oregon Zoo really makes you feel part of nature. You can touch some of the animals including the tigers and bears! There's also a huge Asian Elephant exhibit and a walk-in lorikeet exhibit, where you can feed the birds nectar from your hand. Many of the animals are nocturnal, so it's best to get to the zoo early in the morning. Hop back on the train to get to the International Rose Test Garden with 550 varieties of roses. You can bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the beautifully, romantic Rose Garden while taking in the spectacular view of Portland and Mt. Hood in the distance. On select summer nights, the Rose Garden heats up with concerts.

If you don't bring your own food, there are several food service outlets at Oregon Zoo. The major restaurant is the Africafe, which offers a good selection of moderately priced cafeteria food and the chance to dine overlooking a glassed-in aviary.

Don't miss the chiming fountain in the center of the park, where water drips chime-like from one bronze pan to another, and gargoyles around the base spout water. Located near the roundabout at the corner of Washington Way & Wright, is the Oregon Holocaust Memorial. The cobblestone square has spread bronzes of items representing mundane objects that were left behind. Railroad tracks leading to huge, stone placards give a brief history of the Holocaust and quotes from survivors. At the end of the wall is the soil vault panel. Below the panel are interred soil and ash from six killing-center camps of the Holocaust. The back of the wall is engraved with the names of people who died in the camps, followed by the names of their surviving relatives in both Oregon and southwest Washington.

Getting to Washington Park is easy. From Downtown Portland, take the Washington Park stop on the MAX Light Rail system, catch TriMet bus 63 or drive your own car; From Downtown Portland it should take you 11 minutes to get to Washington Park.