Portland, Ore. is rife with free things to do, see and sample. Here are a few suggestions from the Portland Convention and Visitors Bureau:
- One of the consummate brew cities in the country, Portland is perfused with breweries and distilleries – many sporting complimentary tours and tastings. Check out BridgePort Brewing Company, Clear Creek Distillery, House Spirits Distillery, Rogue Ales Distillery and Public House and Widmer Brothers Brewing Company.
- Portland’s arts scene is edgy and elegant. See it up close the first Thursday of each month during the appropriately-named First Thursday Gallery Walk. The streets come alive with performers and sidewalk artists as strollers search for the next star.
- Enjoy the controlled wilds of the nation’s largest urban wilderness, Forest Park. The 5,000-acre enclave is perfect for hiking and biking – and this time of year the park’s largely evergreen forest is sprinkled in shades of autumn color.
- See a remarkable marble replica of Michelangelo’s Pietà at The Grotto, a 62-acre Catholic sanctuary. The likeness of the famous sculpture’s signature work is carved into the base of a 110-foot cliff.
- Hang a while in Pioneer Courthouse Square and feel Portland’s pulse as nowhere else. Some 9.5 million souls pass through the square each year, making it the city’s most-visited site.
- Some venues are gratis on designated days, like the Portland Art Museum every fourth Friday from 5 – 8. This first-rate artistic repository is always free for folks 17 and under.
- From the “almost free” category here are a couple of other suggestions. Visit the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (known locally as OMSI) the first Sunday of every month for a pittance: $2.
- Or head to the acclaimed Oregon Zoo the second Tuesday of any month and pay just $4 for admission.
(Image: robert.hamilton)
