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Portland, Oregon's largest city, is well known for its cultural innovations and its abundance of open spaces, parks, and walking trails, and the city's Washington Park offers all of those opportunities plus a whole lot more.

The 240-acre park located just west of the Willamette River features 15 miles of trails, picnic areas that can be reserved for large group events, and several cultural venues, including a formal Japanese garden, the Oregon Zoo, a rose testing garden, and many memorial sites such as the Oregon Holocaust Memorial and the Lewis and Clark Memorial, honoring the expedition team that first explored the northwest starting in 1804.

While visitors to Portland often focus on other aspects of the popular city, like its hip restaurants, coffeehouses, and breweries (there are about 70 breweries at last count), those who wish to explore its outdoor spaces can find a wealth of adventures in Washington Park, with all of its acreage accessible via a free shuttle bus service that operates daily all year long. The shuttle stops at all venues and attractions in the park every 15 minutes and is ADA accessible.

The park is located at 4033 SW Canyon Road and is open daily from 5 AM to 10 PM. Entry to the park is free. However, some sightseeing attractions inside the park, such as the zoo and the formal gardens, charge admission fees.

Related: 10 Off-The-Beaten-Track Things To Do In Portland, Oregon

See Exotic Animals, Formal Gardens In Washington Park

The Oregon Zoo, in the park's southern reaches, features two dozen exhibits, including Predators of the Serengeti, Primate Forest, the Penguinarium, Polar Passage, Discovery Plaza, Cougar Crossing, and Eagle Canyon. In Discovery Plaza, visitors can view Bernadette, the zoo's Amur tiger formerly called the Siberian tiger and found in the forests of eastern Russia. Three African Lions, Zawadi, Kya, and Neka, live in the Serengeti exhibit, and at Primate Forest, orangutans, chimpanzees, and gibbons forage in the indoor/outdoor exhibit area.

Zoo tickets purchased online in advance are required, and admissions are timed. Tickets are available ten days in advance, and the cost is $24 for visitors over the age of 12 and $19 for children under 12.

Gardens play a big role in the visitor experience at Washington Park. The Hoyt Arboretum is a museum of living trees and has some 2,300 species of trees from across the globe that visitors can view for free.

At the Portland Japanese Garden, visitors can stroll through eight garden styles focused on Japanese art and culture. The formal gardens sit on 12 acres, and there is a Japanese tea house along with trails and streams and a great view of Mount Hood in the distance. The garden is closed on Tuesdays, and adult admission is $19.95; $13.95 for children up to 17.

Rose lovers won't want to miss the park's International Rose Test Garden, where 10,000 rose bushes are in bloom from May through October. There are more than 600 rose varieties represented in the garden, which is a major testing ground for developing new rose varieties and is the oldest rose garden of its kind in the U.S. Entry is free.

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The campus of the World Forestry Center also is located within the park. Its mission is to explore society's connections to forests and offers interactive exhibits called Future of Forests and Animals in the Forest. Visitors can climb aboard a vintage steam engine train for a tour of the center. Train rides cost $5, and the service is offered daily except Monday and Tuesday.

Memorials, Statues Mark Special Places In The Park

Washington Park features statues and memorial sites throughout its vast spaces, including the Oregon Holocaust Memorial, dedicated in 2004, and the Lewis and Clark Memorial, completed in 1908. A bronze statue, Coming of the White Man, depicts two Native Americans, one of them being Chief Multnomah of the Multnomah tribe, standing on a native stone.

Another bronze statue, called Sacajawea, shows Sacajawea, of the Shoshone tribe, holding her son, Jean-Baptiste. The statue was unveiled in 1905, and according to the museum, attendees included Susan B. Anthony. The Chiming Fountain, also called the Washington Park Fountain, was built in 1891 by Swiss woodcarver Hans Staehli and is designed in the Renaissance style.

Visitors to the park can use the free archery range on a drop-in basis. Located in a forested area of the park, the range is managed by the city, and parking is available adjacent to the field. For outdoor group gatherings, the park offers many picnic areas.

Find Budget To Luxury Hotels Near The Park

Looking for a place to stay near Portland's Washington Park? Check out these hotels offering a range of per-night rates:

  • Downtown Value Inn, 415 Sw Montgomery Street. Rates from $98.
  • River's Edge Hotel, 455 Southwest Hamilton Court. Rates from $160.
  • Hyatt Centric Downtown Portland, 601 Southwest 11th Avenue. Rates From $170.

Related: 10 Quirky & Fun Hotels Only Found In Portland

  • The Benson Portland, Curio Collection by Hilton, 309 Southwest Broadway. Rates from $184.
  • Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel, 1510 S Harbor Way. Rates from $226.
  • The Nines, a Luxury Collection Hotel, 525 Southwest Morrison. Rates from $250.