Exploring Portland
Sure, we're all coming to the Bridge City for one reason: Games, games, and more games. However, Portland is a city ripe for exploring with a unique blend of urban attractions and natural beauty. Oregon’s largest city, Portland sits on the Columbia and Willamette rivers and is known for its parks, bridges, and bicycle paths, along with its microbreweries, coffeehouses, and overall eco-friendly spirit. The city hosts thriving art, theater, and music scenes and iconic Washington Park encompasses sites from the formal Japanese Garden to the Oregon Zoo. Here are a few highlights for Mind Games attendees.
Attractions & Interests
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Whether you’re traveling with or without kids, explore, discover, experiment, and more at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Otherwise known as the OMSI, the interactive museum has five halls and eight different labs where you can get hands-on with the exhibits. You’ll have fun learning new and exciting elements of chemistry, physics, paleontology, and more.
The OMSI aims to promote a sustainable society and uses its exhibitions to educate people on how to use modern day skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. While you’re there, visit the on-site IMAX theatre and Kendall Planetarium, or head back in the evening for one of the OMSI After Dark events.
Pearl District
The Pearl District is a trendy area of Portland, brimming with art galleries, independent stores, fashion boutiques, and plenty of fine dining opportunities. Located in the heart of downtown, this is certainly the place to be if you’re looking to indulge in a spot of retail therapy during your time in Portland.
Browse the vibrant shops and explore the many art galleries, then treat yourself to a fresh coffee or a bite to eat at one of the highly-rated bars or restaurants. The galleries stay open late on First Thursday (the 1st Thursday of each month), so you can always head back if there’s a piece you wish you’d picked up.
Distillery Row
Portland might be home to many a brewery, but for a truly unique evening, make your way along Distillery Row for a serious taste sensation. It’s not a physical row as such, but 12 independent distilleries dotted across the city. They’ve opened their doors to the public to allow visitors a taste of over 80 unique spirits (not all at once, of course!).
There’s a special passport to get stamped for each distillery that you visit, so be sure to purchase one at a participating location, or download the mobile version. And, for the ultimate Distillery Row experience, it’s only right that you rent a pedicab to take you between each venue.
Powell’s City of Books
Whether you’ve always got your head in a good book or you’re just really into cool places, exploring Powell’s City of Books should be a priority when visiting Portland. Standing three stories high and occupying an entire square block of the city, this incredible book store is so big that you need a map to find your way around.
A number of famous writers visit the store throughout the year, each leaving their mark in the form of a signature on one of the pillars inside. You can time your visit to coincide with one of the many readings that take place here, as there are almost daily events. Alternately, why not call ahead and arrange a guided tour of the store’s impressive book collection?
Outdoor Adventures
Multnomah Falls
Take a walk through Columbia River Gorge, just a short drive from Portland, to reach the dizzying heights of Multnomah Falls. Standing at a staggering 620 ft. tall, it’s often listed as one of the tallest waterfalls in the world. So, as you can imagine, the sensation you get when standing on Benson Bridge, spanning the lowers falls, is somewhat invigorating.
The two-drop falls can be reached by following a 2.4 mile round-trip trail from the Columbia River Gorge’s information center, or via an easier road for those not able to do the walk. If you want to see the flow at its highest, it’s best to visit in winter or spring.
Forest Park
Known as one of the largest urban forests in the country, Forest Park is the ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle of busy city life. Its huge canopy of trees stretches over 5,100 acres, covering a distance of more than eight miles. There are over 70 miles of trails crisscrossing the park, including the popular Wildwood Trail, part of Portland’s 40-Mile Loop.
Head out for a leisurely afternoon stroll or enjoy an early morning run among the 112 bird and 62 mammal species that call the park home. Download an online map of the trails and plan your route before you go.
Portland Japanese Garden
When His Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, the former Ambassador of Japan to the United States, visited Portland Japanese Garden, he proclaimed it to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.”
The Garden sits nestled in the hills of Portland’s iconic Washington Park, overlooking the city and providing a tranquil, urban oasis for locals and travelers alike. Designed in 1963, it encompasses 12.5 acres with eight separate garden styles, and includes an authentic Japanese Tea House, meandering streams, intimate walkways, and a spectacular view of Mt. Hood. This is a place to discard worldly thoughts and concerns and see oneself as a small but integral part of the universe.
Oregon Zoo
The oldest zoo west of the Mississippi is just minutes from downtown Portland via the MAX Light Rail in Washington Park. The Oregon Zoo is home to more than 2,000 animals from 165 species — along with an awesome education center, a vast collection of exotic plants, a historic railway, and more. Over 40 percent of the zoo has been renovated in the last few years, including updated habitats for rhinos, primo real estate for primates, and a new elephant expanse.
Zoo capacity is timed and limited. Online advance-purchase tickets are required and may be purchased on the Oregon Zoo’s website.
Portland International Rose Test Garden
The Portland International Rose Test Garden is the oldest continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States. Unofficially known as the Portland Rose Garden, the space features more than 10,000 roses. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world enjoy its sights and scents annually. The garden also offers spectacular views of downtown and Mt. Hood.
The garden was conceived by Oregon Journal editor Jesse A. Currey in 1915 and approved by Portland Parks in 1917. It started as a safe haven for hybrid roses grown in Europe during World War I. Flowers began arriving in Portland in 1918, and the garden and amphitheater were dedicated in 1924. The grounds are split into several smaller areas: the Royal Rosarian Garden, the Shakespeare Garden, and the Miniature Rose Garden.
Local Activities
3Quest Challenge: A Clue-Gathering Adventure
3Quest Challenge is a photo scavenger hunt that allows you to explore Portland by completing three quests using our scavenger hunt app on your smartphone. To begin, simply download the app and a suggested starting location. Upon arrival of the starting location of your choosing, you'll be given three quests. Each quest consists of challenges to complete, as well as fun items to discover around the city.
The objective of 3Quest Challenge is to try to complete all three quests and get 1st place on the leaderboard. You can form teams, compete against your friends, or spend time together with family and friends. Oh, and don't worry, you won't be alone. You'll have a remote guide who will be chatting with you in the scavenger hunt app if you need anything!
Our city scavenger hunt is perfect for a team building activity, bachelorette scavenger hunt, birthday scavenger hunt, and more!
Portland Ghosts
Are you ready to experience the dark side of Portland’s past and meet the real ghosts that haunt its streets? Join us on a nightly ghost tour to some of the most ghost-infested places in Downtown Stumptown. Only Portland Ghosts will show you the wickedly bizarre side of this charming city. Downtown Portland was a rough area in the early days of the city, a new port bringing in people from all over the world. Many of these newcomers had shady pasts and had no qualms about victimizing others, even if it meant killing to get what they wanted.
Portland Ghosts will reveal the details and unexpected twists best experienced in Portland’s silky black night, when the cover of daytime is drawn back to expose a history of darkness. Discover how men and women alike fell prey to a multitude of evils that roamed the city blocks.
Wacky Walks Adventure Game
Wacky Walks is a royalty themed scavenger hunt. It is similar to a board game in which the control of the game shifts from one player to another, but, instead of a board, you'll be exploring the streets of Portland with your smartphone to complete the game.
Wacky Walks will begin by designating the King or Queen of the group. The Royal Highness will then direct the other players to locate items and participate in challenges throughout the kingdom (Portland). You'll use the Wacky Walks scavenger hunt app to prove you've found certain items and have completed the challenges correctly. The goal of the scavenger hunt is to find all the items and complete the challenges, but also to have fun with family and friends, exploring the streets of Portland!
Wacky Walks is done completely on foot and usually takes about two hours to complete. You’ll have a remote guide available in case you get stuck anywhere along the way.
Zombie Scavengers Survival Hunt
Can you outlive the zombies? In this interactive scavenger hunt, players will search the city for the supplies needed to survive the zombie apocalypse. You'll explore all that downtown Portland has to offer while gaining points and competing for first place on the leaderboard.
In our zombie scavenger hunt scenario, what was thought to be impossible has become a reality and the dead just won’t die — and they're quickly turning into brain hungry zombies! With the whole world now in chaos and zombies outnumbering the living, small colonies of the living are doing all they can to survive. With your team of up to 10 people, you will use your smartphone to search the area for much needed food, supplies, and shelter. The more things you find, the more points you get and the more likely you are to survive. But the task will not be easy. Along the way, you'll be asked to complete challenges or answer trivia questions in order to ward off the zombies. Remember, the area is crawling with relentless brain-eaters, and rival colonies are moving in! If you're playing with a larger group, you can split up into teams and see who can find all the items first in order to survive the zombie apocalypse!