Established in 1843 and built on the coattails of a once prosperous wheat and timber industry, Portland is consistently voted in "top places to live" in the US, because of its mellow atmosphere, access to mountains and ocean, enjoyable weather and it even has free (fareless) bus travel within the downtown area! Go!

Pearl District: Revitalized and transformed ex-industrial area flush with art galleries, boutiques, restaurants and neo-urban culture. Free rides on Portland Streetcar.

Old Town: Another revitalized area which was once a thriving seafront port for trading with Asian countries and the east coast. Many 19th century buildings have been restored in this neighborhood.

Chinatown: Exemplifies rich Asian history in Portland. Greets visitors with huge dragon emblazoned gate at entrance to area. Shopping, restaurants.

Portland Saturday Market: Open-air shopping area with food, crafts and live music. Established in 1974, it's the largest outdoor arts and crafts market in continuous operation in the United States.

From October through May, travel to Portland is a lot cheaper and better deals are to be had. Also, hotel rooms, flights and car rentals during the weekdays are drastically cheaper than on weekends. Good luck on finding cheap flights to Portland and its surrounding areas (including Salem and Eugene) including cheap vacation packages, hotels and car rentals!