• Welcome to Portland
• Portland International Airport
• MAX Light Rail
• “Fareless Square”
• Portland Streetcar
• Northwest Fresh: Restaurants, Wines & Microbrews
• Tax-Free Shopping
• What to See and Do
• More to See and Do Outside of Portland

Hotel information
------------------------------
Hilton Portland & Executive Tower
Portland Marriott City Center on Broadway
Hotel Vintage Plaza

Through Oct. 21: Cabaret at Portland Center Stage

Through Nov. 11: Profile Theatre Project presents Six Degrees of Separation

Through Jan. 6: Chuck Close Prints: Process and Collaboration at the Portland Art Museum

Oct. 27: Annual Squishing of the Squash at the Oregon Zoo

View all upcoming events >>

In Portland, getting around is a breeze. And it's easy to find limitless recreation, fabulous dining and flourishing culture. And, oh yes — the nation's largest variety of local microbrews. See for yourself. You are invited to come early or stay late to enjoy all that Portland has to offer.

Portland International Airport (PDX) is currently served by 14 international and domestic commercial airlines offering more than 500 arrivals and departuers daily. Daily nonstop flights are offered from 50 U.S. cities.

The award-winning MAX light rail system runs on 44.5 miles of track connecting downtown to the east and west suburbs and the airport. The PDX light rail station is conveniently located next to the south baggage claim area. Also, Airport MAX's low-floor trains mean that luggage rolls easily on and off the cars; riders never have to struggle with stairs. Downtown-to-airport travel time is approximately 38 minutes. MAX service begins around 4:30 a.m. and runs every 3-10 minutes until midnight.

There is such a thing as a free ride in Portland. Transportation on all MAX light rail trains, buses, trolleys and streetcars is free in the 330-block area called “Fareless Square,” which encompasses downtown Portland and stretches across the Willamette River to include the Oregon Convention Center, Rose Garden arena (home to the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers) and the Lloyd Center mall.

Traveling between Portland's distinct neighborhoods is easy aboard the Portland streetcar. The sleek European-designed streetcars follow a 4.8-mile loop route that travels from the South Waterfront district through the Portland State University campus, the downtown Cultural District, the art gallery-filled Pearl District and Nob Hill/Northwest, known for its outstanding restaurants and upscale shopping. The streetcar connects to the Portland Areial Tram at South Waterfront. View the Portland Streetcar's schedule online.

Portland's lush surroundings and its residents' dedication to sustainability make for more than a lovely environment — they add up to a creative culinary scene featuring the freshest local flavors. In 2007 The New York Times observed, “Every little neighborhood in this city of funky neighborhoods now seems to be exploding with restaurants, food shops and markets, all benefiting from a critical mass of passion, skill and experience, and all constructed according to the gospel of locally grown ingredients.”

To accompany your meal, may we suggest an Oregon Pinot Noir? Or, perhaps, one of the riot of handcrafted beers that places Portland at the center of America's craft-brewing renaissance? Finish with a fresh marionberry tart and a snifter of our local pear eau de vie, which is known to rival the best of France. The fact that we have no food and beverage sales tax just adds to your dining pleasure.

With no sales tax, Portland is a haven for shoppers regardless of budget, transportation or personal style. Haute couture and hot cuisine rule Portland's Pearl District, where converted warehouses and factories now house stylish shops and eye-catching eateries. You can also find great shopping areas in bustling Nob Hill/Northwest Portland, another of the city's hippest hubs, where Eclectic, whimsical and sophisticated boutiques offer everything from tiaras to topiaries.

Portland Saturday Market is the nation's largest open-air market for handcrafted goods. Located in the Old Town District, the market offers more than 350 craft booths, as well as an international food court and live entertainment. Open Saturdays and Sundays March through December 24.

• Drown out the city noise in the Portland Classical Chinese Garden, an entire city block of tranquility.
• Ride the only three-door elevator west of the Mississippi at Powell's City of Books, the world's largest independent bookstore. Powell's spans a full city block and rises three stories to house its selection of 1 million new, used and out-of-print titles.
• Visit the Oregon Zoo, where more Asian elephants have been born than in any other North American city — including baby Samudra, whose birthday was Aug. 23, 2008.
• Get caught in an earthquake registering 5.5 on the Richter scale at the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI).
• Visit turn-of-the-century Victorian and Georgian homes along the tree-lined blocks of Northwest 21st and 23rd avenues that have been reincarnated, housing more than 250 unique shops, brewpubs, art outlets and eateries.
• Learn about the mysterious past and “shanghai tunnels” of the Old Town/Chinatown District. Or experience some of the nightlife that Old Town is best known for today.
• Catch dramatic city views as you stroll or bike along the Eastbank Esplanade, a pathway along the Willamette River.

• Woodburn Company Stores
• The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
• Multnomah Falls

This e-newsletter is provided to you by (Conference name here) in conjunction with Travel Portland, located at 1000 S.W. Broadway, Suite 2300, Portland, OR 97205. You may update your profile or unsubscribe from this service at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all content is ©2009 Travel Portland. All Rights Reserved.