Portland In The News
From an epic new airport to "the coolest neighborhood in the nation," Portland's good news continues to get noticed.
While we enjoy Portland every day, it is always a treat to see what great stories capture the headlines. As the clips and quotes that follow show, there are many great stories unfolding here—from our incredible culinary scene to our neighborhoods, entrepreneurs and innovative airport. This city is ours—and yours—to share.
A Great City for Food, with the James Beard Award to Prove It
In conversation with the nation’s most Outstanding Bakery: Portland’s JinJu Patisserie
OPB – June 18, 2025
Portland’s latest James Beard Award winner, JinJu Patisserie, has been selected as the most Outstanding Bakery in the U.S. OPB’s “All Things Considered” caught up with the winners.
The 25 Best Restaurants in Portland, Ore., Right Now
New York Times – Oct. 14, 2024
The New York Times continues to love Portland’s culinary scene, as praised in “The 25 Best Restaurants in Portland, Ore., Right Now,” which declares Portland both “one of America’s great culinary cities” and “the “dining capital of the Pacific Northwest.”
The dining capital of the Pacific Northwest remains one of America’s great culinary cities.
The New York Times
The Restaurant List (2024): Our 50 favorite places in America right now.
New York Times – Sept. 27, 2024
Portland restaurants L’Orange and Yaowarat are two of the “50 favorite places in America right now” as selected by The New York Times.
52 Unexpected Places to Go in the USA
Afar – Aug. 2, 2024
“Oregon: Watch this (culinary) space”
Portland is a Leader in Wellness and Relaxation
Portland’s Natural Spaces Are Fertile Ground for Meetings and Events
Meetings Today – April 25, 2025
“Boasting more than 200 parks and gardens within city limits, Portland, Oregon, is a natural choice for business events that want to inhale some fresh air during their agenda.”
There’s an Incredible Spa With 5 Pools Underneath Portland, Oregon, at This New Hotel
Travel + Leisure – March 25, 2025
“These days, it seems like any hotel with a spa calls themselves a “wellness destination.” But at Cascada Thermal Springs + Hotel in Portland, Oregon’s Alberta Arts District, that moniker feels well-earned.”
Together, it felt like we were transcending to another plane as our practitioner, Stephanie Starnes, combined crystal singing bowls, gongs, and her own melodic voice into a high vibration sound bath that far surpassed anything I had tried before. (And I’ve done a lot of sound baths.)
Travel + Leisure
Review: Cascada Thermal Springs and Hotel
Condé Nast Traveler – Spring, 2025
“Come for the excellent thermal springs and expansive spa, stay for the spacious, luxurious suites.”
The Wine Spa: World’s Greatest Places 2025
Time – March 13, 2025
“Wine and wellness are closely intertwined at the brand-new Wine Spa, where guests bathe in wine from the Willamette Valley while sipping a glass of their favorite varietal.”
Portland International Airport Renovation is a Triumph
From its ceiling of Northwest-sourced timber to its 120-foot-long video walls, Portland International Airport continues to up the ante with its latest renovation. To say the media took notice is an understatement.
The best airport in America? You guessed it
The Oregonian/OregonLive – June 26, 2025
The Washington Post has officially ranked the top 50 airports in the U.S. using a combination of passenger recommendations and data analysis. Portland International Airport topped the list, beating out more than 450 airports nationwide.
Portland’s Revolutionary New Airport Terminal Is Like Stepping into the Lush Pacific Northwest Forest
Sunset Magazine – Aug. 14, 2024
“More than just a stunning state-of-the-art transit hub, the project is a fusion of contemporary design and the cultural legacy of the Pacific Northwest’s Native tribes.”
The new main terminal is a triumph of tradition and sustainability.
Sunset Magazine
How the designers of Portland’s new PDX made the best airport in the country even better
Fast Company – Aug. 15, 2024
“Portland’s new airport terminal and its eye-popping roof set a new high bar for airport design.”
The New PDX Terminal Is a Love Letter to All Things Local
Condé Nast Traveler – Aug. 14, 2024
“The Oregon airport’s new terminal evokes the beauty and personality of the Pacific Northwest with more than 70 live trees, benches that look like river rocks—and the return of the famed PDX carpet.”
Portland Airport Has a New Terminal, With an Indoor Forest, Local Food and Beer, and Therapy Llamas
Afar – Aug. 14, 2024
“The Oregon airport’s new terminal evokes the beauty and personality of the Pacific Northwest with more than 70 live trees, benches that look like river rocks—and the return of the famed PDX carpet.”
Big trees, a wooden ceiling and ‘therapy’ llamas: What you’ll find in PDX’s renovated terminal
CNN – Aug. 14, 2024
The updated terminal is being filled with dozens of trees, thousands of other plants, streams of natural light and a wooden ceiling to create an arboreal atmosphere.
Black Rodeo Gallops Ahead
Ivan McClellan’s 8 Seconds Rodeo is Flipping the Script on Rodeo Culture — One City at a Time
The Knockturnal – June 18, 2025
“More than just a showcase of elite bull riding and barrel racing, [the 8 Seconds Rodeo] is a bold celebration of Black Western culture — staged intentionally in a place no one saw coming.”
With the 8 Seconds Rodeo, America’s premier Black rodeo, McClellan didn’t just bring the grit and glory of the Black cowboy tradition to Portland, Oregon — he brought a cultural spectacle designed to both honor history and disrupt the narrative.
The Knockturnal
ESSENCE Author Spotlight: Ivan McClellan’s ‘8 Seconds: Black Rodeo Culture’
Essence – May 13, 2025
“ESSENCE recently spoke with [Ivan] McClellan about Black Rodeo culture, the history of Black cowboys and cowgirls, and his passion for the culture.”
Inside 8 Seconds Rodeo: The Only Black Rodeo In The Pacific Northwest
Travel Noire – May 5, 2025
The first Black rodeo in the Pacific Northwest has blossomed since its 2023 inception, celebrating the cowboy culture of today and the legacy of Black rodeos. Next, it expands to Philadelphia.
Portland is “On The Rise”
Progressive Portland Plots a Comeback
Bloomberg – Feb. 13, 2025
This well-researched article covers decades of Portland’s status as a beacon of American urban policy — through its challenges, opportunities and current revival. “…local brokers point to signs of a turnaround: The flood of businesses that decamped for the suburbs has slowed, and the number of tenants now seeking space in the central core is approaching pre-pandemic levels. Foot traffic and hotel bookings are up; restaurants are opening.”
Amazing Spas, New Hotels, a Buzzing Restaurant Scene—This Pacific Northwest City Is Alive With Fresh Energy
Afar – Jan. 30, 2025
When considering why now is the time to visit Portland, author Amanda Calnan Vowels found a focal point in the unique experiences that make Portland magical — from spas like Cascada and Knot Springs, to the Portland Art Museum and WonderLove food cart pod. “The mindset of local tastemakers and citizens channels a determination to keep [Portland] sustainable, food-driven, vibrant, and always innovative.”
New Portland Rising: How Entrepreneurs of Color Are Turning Crisis Into Opportunity
Travel + Leisure – Jan. 25, 2025
In Portland, “Restaurants, bookshops, and other stores owned by people of color have begun thriving, helped by public support, more affordable rents, and patronage from city and nonprofit agencies.” Featuring local black-owned businesses Kann, Barnes & Morgan, Abbey Creek Winery and Third Eye Books, Travel + Leisure celebrates the economic rebirth being led in Portland by BIPOC entrepreneurs.
Portland Shines as a Spring Break Destination
Skip the Beach: 5 Cities Where Adults and Kids Can Enjoy Spring Break
New York Times – Feb. 14, 2025
While Portland’s walkable downtown, family-friendly food and all-ages fun landed it on the New York Times’ recommended Spring Break destinations, it was the off-the-beaten-path shops like Thinker Toys and Annie Bloom’s Books and the Kennedy School lodging recommendation that made this article sing.
Spring break hidden gems
Today – Feb. 7, 2025
Travel expert Samantha Brown joined TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager and guest co-host Ego Nwodim to discuss Portland and other “hidden gems” to consider for a spring break vacation. The Jupiter Hotel gets their nod as the place to stay, while the city’s vintage and vinyl shops are strong recommendations as well.
Portland Tops “Best Travel” Lists for 2025
A look at the best places to travel in 2025
Good Morning America – Nov. 26, 2024
The Editor-in-Chief of Travel + Leisure, Jacqui Gifford, was on Good Morning America to discuss the “50 Best Places to Travel in 2025” list. Portland led the segment as a must-visit destination for city lovers noting Portland as one of the best cities for food, outdoor adventures, access to wine country and more. She mentioned the Portland Art Museum renovation as a key reason to visit in 2025 as well.
The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2025
Travel + Leisure – Nov. 21, 2024
Travel + Leisure magazine included Portland in their 50 Best Places to Travel in 2025 list. Portland falls under the “For Big City Thrills” section, highlighting Portland as a standout destination for outdoor lovers, noting the opening of CASCADA, upcoming multi-million dollar renovation to the Portland Art Museum, and PDX Airport’s renovation as reasons to visit in 2025. The article was also syndicated to Yahoo! Life.
Where to go in 2025: The 29 best places to travel
The Points Guy – Nov. 12, 2024
The Points Guy included Portland in their list of “The 29 Places to Travel” in 2025 for its diverse dining, wellness hotels and welcoming community. The article mentioned the PDX airport renovation, Portland Art Museum revamp, CASCADA opening, 2023 Ritz-Carlton, Portland opening, along with restaurants like Bauman’s on Oak and Pasar.
The Central Eastside Shines
Hidden PNW: Portland’s Central Eastside
Seattle Magazine – Oct. 24, 2024
When Seattle Magazine featured Portland’s Central Eastside, they couldn’t help but rave about its restaurants, breweries, distilleries, and curated shops. Spotlighting “Haitian comfort food haven Kann, and its A-list bar Sousol” as the “neighborhood celebrities,” the feature recommended pairing a dinner reservation with “a few days to savor this exciting, walkable neighborhood.”
Credit: Celeste Noche
This Pacific Northwest Neighborhood Was Just Named the Coolest in the U.S.
The Travel – Oct. 4, 2024
Chatting with a Kerns neighborhood shopkeeper you may never know that “this hip pocket of Portland, Oregon” was named TimeOut’s Coolest Neighborhood in the U.S. but you’d likely find agreement that yes, it is pretty darn cool.
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