Seven things to do and see in Portland as IndyCar races in the City of Roses
Portland, Oregon sits on the Columbia and Willamette rivers, in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood and known for its parks, eco-friendliness, microbreweries and coffeehouses.
IndyCar races at Portland International Raceway for 110 laps at a road course that is relatively flat, but contains several spots for passing opportunities.
Here, Travel News Blitz’s Ayla Vaughan explores seven things to do and see in Portland.
International Rose Test Garden
The International Rose Test Garden is the oldest official, continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States and boasts more than 8,000 roses.
Portland is known as the “City of Roses”, so make sure to visit this stunning almost seven-acre garden and marvel at this impressive collection.
Portland Art Museum
Portland Art Museum is one of the oldest art museums on the west coast, hosting an impressive collection of Native American and Asian art.
The museum also features modern and contemporary art, with rotating exhibitions that bring the best of the art world to Portland.
The Grotto - National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother
The Grotto - National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother is a Catholic sanctuary set among 62 acres of botanical gardens, offering a place of peace and quiet reflection for all people.
It contains more than 100 beautiful statues, reflection ponds and stunning views since it is set both at the foot of, and atop, a 110 foot cliff.
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Watch the Grand Prix of Portland
IndyCar visits Portland from August 8-10 to race at the Portland International Raceway, which has a length of 1.964 miles with its 12 turns.
Overtaking is common at certain places such as a quick chicane at the end of the frontstretch, a hard-braking right-hander leading onto the sweeping backstretch and a three-turn complex leading back onto the frontstretch.
Pearl District
The Pearl District of Portland is home to quirky boutiques and brands, cool restaurants, micro-breweries and artisan coffee shops, mostly housed in reclaimed warehouse spaces.
Notable attractions include Powell’s City of Books (one of the largest independent bookstores in the world), art galleries such as Blue Sky and Augen Gallery and Jamison Square fountain.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a nationally-renowned science center suitable for a range of audiences to learn 21st century skills through exhibits, classes, camps, traveling educators and adult programs around the state.
The museum has three auditoriums, a large-screen theatre, a planetarium and exhibition halls that host a variety of permanent exhibits focused on natural sciences, industry and technology.
Pittock Mansion
Pittock Mansion was built in 1914 as a modern home with unique architecture in a French Renaissance-style château that sits on 46 acres of land and was owned by the Pittock family (one of Portland’s most influential families).
Henry Pittock was a pioneer, publisher, newspaper editor, wood and paper magnate and founder of The Oregonian (the oldest continuously published newspaper on the West Coast), whilst his wife Georgiana Pittock was an avid gardener and a founding member of the Portland Rose Society.
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