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Discount Car Rental in Portland, Oregon - PDX - Portland International Airport

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-PORTLAND TRAVEL GUIDE-

History of Portland
Knowing the history of Portland can make your vacation come alive. Well before visits by explorers and frontiersmen, the Portland, Oregon area and its rivers were home to trading among the many Native American people who lived in the valleys below Mount Hood and the Cascade Mountains. Legend tells that the Native Americans who lived here used to hunt at Elk Rock and meet at Council Crest, the city's highest point. Tribal lore included all areas, such as the Bridge of the Gods, where nature provided the perfect place for a man-made bridge that now links Oregon to Washington near Bonneville Lock & Dam. Much of the this culture of local these tribes can be experienced at The Museum at Warm Springs.

President Thomas Jefferson ordered Lewis and Clark to explore the Pacific Northwest in 1804. This journey through the Columbia River Gorge remains among the most scenic areas in the United States. You can view this scenic expanse from the historic Vista House. The arrival of the explorers brought a new wave of trade and culture to the city. U.S. military personnel from Fort Clatsop and Fort Vancouver mixed with settlers, fur trappers and seamen who came to Portland primarily from Astoria. This coastal town's past lives on in the Astoria Column and Columbia River Maritime Museum.

Drawn west by the California Gold Rush, a number of pioneers decided to head north for Oregon and Portland. Their difficult journey can be revisited at the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Among pioneers who came to the city in the 1840s were two early settlers from Boston, Massachusetts and Portland, Maine. These two gentlemen bet the name of the city on the toss of a coin, which can still be seen today at the Oregon History Center. The City of Portland was actually chartered in 1851 and historic City Hall and Pioneer Courthouse are both still in use today.

Touring Portland
After you leave the Portland International Airport drive in your rental car in to Portland, an eclectic city, where many lifestyles coexist: sophisticated, alternative, wealthy and student. A temperate climate, thriving economy and close proximity to both the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains are among the many reasons Portland has high rankings on "most livable city" lists.

Drive from the airport in your rental car, rental van or rental SUV (or because of the temperate climate perhaps a rental convertible) to Multnomah just south of downtown Portland. Locals and tourists can enjoy tasty cuisine and friendly conversation at Marco’s Cafe and Espresso Bar. The Multnomah Art Center is considered the neighborhood anchor. Downtown is called the “living room of the city,” with its centrally located Pioneer Courthouse Square which is the scene of numerous cultural events. Major department and specialty stores are concentrated within the surrounding blocks. Go from the Portland International Airport to Portland State University (PSU) provides educational and cultural offerings. As you continue your tour, you'll find the tree-lined South Park Blocks are a pleasant way to visit the Portland Art Museum and Oregon History Center. Close by is the Portland Center for the Performing Arts which hosts more than a million guests annually.
The Willamette River which is fed by mountain snows, separates the east and west sides of the Portland. Tours of the beautiful bridges which cross this river are available weekly. While you're still touring the downtown area, the RiverPlace Hotel offers a place to stay on the picturesque waterfront. You might see dragon boats, cruise ships or in June, military ships arriving for the Rose Festival.

Lions stand guard at the entrance to Portland's Chinatown. In the spring, sidewalk entrances to the Chinese restaurants are colorful with the cherry blossom trees. The newer Classical Chinese Garden is a beautiful place to tour in the Chinatown area. Along the waterfront of Old Town, visit the Japanese-American Historical Plaza. Locals refer to the Northwest district as 23rd. From the Portland International Airport, you can take your rental car to several excellent restaurants and upscale shops and sidewalk cafes and espresso bars call Northwest home. The area is also home of PGE Park.

Buildings that once served the city's industrial needs are steadily being converted into trendy urban living spaces. This area is called the Pearl District. You'll find multi-use spaces with homes above and retail businesses at the street level. The Pearl District is not only an artist's area but home to many companies, as well. Galleries in the area open their doors on the First Thursday of each month for the local and tourist public to to see their work.

We suggest that tourists do what Portlanders do and take advantage of the city’s close proximity to the ocean and mountains in their rental cars from the Portland International Airport. However, if you find yourself unable to leave the city, you can always visit the 4,600 acre Forest Park. It's the largest city park in the United States and it is only a few minutes from downtown Portland. The 546-acre Washington Park is where you will find the Oregon Zoo. Take time to tour the World Forestry Center, the Vietnam Veteran's Living Memorial and the Hoyt Arboretum. The Japanese Garden and International Rose Test Garden provide wonderful views of Mount Hood. Include stately Pittock Mansion as you tour Portland.

If you love antiques take your rental car from PDX, Portland International Airport to Sellwood, home of many collectible shops. Oaks Park is nearby and Oaks Skating Rink and renowned pipe organ have entertained generations of Portlanders. Children love the Oaks Amusement Park carnival rides. The Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge provides a perfect spot to watch birds.

The Convention Center area is located on the east side of the river, across from downtown, and is the home of the city's trade and sports shows. When you cross the river, include on your tour a Portland Trailblazers NBA Basketball game at The Rose Garden Arena. It also is a venue for other sporting events and concerts. You'll want to take your rental car from the Portland International Airport to the convention Center as something happens every day of the week there and due to its central location tourists will be glad to know that there are numerous choices in lodging, restaurants and attractions. Nearby Lloyd Center Mall has more than 200 stores, ice skating at the Ice Chalet, a movie theater and food court. There are numerous interesting shops and restaurants located just outside the mall on Broadway. Travel a little farther south to visit the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), a popular interactive science museum.

Travel from the Portland International Airport (PDX) in your rental car to the Hawthorne District where you can shop for vintage clothing, try a local microbrew, or eat anything from vegan to Coney Island hot dogs. This neighborhood, located at the foot of a volcano has an eclectic feel that is intriguing and defies definition. Going east on Hawthorne Boulevard, tourists will discover Mount Tabor Park, named for an extinct volcano. Portland is one of those perfect amalgams of city and nature, wealthy and alternative, eclectic and staid; a truly interesting place to take a vacation to.