Washington Park Reviews

We came here as part of our visit to Washington park. There's lots of trees and it's a lovely outdoor environment. If the weather is good it's worth visiting.

Very nice to have such a large diverse park in the city. We spent almost all our time at the arboretum. We needed to watch out for yellow jackets, which were attracted to some conifers in sunny areas, but fantastic walking with and educational aspect too!

You won't feel like you're in a city! Beautiful and so much to do! Nice playground and the rose garden is incredible!

A great place to get your zen on. The gardens during the spring and fall are booming with color. Good parking available.

The best rose garden I have ever visited! Wonderful hiking trails and beautiful scenery. It can get busy even on weekdays so for visiting, the earlier the better.

with lots to do here and nice hiking trails if you are able to make a couple of mile trek either direction to the gardens that are the main attractions in the park. Free Shuttle bus is convenient if you do not try to take it during lunch hour(s) when the crew is short one driver...

Went to the park for an afternoon to hang out. I was so surprised to find out Washington Park has so many areas to visit. If I had known, we would have gone earlier in the day. If the weather cooperates, this is a place to stroll and enjoy being outdoors. We took public transportation to get here and it was easy to do. Thankfully, during the summer, they have a free shuttle that takes you to all the stops. Otherwise, the amount of walking to get from place to place would have been too much without a car. For the zoo and Japanese garden, you have to purchase tickets. But the beautiful rose garden and arboretum, hiking etc is free. A great place for a leisurely afternoon.

Great big green park. We have been in Zoo, Rose garden, Japanese garden, Umami cafe. All places were great, and I know there are much more great places in this park.

So much trails to hike and I love hiking. The Japanese Garden was amazing. Seein the waterfalls , koi fish and Zen garden were a must see. The Rose garden brings me back to My parents garden. So calming to see different colors and smell.

I had the most incredible day exploring Washington Park in Portland with my son. We were amazed that the TriMet train dropped us off right at the park, making it so easy to start our adventure. The shuttle inside the park was a huge bonus too, letting us explore all the different highlights without stress. From the peaceful Japanese Garden to the vibrant Rose Garden and the quiet forest trails, every stop felt like a new discovery.

What really stood out to us was how seamless Portland’s public transportation made the whole experience. Coming from St. Louis—where the system is missing about 150 miles of track—it was eye-opening to see how much better connected and accessible everything felt here. We spent the entire day at Washington Park and could have stayed even longer. It’s truly one of Portland’s gems—beautiful, easy to explore, and unforgettable.

We hiked into the park from Nob Hill which is right at the entry. It is an uphill walk to get the rose garden and-or the Japanese Garden. We broke up the two and did one each day although if you are fast you could do both in a day. Ir you are not sure of your fitness level, you could uber to the Japanese garden and walk down.

It would be sad to visit Portland without including Washington Park. So many good surprises, from wide open spaces and views to the Japanese Garden to the zoo.

We were staying at The Benson and was advised to take the tram to this park. We took this advice and we’re glad we did! Once we arrived we wanted to see the rose garden. The info booth said we could either take the free shuttle or hike 3 miles to it for a scenic route. We decided to hike it as the weather was nice.

There are huge trees everywhere and the walk was beautiful. The rose garden is free and it’s definitely worth a visit. The Japanese garden is about $17-18 a person. We decided not to visit that one as we were getting short on time. We took the shuttle back to the tram station and explored the rest of downtown.

This park is well worth a visit if you have about a half day to spend.

Too many seperste events. Each of them not very exciting. Except for the zoo. If you have been to the canyons or National Parks your visit is a mistake.

Great rose garden and nice views of the city w/ mount hood in the background. Went on a sunday so it was busy. recommend the parking kitty app (ridiculous name) to ease the pain of parking.

This enormous park is situated between the Goose Hollow and Washington Park Max stops. We spent most of our time in the Arboretum and the International Rose Test Garden. We easily spent 4-5 hours here, with a pack lunch just wondering around the trees a trails. Could easily have spent longer if you take into account the Zoo and the Japaneses garden (although you have to pay for these parts). Not completely pushchair accessible if you want to just wander through the trails, we did come across one or two surprise sets of the steps trying to get between the Arboretum and the Gardens. However if you stick shorter walks in each place and then move between spots with the free shuttle you shouldn't suffer from any accessibility problems.

Washington park is located on a small hill in the western suburbs of Portland. Its elevated position offers some nice viewpoints over downtown, but there're many things to do as well: Japanese gardens (paying), Rose gardens (free), Holocaust memorial, many walking and cycling paths, etc...
Parking could be difficult to find, specially on a nice sunny day and it's paying. Beware of leaving valuables visible in your car, there're many warning signs of car robbery.

Long walk UPHILL to the park from our rental apartment. Park had lots of trails vast space to walk around and my daughter particularly loved the rose gardens. The Japanese garden being at the very top of the hill was a nice hike through the entire park.

Great park. In fact, Portland is FULL of great parks. This 1 reminds me of Golden Gate Park. There is a FREE SHUTTLE that takes you on a 10 min. loop around park. You can stop off at Zoo, or Japanese Tea Garden, or Hoyt Arboretum, etc. You do have to park to park Somewhere 1st (then take shuttle). It is an ENORMOUS park, surrounded by evergreen forest, hills & dramatic mansions.

Portland's main park with the zoo, rose test garden, Japanese garden and arboretum. Big splash of green up in the hills.

The Park is an expansive, cool, and leafy world - but as one explores it it reveals a diverse range of more focused experiences - the Zoo, interesting houses, the childrens museum, Viet Nam Memorial and Holocaust Memorial gardens, rose gardens, tennis courts and the crowning glory - one of the finest Japanese-style strolling gardens in the world. And so accessible on the Tri-Met tram which takes you straight ti the Zoo, and the free shuttle bus that carries visitors between each focus area. We came back again.

This was such a great place to visit on our recent trip to Portland! The Holocaust memorial was so powerful. Even if you aren't a history nerd you would be moved deeply.

Washington Park Is a sprawling park built into the hills on the northwest edge of Portland. It encompasses the Children’s Museum and Playground, the Japanese Garden, the Hoyt Arboretum, the Holocaust Memorial and the Oregon Zoo.

The multi-faceted park was designed and beautifully laid out by the same architect who designed Central Park in NYC. It has a lot to offer, but since we were part of an organized tour, our time only allowed us to visit the Rose Garden. It was interesting to observe that even the Tennis Courts there had tons of rose bushes surrounding it. That was the first time that we have seen this and loved the idea.

It was one of the BEST Urban parks that we have seen. After being driven around, we did wish that we could have seen more of the things that this park has to offer, but it also means that it leaves the door open for us to make another trip to Portland.

We entered at a different address, 4033 Southwest Canyon Road. Fortunately, we arrived early enough that the crowds had not started filling it up yet, only a a few school buses. The lady driving Shuttle #4 greeted us as she was about to start her first load for the day and really helped us know our way about. We toured the Rose Garden and then worked our way back to our vehicle. Thankfully, the weather was overcast and cooler so we really enjoyed our time. Parking is $2.00 per hour and $8.00 for all day (in the same parking spot). The Rose Garden was "No Charge" but other areas do have fees.

What a gorgeous surprise. Amazed at the variety of roses and the vastness of this park. Nice combo of people walking their dogs and people having picnics as well as visitors checking out the roses. We went on a weekend evening around 8pm and parking was plentiful. Bathroom by the entrance was locked which we were surprised by but we found another bathroom open by the cafe. Recommend if you are in town.

Roses not yet blooming but the blooming trees were absolutely gorgeous! Even in the rain, it’s a magical place with miss growing on stones and roof tops (ladies restroom). Worth the trip up the mountain! Parking costs but no cost to see the park.

Got off at the MAX stop and was immediately greeted by a helpful information booth. They had maps of all the different areas and places to visit in Washington Park. I took a long walk through the Arboretum and the Rose Garden - both were absolutely wonderful and I highly recommend them!

This is a great area to go hiking on a path made for you by the Multnomah Athletic Club which is just down the hill from it on Salmon Street adjacent to Lincoln High School. It is one of the largest inner city parks in America and a great spot all year round even if it is cold and windy as it was when we visited this last time and is a great spot for picnicking complete with picnic tables in the Summer Spring and Fall! While alcohol consumption in the Park is probably illegal you can certainly get away with it as we have when having picnics in the Summer and Fall and you will sometimes detect the familiar and pungent odor of marijuana being consumed by some visitors to the park! Great views of the City of Portland and a Monument to Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana and a statute of Sacajewa grace the Park.

Parking is a nightmare at this park. What is supposed to be a 6 minute drive from where we started, it took about an hour to get to and find a place to park. Drivers grind to a halt on SW Kingston Avenue where you will eventually pass perfectly good parking lots that are all full, then more parking spots all full, pass public restrooms that you need to use but can't because there is nowhere to park, playgrounds for kids but you can't use since you can't park, and then right before a monstrosity of a construction site of some reservoir, you may be able to find a parking spot like we did. After contributing $4.60 to the City of Portland through something called Parking Kitty, the long hiking journey began uphill and eventually on a trail that led to an empty amphitheater. More restrooms were found, but those ones were closed for some reason. Lovely. You can just hold it and like it.

After all, there's beautiful roses in high bloom since it was June. Ooh, pretty! That'll keep your mind off of things. Then, if you can somehow manage to get through the wall of tennis courts, eventually one may finally find the Portland Japanese Garden. I don't know who designed this park, but those tennis courts are just in the way. Maybe, move them further away and provide more parking next to the attractions people come here to see would be a good idea. Is there any common sense left in the world?!

Anyways, the roses were beautiful and the garden peaceful. I love the sound of nature and waterfalls. Nature's beauty far surpass any of these other nuisances.

A beautiful large green area not far front from The centre of Portland. So easy to get to via the great tram system and a shuttle bus around it. Lovely.

I discovered Washington Park recently and now go 2-3 times per week. There are extensive trails that interconnect and are very well marked. One can do a 15 minute walk or hike for 2-3 hours. Many of the trails wind through the Arboretum and have lovely shade and great views. It is like being in the middle of a forest while also being in the middle of a city.

A few different experiences within the park, free shuttle available to get you around. Spend a rainy afternoon at the Japanese Gardens and it was spectacular, quiet with the perfect lighting for pictures.

We first visited the Japanese Gardens then walked across the street to the Washington Park Rose Garden where many beautiful roses were in full bloom. We saw many varieties and I took many pictures of the gorgeous roses! Also saw several couples in full dress and suit attire on their way to the prom! Great palace for prom pictures, for sure!

I never grow tired of visiting Washington Park. It has been a favorite accessible getaway for our family for years. It is genius that the city had the wisdom to foresee the wonderful refuge the Park would provide for generations of residents and visitors - and right in the niddle of the city.- easily accessible from several locations.

The Park is beautifully maintained and seems to have always have been a safe retreat from the "outside world". Several amenities for people of all ages and interests. It is especially a fun gathering place for picnicking groups. Hope to enjoy its serenity for years to come.

My family enjoyed the park and the atmosphere, the weather in May was very pleasant. the land escape is excellent.

Had a lovely walk through Washington Park. It is quite a steep walk but well worth the exercise. Highlights include the Holocaust memorial which is extremely tasteful, the Japanese Gardens and the squirrels. Lots of paved walkways and a good spot for e-scooters.

I would recommend anyone who enjoys a walk or a hike to go to Washington Park. There are a range of trails available depending on where / how far you would like to walk. The scenery is beautiful and it's a very peaceful place to go, just a short walk away from the bustling streets of Portland. You can always take public transport up to the park as well, before starting your hike.

This is one of the greener places that I visited during my stay, such nice trails to walk, and best of all it's free! Not far from the International Rose Test Garden, you could always combine a trip here!

If you're after a tranquil escape combined with a little bit of exercise, this is the place for you. If you're feeling energetic, you can always take a run through the trails as well - just be careful of the edges of the trails! Just make sure you wear comfortable clothes and shoes for a walk up here.

My favorite spot in Portland, and a great way to get away from the city without actually having to leave. The Rose and Japanese Gardens are great, but personally I prefer to explore the multitude of hiking paths that link up to Hoyt Arboretum, the Zoo, etc, to get away from the crowds a bit. It can be easy to get turned around, but great for exploring.

I spent 5 hours here walking from end to end and enjoyed it. It's shady, 152 acres, and has easy 15 miles of hiking and walking trails throughout the 5,100 acre forest areas. The park includes many FREE things to see - monuments and statues, a beautifully sobering Holocaust Memorial, a chiming water fountain, large rose garden, an informative Vietnam Memorial, and the Hoyt Arboretum (many of the longer hiking paths are near Hoyt), children's playgrounds, and an open grass ampitheater.

The "Secret Garden" is a nice little lawn surrounded by tall trees, but it's not an actual garden, nor is it particularly secretive. It's a clearing across the street from the ampitheater. It's nice, but I thought it would be more tucked away and have a longer walk to get there. But it is a nice space where I enjoyed my lunch on a bench.

Other events inside have visitor fees, such as a children's museum, a Discovery Center museum, the zoo, the archery range, and Japanese Garden.

There is a MAX lightrail train station inside the park near the zoo. There is also a free park shuttle that runs in a loop to about 6 stops around the park, with a new shuttle arriving every 15 or 20 minutes.

There is also a sky tram that leaves from the MAX station to the south waterfront area in downtown Portland, though I did not see it running when I was there.

Many hiking trails, beautiful trees, plants and flowers and gorgeous Japenese Gardens and International Rose Gardens. If you go later in the day, parking gets difficult but there's a free shuttle around the park. Wear comfortable shoes and spend the day in this beautiful park!

Such a beautiful park with so much to do - hikes, rose garden, Japanese garden and more! I went to the Japanese garden and it's a little expensive but very serene and peaceful. The rose garden is incredible!

What a wonderful place to hike around and enjoy the great outdoors, even with the pandemic going on. This park was so open! It was a beautiful day and minimum people out.

The Rose Garden was the highlight of this trip. the park was fun but finding parking was so hard that we spent more time looking than we should have.

I could come here every day. The roses weren't in bloom when I was there, but the grounds were well kept and beautiful. I enjoyed seeing the camellias and the old trees. I liked the winding trails and the cherry blossoms were in bloom. Great place for families was well.

Very beautiful park! Took a tour on the shuttle! Very nice place park was clean staff was friendly and helpful. Shuttle driver was great showed us around made jokes and was very knowledgeable bout the area. Would definitely visit again.

Very well done tour by one of the volunteers. Explained the history and the varieties of the types of roses on display. Wheelchair accessible.

This park is enormous, and for this review, I'll focus simply on the Japanese garden.

Everything was in bloom, and the entire garden was peaceful. I saw many people sitting in meditation. It's a 12-acre space within Washington Park. There's plenty of free parking, but entry to the Japanese Garden is $16.95 (might be discounted for seniors, children and military). It takes almost 5 minutes to reach the top of a hill where the garden is (there's a complimentary shuttle ride for those with limited mobility).

There's a small cafe and gift shop, spaces for demonstrations and shows, and many paths to wander on. Among the trees, shrubs and flowers are ponds, streams and water sculptures, as well as very tame ducks. If the world is stressing you out, stop here and find inner peace.

We didn't have time to visit everything on our trip, but Washington Park was on the list. The Japanese Garden, Rose Garden, Playground, and Zoo made the cut this visit, and were spread out over 3 days. We visited for a week at the end of April, so there weren't any rose buds, but it was still nice walking through the garden. Our family enjoyed watching the squirrels and birds, and purchased snacks from the food cart vendors. The fresh donuts and hot beverages hit the spot!

We hiked around the park with a friend from out of town. The park is beautiful and a safe place for a hike. You can walk for 30 minutes or many many hours depending on the route(s) you choose. A variety of habitats from woodlands to more open meadows attract a variety of birds. Early morning is best for bird watching. Always a good place to get some exercise.

I am a local and love to head to Washington Park to get a quick hike in. This park butts up against Forest Park for an even longer hike if you wish. Beautiful trees and also open fields.

We walked from the Oregon Zoo to the Hoyt Arboretum. There were wonderful views, and Arboretum was amazing.

We visited the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. Japanese Garden was amazing. Dropped by the cafe for tea at the end. Elevation also gives a perspective to the city. Highly recommend this experience.

Trails are easily accessible through Washington Park, from NW 24th Street at Burnside. Though the trails are not well-marked they all seem to converge on the Rose Garden, from which you can get to the Japanese Garden ($$) or Zoo. Some of the trails are a bit steep - if you have mobility issues take the roadway with switchbacks that cut down on the grade. The Rose Garden is amazing - so many blooms, even in October!

My family and I took a trip here, it was extremely delightful and we had a great time. It was beautiful, and I would recommend it to anyone who is in the area!

If you want to take a city break of a few hours, washington park is a great option. You can take the tram to Washington Park. From there you can take the free shuttle bus. The rose garden is amazing (and green). You can easily walk from the rose garden to the northwest part of the city and have lunch there.

Lovely wooded area, steep hills. Saw several bicyclists racing down. There isn't too much to see from the road.

So much to do, zoo, arboretum, rose garden, etc. Excellent free tram. Something for everyone. Get there early for good parking spot.

It's one of the big parks in town, accessible from the downtown area where we were staying. We enjoyed the flowers, especially the roses. Lots of shade trees, welcome on a hot day.

Very big park with lots to do. There is are Japanese and Rose gardens. The Rose garden is free but Japanese garden cost money. The zoo is located here. Very beautiful.

We visited one morning to see some of the sites, including the rose garden. The whole place was cordoned off with what looked like crime scene tape. I guess we had bad timing as they were spraying for something at the time.

We enjoyed the beautiful views of Portland and Mt Hood while having a wonderful tasty picnic with some wine in one of the wooden picnic tables, which were surprisingly mostly empty on a warm sunny August afternoon. We had a nice hike through some trails in the woods as well. You can park for free for two hours on the hill in the residential area below Washington Park for free but the city will charge you by the hour to park in the park! Highly recommended!

Easily accessed by metro train, this is a popular and large park. Once off the train, they run a free shuttle to every highlight location, allowing us to see a Vietnam Veteran Memorial, free rose garden, and (pay to enter) Japanese Gardens. The Japanese Garden was beautiful, historical, but at $18 a bit pricy given it takes about 1 hour (2 if you linger) to see the entire grounds. We planned it for lunch, and there's food at the Japanese Gardens if you paid to enter, or food carts near the rose gardens.

Great spot. Unless you love a LOT of walking, take the free shuttles.

We went to our favorite outdoors park for a long walk during coronavirus and found it to be little populated and a good place to get some exercise. Visitors were friendly and there were plenty of dogs on leashes. Lots of walking trails both paved and unpaved. Highly recommended despite restrooms being closed and only open seasonally with no mention of what dates constitute seasonally!

I love the immense size, variety of plant life, birds, roses, Japanese garden zoo, hiking trails galore, free shuttle bus to get around....

Lovely park with free shuttle to get around. Visited the Japanese Garden (paid) and Rose Garden (free) both of which were very nice. I was a bit disappointed to find that the general public could not participate in a bit of archery at the range.

The Rose Garden was in full bloom in October. Beautiful! The Japanese Garden is beautiful as well. Be sure you like to climb up stairs and steep slopes. Take the Trimet to Washington Park

Lovely park. We went for the rose garden which was stunning. Endless varieties. Just a great place for a wander. Good facilities and parking was easy.

Easy to get to by public transport a station right there. Has a free bus to take you around the park to get off at different points which is very handy as the park is huge. Do keep a full day aside so much to see and do. We did go back twice.

This is an day excursion from downtown Portland on the streetcar directly to Washington Park. P.S. The station there is over 250 feet below gorund. Pretty neat.

End of June roses probably past their best but still worth visiting. Traffic congestion at this part very bad. We did not know about the other larger parking lots at Washington Park because we just put in rose garden into the gps. Should have parked near the zoo and used the free shuttle.

We went to the zoo and continued our day with a beautiful walk through the hills and gardens (the path to the Japanese Garden was a bit of a let down since the trail entrance is closed off and you had to walk down about 1/4 mile along a security fence to get to the main entrance).

An extensive park on the edge of the city centre - accessible by light rail and full of things to seen and do - many free of charge! From the rail station, the zoo is close by and free shuttle can take you up to the different areas; the rose garden, the Japanese garden (entrance fee payable), the Holocaust memorial, and the arboretum. Forego the bus amd enjoy one the various hiking trails.

I spent part of a morning hiking various trails in the Hoyt Arboretum. The trees are grand and the trails were not very crowded so you really got a sense of first-growth forest. A very knowledgeable park guide discussed the options for length and difficulty of hikes, and tailored a pair of paths that suited my needs perfectly. Then I went on to the Japanese Garden, where I could sit and contemplate the huge koi and the verdant moss. The Rose Garden was much busier by that time of day, and the zoo was filled with families watching the impressive array of animals. It was a great day out, and so close to downtown Portland. The public transportation makes it very easy to get there and do as much or as little of the park as you want.

As always I love visiting Washington Park. So much natural nature to absorb. The trees are so stunning. Its early in the season so the multitude of flowers just budding. There were a lot of people having great outdoor fun. You can hike, bike, walk, run. Wear comfortable shoes and take water. It is a very clean and a very well maintained park and a must see if you are visiting Portland, springtime is when the roses will be bloom. There are other attractions in the general area that are beautiful to visit as well.

Each year the Oregon Zoo Lights get better then the previous year. I am a performer for the zoo lights and always enjoy the light displays, the animals, and watching children's faces light up with a look of wonder during the holiday season. And that sense of amazement is not related to Santa Claus or gifts or Christmas trees.

Lots of (free) parking, if you keep going.
Rose garden was amazing (free)
Did not go to Japanese garden as expensive and long quueu

Loved walking through the gorgeous trees and paths. We visited the rose garden and a Holocaust memorial. Both were memorable and worth the visit.

This is a huge park located in Portland. Accordingly, a lot of local people come here for a walk and exercise. Parking is metered but there are plenty of spaces. Bring your own water if you plan to walk a lot.

Home of the zoo, Japanese and rose gardens, and the arboretum. Served by a metro station and a free shuttle service.

Plenty to see and do, and well worth a visit.

We did the zoo, Japanese and rose garden easily in a (tiring) day.

BEAUTIFUL park to take a hike and enjoy the wonder of the out of doors. The smell of the forest was really something to behold along with all the gorgeous variety of trees along the way.

Pack an appropriate meal for the time of day that you are visiting, and plan to spend four to six hours discovering the park. Many surprisingly beautiful nooks and crannies and lots of unexpected sites. This is a great place for memorable photos and videos.

Forest bathe amongst the trees and trails; you'll come out of it refreshed and enlivened on every level.

This place has much to offer. Botanical gardens, a zoo (we didn't go), an arboretum, rose bushes and trees of all kinds! I look forward to returning when it's not raining.

Very lovely asset for Portland. Has lots of things to do. Parking is a bit of a mystery until you find your spot. You may have to walk quite a ways to your destination.

I had heard that Portland has an excellent transit system, and I was not disappointed. I took the MAX light rail line from SW 1st Avenue to the Goose Hollow neighborhood, where I saw signs for Washington Park. I hiked up hilly streets in a lovely historic neighborhood and easily found the park. Well-marked roads brought me to the Japanese Gardens. This is a must-see treaure for those who can easily navigate multi-level stone trails. A free shuttle bus goes throughout the park, paid by car parking revenues. At the top, I was pleased to see I could catch the red line all the way to my stop at 82nd Street.

My daughter and I came here to go to the Japanese Garden (totally not worth the price we paid to get into it), we really enjoyed the Washington park, the Rose Test Gardens were beautiful we spent a lot of time in there and they have shuttles and scenic over look and all kinds of walking paths, a very enjoyable park and very well thought out.

To be clear, this review is for the park as a whole, while the constituent parts that we also visited within the park (the Hoyt Arboretum and the International Rose Test Garden) are reviewed separately.

This is a sprawling park built into the hills on the northwest edge of Portland. It is easily accessed from downtown or via I-5. In addition to the attractions noted above, the park also has a Japanese Garden (which had a long line and an entrance fee of around $15 per person) as well as the Portland area zoo. We did not tour either of those places. They had a number of tennis courts near the gardens as well.

The park also features at least one (probably more than one) children's playground and some memorials for some groups (veterans, etc.).

The biggest issue we had with this spot was parking. We had read that it gets crowded on weekends, so we visited on a Monday afternoon. It seemed pretty crowded then too, honestly! We tried to park at the Rose Garden, but the nearest spot we could find was over 1/4 mile down the hill. You also pay to park here (either via an app or entering your license plate at a kiosk). So once we did park, we didn't want to move the car to see another area as we were not sure if we'd find another space and we'd have to pay again.

The solution was to take the park shuttle bus, which runs every 20 or so minutes, I think (there are at least 2 buses making the loop). This was a great way to get from the Rose Garden to the Arboretum. Had we not already been tired after hiking there (plus prior hikes that day), it would probably have been an easy downhill 1+ mile walk back to our car. We instead rode the bus back. At least two areas of the park offer good views of mountains in the distance.

If I returned here, I'd probably try to arrive in the morning in hopes of finding a better parking space.

Large park in the middle of Portland easily reached via transit. The MAX LRT station is under the park and you reach the park by elevator. The park has a free shuttle that you can take to get to each of the attractions. Love this park. So much to do and see. Easy to get lost though.

A great place for everyone--whether you want to spend an entire day hiking, or ride their free shuttle to a few locations as rose garden or Japanese garden, and explore certain parks.

Portland's Japanese Garden is splendid. An oasis in the middle of the city. Beautiful landscaping. Lovely sculptures. Koi pond. Waterfalls. Pagoda.

Spend the entire day here with your family!Carry a picnic, check out the rose garden, simply walk or let you kids play in the huge play area or the museum! We went there thrice in 4 days and never felt bored one bit!

What a gem in the middle of Portland!!! The nice shady trails were moderate level, and well maintained. I took the stairs from the Japanese Garden parking lot trying to go to the Arboredum... If I hadn't been helped by a neighbor of the park, I would have been lost forever. The posted maps are not helpful as they are not oriented as you are standing, and the paper maps are almost useless. Everyone I met with a map said the same thing.

Aside from the sign issues, it is a great park. I had a nice meditation on a bench. walked around a few miles. The Redwood overlook is worth the walk. The wedding meadow isn't.

Great way to lose the city blues. Get out and walk the trails, enjoy the scenery and wildlife, and relax!

INCREDIBLE !!!!! don't miss this while you are here. Its located right near downtown, but you will never know it as you won't hear the hustle and bustle while you are tucked into a very well maintained space. Plenty of shade everywhere is an extra added bonus

The Washington park is in a central location in Portland and houses a lot of attractions within it like the Hoyt Arboretum, international Rose test garden, Oregon Zoo, Children's museum and Japanese garden to name a few. Each attraction will take a day if you would like to see it in leisure. There are a lot of walking trails and Children's play areas, all in the midst of tall trees and blooming flowers. The short bus rides between the attractions give you an idea of how vast it all is. It is very well accessible thanks to the light rail and buses that ply very often. Very clean and very well maintained and a must see if you are visiting Portland.. try and catch it in the spring when the Roses are in full bloom...

We only visited the International Rose Garden and it is exquisite. You can easily spend the day in Washington Park but we only had a few hours. Wish we were able to see more.

We walked through the park and used the free shuttle for part of our journey. The park has everything from a zoo (not visited) through an arboretum (free and worth walking through) to a Japanese Garden (charge for entry but quite beautiful).

Lots to see and do here. Different parts of the park are connected by a free shuttle bus. The Rose Garden and Japanese Garden are both well worth a visit

This is a huge park overlooking the city of Portland. Roses are the main feature of this beautiful park. There is a fee for parking and signs warning of car break-ins. While there, we met a family who had all their luggage stolen. Remember to not leave anything visible inside of your car.

Fabulous views, beautiful spring and summer gardens. There’s a Japanese garden, zoo, arboretum, museums, picnic spots, tennis courts, archery, hiking trails, etc. virtually something for everyone.

I am always looking for the green in a city and this huge park was perfect. From downtown it is an uphill walk or jog, which makes it a great workout and you are rewarding with great views of the city (and Mt. Hood), the rose garden and a nice retreat from the city.

The park was a lovely diversion from the city. It had a beautiful Japanese Garden (fee required),and an extensive Rose Testing Garden. There tennis courts and a playground and a children's museum.

Rose Test Garden, Arboretum, Zoo, Holocaust Memorial, Archery Center, Forest, Forestry Center, Hiking Trails, Japanese Garden -- all so magnificently designed and landscaped that nothing looks contrived and unreal. Washington Park honors nature with its majestic displays. Run, don't walk to its nearest entrance.

Their rose test garden is world famous, justifyably. And, go to the zoo: well laid out, for easy viewing. The Japanese garden? Every raves about it, but, after having been in Japan, I found it uninspiring.

Beautiful area. The rose garden was absolutely wonderful. The gorgeous colors and fragrances. The park has a lot to offer and offers a free bus to bring you from stop to stop. The zoo was fun but it was very hot, so many animals were not moving much.

This park is amazing, you have many options depending on what you are up to for the day.

There’s easy access to the park via train or a car.

The work is aprox 5 minutes from downtown Portland.

The Rose garden is spectacular ( free access) also to many trails around the park with amazing trees.

If you have time hop on the free park shuttle which will stop at every attraction and will give you a better idea on where to make your first stop. Buses go by every 15 minutes.

You can find free parking along the road- just watch for authorize signs.

Happy Travels

This park is HUGE. Do not plan to walk around it, it will take you a very long time. They have great bus transportation around it though.

Beautiful gardens, well worth the time and having the timed ticket for the Japanese Garden allowed for space to see and enjoy the gardens.

Take the MAX train in to the Zoo and admire the animals. Or take the shuttle up the hill to the Japanese and Rose Gardens. (Hint: The Japanese Garden is always gorgeous and awaiting a quiet soul.) Perhaps instead you'd like to go for a small hike. Start from the Arboretum and go all the way up to Pittock Mansions (though be VERY careful crossing Burnside). Visit the Archery range, the Forestry center, or the japanese Teahouse, or just grab a burger in the restaurant down at the Zoo. And it's Oregon, so remember your rain gear at all times between October - April.

Washington Park is Portland's number 1 attraction for good reason--it's huge, beautiful, and includes the Zoo, the Japanese Garden, the Hoyt Arboretum, the Rose Test Garden, an ampitheater, a children's park, and miles of hiking trails. A free shuttle makes a loop through the park to transport visitors from spot to spot and facilitate parking--which is $2 an hour or $8 a day, and difficult to find on busy days. But it's a great place to spend a day. There are gift shops by the rose garden (free) and in the Japanese garden (which currently requires an $18.95 admission fee for adults). There are also food trucks and snack vendors at various locations, mostly between the rose garden and Japanese garden. The ampitheater hosts free performances. Verdi opera arias were being performed while we were there on an early August evening.

The stroll through the Rose Garden was nice and relaxing. My family enjoyed the fine weather and beautiful views. Spending the day in Washington Park was great, and the weather cooperated with a fine sunny day.

Easy access from downtown on the Max Rail to Washington Park.There you can visit the Oregon Zoo,Japanese Garden and International Rose Garden.They offer a free shuttle to visit all locations.The Rose Garden is stunning.Japaneses Garden peaceful ,tranquil place to visit.

You should either walk or take trams to see this park. Parking is very limited. Staffs need training to have good rapport with visitors.

Truly nature in the city. Washington Park has much to offer residents as well as visitors. The Zoo, The Children's Museum, Hoyt Arboretum, and the World Forestry Center are exciting places for all to see.

The Japanese garden is great and we especially loved the Umami teahouse, with authentic pastries and a variety of teas prepared in the traditional way.

Arrive here on the Trolley tour. Some fantastic views for photo opportunities. A nice rose garden, and a lovely place to spend a couple of hours.

Enjoyed our day at Washington Park! Beautiful park, especially loved the fall colors in the Japanese Garden!

Beautiful rose garden and shop. There are tennis courts and paths throughout the park. I love the stone buildings and statues!

The zoo, rose test garden, Japanese garden and walking trails are available in the park. The test garden wasnt in bloom in March, but there was still plenty to see and do like the holocaust memorial and moderately easy walking trails.
I dont recommend walking to the zoo from the parks entrance, it is doable, i did it, but it is not a short walk or straight shot

Visited this park to see the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. A beautiful spot. Very restful and rejuvenating. Wish every city had one.

We originally went for half a day, but decided we needed to allow at least one more day to fully experience this place.
There are so many amazing things to explore here.
We went to the Japanese Garden, the Rose Garden, the zoo, and last but certainly not the least was the Arboretum. We were in awe the whole time.

Enjoyed the arboretum and the forestry museum. The rose garden was lovely this time of year. I would recommend this trip to everyone. It was nice there was a shuttle to get around the park and yet it was walking distance to downtown.

We went for the Rose Test Garden, which is 4.5 acres of just the most astonishing varieties of roses, both in sizes as well as colors. We took the MAX to the park, then the free shuttle from the zoo entrance to the Rose Garden. Given all of the sights within the park, we look forward to going back for the other gardens and options. Do yourself a favor like the trio of people we observed - bring a yummy picnic lunch, perhaps a lovely bottle of wine, and enjoy the rose garden on one of their benches strewn throughout the park or on the grassy area at the amphitheater.

Washington Park is your destination if you want to connect with nature. there is so much to see here - Oregon zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, Japanese Garden, Rose Garden and Forestry Museum. Easily accessible on the Red and Blue line on the TriMet.Once in the park, there are shuttles. there are numerous hiking trails for those who want a more active experience

Lots to do within the park from the Japanese Gardens, Rose gardens, play grounds and the zoo. I like to park in the zoo area and then take the free shuttles. There are also some nice walking trails.

We arrived by tram/train...elevator up 300' and trams take you around the park. We went to see the Redwoods, and Rose Garden...I think there are separate ratings for those?
Good way to spend a sunny( but not hot) day.

Explored for a few hours before my friends were exhausted and hungry. I could have walked for another four hours and still been amazed at the breadth and depth of the park.

Having visited about 30 gardens in Japan, I can say this one is the best I saw outside of Japan. We were too early for the rose garden, didn't see the rest of the park. Parked for free just in the neighbourhood, legally.

The Japanese Garden was beautiful and peaceful! We saw the Rose Gardens out of season, but summer would have been beautiful.

We walked here from our hotel even though people warned us about the hills. We were very happy with what we found once we got there. We were heading there to see the Rose Garden but then we stumbled on the Holocaust Memorial which was beautifully presented. We loved the Rose Garden and were only sad that we didn't have time to check our the Japanese Garden and the Vietnam Memorial and anything else we might have missed. We also didn't realize that there is a tram where you can hop on and off to get to the other sights in the park. We will definitely come back and visit the next time we are in Portland!

Washington Park is pretty huge, and offering 6 attractions in one area. We can visit Oregon Zoo, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, Trail walking areas and War memorials....
It offers a free shuttle to visit those places or we can also do jogging or trail walk following the well prepared paths... a good place to start is at Hoyt Arboretum visitor place, not too far away from the zoo.
It is definitely a must place to visit while in Portland, Oregon, and you can easily sped the whole day here if visiting all those 6 attractions.

With going and looking around, the gardens are nice and there is a lot to do in the area.
Use the bus to get around the park but it will be busy and you may have to wait at popular times

Portland’s Mediterranean climate is especially conducive to horticulture which finds eloquent expression in more than 200 parks. Washington Park, just west of downtown Portland is home to a zoo and 3 amazing parks spread over its 413 acres. Washington Park is on both the Red and Blue light rail lines. Tip: Once you arrive at the park MAX station, a free seasonal (daily from May-October, weekends only from November-April) shuttle makes a clockwise circuit through the park, stopping at each attraction.

Rose Garden and Japanese Garden are great to visit. Allow about 2-3 hours to leisurely enjoy. Hike through Washington Park itself is also quite nice.

We visited as a part of our family reunion. Pleasantly surprised how much the children enjoyed it; not just the playground, but the Rose garden and trails.

We only rated it 3 stars because of the parking. We paid for all day only to discover that we could not move one parking lot to another within the park. With a disabled war vet and two children 5 and under, walking from say, the playground to the statues was impossible. We had to pay for parking at the zoo, then drive a short distance, and pay again to get to the playground. Very thoughtless of the elderly, disabled, and children.

My wife and I live in the Boston area, and we flew to Portland, Ore., to visit relatives and friends. While there, we went to Washington Park, in the hills above the city. What a place of peace we found! Its variety of roses left us breathless. Its Japanese garden should not be missed. And when the kids get restless, a larger play area is nearby. Get there early, if you can; parking fills up.

Hiking trails, forest, and the Japanese Garden are just three of many reasons to make Washington Park a regular recreation destination for you or your family.

My wife and I live immediately adjacent to Washington Park in Southwest Portland. In fact, being close to the Park was one of the major reasons we selected the property we bought. We visit it every week without fail.

To start with, Washington Park is immense and gorgeous! It is home to the International Rose Test Garden, Japanese Garden, Holocaust Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, the city's zoo, arboretum and forestry museum, archery range, tennis courts, walking trails, and much, much more. It would be a world-class destination if it only had the Rose and Japanese Gardens, which are extraordinarily beautiful.

But perhaps the greatest draw for me personally are the trees - my ancient, stately friends, covering the hilly terrain, providing shade to walkers like me, and peace to anyone seeking a haven in today's chaotic world.

Washington Park is a beautiful park in the middle of the see. When you walk through the park you forget you are in the city. You are covered and surrounded by beautiful redwood trees. Coming from Southern California, I definitely appreciated it's natural beauty.

Washington Park contains several of the highlights of any visit to Portland (e.g. International Rose Test Garden, Portland Japanese Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, Oregon Zoo, Portland Children's Museum, etc.). But the park is massive, and parking at the various sites is very limited, so trying to figure out where to go and how to get around was a challenge. But we actually found that it was fairly simple at least in the Summer: Just follow signs to the Oregon Zoo and Children's Museum and park in the large parking lot there, then take the free park shuttle to the places in the park you want to visit. The shuttles runs every 15 minutes on a loop going by all of the major sites (daily May-September, weekends April and October).

Certainly one of the places you need to see while in Portland. Beautiful gardens! The rose garden is spectacular with a great view overlooking the city of Portland. Be sure to see the Japanese garden also

Nature lovers, hikers, and flower lovers all will love this. Terrific views and very accessible. The park has a free seasonal shuttle which will take you to different destinations within the park if its too much walking.

It's an oasis in the center of the Portland. The Rose Garden is lovely and the Japanese Garden is quite serene. An essential place to experience.

If you love roses, this is the place to go!!! We went very early in the morning to avoid the crowds in our pictures. The crowd starts arriving about 10 am. Parking is very tricky, so go early!!
Don't bother with the Japanese Tea Garden, too expensive. It cost us $30 for two seniors, and it wasn't worth it.

Chose a shorter hike at Washington Park today. Went from the Rose Garden to the Vietnam Memorial and back. Fairly easy and lots of shade. Beautiful walk.

In Portland you can walk on trails amid beautiful trees, see beautiful roses, which smell so nice, pay homages to the soldiers of the Vietnam war and go to the holocaust memorial’ which is so moving.
A good way is to park near the zoo, hike through the woods on the whitewood trail till the rose gardens that you wil go through till the holocaust memorial. You will come back to your car with the free shuttle bus.

Spent one day at the zoo and another walking around the International Rose Test Garden and Hoyt Arboretum. If we had more time, we would have visited a few more of the attractions. We arrived using the TriMet MAX and on the second day took advantage of the free shuttle to take us to the different sites. We ate lunch at the zoo and that was a tasty meal at the Africafe. Enjoyable walking tours on both days.

I'm completely in love with the Rose International Test Garden within Washington Park. They have the biggest, most varied and most beautiful roses I have seen. The Japanese Garden is lovely and tranquil. Riding through the park is lovely as well.

one of the most immediately calming experiences I have ever walked into..peaceful, healing, inspiring.

Rose & Japanese gardens with a great view of the city. Parking can be tight, so go early and don't forget to pay or you will get a ticket.

Sprawling city park located on a hilltop overlooking downtown Portland. Public transport takes you up to the park in under 15 minutes. (There is also a free shuttle bus within the park). Once here, you can visit the Japanese Gardens, Rose Gardens, the Portland Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, the Oregon Holocaust Memorial or just enjoy walking one of the numerous wooded trails.

Visited the gardens during summer time: above the Rose Garden. Ticket price {15.00} Easy to moderate walking ability. To reach the gifts shops and restaurant is hilly. 1 and a half/ 2 hours to tour. Gardens are created with imagination of nature beauty. Place to linger and meditate. Make sure you bring a camera to capture the bonsai trees.

This is a lovely park, but PLEASE add some food outlets, or tell visitors they must bring their own food!!!
We visited mid-week, and found the only food available was in the Zoo.
Note that a 'knife & fork' symbol on the map for Hoyt Arboretum is very misleading, as it means they have a snack vending machine - not a cafe / restaurant as we had expected...
Talk about disappointed!
We had to cut our visit short & return to the city for some food, as we were starving.

Our tour drove us through the Park-impressive wonderfully cared for trees and right within the heart of the city.

Beautiful scenic park, not easy to get to (good thing we took an Uber). Many tall gorgeous trees, the green landscapes are very tranquil.

Washington Park was like a dream!! We had the best day. From seeing an actual redwood tree to going to the test rose garden ,it was the best,,

Well worth the visit. I had a great time visiting the rose garden (FREE) and then drove up to the mansion where they let you wander around the property (also FREE-unless you want to tour the mansion which I didn't). Get to the park early if you are driving (before 10:00 is perfect) because parking is crazy. We brought our own food and had a picnic near the rose garden. After that we bought ice cream from a vendor-used the bathrooms and spent the rest of the day enjoying the flowers and skyline views.

Walked through on the way to Japanese Garden. So clean, well kept. Dogs were on leash. People were courteous. Lots of joggers. Would love to explore more!

This huge urban park (in tandem with Forest Park), located on the west side of Portland, is a short transit ride or even walking distance from downtown. It contains miles of trails and roads, along with garden, museums, arboretum, and zoo. Be sue to make at least a half-day visit here while in Portland.

After finding that none of the local tour groups were running half day tours yet - too early in the spring - we decided to see what we could reach via local transit. We were staying downtown just a few blocks from a red line (tram) station. So we bought one day passes for $5 and headed out to Washington Park. The tram was easy to use despite slightly confusing directions from the front desk staff. The sidewalk stops are referred to as 'stations' even if there it's just a curb side stop. And not all stations have a kiosk to purchase the required ticket to board the trams.

We enjoyed riding through the city because we were able to see several different neighborhoods on our way to Washington Park. The stop for Washington Park is in an underground station. There is an elevator to take you to street level. We had read that there was a free shuttle to take you around the Park. We exited the station and were facing the Discovery Museum across the road. From that spot there were no signs indicating where to catch the shuttle. You have to go around the the side of the station building to see that the shuttle picks up there -every 15 minutes when we visited.

The shuttle arrived and we boarded along with 5 or 6 passengers. The ride through the park nice and it takes you near many of the sites in the park rose garden, Japanese garden, memorials, etc. It's a hop on hop off shuttle making all of the stops on each circuit.

Numerous attractions here. Oregon Zoo, Forestry Center, Vietnam and Holocaust memorial, International Rose Test garden, Japanese Gardens, and many other sites to check out. You could spend the whole day here, we did!

Easy to get to by public transportation (you exit into one of the deepest train stations in the world) or there was plenty of free parking. The free shuttle that runs daily was great and convenient with helpful drivers. THe International Rose Test Garden and Japanese Garden were delightful. Wish we had had more time to explore all of the other locations in the park but we were rather late in arriving at the park.

Every city seems to have at least one gem of a park. This is Portland's. So many activities in a relatively small area.

How did we miss this Portland treasure? Okay, we did take our kids when they were little to the Children's Museum in Washington Park. And we attended a reception a couple of decades ago at the nearby Pittock Mansion. But how did we miss the outdoor Hoyt Arboretum, the remarkable variety of trees and all the trails to hike? The outdoor Vietnam Memorial alone is worth the visit. Laid out in circular fashion with nuggets of history for each year of the war throughout is fantastic! Both moving and informative it is worth taking time to read it all. The trails are just incredible and it's right of the MAX, and walkable from downtown. Shame on us; we will be back!

Really enjoyed walking around in the park. There are several places to explore from the zoo to the Japanese gardens. It is hard to believe you are in the city. A regular shuttle runs through the park when you get tired of walking.

We decided to walk to the rose gardens from downtown. It was not a long walk, but once you cross the freeway it is mostly uphill all the way to the gardens. Better option would have been an Uber to the gardens and hike back. The park is nice and had some good trails.

Portland's zoo is far and away the best animal sanctuary
in the US...The environment is clean and cleverly arranged. There is an obvious attention to detail as you meander the paths to different biomes...

A great city nature get-away with beautiful large trees and miles of trails and much more. Gorgeous and fun and close to city

You can spend the entire day there. there is a free shuttle that can take you from place to the next. I was personally disappointed with the Zoo. The Holocaust Memorial is very moving and the Rose Test Garden is beautiful.

We only visited the Rose Garden, as we came on a rainy day and the rain was soon to set in. The rose garden was absolutely beautiful! There was also a small gift shop with rose-themed drinks/snacks and memorabilia.

The rose garden provided lots of walking around, as the flowers were endless. We’re disappointed we didn’t get to see more of the park before the rain, but the rose garden alone with worth the visit.

There's so much going on in this park that you can spend all day. Find what you like and have at it. We spent time at the Experimental Rose Garden, and then at the Arboretum. The Redwood area is breathtaking and almost cathedral-like. Sit for a while and just contemplate your fortune in seeing such amazing things.
One word of warning, your Waze and GPS are not operational in the park, so if you need to find your way out.. leave breadcrumbs, or find a friendly native and ask for help.
We did not visit the other attractions. Saved that for next time!!

Great, serene place to walk in the woods. Contains many options for spending the day. We chose the Japanese Garden as a destination, a beautifully manicured setting bursting with color.

We took the red ine from Pioneer Square to the park. Info booth was helpful & the free shuttle runs every :15. Trails, restrooms, picnic areas are here. We passed monuments, arboretum, zoo, museum on our way to the Rose Garden & Japanese Gardens. Beautifully maintained park!

The magnificent park is 100 years old & almost 500 acres, there is a lot of staff and volunteers.

My husband and I hiked through the park, not realizing how far the Japanese Gardens were from where we started. It was a 4 mile walk through the foggy woods, not too strenuous, very quiet and peaceful at times. Not crowded because it was January, but beatiful just the same!

Honestly I think I enjoyed seeing all the beautiful flowers rather than the animals though the animal exhibits were great. We had a great time at this zoo though. Yes you do have to walk a lot but bring water and bring snacks. We visited during Portland's heat wave.

We loved this park! One of the highlights of our trip to Portland. We could spend several days enjoying this nature preserve, zoo, Japanese Gardens, Rose Garden, forest trails. We would love to just spend a peaceful day at the Japanese Gardens -- so beautiful and peaceful. Rose Garden was amazing, even in August! Set aside a day for this great park!

Although parking is limited a the weekend the Park has a lot of see to from the amazing rose garden which is not over pruned so has a relaxed feel. Well done to the gardeners on that.
Whilst there I visited the Japanese Garden which interesting as it makes the most of the natural setting.

There are many things to see in Washington Park. The Zoo, Rose Gardens and the Japanese Gardens to name a few. The Zoo and the Japanese Gardens charge a fee to get in. The Park is easy access by light rail transit. There are many walking trails within the park. There is also a free shutlle that runs to and from the attractions with the park. Parking is a bit scare around the rose gardens.

Nice relaxing trails through woodlands, with a very impressive rose garden and some good views over the city. Pleasant way to get away from traffic.

This is a large park with a lot of things to do within it. We did not hike or go to the rose garden (roses are past their prime by now) but we did tour Pittock Mansion and the Japanese Gardens. Both are beautiful. However, be aware that seeing the Japanese gardens requires a lot of walking up and down steep hills.
Parking may be an issue.

Over 400 acres with so much to offer from an exceptional Japanese garden to the International Rose Testing garden to a zoo and a children's play park, Washington Park seems to have it all not far west of downtown Portland. One could spend hours and hours. Arrive early to find parking or use a ride share service (or bike). There truly is something for people of all ages.

I love Washington Park! It is easily accessible via the TriMet (light rail train) from downtown. They also have paid to park available. There are tons of things to do while at Washington Park and you can easily spend a day or two coming here for the activities.

There is a free shuttle that will take you around the park once inside. Some highlights to do while here is to visit the Japanese Garden, wildwood trail hiking, Oregon Zoo, outdoor archery, Hoyt Arboretum, and more.

Overall, one of my favorite places in Portland.

Great park for kids to play in; the entire park, though, is goregeous and full of great running and walking trails, and fun activities for families.

One of the Portland highlights - make sure to visit the Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden, and the Hoyt Arboretum. Highly recommended. Given the cost of the parking within Washington Park, I suggest either taking mass transit or parking outside of the park and walking inside.

A beautiful, quiet and serene park in Portland. Lovely place to take a break from the hustle bustle of the city and just chill.

Spent a day strolling around up here, exploring the various monuments, woodland hiking paths and rose gardens (where there are some lovely views out across Portland too!) - absolutely stunning! Some of the secluded corners of the park feel like you're hiking in the wild Pacific Northwest miles from anywhere - yet downtown Portland is just 30 mins away on foot!

This was a stunning park. So lush and dense and yet so close to the center of Portland. A word of warning. When the shuttle is not running you really need to have a car in order to fully enjoy this park. It's not easily walkable. It's better to drive to several spots then explore.

Find your nature needs fulfilled here. There's a zoo, a forestry discovery sone, a miss-placed holocaust memorial (it happened in Europe...), an arboretum, hiking, really a whole weekend's worth of fun.

Lovely park! We so enjoyed the Rose Test Gardens and also the many hiking trails. They have a free shuttle also, which was nice as we stayed longer than we had planned (we were enjoying the park so much!) and found we had to quickly get back to our car before the parking expired. The shuttle driver was a wealth of knowledge and just delightful!

We went to the park twice. The first time to the Portland Zoo--we'd rate the zoo highly for any age. The creatures seem well cared for. The zoo is clean. Although busy on a Saturday we did not feel crowded. The food is okay--better than expected.
The Japanese Garden and the Test Rose Garden (seen on another day) are worth seeing. The Japanese Garden is not so peaceful with a lot of people (some of the paths get crowded), but people were quiet. Probably not a great attraction for kid.

Peacful hiking area that had some cool waterfalls and good scenery. Highly reccomend for a idle saturday

This is a great city park. It contains the normal activity areas plus a lot more not typically found in city parks. There is a rose garden, Japanese garden, a discovery center, the zoo as there are many hiking trails through the forested landscape.

Japanese gardens are beautiful and peaceful. We enjoyed the rose garden too. Very clean air. Huge trees. Nice experience.

Walking around the Japanese Garden was amazing and beautiful. The bonsai terrace was nice and the routes to walk on were very nice.

We visited the Japanese Gardens (high admission) and rose garden (free) by taking a ride share car from our hotel within 2 miles. It’s a beautiful area, but I felt the price of admission to the Japanese Gardens was a bit expensive. My family of four paid $56 and took no more than 1.5 hours to see the whole thing, and that was viewing the small art exhibits and bonsai terraces, and even doubling back on a few paths...so we really tried to stretch it out. Yes, the Japanese gardens are well maintained but I would never ever go back.

The rose garden is free and delightful and was blooming well in October. We enjoyed looking for the darkest gened rose in the garden, the Ink Spot.

We parked near the zoo(bought an all-day ticket) and took the shuttle to the rose garden. It was lovely and amazing. The shuttle is very convenient and we took it back to the parking lot, where we boarded the MAX train to downtown. When we were finished downtown, we took the MAX train back to the park.

In addition to the rose garden and the zoo, there's a children's museum, aboretum, and a Japanese garden.

The Japanese Garden is supposedly the largest outside of Japan. The Rose Garden has 700 varieties of roses. The expanse and layout of the park are amazing. It contains a Zoo, a Holocaust memorial and many other attractions.

We visited here after a morning in city center. It was a great retreat from the hustle and bustle of downtown. We went in November so the roses were not in bloom but the colors of fall were bursting. We drive around and did a few trails. Didn’t find one bad view there. And it was free except for parking. I found the archery park fascinating with all the little polishing their skills.

We did not visit the Japanese gardens which do have a fee. They were about to close.

This was a very nice area, with some great trails. This isn't a deep in the woods type of area and at times you can hear traffic surrounding, that's the only bad part. But the trails are nice and its close to the zoo, Japanese gardens and few memorials. Definitely a great place to visit for multiple things to do.

PRO TIP - So when I visited we had rented a car, and paid for parking near the zoo. If you're going to just walk the trails drive and find parking next to a trail's entrance for FREE.

We certainly enjoyed the rose garden - the Japanese garden, while a bit pricey ($17), was very nice. Try to find the Holocaust memorial - it's very well done. It's possible to walk from downtown, but you probably want to take the Max line - there's a free bus that makes a circle around the park.

You have to see the roses when they are in bloom-no other place like it in the world of flowers and gardens

Washington Park is enormous. With hiking paths, space for biking, green space for picnics, fountains, gardens, and statuary, you could return day after day and still find something to do. It's amazing to have such a park so close to the urban area.

I love the Japanese Garden in Washington Park. It is a very special place. Gorgeous in all seasons and such a treat to visit!

This park is huge! With playgrounds, outdoor concert venue, hiking trails (paved and unpaved), gardens, tennis courts, soccer fields...you name it they have it, right in the heart of Portland. Parking is a huge issue though. On a nice spring day with no cloud in site, it was packed. I recommend the shuttle but unfortunately one of our party needed to be dropped off at each place because of mobility issues, so the shuttle didn't work for us. Handicapped parking is very limited.

This is a great place to spend a day. It has a Zoo, Japanese Garden and Botanical garden. Great for walking if the weather is nice. It can be reached from the city on the Blue or Red line Tri-Met train.

Great place to spend a day in Portland! You can get to Washington Park via public transportation and there is a free shuttle bus (pink) for getting around the park. Highlight include the Japanese Gardens, the International Rose Test Garden, and the Zoo.

I just recently moved to Portland and am living next to Washington Park, which is a gorgeous, serene place to take walks and to bring the family. There are some nice quiet and shaded Forrest trails I recommend walking, and I also suggest spending some time exploring the rose garden.

It's all here....beautiful gardens and landscape. Parking is a challenge. Save time and energy by taking the public transportation tram. It lets you off in the middle of the park. There is a free trolley that takes you to the most popular sites.

We spent a whole weekend here, as we drove up from far Northern California. The free transportation was fantastic, so easy to use and the Japanese Garden, highly inspiring. While waiting for the bus, someone asked us where we were from and his response was quite memorable - "Welcome!" Who says that anymore? Impressive. We went in June before the end of the month, so didn't have difficulty parking inside the park. The stops, including the Rose Garden, in full bloom, and the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial with dogwood in bloom, well, it was tough to go home. We've visited again, although we didn't enter the zoo either time, so you are on your own in that regard. If you're a tree lover, as we are, you'll find the collection quite fascinating. You must go. Spend plenty of time and forget everything else.

You can't go wrong strolling -- or hiking -- this gorgeous park, its huge rose garden, its stunning Japanese Garden, and trails that continue on for 20 miles into the woodsy wilderness of neighboring McClay and Forest Parks. In summer, hop on a slow train to the zoo, a mile away through the forest.

Walking or running the trails, or visiting one of the beautiful attractions like the zoo, the rose garden, the japanese garden, the forestry center, the childrens museum, and the arboretum. Theres so much to see and do here!

All the bells and whistles are here. The Zoo, Japanese Gardens, Rose Garden, Discovery Center and the Hoyt Arboretum. Probably more but I missed it. Don't drive take public transportation then there is a free shuttle around the park and you have to take it the distances are far. Nice shops some places for drinks and a cafe or two. The tiny parking lots are full and people illegally street park and then they squeeze city busses through. If you take public trans you can take the public busses that cut through the park for free.

I live right by this park and it is always welcoming to walk below its trees, amid its roses, over its mosses. Others might better enjoy its hills and peaks, archery range, and cycling paths!

We loved this park. My wife especially loved the rose gardens. There are plenty of hiking paths that make you feel like you’re in a National Park. There is a great holocaust memorial that is very meaningful and moving. It puts my hometown’s (Baltimore) to shame.

Sure, its a nice park! It's also a relatively big park. But it's not that big. Not like some out there. It is however centrally located to where I live, so I am biased towards Washington Park. It's got zoos, and gardens and Larpers hiding in the bushes with the bums. It's kind of amazing. I mean, there are some houses inside, with freaky residents, and some kooky folks who watch over the park, like, religiously. It's a pretty neat place. As I said, I'm biased, so check it out yourself.

I was so lucky. This visit it wasn't raining (a miracle). IMHO, this is well worth a visit. Of course parks aren't for everyone, but hey, you're here and its pretty. Why not?

Driving through in mid-November is stunning when the leaves are yellow in the sun. Lots of neat hiking trails. Plenty of activities within the park. One of the best places to go in Portland.

So much to see in a lovely part of the Portland area including the rose garden and the Japanese Garden. Would highly recommend checking out this section of Portland, OR.

I was amazed at the variety and number of roses in this prized rose garden -- not surprised that Portland is the City of Roses. I especially enjoyed the Gold Winners -- even though most of the blooms were past their prime on July 9, I got some beautiful photos of some late bloomers. I especially enjoyed the row of lavender Violet's Pride.

Easy to get to on the light rail, we saw the rose garden, Japanese garden and the Holocaust Memorial. Worth the visit!

To be honest, every trail and park in Portland is great. The park is beautiful. Close to the city but you can't hear anything except nature. Love it.

No matter what you're looking for, nature-wise, you're likely to find it in Washington Park. It's home to Portland's Zoo, Children's Museum, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, playgrounds, trails and picnic spots. As a city dweller, when I need to quickly get into nature, Washington Park is often my first stop. You can easily get there by public transit, including MAX and there's lots of parking. Get away from it all, without leaving the city.

Expansive park sitting high above downtown Portland. Lots of lush green nature, artistic treasures (statues, Japanese Garden), roses, zoo, and hiking trails.

This park is huge, but offers a shuttle service which runs frequently. Park includes the zoo, arboretum, rose garden and Japanese garden. Plan to spend at least two days to do everything.

I visited Portland because of a Conference & had two days free, so moved around the city. Without knowing much about the Park, I visited the same. I was surprised & impressed with the Japanese Garden & rest of the nice places.

There's a lot to see here, for sure - but don't try to walk there from 23rd Street, which looked easy on the map but was definitely NOT! We did, and it was a lot of uphill, no entry BS. Another couple was doing the same thing on a very hot day. By the time we got to a shuttle stop, we were too tired to experience anything and decided to try again the next day. Once we examined the light rail options, we went back and did the Rose Garden, which is a worthwhile and free attraction. You basically have to take the free shuttle between each attraction because of the hills. If you're into hiking, there are a lot of trails, which we didn't do.

Great area to go for a hike, simple stroll, have a picnic or just hang out with friends or meditate. We’re very lucky that we have areas like this in the Portland area.

This park is accessible from HOP that drops you off at the Zoo. You can start your day their or jump on the free shuttle that will take you to the numerous spots to venture to along the route.

The top on the list after the Zoo would be the Portland Japanese Gardens. It is such a breath taking and stunning garden that makes you feel like you are in another world like a Japanese Shangra-La of sorts.

Next would be the International Rose Test Garden. It is a free place to visit to enjoy all the colorful and scented roses of all shapes and forms. You could spend hours looking at each bud and blossom.

There are several other stops of interest, but just the drive along on the shuttle is an experience. Along the route are luxury private homes that make you wonder who lives there and what is inside. Each with a unique look fitting to the landscape.

Go early and plan a day of it. I do recommend bringing your own snacks or pack lunch as there isn't really anything interesting to eat at around the area or none that I could figure at the time.

Washington Park is definitely worth a trip! The rose gardens, Japanese Gardens, and trails are all so wonderful all in one location!

This park is far larger than I realized, but they have a terrific shuttle that takes you all over. The rose gardens are spectacular, and free. We wanted to see the Japanese garden, but didn't have enough time to spend there given the cost of entry and the size of the place. Plan for several hours to see it. There are a lot of hiking trails and memorials that you can visit, but if hiking, be prepared for serious hills.

In the heart of our beautiful city on a hillside overlooking downtown and with stunning views of the Willamette, Mt Hood and city lights at night is a place with year round beauty and it's free to roam. From the terraced rose test gardens to the walking trails leading to the Japanese Gardens ( fee for entry), Hoyt Arboretum and a world class zoo (fee for entry) you can spend the day walking , dreaming or just relaxing on a blanket under the tall whispering firs.

Great place for family picnics, close to the zoo, arboretum. Awesome place to hike, rain or shine. It’s oregon! Get outside and enjoy

Beautiful park. It was raining when we went, but it was blossoming and everything looked so clean and it was a fun place to visit.

Visited the Rose Garden at 3 different times of the year.
The best was when the roses are in ful bloom.
Other parts of the garden are just as spectacular, make sure you take some water, and a picnic. Sat on the terrace looking out over Portland. Great views and very relaxing

The Arboretum section of Washington Park is a great place to hike for as short or as long a time frame as you have - and you can easily adjust the degree of difficulty as well. In a fairly well contained area, there are numerous paths labeled by the predominance of the trees that are found there. Best thing to do is to get a trail map so that you can ensure that you are where you think you are - although each of the trail intersections are labeled, it is easy to get turned around. We enjoyed two different sections of this area - hiking for about two hours each - on two different days. Wonderful!

Beautiful place to visit, hike and even shoot arrows! Spend a day exploring this location and you will have wonderful memories.

Washington Park offers lots of free and for a fee options. Wear comfortable shoes, bring water and spend the day. Be sure to spend some time in the rose garden.

Japanese and Rose Garden a must see.--The fee for Japanese Garden is worth it. Very peaceful. I wish I had brought a book . It was also very hot so would strongly recommend being hydrated and wear a hat

Wow, just WOW. Take the lite rail here and you can travel for free on a shuttle that goes to all the attractions - Some are free - others have a charge. We did the rose garden (which is free and totally worth it) and the Japanese garden which cost but was beautiful and very zen. the zoo looked great as well - just lovely!

We stayed in Portland for several days and explored different parts of Washington Park, including the Zoo, the Rose Garden and the Japanese Garden. All were beautiful the the Japanese Garden should not be missed! It was amazing!

The best urban park I've ever seen. Free shuttles around beautiful gardens, to the memorials, to the forested areas of the extensive arboretum, to the modern walkable zoo and through the beautiful local neighbourhoods

Washington Park is my most favorite area in Portland. You have a lot of things to do in this park.

1. You can do some hiking on the Wildwood Trail to Japanese Garden, Hoyt Memorial.

2. You can enjoy the Oregon Zoo. During the Christmas light, it is awesome to enjoy the zoo lights (Be sure to arrive the zoo earlier than 17:00 in order to avoid the additional cost)

3. You can enjoy the flowers and trees in pots plus Japanese style building inside of the Japanese Garden.

4. You can enjoy the International Rose Test Garden. It is free and you can see a lot of roses. The garden is very beautiful.

5. If you like to hike more, you can walk more to the Pittock Mansion. The outside of the mansion looks nice and you can have great view of the city of Portland towards downtown, Mt Tabor, even the Mt Hood far away.

Anyway, you should never miss Washington Park when you are visiting Portland.

My rating of this place: 10 out of 10

This park is a gem. It's absolutely beautiful with lots of hiking opportunities. Be prepared to hike uphill, but it's not a difficult hike to the Witches' House. You can hike further. The trails can be a little wet so wear appropriate shoes.

Parking can be a bit of problem, especially on weekends. We downloaded the Parking Kitty App which lets you pay for parking right from the app. (You can also use the app when parking in downtown Portland). The park is very big and very beautiful with a lot of things to see. We went to the Japanese Garden and the Rose test garden, which we enjoyed. There's a shuttle that runs through the park and stops at all the sights.

This is an amazing park with many different trails to choose from. We opted to Uber here as we had heard that parking was an issue. The information center staff were very helpful and friendly. Each trail has decent markings and the map we got from the info center was also helpful. A gem in the city for sure!

Even though the weather was working against us - it was November, so we knew not to expect sunshine and warmth - we did enjoy our wanderings through this area.

We took advantage of the light rail to get from our hotel to an area close-ish to the park. The added walk was a bonus for us, and gave us a chance to explore neighborhoods we wouldn't normally have seen.

The walk into the park was a bit more intense than we'd expected - our path took us up a steep set of stairs and further up a winding residential street before dropping us off close to one of the park's entrances - but again, we relished that extra bit of exercise and being outdoors.

Once we got to the Lewis and Clark memorial we realized: we had no idea what to do next! The park was mostly deserted, it was drizzling and cold, and there was construction happening on the other side. We did a quick review of Google Maps and headed down the slope to the Sacajawea Statue (pausing so that I could swing my old bones on the swing set, naturally).

From Sacajawea, we made our way to the Chiming Fountain. Finding that to be turned off and disused, we once more consulted the map and headed towards the Oregon Holocaust Memorial up the hill.

This memorial, y'all. It's not at all what we set out to visit, but I'm so glad we found it. Powerful and moving, as a memorial should be, it's also a statement of humanity and the toll hatred can take on the world.

We spent a good amount of time reading the panels (some of the etchings have been smoothed away by time and weather, but most of the words are still legible) before going back the way we came and hanging a right to head up towards the rose garden.

The open-air amphitheater was a nice little surprise for us. Though it was muddy and a bit treacherous, we scampered down into the bowl and took some pictures before taking in the garden. We hadn't expected many flowers - winter, you know - but were pleased to see a few pops of color mixed in with the bushes and educational signs.

Our last stop was supposed to be the Japanese Garden, but by the time we hiked our way up there, we realized we were famished, frozen and tired, so we tapped. It was a nice way to spend several hours and get some exercise and fresh air in.

Plenty to do and see in the park whether you are an adult or have children. Rose garden is heavenly and free. The Japanese Gardens are beautiful and peaceful. Lots of other attractions.

Firstly a tip. You can get there on public transport really easily and cheaply. As Seniors we paid $2.50 for an all day pass that covers buses, trains and trams over the whole of Portland. There is a little local bus that takes you on a round trip (free for everyone) the only admission charge is to the Japanese garden, roughly $15. The rest of the garden is free. A lovely Rose Garden but we were a week to early to see the blooms.

Some nice little hills to walk up in this park depending on where you enter it from but it has a Holocaust memorial, a Sacajawea statue, and a statue to commemorate the achievements of captains Merriweather Lewis and William Clark. Definitely worth spending an hour to walk through the park.

This one property houses the Portland Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, International Rose Garden, Vietnam Memorial, and some museums. There is also a free archery area, first come, first served. Paid parking along the park, I would recommend parking at the zoo or Hoyt Arboretum, everywhere else will be tight. First choice would be take light rail which stops at the Zoo. Getting around is easy, there is a shuttle that comes around every 15 minutes and stops at all the above sites. Makes for a great family day, and there is enough going on where lots of money does not have to be spent (Arboretum and Rose Garden are free).

Took Trimet over to Zoo stop & then walked. By going through this lovely quiet forest you can stop at the Vietnam Vet's Memorial then continue on down a number of paths (Wildwood was beautiful) to the Rose & Japanese Gardens. Beautiful trees, views of Mt. Hood, quiet & easy approximately 2 mile walk. End up at the Rose & Japanese Gardens & then can walk down to the Holocaust Memorial. All in all, a wonderful way to spend the large part of your day with nature & beauty. Portland is lucky to have such a beautiful park.

This rose garden is really world class, I think Amsterdam and Paris would be hard-pressed to beat it. We were a little early for seeing most of the roses bloom, but there were many other flowers blooming, and we are told that there are flowers blooming all season long, so any time to visit is a good time.
There are many childrens’ activities (zoo, children’s museum) and a holocaust museum and Viet Nam veteran’s memorial worth seeing. There is a free park shuttle bus that runs every 10-15 minutes from the MAX station, and the park itself is conveniently accessible by the MAX red and blue lines.

Recommend spending time in Washington Park. Book tickets for the Japanese Gardens, Visit the Rose Gardens, walk to the Lewis and Clark Monument and the Oregon Holocaust Memorial and if enough energy visit Portland Zoo.

Visited Washington Park a couple of times on our visit to Portland. It's an oasis in the middle of a bustling city. Of particular interest was the International Rose Test Garden and the Japanese Gardens (extra admission fee), which was gorgeous.

We found the park by chance on our way to the Portland Japanese Gardens. The aroma was unforgettable. We smelled the roses before we entered the park. So many beautiful roses overlooking the city. So beautifully maintained. Wish we would have gone here and skipped the entrance fee for the japanese gardens. We actually spent more time here and enjoyed the free park more than the Japanese Gardens.

Walked from main entrance parking lot to International Rose Garden (2 miles?) around 8:30 am (some attractions don’t open until 10 am). Via the Overlook and Wildwood trails passing by the Visitors Center. Enjoyable and long, but, didn’t expect to pass backyards of houses and encounter several residents. Not an early morning to myself. Some mud in spots, best to wear boots most months of the year.
Took the shuttle bus back to the entrance.

The Japanese Garden and Rose garden were lovely and peaceful even with lots of people around. Loved Pittock House at the top of the park too.

Nice walk, brilliant foliage, easy uphill/downhill, well connected (shuttle bus), Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Memorials, Gift Shop. Marked trails plus maps all over. Cycling also possible

This is a beautiful park and so close to the city centre. The rose garden is exceptional. Visit in spring or summer to enjoy the roses in bloom as they will die out and be sparse by September/October. Also take the free guided tour which is around lunchtime, informative and interesting.
We also visited the Japanese gardens which was $16 each. This wasn’t as good in our opinion as the free rose garden.

Lovely any time of year as the foliage keeps changing. Good for afternoon strolling or for watching the lights come on in downtown Portland at evening.

The Japanese Garden is sublime. The little canyon leading from the rose garden to the Japanese Garden is full of 150' fir and a whole lot of ferns.

My friends and I explored this park, and we especially enjoyed our tour of the International Rose Test Center. It was free to enter this park, but this park had only metered parking. I parked just outside of this park, and I was able to get free parking for the daylight hours. I saw many tennis courts and rosebushes. The Japanese Garden had an admission fee, so we did not go there. I even caught a small glimpse of the Portland skyline. This park had a restroom, a food truck, and a gift shop.

Very peaceful and worth coming to. The key is to take your time and not LOOK for something, just enjoy walking among the greenery and smelling and listening.....to what? The quietness.....very nice in amongst a concrete city. Would be nice to live close by and enjoy......different time of year will yield different experiences, but it is a quiet and peaceful place to be and enjoy......do it!

Nice Park with lots to do - from the zoo to a mansion tour. This park has something for everyone. There are tons of trails which vary from shaded woodsy areas to sun beaten paths - so make sure you dress and pack accordingly!

Our friends took us to the rose garden in Washington Park during our visit to Portland last summer. The roses were in full bloom and were beautiful. This is a must stop when you are visiting Portland.

I absolutely loved my morning spent here. It’s walkable from the centre of Portland and is beautifully laid out, and very well sign posted. The Rose Garden is just stunning; the Holocaust Memorial is so very moving and the Sacajawea Statue is beautiful.
Well worth a visit.

On our City of Portland tour we drove through Washington Park. We had already toured the rose garden and our guide wanted us to see the rest of the area. There are a number of various trees and shrubs in the park...wish I knew what hey were. I also noticed lots of trails and a couple of people hiking. Will definitely check this out on a future visit.

We took MAX to the Park station where the free shuttle was waiting and it makes a loop to all of the main sites within the park and you could actually even get off at stops and hike into the woods.

We hopped on some Biketown bikes and road up the steepest hill in Portland to make our way to Washington Park. We spent about 3 hours exploring the rose garden, holocaust memorial and the arboretum. We got around the park with the free shuttle and got advice from the easily located park guides throughout venture. There were spots to grab food, picnic and use the restroom through the park. Definitely could have spent more time here!

What a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Easy to find with the tram and free bus service. So many different things to see in one park. If's free for the rose garden but a charge for the Japanese garden. There are too many things to do here in one day. The zoo, archery, tennis courts, picnic areas, hiking, bike riding etc. The rose gardens were in full bloom and the varieties were plentiful. We will definitely come back.

We visited the Japanese Gardens and The Rose Test Gardens. Both are worth the trip and the cost. The Rose garden is free and the Japanese garden is $12 to $17. They are crowed even the middle of the week, but do able. Easily walked and very pretty.

This is a must to see if in Portland The roses are amazing. such a nice peaceful park with pliantly of parking Good views of the city.

Amazing drive through a forest. Beautiful gardens, park, houses, hiking trails and gardens. A truly beautiful park.

The Japanese garden was one of the best I've seen, but not fully accessible for anyone who cannot walk an uneven path. We spent a long time here and had tea at the tea house. Overall an excellent visit. Parking close was an issue - we arrived mid-day which seemed to be a peak time and ended parking at the bottom of a long drive. Along the way we also stopped in the International Rose Testing Garden and were wowed by the roses in bloom.

Great place to spend a day in Portland. Easy to find with the tram and free bus service. It contains miles of trails and roads, the Japanese Garden, the Rose Test Garden, museum, and a zoo. Do not miss it if you can.

Wow - we love the San Diego Rose Garden but this was over the top impressive. Roses for days! We went in August and it was still vibrant and gorgeous! Wow

Toured the Rose Garden and the Japanese Garden. Very busy but so beautiful. I wonder if an early morning might be good to visit when it's quieter?

The Rose Garden is amazing. The variety of roses is astonishing and the fragrance is gorgeous. This is a must-see.

Washington Park is a bit of a misnomer because this park includes the Portland Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, an incredibly large rose garden, and argubally one of the best Japanese gardens in the United States. Because of the hillside setting, it also offers some incredible panoramic views of downtown Portland - if the weather allows.

Parking is competitive at Washington Park, but the Max light rail stops just outside the entry to the zoo, and it is a short walk from there to the Hoyt arboretum. The rose garden and Japanese gardens are a bit longer walk - or you can take the free shuttle bus that leaves from Max station outside the zoo entry.

As a Landscape Architect and avid garden tourist, I can highly recommend both the arboretum and the Japanese garden in this park. This is just a great place to visit.

We had planned to just take a peek the Rose garden, but ended up spending a few hours wandering around other areas/paths. Huge trees and lovely homes.

Great place just outside of downtown. Alot to do and the prices are free or affordable. Went to rose garden.

This was a beautiful park to visit - I spent time in the Japanese Gardens & the Rose Test Gardens. I also really appreciated using the free in park shuttle service that took me to the Zoo, where I could then hop on public transport to take me back downtown. Lovely walking paths, clean and well kept park! Would appreciate having a coffee shop or two inside the park though...

If you visit Portland be sure to visit the park. We took the tram from the center and when we came up from the station there is a free shuttle that takes you all around the park so you can hop-on-hop-off wherever you want. As the park is pretty big this is a nice option. It’s also great just to walk if you are in shape. We walked back down to town which was fine. The rose garden is fantastic (and free), the different monuments are worth a look. We did not enter the Japanese garden (long queue and high price).

Washington Park is a beautiful spot to visit. It contains the Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden, the zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, a Holocaust Memorial and a Vietnam Vets Memorial. There is limited parking so it's best to park in the lots by the zoo and then take the free shuttle to the other areas of the park. The Rose Garden is free and is absolutely stunning. Early June is a perfect time to visit when everything is in bloom. The Arboretum is huge and you could spend hours walking through it. It's also free.

Luckily we were able to ride up to Washington Park on our Hop on Hop Off tour bus since it's a steep and winding road throughout the park......just like in the national parks we'd been visiting. But there are several interesting areas within the park where you could spend a whole day if you'd like. We'll have to come back after 2023or 2024 to see when the reservoir project is completed. It should be beautiful but right now is an interesting contruction site to behold high up on the mountain.

Head to this park in the "middle" of Portland. Parking is a challenge so if you are a public transport person use that. Biking would be tough for anyone but a Giro di Italia athlete (very steep hills) The Rose Garden is larger than you can imagine and while some sites hint that the Japanese Garden is there too be aware that it is a separate place (right across the street) and charges a fee ($16) to tour.

Nice hiking trails, beautiful gardens with easy access by light rail. I wish I had more time to spend there.

I thought this was a very nice park and had many nice points. One, it had a very convenient, free, shuttle bus to take you to different areas. Two, Every area we saw was well done, from the flowers to the memorials, and just the trees, everything is very nice. And finally three, the subway connects the rest of the town to the park which is a good feature. Overall, I would recommend this park to anyone who is okay with walking and being in nature for a few hours.

We saw the rose garden, but ran out of time for the rest of the park. The rose garden however, was AMAZING!!! Many types of roses, different colors, different smells, different shapes, just amazing. When you get to the center of the rose garden, you will see roses in every direction. Work your way up the hill and down the hill to experience all the roses. There are large trees around them and I am certain the rest of the park is great as well, although just going for the roses is worth five stars.

We took a Lyft to the Hoyt Arboretum and took a hike around the Redwood Trail. The paths could have been a bit better groomed (vegetation on sides growing into path) and the signs could have been a bit less confusing. However the nature is beautiful and we enjoyed the hike. It was peaceful. We walked to the Japanese garden which was also nice but very crowded and then to the lovely rose garden which was also crowded. Recommend all the above. Just a note about phone reception by the rose garden ... it isn’t great which is relevant when trying to get a Lyft back.

Lots of beautiful hikes. The rose garden was in full bloom and was beautiful. Helpful staff with a great shuttle service in case you get tired. Easy to get to using the Max blue line. Too busy to do the zoo. Next time.

This is a must visit while in portland. The area is very large and beautifully done. You have a chance to see rare animals up close.

Washington Park is a nice collection of Portland activities all in one area. On our visit, we took in the Hoyt Arboretum, the Zoo, the Japanese Gardens and the rose gardens. We didn't see everything. Also, there is a nice bus system to take you to all the Washington Park attractions. Very much worth seeing!

spent a morning here walking round the park and visiting the gardens , was able to take in the memorials, the rose garden was really nice and as a bonus its free!!
definitely worth a visit if you are in the city

Lovely area. Hard to believe to close to a metropolitan city of busy Portland. Park was teeming with people so plan accordingly. Parking is slim. Try the courtesy can. Worth the trip.

While our family didn't enjoy the majority of Portland, we did like Washington Park. We took the train from our hotel area downtown, which was a pleasant 10-12 minute trip (can't remember the cost...maybe $2.50 per person). There is a free shuttle once you are inside the park, which is a must since it's so hilly and covers a lot of acreage. We didn't pay to do anything extra in the park, but we did enjoy the International Rose Test Garden....even though none of us are usually into plants and flowers, it was a cool place that was really pretty. We walked a bit before coming to a fun area with a Sacagawea statue and see-saws....fun for the teenagers and adults! There are some neighborhoods within the park with some cute houses that are fun to see (as you ride by in the shuttle bus). We also thought the Holocaust Memorial was well-done and worth the time. Didn't do much else as we walked out of the park down some very hilly streets to the Alphabet District...fun and easy walk since it was all downhill.

A must visit when in the Portland area. Beautiful rose gardens and Japanese gardens. Wonderful walking trails and views.

Absolutely delightful open park space - we had probably visited a bit too early for the full display of roses in the rose garden, but it was looking wonderful despite being a bit early in the season! A wonderful stop off after a long drive from our previous desitination. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place. We loved the small Holocaust memorial garden. Just delightful, a real "oasis"!

This is a FANTASTIC park and a perfect place for a tourist(or native!) to spend the day. We saw the Rose Garden and the Japanese Garden, and passed by the zoo. The Holocaust Memorial was closed. Some of Portland's premier attractions are here. The park is on a large hill, so the terrain is full of rises and falls, lot of climbing and descending! The park itself is free, and so are the rose gardens. Definitely MUST go here, very memorable!

Rose garden in full bloom (late June). Japanese garden is timeless. Trails to wander for hours. Links to Forest Parks for serious hikers.