Softcover

ISBN 10: 0899976816 ISBN 13: 9780899976815

Publisher: Wilderness Press, 2013

From a massive urban forest to the tiniest brewpub, Portland offers a huge variety of entertainments within a surprisingly compact area. Organic coffeeshops line the streets at the foot of an extinct volcano, and independent bookstores nestle up against food-cart pods. Already famous for its great beer, the city has become a center for serious dining on a reasonable budget. And thanks to years of progressive urban planning, Portland's layout makes it a walker's nirvana.

In Walking Portland, devoted local Becky Ohlsen guides you through the Rose City's many charms, from idyllic waterfront fountains to the more obscure and out-of-the-way pockets of cool. On each walk, you'll discover hidden gardens, historic landmarks, award-winning restaurants, old-school taverns, oddball shops, and edgy warehouse galleries in some of the Northwest's most exciting neighborhoods. You'll cross bridges and graveyards, wander a Smithsonian-honored boulevard, see experiments in urban renewal (some inspiring, some dubious) and be regaled with stories of the city's colorful past. Whether you're looking for a leisurely stroll full of shopping and snacks or a vigorous trek over tree-covered hillsides, grab this book, step outside and . . . walk Portland.

About the Author:

Becky Ohlsen is a freelance writer and critic living in Portland, Oregon. She has written guidebooks to Sweden and the Pacific Northwest as well as reviewing books, film, food and drink for various publications, including Portland's Pulitzer-winning alt-weekly, Willamette Week. A recovering copy editor, she will debate points of grammar with anyone, anytime. Becky is a member of the Sang-Froid Riding Club and has raced vintage motorcycles in Portland and Seattle. (She has never been in any danger of winning.) She has a master's degree in journalism from NYU's Cultural Reporting and Criticism program.