Reviews of Washington Park (Zoo)

Medha Moghe

Lush green thick forest / park to west of Portland downtown. Purest air to breath. Best place to stroll, jog, yoga, sun salutes, meditate, relax. Good for any time of the day. Greenery soothing to eyes. Nice place for family n friends outing. Many old , vintage trees are there. Easily accessible from roads by local transport.

surreality87 .

Washington Park is definitely the best city park of any city I've been to! So much to see and do here it's almost overwhelming. Some of the pricing on certain attractions was disappointingly high but it all depends on what you want to do, there's lots of free and low cost things to see and do. and having a free shuttle to take you around was so nice! highly recommend visiting if you're in the Portland area!

Adam Morgan

Haven't done anything else here but the zoo. Pretty good zoo with a great variety of animals. The new elephant enclosure is really well done. The Zoo Train is awesome and as a bonus has its own post office with it's own post mark, one of the last in the US. There is a bit of a climb down from the entrance area to the rest of the zoo though.

Kristina Derosier

So much to do, so many awsome animals. There Elephants are amazing! Brand new construction going on to add more awesome exhibits to the zoom. Pricing is great! Food is great, pricing is not bad. Bring snacks if you are on a budget.

Brian Yapko

The Rose Garden and the Japanese Garden are both spectacularly beautiful -- the very best that Portland has to offer. The only negatives are the huge crowds and the mosh pit of trying to find parking. Nevertheless, well worth the effort.

Andy S

Washington Park has a free shuttle running through it. It also includes the Rose garden which is amazing and the Japanese garden which I wish I saved my money on. There is also a small gift shop and food truck when I was there.

Rosa Reyes

Not very many exotic wild animals for being a zoo. I saw more rabbits and pets store species / farm animals then the animals one would hope to see at a zoo. Not worth the price and the drive out there, the kids love it. The food court workers are completely unorganized specially cashiers & not very friendly.

Meesha Mostashiry

I would avoid this area during the weekend hours as much as possible. Other than the crazy weekenders this place was HUGE and there is so much exploring to do. It is hectic with it being right next to the zoo but I really enjoyed hiking by the Japanese garden and walking through the rose garden.

Neil Hickey

Japanese Gardens were outstanding! What a beautiful and serene (given the number of people) spot. Would love to visit on different types of days (eg cloudy, rainy, etc.) to see how the "mood" changes.

Jason Sipe

Rose Test Garden, and Japanese garden are beautiful! What a great park! Next time I am going to explore the many trails.

Denise Jones

Definitely going to take a few more trips to enjoy the entire zoo!

Deborah Hendricksen

a must to see the rose garden best to see it in the summer but still at this time very pretty plus we had great weather this time of year

Chris Crabbs

Such a nice large public park, we enjoyed the rose gardens and the forest trails.

Chris Pae

A beautiful place with lots of trails and places to hike. International Rose Garden and Japanese Garden are also must-visit area.

Eric Hillyard

A wonderful stroll through a well designed ecosystem just outside of Portland. Go take a stroll

賴奕翔

The free shuttle is amazing with the driver guiding you around with some fun facts. Would definitely go there again when the weather is better.

Darline McHarless

Everything is so expensive. The zoo is really nice and they have a few new exhibits coming up. But I just wish things weren't so expensive. It's ridiculous how much you have to pay for a snow cone or a bottle of water. I wish they made it more affordable for families

Mahan Kaur

The must see in Portland. If you love nature letting your children play in the park, going for hikes, visiting the zoo, The Japanese gardens, the Rose Gardens many other things this is a stop for you. on your tour have a picnic enjoy your beautiful day looking out over the city. And if you’re lucky and it’s not a cloudy day you may see Mount Hood.

Gerrie Bodleymace

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.

Medha Moghe

Lush green thick forest / park to west of Portland downtown. Purest air to breath. Best place to stroll, jog, yoga, sun salutes, meditate, relax. Good for any time of the day. Greenery soothing to eyes. Nice place for family n friends outing. Many old , vintage trees are there. Easily accessible from roads by local transport.

Ben Brenner

Lots of great sites and places to walk. Driving through the park can be confusing and the roads are a bit narrow. Parking is ample, but it doesn't appear to be free.

Ievgen Zakharov

Amazing trees, especially after pine forest in Ukraine. Huge tall trees, feel so warm when you touch them, seems like they alive like us.

Richard Kinzer

Absolutely beautiful place. It's like you are in a forest in the wilderness.

Ryan Newton

Lots to do! This is an amazing zoo that is also growing a lot too. There are lots of additions going in making this somewhere I'll go back to later. The kids lived it! We have a zoo in Anchorage, but there is so much more to see at a large zoo like this!!!

Janice Wenrich

Only issue is parking if you go on a nice, summer day. Best to take public transportation if possible. Otherwise, go early.

Geoffrey Holtsclaw

Really beautiful Japanese and Rose Gardens! Spent quite a bit of time here just enjoying the weather and admiring the beautiful landscaping and flowers.

Daniale Sage

I heard this was a beautiful place. I got lost in the arboretum during the fall leaves changing. It was peaceful and beautiful. A treasure for anyone in the area to appreciate.

Dave Schle

See the Japanese garden, it's a walk up to the entrance but they have a little free tram. At the bottom of the hill is a rose garden. Parking is always a bit tricky, but it's worth it. We took a few folks there using Uber.

cryptoref

Great zoo. Not a huge amount of animals but the ones they have are in great enclosures. The northwest section is great to see what’s around us all the time. Lots of construction right now and the additions will great. At the construction fences they have “animal” plaques that identify the types of construction vehicles you can see. Very cute touch.

Sarah Robinson

Beautiful park! So many places to visit within the park! It is definitely worth a visit when you visit Portland! I found the International Rose Test Garden amazing and so peaceful! We went to the zoo as well, and one of the little parks for my kids to run off some energy. The whole place is beautiful and I would love to go back sometime to explore more!

Pam Levenstein

Zoo is amazing! It is under construction and will not be completed until some time in 2020. Zoo will be even better when completed

Jana Temple

Beautiful area of Portland, so much to see and do here. Use the free shuttle to move between attractions. Everyone should see the Japanese Gardens, it's a nice place for an afternoon adventure

Violette Bloom

$8 all day parking, great area, it's awesome that there's so many cool places like the Vietnam memorial, arboretum, flower gardens, the Forestry Center, the Zoo, the children's museum, I'm sure I've missed something, but there's definitely enough places in this park to please everyone in the family happy and make a whole day trip (or weekend) out of it! I was so interested in everything I barely got any pictures!

Steve Bateman

Decent, the trail signs were misleading. We got lost a couple times. But it was pretty cool to see all the things.

Justin Williams

Beautiful views, beautiful scenery. A great walk for the family or a date

surreality87

Washington Park is definitely the best city park of any city I've been to! So much to see and do here it's almost overwhelming. Some of the pricing on certain attractions was disappointingly high but it all depends on what you want to do, there's lots of free and low cost things to see and do. and having a free shuttle to take you around was so nice! highly recommend visiting if you're in the Portland area!

Ian McClane

One of the best parks I know with an arboretum, a zoo, and an international rose garden. All of these things are within this beautiful park. Parking can be a challenge so a carpool option is best.

Maria Gonzalez

We got robbed on bright daylight and there was no one to help us. We were only able to file a police report and the park just said robberies where common. They should say that before you come in if that’s the case.

Lisa Whelpley

So many things to do here! Japanese Garden, Rose Garden and Hoyt Arboretum are what we chose to do for the bulk of a Wednesday in August. Everything is so pretty. Crowds were most dense at the rose garden. We were at the Arboretum for two hours and saw a total of TWO other people.

Kate Burton

Pretty. Zoo isn’t bad. Rose gardens are pretty but the park is not really walkable. Took a looong shuttle ride from the zoo to the rose gardens. There’s a charge for the Japanese gardens so we skipped it. Really just wanted some tea. We had thought from the description that it would be like Balboa Park in San Diego but we were mistaken.

Sachin Tharakan

All I can say is if you love nature, then, Washington Park is the place to be. Within Portland city limits, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Oregon Zoo, Children's Museum, Hoyt Arboretum all next or near the park. Washington Park also have a outdoor archery rink and tennis courts. You will not regret it.

Summer Richards

I'm so excited that the zoo is getting upgraded, but means that there isn't as much to see in the meantime. I did appreciate them putting humor in their construction areas!

mohit arora

Great park and it's huge! Went to the japese garden there and it was really great. Parking is paid though.

Kelsy Simpson

I absolutely loved the Japanese Garden at Washington park. We started off with a quick tea and confection at the Umami Cafe, everything was delicious and the service provided was AMAZING. The garden was filled with gorgeous green foliage, was serene, and filled with tiny surprises everywhere. We walked around the whole park twice and still probably didn't catch everything. The Koi pond was the absolute most relaxing thing and they have some GIANT fish in there. I highly recommend stopping by the pond at least twice on your journey!

Alexander Lo

A beautiful place to spend half a day there. It will be much better during the rose season. Many different kind roses, smell great.

TJ Taylor

Wonderful place to spend the day. You can take a free shuttle to every thing in the park. I was visiting Portland and caught the MAX rail for $2.50 and didn't have to worry about parking or driving. The zoo, Japanese Gardens, Rose Test Garden and Vietnam Luving Memorial are just a couple of things to see.

Ike Bennion

There are a number of beautiful little spots in Washington Park, from the Test Rose Garden to the Lewis and Clark Column, the Japanese Garden, hikes, kids play area and more. Consider taking the shuttle from place to place. You'll save a dollar or two in parking.

Ajay Sanghvi

A wonderful place for all, young and old. A family picnic place. Children park and Amphitheater are added advanage. Enjoyed the classic music and orchestra. Rose garden, such a aesthetic, beauteous and lovely place, every one enjoys.

Jeff Schroeder

Beautiful place to get a great view of the city. Great historical displays and it's part of the magical gorgeous Washington Park.

Adam Morgan

Haven't done anything else here but the zoo. Pretty good zoo with a great variety of animals. The new elephant enclosure is really well done. The Zoo Train is awesome and as a bonus has its own post office with it's own post mark, one of the last in the US. There is a bit of a climb down from the entrance area to the rest of the zoo though.

Courtney Miller

The rose garden is free, huge, and very interesting. There's a free garden tour at 1 p.m. according to sandwich boards around the garden. There's also a gift shop for the rose garden. I wanted to go to the Japanese gardens, but $20/person seemed really steep even though I've heard it's quite good. There are also several statues around and a children's playground by the old elephant shelter. It's nice and peaceful.

Kristina Derosier

So much to do, so many awsome animals. There Elephants are amazing! Brand new construction going on to add more awesome exhibits to the zoom. Pricing is great! Food is great, pricing is not bad. Bring snacks if you are on a budget.

Nate Meier

Pretty cool park to go and escape and / or recover from city life. Garden atmosphere that is well cultivated and cared for. Escape the hustle and bustle of city life. Explore natural beauty and calm. Take photos with family or senior pictures for school. Whatever you are looking for, it's a great park worth your time visiting.

Kathleen Williams

Love walking through this park with my husband. The area is well maintained and the flowers are so pretty to look at.

Susan Ackley

A jewel of Portland, this park has something for everyone, including good transit so you can leave your car at home.

Phoenix Black

Beautiful park, offering many activities; the Japanese Garden, hiking, the International Rose Test Garden and more! Parking can be limited, but I walked and had a lovely time. It wasn't too crowded as it is a large park with many things to do

Steven Nguyen

This park is huge and you could spend days in here. We arrive by Max line and use park shuttles to get around. Coming to Portland land at first week of August, wow so many roses specially at free International Test Roses Garden. Japanese Garden is awesome that you must see if you love nature. There is small zoo, Vietnamese memorial park, etc.

Jack Sung

The parking is 2 dollars per hour or 8 dollars per day. There are numerous attractions and trails inside, easily taking 1 to 2 whole days to complete. Attractions like the Oregon zoo, children’s museum, Japanese garden require an entrance ticket, other attractions like the Hoyt Arboretum, Winter Garden and Rose garden are free. There are hiking trails conveniently laid out and signposts are everywhere making it incredibly easy to find your way. The trails are named after the trees that grow along it, for example wildwood trail, pine trail, redwood trail etc. The redwood trail in particular is a must see attraction as there are dense formations of giant sequoias as well as a viewing platform. Although the hiking trails are well maintained, caution must be taken as some parts lack guard rails. All in all, Washington Park is a great way to spend your day in!

shar fagersten

Visited the Oregon Zoo - part of Washington Park. Pay to park at the meter or from your phone. (This comes in handy when you spend longer in the zoo than anticipated and you can add more time from wherever you are.) Zoo exhibits were clean and well kept. Large variety of animals with new areas under construction. Informative sign boards with lots of activities and spaces designed for kids of all ages. Snacks and food available for purchase throughout the zoo. Prices are higher than I preferred but not higher than expected. Pathways and exhibits are easy to access with stroller or wheelchair. The only thing I raised my eyebrows at was the train ride. $4 per person for a six minute loop. It was fun, but not worth the money in my opinion. Overall great space to visit.

Mike Collins

Only seen part of it but was impressed. The Vietnam memorial was very nice. Loved the architectural layout. The Arboretum was beautiful.

Santhosh Kumar R

Spend your weekend, anytime of the day strolling in Washington park. There's beautiful spots to visit around the park to take great pictures. Stay hydrated and carry sufficient water or energy drinks.

Josh Lima

This was a great park in Portland. Make sure you check out the Rose Gardens!

Olivia Conte

Always a fun time! Such a great deal to become a member! Can’t wait to go back a lot this summer and visit all the beautiful animals !

Vicki Wilson

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.

CJ Greenstadt-LaMee

The Oregon Zoo was great. Wish they would have told us half the zoo was under construction. Next year it's going to rock!

Lan Khuc

This park is very nice to visit with your family. Convenient pay meter parking. You can spend a whole day here. There is a rose test garden, Japanese garden, playground area, gift shops, and other natural attractions.

Aaron Laliberte

Amazing park right inside Portland. The zoo and Japanese Rose garden are nice to visit. The international test Rose garden is beautiful when in bloom and free.

William Sikkens

Oregon Zoo is fun and worth going too. Parking is $8 and admission is $17.95. A lot of effort has gone into making the zoo look nice. The landscaping and exhibits are great. The one thing that isn't worth doing is the train. It's $4 for a 6 minute ride because most of the line is broken down.

Charles Blue

Washington Park is an under-hearalded jewel of Portland, Oregon. From the zoo to the rose gardens, this place is AWESOME. If you are a resident or a visitor and go to visit this park, you won't regret a second of your experience (unless you fall or get stung by a bee, or a sudden downpour materializes). Don't miss this place.

Rachael Thomson

I mean, it's gorgeous. The Japanese garden is so peaceful and lovely, and the rose garden is arguably my favorite thing in the world, it is heaven.

Tom Kelly

Enjoyed the Japanese gardens in this massive park. Easy to reach on tram with a free shuttle around the park

Mary Spooner

I always enjoy the zoo. I especially enjoyed all of the new attractions and floral displays this year.

Chris Gibson

Japanese gardens are a must see opportunity to experience beauty, culture and charm. Enjoy the coi pond, watch the waterfalls and taste the locovore menu at the cafe.

Jack Sung

The parking is 2 dollars per hour or 8 dollars per day. There are numerous attractions and trails inside, easily taking 1 to 2 whole days to complete. Attractions like the Oregon zoo, children’s museum, Japanese garden require an entrance ticket, other attractions like the Hoyt Arboretum, Winter Garden and Rose garden are free. There are hiking trails conveniently laid out and signposts are everywhere making it incredibly easy to find your way. The trails are named after the trees that grow along it, for example wildwood trail, pine trail, redwood trail etc. The redwood trail in particular is a must see attraction as there are dense formations of giant sequoias as well as a viewing platform. Although the hiking trails are well maintained, caution must be taken as some parts lack guard rails. All in all, Washington Park is a great way to spend your day in!

KAPIL ADATIYA

Awesome place. Free bus rides was the best part since it helps you transit around major attractions of the park easily.

Lisa Jones

Beautiful park will make you forget you are in the middle of Portland. Hoyt Arboretum has so many trails and the Rose Test Garden displays tons of varieties. Both free except parking. Well worth it if you like hiking, easy nature trails. Don't miss the Vietnam Memorial.

Phil W

Beautiful park, get familiar quickly with the park shuttle if you took public transportation definitely the best way to get there dropping you off in front of the zoo. The shuttle will save you much time as you visit other parts of the park, don’t underestimate the size of this park and the great shuttle offered.

marj1st

Roses everywhere! As far as the eye can see! Every color imaginable rolling along pathways through the park. On Sundays there are free concerts in the stadium seating of the park. This week was Opera with an orchestra. Sometimes there are other bands, sometimes a DJ. Such a cool place to visit, take in the flowers, relax to some music or just wander about. Gorgeous setting!

Christian Grossnicklaus

While under construction for some new exhibits, the zoo has signs like these scattered about the park. very fun place to see a lot of different animals and eat delicious elephant ears. Sad that I went on a day where both restaurants were closed to the public and there was a concert at the same day. So I left quite hungry but entertained.

Aaron Nichols

One of the coolest places to walk around. See the memorials, they are amazing. Just be sure to bring good shoes. Its several hundred feet of elevation change and quite a few miles from end to end.

Mark Steele

What a great place to get away from city life on the outskirts of city life hustle and bustle. All staff was cordial, knowledgeable and friendly. Offering maps and opinions. We saw the amazing rose garden and then hiked for a few hours. Breathtaking and well kept land everywhere. We navigated trail system for all skill levels. Super views of city. Don't miss out if you need to put in a few steps after all the good food and drink in Portland.

Jon Megli`

Very pretty. Be careful not to pick a flower because there is a huge fine for it.

Sandra Klein

This is a must-see if you're visiting Portland. Huge beautiful park with a ridiculous amount of attractions. The Japanese Gardens are beautiful and serene, just be prepared for lots of uphill walking.

Jack Nicholas

It is a beautiful place. I was working there so I only got to see a small portion of it but well kept and huge. Many things to do and see!

Matt Pluim

Super cool hiking. Easy to get around with the free shuttle

T. Beaty

Great trails at different levels - hills, mostly flat, can tailor the distance.

Mupparthy Sreenu

Great place for kids.. enjoyed my day. They have some part of the under construction.. so may be wait till 2020 fall before you make a visit

Theresa Bush

Japanese gardens were very nice. Crowded with people but still peaceful. Loved the koi the best. Lots of walking paths, beautiful old maples.

Eric Lin

The park is surprisingly good in terms of Japanese authenticity. It is staged in well thought out layout and complimented as the best Japanese garden outside japan by a Japanese ambassador. Definitely a good visit to slow down, contemplate and reflect.

Brianne Glick

This park is wonderful. They offer a free shuttle that drives to different areas, which is so nice and convenient for those who cant walk alot or have little ones. So much to do at this park! I highly recommend stopping by to check it out!

Jan McKenzie

Great place with multiple attractions. Wish I had more time to spend at the rose garden. What an experience! Parking and riding the free shuttle was fun and easy. A great way to see some of the neighborhood as well.

Emily Kapostas

Enjoyed the Japanese Garden and Rose Garden at Washington Park, as well as the Holocaust Memorial which was very intense and worth a visit for reflection and remembrance. We spent about half the day in the park and only got to see a small portion of it! Definitely need multiple days or a very long day to see it all.

Natalia K

We visited Rose Garden, but there was not enough time for Japanese Garden. Really liked it. So many blooms! I guess, June is a perfect month for visiting this garden. However, parking was a problem. We needed to leave our car outside of the park on the street. Watch the signs if you don't want to get a ticket, but we found two hour parking ten minutes away from the park on foot.

shar fagersten

Visited the Oregon Zoo - part of Washington Park. Pay to park at the meter or from your phone. (This comes in handy when you spend longer in the zoo than anticipated and you can add more time from wherever you are.) Zoo exhibits were clean and well kept. Large variety of animals with new areas under construction. Informative sign boards with lots of activities and spaces designed for kids of all ages. Snacks and food available for purchase throughout the zoo. Prices are higher than I preferred but not higher than expected. Pathways and exhibits are easy to access with stroller or wheelchair. The only thing I raised my eyebrows at was the train ride. $4 per person for a six minute loop. It was fun, but not worth the money in my opinion. Overall great space to visit.

Cavan Gates

The park is so busy and congested that it's almost impossible to get a good view of anything. They do have incredible animals, and environments for them, and the park is huge. It just seems as tho there is too much foot traffic to truly enjoy yourself.

Barbara Council

I love walking up to Washington Park from downtown or NW Portland. It is a gorgeous park up in the SW hills. The rose garden has one of the biggest varieties of rose bushes I have ever seen. The park includes an awesome Japanese garden.

Whitney the one & only

This park has so much to offer, we only saw a small portion on the day we went. Fortunately, the majority of the things to see & do are free, making it a perfect place to visit when I'm low on money, but want to get out & do something. You can ride the MAX right to the bus stop that takes you directly to the Rose Garden, amongst other spot in the park. So green, calming & quiet, the beauty is breathtaking here.

Mary Schroeder

First-time visitor and I will definitely be back on my next trip to Portland. Wish I had had more time to explore. The Rose Garden is phenomenal! I arrived mid-morning on a weekday and the park was not crowded. The Rose Garden has free admission but there is a fee for the Japanese Botanical garden.

Jessica McHenry

Sanctuary within the city, beautiful and rejuvenating. Fun for the whole family

L M

This place is incredibly beautiful. I took the free shuttle of the entire area and Arlington Heights blew my mind away. What a lovely neighborhood. The rose garden was amazing. I did not have time to visit the zoo or the other gardens. It is a great escape from the homelessness and people being 'high' in downtown.

Joseph Russ

The Oregon zoo is incredible, thier is a lot to see, do, and learn their. Although I don't know how the stay in business. I've been there about half a dozen time, But I think I only paid once. They have free days or reduced price days. I didn't know it the first time. Still have to pay for parking though.

Monique Clark

Beautiful park. Well kept and amazing sights and smells from the rose garden. 15/10 would recommend this park.

Chuks C-M.

Pretty cool and huge park! I did archery at this place but there are so many different activities to do such as museums and hikes. Good to take a family, date, or whatever. Definitely visit here if you're into nature and in Oregon.

Mellissa Holmes

Washington Park is a very beautiful and I miss it very much. It’s very peaceful and quiet. Just make sure you pick up after yourselves and take care of this beautiful park

Jake Cummings

maybe one of the greatest local assets being that it's beautiful and there is no price for admission to experience the colorful joy of Portland's summer roses. there are tennis courts adorned with ascending flowers, walking trails nearby and the Japanese garden is across the street. parking is tricky here and I recommend grabbing a Lyft to the park or taking the max to the zoo with your bicycles and ride down the hill. But make sure your brakes are in good condition!

chavala boynton

Beautiful relaxing spot for a walk and/or learning about the different roses and other plant life

Jill Harwell

What an amazing park with lots of hiking trail beautiful gardens, tall old growth trees, views of the city and a world class rose garden. Easily accessible by trolley although there are limited number of spots in the park if your so lucky!

Yogesh AM

Variety of Roses and beautiful landscapes of gardening. Also enjoy free guided tour everyday@ 1PM, from Rose garden store.

Gary Contreras

Totally amazing place! I wish I could give you a very detailed description of all that there is in there, but I'd very much kill it for you, since we all travel and visit places with different expectations and ideas of what and how we will encounter. If you love natural places, even if they are curated by human hands, you must then visit this place. Keep an open mind and watchful eyes; this place is so full of details and possibly some hidden gems, available only to wide open eyes. Don't think I'm talking about this or that in particular, but you truly never know what's going to catch your eye and imagination, and your love. This is one heck of a wonderful place to visit!

sara switzer

Wonderful time at the zoo! Went when they opened and almost all animals were out!!! Best time I have had at the Oregon zoo

Rich Berhost

What an amazing park with lots of hiking trail beautiful gardens, tall old growth trees, views of the city and a world class rose garden. Easily accessible by trolley although there are limited number of spots in the park if your so lucky! Internationally acclaimed one of the best Japanese gardens is spectacular.

Taylor Edwards

What a wonderful place for families. We were on vacation and wanted to go to a park for our two little ones. Little did we know we'd have the option of gardens, playgrounds, museums, and a zoo all at our fingertips. Beautiful area, with great amenities, you could spend a full day here with kids.

Lela Mansfield

Who doesnt love a beautiful park tucked away in a residential area? beautiful setting, fun playground nearby and nice quiet escape. the families there were really nice and my boy had a great time.

Mary Schroeder

First-time visitor and I will definitely be back on my next trip to Portland. Wish I had had more time to explore. The Rose Garden is phenomenal! I arrived mid-morning on a weekday and the park was not crowded. The Rose Garden has free admission but there is a fee for the Japanese Botanical garden.

Julia Newman

We visited the Children's Play Park & our 2yo had a blast. Very rustic & retro themed park with a rubber matted cover for safety. Three different slides & multiple things to do. Has many areas for parents to sit down, relax & watch the kiddos play. Parking is limited & you need to pay-by-the-hour with a card & machine with a ticket to put on your dash. Security patrols often which is nice. The park neighbors the Oregon Zoo as well.

Schepvogel K

We walked up here looking for a bench donated by family. It's a very cool and beautiful park what brings you back to Japan.

dusti smith

I absolutely love going to the zoo because I get to see things, sometimes close up,that I can't see any place else (animals)... However,the Oregon zoo hasn't had a good amount of animals for quite some time... It doesn't take all that long to see pretty much everything... BUT,in their defense, I know they are doing a lot of renovations and additions to the zoo,so I'm really excited that,and I'm sure it'll be great!!!

D Stoffel

This is a fantastic gorgeous park. I wish I had more time to spend in here there is so much to take in. Some parts were under construction but really that can only be a good thing. Progress towards the bigger and better! The rose garden can not be missed.

sophia brar

Loved it! So many parks and right in the city of Portland.great walking trails..loved the Japanese garden and Hoyt Arboretum

Amy Makovy

We visit from Texas once a year and my g'baby loves playing here. Wonderful place for kids and adults to enjoy.

Bruce Reiter

A beautiful place to see the park forrest near the center of Portland. Nice to stop and picnic or recreate with children on the swings.

Gagan N Kangovi

This is an urban park with a collection of gardens, tennis courts, playgrounds etc. We went to the Rose and Japanese garden. The gardens are very well maintained and are very serene. There is paid parking in the park but can get crowded in the weekends. Also, look for offers and discounts for entry to some of the gardens if you're a student, a BofA customer etc.

Rick Massena

Peaceful! Early morning stroll through the Rose garden was a perfect way to kill time before my flight. There was no crowds. The roses have not yet bloomed, therefore the rest of the garden could get a little more attention. Oh my! It's beautiful!

Angela Roe

One of the best parks in Oregon. Beautiful with plenty of things to do. I would suggest visiting the Rose garden during June, the Japanese garden, the zoo or the Forrester center. All of them are very interesting kids really enjoy the children's museum in here as well.

Samantha Hurst

Lovely escape from city life. Love being outdoors and this place is not far from downtown Portland. Drove past the exit for multnomah falls since it was full. Went to ponytail falls, went back to try to see multnomah, ended up taking a shuttle for from exit 25. Parking cost $5. Worth the view at the end.

Ellary Deferrers

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!

Rob Stoltz

An absolutely stunningly beautiful municipal Park of the grand old style. there are wonderful trails through wooded areas, and there are beautiful public spaces. The Holocaust memorial is certainly worth cyr. The entrance on Park is an absolutely wonderful way to approach the park. no need to drive into the park and pay for parking. It's great to find parking elsewhere or get off the train and walk up into the park. An Urban Oasis.

L Lai

A very nice park with free shuttles. It has many trails and nice views.

Pat Gaunt

Too expensive and no senior discount. Too many exhibits under construction at present time. Ate in AfriCafe. Long long wait and food barely warm when arrived.

Kate Diaz

This is a beautiful park with something for everyone. Arboretum, Rose garden, Japanese Garden, a zoo, and forest views on winding paths through the forest of towering trees is a wonderland for nature lovers, yet very close to downtown Portland. Enjoy!

Geoffrey Gawne

Amazing. A nexus of awesome attractions for the city, with a FREE SHUTTLE that will take you around. The rose garden and japanese garden, the holocaust memorial, the Oregon Zoo, and the Sacagawea statue from the 1905 worlds fair are all at the tip of your fingers. And the trails themselves are very nice, albeit steep. I used my walking poles to navigate, which helped immensely.

Mary Stamps

Washington Park is blessed with the best plot of land in Portland. Largely undisturbed ecosystems mixed with powerful historical memorial gardens and species -saving gardens.

Sherice Halvorsen

Went to see Piano Guys and there was not a bad seat any where. Sound was good as were visuals. Would have been more enjoyable if people weren't roaming around and getting in the way.

Amy Mill

This zoo is beautiful! It offers many different angles to view the animals, so if you can't see them from one angle, you will be able to see them from another one. In the morning, the animals were very active, so my 1.5 yr old could spot them easily. My 5 yr old and I did a sea otter encounter and we were able to feed Lincoln, the sea otter. He truly loved it and I was amazed by how much he learned. The elephant exhibit was beyond my expectations. It's huge, and they have plenty of room to roam. A great day at the zoo!

Ashley Kamren

Such a lovely way to spend a few hours. Parking is rough and I suggest bringing food if you want to eat there. But beautiful trails and unbelievable gardens!

Ryan Wilder

Washington park playground is a really nice and large playground surrounded by wonderful trees. Playground around is well kept and has always been clean when I have been there. Good spot for kids of a many ages. Parking can be tricky to find on busy summer days and is metered. There are so many other activities to do at the park as well.

Hector A Parayuelos

Washington Park is one of the most unique and incredibly action packed parks have ever been to in my life. There are so many things you can do and see here, you won't be able to fit them all into a day to truly appreciate them. The Portland Japanese garden is my favorite Japanese garden outside of Japan. The Rose Garden is beautiful and everything is in bloom, and free to access. The Oregon Zoo is a great value and has some fantastic exhibits and great animals to look at. The Hoyt Arboretum is also free to visit, and has many trails lined with beautiful trees.

toney woods

Loved the Japanese Garden. Very beautiful. Worth the drive. Be prepared to climb some stairs. The whole place was gorgeous. Especially liked the koi ponds and waterfall. A must see if you go to Portland. We didn't have time to explore more but will be back. Seeing the archery range was cool too.

Burt Likko

Another of Portland's great urban forest parks. We have so many! Washington Park 8s nice for its overlap with Hoyt Arboretum so if you go out on one of the trails, you're likely to find stands of trees planted 50 years ago as exhibits-- everything from larches and maples to sequoias and the emblematic Douglas Fir.

David Spaulding

We went on a private tour of the elephants. All the people were so nice and friendly and answered so many questions. I got to touch an elephant!! It was a fantastic experience that i highly recommend if you like elephants. I got to feed them and got pics too. Highly enjoyable.

David Spaulding

We went on a private tour of the elephants. All the people were so nice and friendly and answered so many questions. I got to touch an elephant!! It was a fantastic experience that i highly recommend if you like elephants. I got to feed them and got pics too. Highly enjoyable.

Megan Henry

For all you tree nerds out there, check out the Hoyt Arboretum! Carefully laid out trails will walk you through the arbors of the world. The trails are well maintained, and simple to navigate. There are some steeper spots, but these can be easily avoided. Overall, it's a lovely place for a shady stroll through the woods.

Denise Figueroa

Picture don't do it any justice. It was beyond beautiful to see so many roses in different colors. What captivated me the most was the amazing aroma of the roses.

Mabel Brown

Quiet. Serene. Peaceful. Beautiful. Well maintained. Easy walk from parking lot to gardens. Love all the enhancements over the last decade.

Davlynn Gundolff

Beautiful in the early mornings before the crowds arrive. The park feels fairly safe walking my dog, and starting near the Burnside entrance near Zupans, you can "hike" up (be sure to stop by the memorials on the way) to the rose garden easily. We tend to come in the warmer months to avoid soggy trails, but the views of the city are lovely all year. There paid parking available through the park if hiking isn't your thing.

Ryan Jones-heard

Beautiful place. The Japanese gardens are amazing there's an excellent kids park beautiful rose gardens. The zoo forestry center. Must visit if in the area.

Yulia Konovnitsyna

Such a great spot for an evening walk, date or a whole family outing. Lots of little areas to expo lore and the rose gardens are simply enchanting. Went a few times and enjoyed every experience. Taking all my friend who come visit from out of town there.

V Nash

Such an amazing zoo, even with the construction. And since they couldn't hide it, they incorporated the vehicles into the zoo tour by giving them zoo like genus and species designations. Just so creative!

Skyler Cook

The Arboretum is a hidden gem on the shores of Lake Washington. Jointly managed by the University of Washington Botanic Gardens and the City of Seattle, its 230 acres contain a dynamic assortment of plants, some found nowhere else in the Northwest. Take a walk through the Arboretum and discover this beautiful living collection. The Graham Visitors Center contains an information desk, and a gift shop managed by the Arboretum foundation. The Japanese garden, located at the south end of the Arboretum has an entrance fee and is managed by the City of Seattle.

Danielle Speed

I'm from Colorado, but this area was so much more beautiful than anything we have at home. There are lots of fun activities to do, especially with kids! The zoo was awesome too! The big park was my daughter's favorite!

Marshall Becker

My wife and I found it really neat how they showcased the core samples in the decor of the train stop. The zoo had a great layout and felt like you were in a nature walk, sometimes to the point you didnt realize you had walked into a bird cage. I would recommend it to anyone, and cant wait to bring our boys next year. Got a little motion sickness while riding the free shuttle but cant complain about wait time. Japanese gardens were beautiful and I was able to find a quiet corner to sit but not for very long due to the amount of people. Felt the Chinese garden was a better value but could have been due to the time and crowd. Briefly checked out the rose garden on our way to bus stop, but for the short amount we were there the roses look well maintained, which can be a lot of work.

Leah Lewis

Beautiful views, diverse gardens, miles of trails and fantastic people watching make this the crown jewel of Portland Parks. However during the warmer months plan carefully where to meet and park. Utilizing public transit and walking while there if you are able to is strongly recommended. While there is parking it is limited and on busier days a stressful prelude to enjoying the park (not to mention a small expenditure which adds up it you plan to visit a lot). With frequent shuttles, MAX and other Tri-Met access it is truly ideal for park and ride.

Brion Thomas

Awesome park with tons to explore. Walking trails, gardens, wildlife, and a beautiful view of PDX.

Nathan Pratt

This place can be a bit difficult to navigate and one of the trails we wanted to take to the Pittock mansion was closed with no alternative route. That said, this place being right outside the city is a perfect getaway from the busy city and is top tier as far as city parks go. Check out the arboretum or the zoo! The Sequoia Grove is really cool since these trees are usually only seen in the California national parks.

Squirrel Squirrel

Washington Park was is a spectacular park, went there while visiting Portland, and it had everything you could ever ask for. There's a Japanese Garden, The Rose Garden, an archery range, and tons of walking in nature that will be sure to fulfill your needs.

teja kolli

A beautiful retreat right in the middle of the city. Amazing gardens.

Johnny Moreno

The walks are amazing, the rose garden is spectacular and smells so lovely. It’s a great place for a stroll and you should check out the Japanese garden!

Jill Wynn

Beautiful garden. The parking isn't free, $2 per hour or $8 for the day. The parking lot also isn't very big and you share it with the Oregon zoo and the children's museum so it can get pretty hard to find parking pretty quickly.

Pranav Kalluri

Perfect place to unwind and get your mind off the rat race most of us might be in . I see couples , families , friends , children walk around and a have a good time . Very uplifting and beauting views of nature right here in the city. Can drive to this place . Multiple parking spots (both paid and unpaid on the street leading up to washington park) and easy access. Our go to place to talk and spend some time amidst nature right here in the city . Loving Portland !

Heather French

The Japanese Garden and Rose Garden are a must see! The $20 admission for the Japenese Garden was well worth it. Such a serene place! I will be visiting again on my next trip to Portland!

Bill Lynch

Wonderful gift to the people of Portland and a fine stop if you visit. Japanese gardens are lovely, full of waterfalls, koi ponds, rock gardens. Lots of steps, so keep in mind if you have mobility problems. There is a rose garden worth seeing more in June than July. There is a children's play area, some food carts around the area. The city is kind enough to provide a shuttle bus loop of the park free of charge.

Ben Tatham

Amazingly diverse walk. Rose garden smells amazing. Holocaust Memorial is done really well and nice to see so many people taking a moment to reflect.

Mr. Monitor

One of the best parks in a major city anywhere. Not that I have actually been to many other parks but I know it has to be unique. Its huge and so are the trees.

Barbara Hosko

Maybe it's just our unlucky timing, but, the last three times we have been there they had different animal areas being remodeled. This time the elephants and the primates! Two of my favorite sections. But, hey, I'm 60 years old and I have been going there for at least 50 of those years. But I've taken my kids occasionally for the last 30 years and now I'm wanting to let my grandchildren enjoy it! I'm sure glad I made it in time to get an electric scooter to use!

Joe Caravello

What a really beautiful, serene place! Right next to the free rose garden, this is not free but worth every penny. I would suggest spending about ~2hrs here if you can, maybe the day if you just wanna sit and relax in a zen like fashion. You really feel like you escaped it all here, the surroundings are so amazing and perfectly tailored. Tons of walking and tons and tons of steps, even more fun!!!

Daria Kostenko

We always go to the annual rose festival ... We admire the most beautiful varieties of roses and enjoy the heady aromas. Also my children really like the playground there.

John Bemis

Great place for a hike, it was hot the day we went, but still enjoyed a walk around this arboretum. Lots of different views and things to see. A little visitor’s center is you need a restroom break. Even on a busy summer day, it did not feel like there were many people there.

Dan Hardaker

Huge park. So big there's a free shuttle to take you around. It's also quite easy to get ride shares to different parts of the park too. Plenty to explore so allow loads of time. Some of the catering outlets aren't great though so plan for food well.

Myles Kucera

Lots of construction going on right now, so the polar bear, monkey house and part of the Africa exhibits are either gone or empty. But the elephant exhibit is always nice, and you get to see them easily pretty much all the time. And the Pacific NW trail is always nice. They're are currently 3 Bald Eagles in there right now, got some really good views of them.

Cristian Gonczi

Amazing family experience! One could easily spend the day and not get bored. Our favorite show is the elephant feeding/swim time!

Holly Meyer

Park is pretty clean and free of garbage. Nice trails. Great spot to commune with Nature in an urban area.

Ignacio Ottati

This was a beautiful park to walk through. Completely cover by beautiful tall and thick trees and provide a huge shaded area. There are stairs to walk around the park and at the very top you will find the rose garden and right in front of the rose garden the Japanese garden.

Varibash

Nice place to take someone on a date. Stop by the zoo then hike the park.

somi kmath

Huge park with different types of attractions such as Rose garden, Zoo, Japanese garden, Pittock mission, children's museum. These are few we had got time to see. We have free shuttle which drop to these locations. There is parking available for less rate $8 for whole day. I was really surprised. Rose garden is free and beautiful. You will get tired clicking the pics of roses. There are 10,000 roses and all are heavenly beautiful.There is a free guide tour everyday at 1:00pm from Rose garden store. There is a small Rose garden for children and elephant house where we can have lunch. Japanese garden is beautiful and silent. You will get lost in the beauty. There is a shuttle to avoid the steps to get into the garden. You can see lots of tress, fountain, tea garden and fishes. Gift shop was lovely at Japanese garden.Zoo and children museum we didn't get time to visit. Pittock mission was impressive.

Lauralei Singsank

LOVE the rose test garden! Gorgeous during the summer and a beautiful place right before dusk. It’s completely free, and a great date spot!

Gerrit Kelly

The Oregon Zoo is a great zoo! So much to do, so many awsome animals. There Elephants are amazing! Brand new construction going on to add more awesome exhibits to the zoom. Pricing is great! Food is great, pricing is not bad. Bring snacks if you are on a budget.

Andy Jay

Absolutely love this park. Lots to explore, beautifully maintained, amazing trail network, free shuttles, it’s great. To me this is the west coast Central Park. Stunning display of both local open space and international gardening.

Kelly Dowell

The Oregon Zoo was awesome. They are expanding it to include polar bears, be done by 2020. All the animals looked well fed eith clean enclosures. Takes a good 3 to 4 hours to see it all. Definitely will go back .

anita mcmillan

This was fun to go by max train and it let us off right at the Oregon zoo entrance and the museum. We chose to go to the Japanese Garden. We took lots of pictures and love the history along with details about each exhibit. We did not have lunch there but did go to the gift shop gift ideas and post cards. Service was excellent and I felt well taken care of. We were able to catch a free shuttle from the bottom of the hill up to the to entrance of the Japanese garden and we were able to get the shuttle back down the hill to the max.

R. Lee Donaldson

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.

Dale Osbahr

San Diego does not count. It will never count when you're comparing zoos. Now, as far as zoos go I'd say the portland Zoo is my favorite of half a dozen different states.

Mike Hansen

Really lovely the zoo. Animals have some room to act semi natural and did seem happy. Very nice scenery.

Karen Hand

I love this place. It is beautiful it is great for someone with limited mobility but needs to get out and walk. It is peaceful calm there are benches along the way if you find a place you just want to sit and take in the beauty.

Raluca Monet

Japanese Garden - Wonderful experiencr while visiting Portland. Considered to be the most beautiful and authentic Japanese Garden outside of Japan. Pros: the garden is stunning and you will love taking an hour long walk through the perfectly cared for gardens. Gift shop is also very nice. Cons: the day I went (Monday) garden did not open till noon. It's expensive (nearly $20 per person) and can get crowded. Parking lot available for pay fills quickly though so get there early.

Erin Reeve

Rose Garden, Tea Garden and lots of trails. View was okay but go for the journey and experience of the previously mentioned. You could spend two days just exploring the park alone!

Karebear Dahl

It nice to let the kids and fur babies play and walk and have lunch yes a picnic

Jim Larson

Washington Park is a combination of things starting with the Portland zoo, forestry center, archery range, Japanese garden, Oregon rose garden and oh ya there's a park there too, and the Hoyt arboretum. (Might have missed something's) this park is located within Forest Park, I believe it is the largest park inside a city limits in the u.s.a.