Take a Best of Portland tour with Discover Portland and gain an insider’s insight into the city. Learn about Portland’s 11 bridges, see over 30 pieces of public art, get the truth about coffee, beer, and rain (there’s a lot of all three here), find out why the official motto of Portland is “The City That Works” and see the penny flipped to name the city. The tour lasts about two hours and covers approximately 1.5 miles.

The tour is wheelchair accessible. The pace of the tour will be adjusted, if necessary.

There are no hills, steps, or steep inclines along the walk.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: Reserve a spot in advance. Tours regularly sell out. 

After seeing the city from street level, take a look at Portland from up on high: aboard the Portland Aerial Tram. In a short, four-minute trip, the tram travels from South Waterfront to Marquam Hill. At the lower terminal, take some time to observe what is billed as “The most transportation-diverse intersection in the country.” There’s not only cars, buses, and a streetcar, but a pedestrian bridge, a shipyard, cycle track and a massive bike parking lot. At the upper terminal, enjoy views of downtown Portland. If you are lucky, and the weather’s on your side, you’ll catch a glimpse of Mount Hood and Mount St Helens.

The Portland Aerial Tram is wheelchair accessible.

Top Tip: As part of the public transportation system, the tram is crowded from 7:00 a.m.- 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. on weekdays. Visit outside of these times to beat the crowds.

Portland has no end of out outdoor space and gardens. Among the most beautiful is the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. The seven-acre, internationally recognized garden boasts over 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants. The flowers start blooming in early spring and provide a shower of color into summer. Even when the flowers are not in bloom, there is plenty to see, including over 90 species of birds and waterfowl, including the Great Blue Heron, Townsend’s Warbler, American Coot and the Bald Eagle.

The entrance, parking, major trails, and restrooms are all wheelchair accessible.

Top Tip: Admission is free from October 1-February 28. There is no admission fee on Mondays throughout the year.

The Keller Auditorium, part of Portland’s Center for the Arts, is known as a “workhorse” venue owing to the wide array of performances it hosts. The theater, which was built in 1917, can seat more than 2,000. It stages Broadway productions, ballets, operas, and family events. If you want to eat before the show, the Keller Café overlooks the Keller Fountain and has a menu that changes with each production.

The auditorium is wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair and companion seating is available. Courtesy wheelchairs are available to facilitate transfer from the curbside drop-off zone to the seating area. There are accessible and companion-care restrooms.

The Keller Auditorium has an assistive listening system. Individual headsets with a receiver are available, as are neck loops for use with hearing aids and cochlear implants with a “T” switch. Devices are available on a first-come, first-served basis from the Coat Checkroom (valid ID required).

Sign language interpretation and open captioning is available for select events throughout the year, and also upon request.

The Keller Auditorium can also provide audio description at select events and upon request.

For more information, call the Portland’5 Box Office at 503-248-4335.

Find out more here.

You can’t come to Portland without exploring some of Oregon’s beautiful nature. It may be touristy, but there’s a reason so many people (upwards of two million a year) stop by Multnomah Falls to take in the soaring waterfalls. The upper fall cascades 542 feet while the lower fall drops 69 feet. The water is supplied by natural underground springs that originate on Larch Mountain. If you can drag yourself away from the falls, visit the Multnomah Falls Lodge, which houses a USDA Forest Service Information Center, a snack bar, a gift shop and restaurant serving “upscale Northwest-style cuisine.”

There is a ramp to the viewing area.

Multnomah Falls Lodge is accessible. The second-floor restaurant is accessible via elevator.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: Click here to see a video about accessibility at Multnomah Falls.

If you are a motor aficionado, head over to the World of Speed Motorsports Museum. This educational museum tells the story of America’s motorsports culture. Learn more about drag racing, road racing, land speed racing, motorcycle racing, open wheel racing, NASCAR and hydroplanes. The museum features a dozen or so unique exhibits, including “Women in Racing,” “Power Plant” and “Daytona Banking Wall” and almost 100 cars, bikes and boats on display. There are also special interactive exhibits for the little ones.

The museum is wheelchair accessible. Wheelchairs and scooters are available upon request. There is a powered lift to access the one exhibit that has stairs and plenty of seating throughout the gallery.

If a visitor is accompanied by an aide, the aide is admitted free-of-charge.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: The museum is closed on Mondays.

Take advantage of Oregon’s status as a tax-free shopping haven and get in some discounted retail therapy. While the original pioneers who endured the long and arduous Oregon Trail could never have envisaged they would have a mall named in their honor, Pioneer Place is a great spot for shopping. The mall has upscale brands, including Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Tory Burch – as well as more accessible brands, such as J. Crew and H&M. There is also a wide range of restaurants and a cinema.

Wheelchairs are available to borrow.  

Top Tip: Pioneer Place is easily accessible via public transportation.

The historic McMenamin's Theater Mission Theater and Pub in Northwest Portland is located in a former church (once belonging to the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant Church of Portland). Today’s activities are a far cry from the praying and sedate activities of the past. Visit the theater, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and enjoy a range of movie screenings, live music events, talks, sports event screenings, and other fun Portland experiences.

The theatre is wheelchair accessible.

Movie showings are closed captioned. The theatre has individual Captiview closed caption devices that sit in the seat cupholder. In addition, headphones that amplify the dialogue or visual impaired headphones that describe the scenery and action are available.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: Come hungry. The theater offers food and has an extensive alcohol menu.

Portland is served by Portland International Airport.

Wheelchair services or “blind assists” can be called using the white courtesy phones located throughout the terminal for assistance from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Family restrooms are located near Gates A2, C3, and D1.

TTYs can be found on each concourse and throughout the terminal.

Visual paging is available on all concourses, as well as Baggage Claim and the central terminal food court.

Accessible parking is available at discounted rates in most lots. Designated spots are located near the elevators.

Service animal and pet relief areas are located outside the baggage claim at the north end of the terminal (lower level) before security. The post-security pet relief area is located in the Concourse Connector, at the south end closest to gates C1/C2.

Find out more here.

The following companies provide wheelchair-accessible transportation:

Broadway Cab– 503-333-3333

New Green Cab LLC– 503-234-1414

SuperShuttle– 1-800-258-3826

TriMet provides bus, light rail, and commuter rail transit services in the Portland, Oregon, metro area.

All buses, trains, transit centers, and stations are fully accessible to people using mobility devices.

Every bus is equipped with a boarding ramp or power lift. Many of the buses are low-floor buses that can “kneel,” lowering the first step closer to the curb for easier boarding.

MAX and streetcars have a ramp that extends for easier boarding.

Ticket machines have instructions in audio, raised letter and braille.

Stations have textured tiles at the station to mark proximity to the platform edge.

MAX stations have braille/raised-letter signs that indicate which lines serve the station and where they go.

Find out more here.

Base yourself at the four-star Embassy Suites Portland - Downtown. This all-suites hotel is located just two blocks from the MAX light rail system, making it a perfect jumping off point for exploring Portland. Check out the city’s old town district and don’t forget to make a pilgrimage to Voodoo Donuts, which is located so close to the hotel you can practically smell it from your room! The two-room suites have a microwave and refrigerator, but don’t think you need to eat alone in splendid isolation (unless, of course, it’s donuts!). There’s a complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and a complimentary evening reception.

Mobility accessible rooms have lever door handles and either an accessible bathtub or roll-in shower.

Hearing-accessible features include closed captioning on televisions or closed-captioning devices, digital alarm clock with sound and vibrating pad/sound and strobe light, TTY for guest use.

The business center, restaurant, exercise facility and pool (hoist) are all accessible.

The hotel has accessible parking spaces for cars and vans in the self-parking facility. Accessible transportation is available with advance notice.

Find out more here.