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Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Rating Details »
Categories: Parks, Local Flavor [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, Downtown1020 SW Naito Pkwy
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 224-4400
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
27 reviews for Tom McCall Waterfront Park
One of the most beautiful and under-utilized of urban parks, Tom McCall is the true gem of Portland. A huge swath of riverfront bordered by grassy swards and interesting fountains, Tom McCall epitomizes the 'urban oasis' at the heart of this city.
Punctuated by the bridges, heavily used by the various festivals, and an everyday greenspace for the public, Tom McCall is the uber-urban modern park - useful, beautiful, forgotten and then celebrated. Worth the casual Tuesday stroll, and so much more.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
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Probably the most viewed park in Portland, and highly unused by it's citizens unless some big events is going on.
I highly recommend taking a leisure stroll on a random day and you will find lots of beauty - view of the city, Willamette River, and Mt. Hood. Of course, the people of Portland.
Take your rollerblades, bikes, or walking shoe and enjoy all this park has to offer. One end you land near the Saturday Market and other end high-rises and boutiques.
If you stay long enough, you understand that the essence of Portland eventually meanders through this park.
You've got hippie street performers, surprisingly young and attractive families playing with their dogs, take-out food on bicycles, rollerblading young professionals. You say this sounds like any other city park? Don't kid yourself--there are way too many bridges and way too few suit-wearers for this to be New York.
I love coming here on a warm summer day and watching the boats go by and trying to name all the bridges. Kudos to Tom McCall for destroying the highway and making this area a park.
Good place to walk during lunch, but it seems, as with the rest of Portland, park benches are the homeless man's castle.
To the weekend meanderers:
Would it kill you to follow some basic rules of the road? All I'm asking is for you to stay to the right, or left respectively. There's a lot of traffic on the waterfront. Bikes and pedestrians going both ways. Don't look at me like I'm the asshole pedaling quickly and closely by you when your party is walking six abreast down the MIDDLE of the damned boardwalk.
To the "exercise" crowd:
You're never going to lose even one pound coasting down the boardwalk on your mountain bike in the easiest gear, or walking as fast as you would in a grocery store. Pick it up! Get that heart rate going! Your expensive dry-fit shirts (that will never get wet, at this rate) aren't going to do it for you.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/13/2008
I have studied many times
The marble which was chiseled for me--
A boat with a furled sail at rest… Read more »
I love it in spite of the fact that the Willamette is technically a foul and dirty Superfund site and in spite of the fact that obnoxious motor boaters loudly zoom along the Willamette . It' pleasant to stroll, jog, or bike along the river while contemplating the meaning of life and while experiencing an existential crisis. The park often holds some great concerts and various other events. Minus one star for the loud traffic from the automobiles crossing the bridges.
People thought this was:
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Way cool! Nice relaxing place to sit and read or eat a picnic lunch. I wish Phoenix had water like this!!! Wowza!
Hats off to Portland for the foresight to set aside this land as a park when most of the rest of the US was turning its back on waterfronts. This is just a fantastic park, with a whole range of things going for it, especially in the summer.
Someone in the planning department has an itch for fountains that people can play in - I love that - no 'keep out' signs here, they are designed for frolicking - a bunch of them in the city, one of my favorites is here. When its really hot I will often bike home this way after work so that I can ride through it to cool off!
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I wish I could say that I wasn't nervous about submitting my preference for my thesis project but let's be honest, I was sweating more than a whore in church.
The biggest project of my life was beginning with a single piece of paper that required one lone checkmark next to the name of the professor I wanted to study under. My mind raced:
"What if I don't get in? Should I go talk to him? Can I appeal the placement? What are the other professors like? Will I have any freedom in my design? Do I have time to come up with something amazing or will it be a forced product? What will my reviewers think? Can I impress them with this? Will I be able to get a kickass job, find my own house, settle down, have a family? Oh God do I want kids? What about my architectural license?
The downward spiral from budding architectural mastermind to stepford wife lasted about 20 minutes as I came up with a detailed mental plan of attack for when everything ahead went wrong... I was sure I would remember it all...
Then Occam's Razor presented itself with another solution: turn it in, sit back, shut up, see what happens, and enjoy the ride. I shook myself awake from my day-nightmare and decided to get away from my desk and outside to the fresh air.
I walked a block to Waterfront Park and followed the worn path through the grassy field to the walkway along the Willamette River. There's something so meditative about being here... watching people zip by on bikes and crowds of schoolchildren play Frisbee and tag that made me realize my problems were trivial when compared to how much greatness I was surrounded by. The landscape is minimal and users are pretty much left to use it as they see fit. Large groups have parties, and solo ventures like myself have space to put life on pause and clear their thoughts.
I leaned against the rail and stared at the Central Eastside and the location of a hypothetical theatre I had designed just a few months before. My gaze followed a tug boat down the river for a few minutes and then I turned back around and looked at the skyline as an old couple passed by and said a friendly hello.
"Damn I love this city" I though. I catch myself saying this almost every day, to be in such a place that makes you so happy is a blessing. We may not be the most diverse, or nightlight savvy, or iconic and hip, but we're lucky to be situated in an environmentally safe and relatively intelligent and progressive environment. Anywhere that gets rid of a freeway to make way for a park when 95% of the rest of the country is pouring the asphalt on in is special, nuts, or a little of both.
This afternoon, 3 months after that fateful submission freak-out, I got an email from my adviser saying I was placed where I wanted. I jumped for joy and then realized that now the real work is about to begin.
I smiled, realizing that I already know the best spot in town to take a breather and regrip the handlebars... I'm in for a wild ride.
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Top 5 things I love about this park:
(1) Beautiful view during the summer. Seriously, the water looks amazing.
(2) All the couples that half-hump on the grass.
(3) Watching all of the people on the bridge stuck in traffic while you're strolling along at a steady pace.
(4) Rollerbladers. I didn't even know they still made those things.
(5) Watching the kiddies jumping around in the water. It makes me wish I could strip down to my underwear, don waterwings, and not be arrested like that.
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- Funny (2)
I'm not sure exactly what's gotten into the weather lately, but I'm certainly not complaining. Especially when we have this incredible park that simutaneously proves that:
#1 The government can make some pretty dang awesome things happen when they have the right people behind 'em!
and
#2 Good things DID come out of the 70s!
Waterfront park has something for everyone...so whether you're in the mood to strap on the joggers (p.s. do rollerblades still exist?), sample some tasty treats, relax under the Japanese cherry blossoms, listen to the blues, sip some local brew, fly a kite, run through a fountain, or even hop on one of those terrifying carni rides - you can do it here at one time or another.
Plus...you just can't miss it. It's 29 acres of stretching gloriousness! Take your iPod and your sweat band, or take granny - it's tough not to enjoy this place!
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Welcome to the real melting pot of Portland (no fondue necessary).
Waterfront Park really is the place where people from every walk of life get together to enjoy the beauty that is our city. People run, walk, sit, Rollerblade (yes they still exist Laura N. and I want some) and bike joyfully through the park on any given day. Only here is it that you can find kids squealing in the fountain, dogs jumping for Frisbees and coworkers in business suits and Nikes all within 100 feet. The park is well patrolled by the police (sometimes even the mounted police down by the steel bridge!) and is generally clean. Maybe it's the quietly flowing water or the magnificent view of Mt. Hood on a clear day, but something at waterfront park immediately wipes away the stress of the city you felt just a block away. It's almost like being inside a Beatles song.
All you need is love....
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The Waterfront Park is an urban park, land set aside by the city overlooking the river. It's a haven of green grass and swaying trees backdropped by the skyscrapers of the downtown area. There is a fountain for kids to play in, rentals shops, a maritime museum, and numerous works of outdoor permanent art to be seen.
This is just one of the many reasons why Portland is such an awesome city. The Waterfront Park is just the coolest! It was so clean and well maintained, even during the winter, that was impressive. We walked along the water just admiring the city and enjoying people watching!
We saw some good stuff! A female biker in her 20s with a black mustache drawn on her face. A hippie type dude that was on this odd three wheeled bicycle that had a giant oversized front wheel that was shouting "WOO HOO WEE HEE" as he flew by us. Good stuff!
The pathway is great, it goes on for several miles and it wide enough for multiple walkers, runners, and bikers. I am sure we will be spending lots of time there when we are finally living in Portland!
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This park is truly a wonderful place to let go of your worries. You can take a walk along the river, play in the fountain, or go to a free city concert!
I haven't encountered any creepy people after dark, and it seems well patrolled.
There are lovely trees blooming in the spring, and lush grasses to lay on to listen to concerts in the summer.
Definitely a place to go to unwind and enjoy. Oh, there is parking down the street, but it's rather spendy. Take public transport!
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Portland is an amazing city of rivers and bridges showcased by this park along the Willamette. So glad the land was preserved since it is such a great location for so many festivals, events and concerts throughout the year.
One of my favorite activities in the city is to park by the Burnside Bridge and enjoy the Saturday Market when its open. After the market, I cross the street and head north then go over the Steel Bridge. You can usually see the MAX and freight/passenger trains passing by.
Then you head south along the Eastbank Esplanade. My kids love to take the stairs up towards the Rose Garden and zoom down the ramps on their bikes or scooters. You continue on down the esplanade and can read about Portland's history, watch people fish off the pier or just kick back on the benches. Great views back towards Big Pink and the Portland skyline.
Close to the Hawthorne Bridge is another dock that is part of the Portland Fire Department. We've seen some of the Coast Guard and rescue boats here and sometimes they offer demonstrations.
Back across the Hawthorne Bridge (if you don't want to follow the Esplanade to OMSI) and you end up at the Salmon Street Springs which is turned on in the summer months and the Portland Spirit dock.
Just a short walk past the Maritime Museum to finish the loop. If I worked or lived downtown, I would run this loop all the time.
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I love the waterfront!!!!!! Lots of memories when i used to take walks with my now husband when we were first dating. It really is fantastic. Gorgeous and very movie like. The first date, walking, getting to know each other, kissing.... Awwww.
Anyway, I recommend visiting, very good for just a stroll or taking a jog or bike ride. Is a cool backdrop for many of the festivities Portland holds. Within walking distance from many hotels, restaurants and shops.
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This park is right in downtown portland, on the Waterfront (didn't you catch the name?). This park is where a lot of events occur, especially throughout the summer.
Events like the Waterfront Blues Festival, Oregon Brewers Festival, Jazz on the waterfront and the Bite of Oregon happen here, and although parking can be a little tricky, it's a great place to spend outdoors in the fine Portland summer.
I used to work on the Willamette river, launching from the Waterfront park, and they were fun summers to work.
The park is also close to a lot of the downtown restaurants and other amenities as well.
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Long ago there used to be a freeway running through downtown Portland and along the river. At some point they made the wise choice to rip it up and plant grass where it used to be and ever since Waterfront Park has been an indispensable Portland park.
Full of cyclists, joggers, picnickers and summer festivals, Waterfront Park is essential to downtown Portland.
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Pretty awesome. I forget how lucky we are to live here with awesome park and waterfront space.
Waterfront is great in particular because of the central location, easy access and safe running routes, big open grasses for festivals, concerts, and events.
Public transportation is your friend though, since parking is not an option.
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Aren't we happy that Governor Tom McCall actually took some initiative and listened when people said that they didn't want a highway on the water? My favorite part of my morning commute is looking at this great park as I cross the river.
Plus, what is more beautiful than the cherry trees?
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Great place to take a stroll any time of day. Lots of good people-watching, too. More urban planning gone right.
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Portlands beautiful waterfront.. Its great to walk around on nice days, or on rainy nights with a bag full of PBR and a belly full of perscription pills. The eastside esplanade is really the way to go for the latter, but since it makes a loop, its still fun.. Anyway, one time I came down for the portland blues fest and this drunk middle-aged couple who were standing behind us started dancing all provacative with each other.. we were sort of grossed out but thought it was funny, then the dude (who was markedly more drunk) started making out with his wife or whatever but due to the slant of the hill and his level of drunkedness (and who knows what else) he mangaged to fall over and grab her on the way down sending them both rolling down the hill hahaha awesome
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I enjoyed my visit to this park. We just strolled along the river and watched children played in the fountain. When we looked back towards the buildings, the it was a pleasant scene to watch. Very romantic. I wish we would have visited when there was a concert playing.
So glad there's this long park by the water rather than a highway! It's geat to walk down it and see the river and take pictures of the bridges. Totally reccomended!
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this place is awesome.....can you believe a FREEWAY was supposed to go here, but the fine citizens of portland said...no way, rtibs fof cool festivals here in the summer. if you want to see what this place could have looked like fly, drive, take a train or bus it to seattle, usa they have a beatutiul saltwater waterfront downtown with a double-decher freeway right where there should be a prak...LAME
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i went here for the blues festival the previous year and i was really surprised how many people this place could hold and not feel all that crowded. getting down by the waterfront made me wish i still had access to a boat. they certainly appear to have a ton of events here and no one ever really seems to get out of control which is kind of nice. if you are visiting and have the extra cash, staying at a hotel along the park is a sure bet. i usually dont like standing around in the sun, so if anything i would say they need more trees.
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