Portland, Oregon: City Highlights Tour with Aerial Tram Ride

Begin your tour in historic downtown Portland and make your way to the Park Blocks. This area boasts museums and a collection of performing arts centers among other intricacies. Continue toward Washington Park, where you'll pass by Providence Park, home to the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns soccer teams.

Stop at the International Rose Test Garden, the oldest official continually running public rose test garden in the United States. It features over 610 unique rose varieties across 10,000 bushes. During the winter season, when the rose garden is not at its peak, substitute this stop with the Hoyt Arboretum, where you will learn about the trees and plants of the Pacific Northwest.

Move along to the historic Pittock Mansion, which was saved from demolition in 1964. The impressive mansion now lives on as a historic house and museum with expansive gardens and manicured lawn. Explore the exterior of the Pittock Mansion to enjoy the scenic gardens and iconic city view.

From here, explore more of Portland's most famous neighborhoods, including Nob Hill and NW 23rd Avenue, the Pearl district (where you will pass by another Portland landmark: Powell's Books, the world's largest new and used book store), and Pioneer Courthouse Square, also known as Portland's Living Room.

End your tour at the South Waterfront to take a ride on the famed Portland Aerial Tram. The tram is one of only two commuter aerial tramways in the United States (the other being New York City's Roosevelt Island Tramway). The tram will sweep you from the South Waterfront district to the top of Marquam Hill. Travel a horizontal distance of 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) and a vertical distance of 500 feet (150 meters) on a ride that lasts three minutes one-way. At the top, find amazing views of downtown Portland and the surrounding volcanic Cascade Mountains, including Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Adams.