Portland's best known art district.
I had heard of the Pearl District before and even knew some of its history but it wasn't until about seven years ago, when I had the opportunity to sign up for one of the guided tours that I actually experienced all it offers. I was blown away - from the shops to the layout to the thoughtful "green" designs - it was very impressive and a thoroughly fun experience.
We love it. Its a friendly, fun area. We love to grab a coffee or frozen yogurt and head to the little park to hang out.
Great for people watching, window shopping and strolling around.
Portland has so many great places to explore. We find the Pearl district easily accessible and family friendly.
Take the MAX or the city bus to W Burnside and SW 6th and hop off to start walking through this wonderfully restored art and boutique neighborhood of Portland!
There are many shops and art galleries to browse in, but to keep kids interested, we make sure to stop at Green Frog Toys (1031 NW 11th) and REI (1405 NW Johnson) where there are tents to play in and gear to oogle.
If you do want to break out the wallet, we like to get sandwiches or salads at Whole Foods (1210 NW Couch) and then top it off with ice cream at Ben and Jerry's (301 NW 10th).
A great website to check before leaving is http://www.explorethepearl.com/.