Portland, Oregon, offers a range of activities that get your heart pumping and your body feeling good. Its landscape of inactive volcanoes, valleys, rivers and flower gardens are ideal for any type of recreation you desire. Whether you are a local or a visitor, there are many awesome and healthy things to do while experiencing the city's highlights.
Bicycling
According to Experience Oregon, Bicycling Magazine has declared Portland to be one of the top American cities for bicycling. You can take your own bike, go on an organized tour or rent one from businesses like Kerr Bikes, Pedal Bike Tours and Waterfront Bicycle Rentals. The city offers an array of bike trails suitable for a range of skill levels.
Take a leisurely bike ride on Portland's waterfront along the Willamette River. You can take a short three-mile ride or a longer 15-mile cycle. Pass over the Eastbank Esplanade, a floating bike trail and see the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge and the historic center. For a more challenging ride, bike to Forest Park, an urban park that is more than 5,000 acres. You will be surrounded by old-growth forest with occasional breaks in vegetation to see Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens and the Columbia River.
Laughter Yoga
Portland Laughter and Yoga offers laughter yoga classes around Portland. Classes are 30 minutes long and participants pay a donation. The laughing, breathing and playful activities help reduce stress and blood pressure and are good for heart, respiratory and immune functions. The Portland Laughter and Yoga clubs invites anyone to take part. Go to Sunnyside School Park at 6:00 pm or the Awakenings Wellness Center at 7:10 am on Tuesdays, the Belmont Yoga Center at 4:15 pm on Sundays or at Sprout Health Center at 6:15 pm on Mondays.
Volunteer
Be outdoors, get some exercise and do your part to conserve nature all at the same time. There are several programs that you can volunteer with to help protect Portland green spaces. For example, meet at the Marquam Nature Park shelter (at the intersection of SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. and SW Marquam) on the last Saturday of every month at 9:00 am. For three hours, you can help maintain trails and plant new native trees and plants. For more information of other volunteer groups, check out the Portland Parks and Recreation website.
Garden Walks
Portland is known as the City of Roses and has a number of gardens for you to explore while getting some physical activity.
Walk through a 40,000-square-foot area at the Lan Su Chinese Garden. Experience the relaxing atmosphere of this traditional Ming Dynasty style garden. View pavilions and other traditional architecture and plant species native to China.
The International Rose Test Garden is one of Portland's highlights. It has over 8,000 roses and is an official testing site for the growth of new rose species. Portland also hosts the Oregon Garden and the Portland Japanese Garden.
Kayaking
Go kayaking to experience Portland by water. Rent one or use your own kayak. Enter the Willamette River, paddle past the wildlife refuge, observe waterfowl and explore Willamette's islands, including Ross Island. Companies like Next Adventure, Portland River Company and Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe are based in the city and offer rentals and tours.
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