Portland Attractions

Portland Attractions

24 Hour Church of Elvis

The 24 Hour Church of Elvis was a museum and gift shop in Portland, Oregon, USA devoted primarily towards 1970s popular culture memorabilia opened in 1997 by Stephanie G. Pierce. The museum offered legal weddings for $25 and "cheap, not legal" weddings for $5. The fake weddings could be same sex and consisted of riding around the block in a wheeled "altar" known as the Loveseat Chariot, which was adorned with pieces of Barbie dolls and stickers featuring 1970s celebrities.

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Burgerville, USA

Burgerville, USA is a chain of fast-food restaurants found only in Oregon and Southwest Washington. As the chain's name suggests, Burgerville's menu consists mostly of hamburgers; in addition, the menu includes milkshakes, chicken and turkey sandwiches, and fish and chips made from halibut. Most are located in the Portland metro area. Reflecting its limited presence, the chain has used the slogan "Inconveniently located for most of America". The chain is best known for using local ingredients almost exclusively, such as Tillamook Cheese and locally grown strawberries. While their products are considered to be of higher quality than most fast-food outlets, this is also reflected in higher prices.

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Oaks Amusement Park

Oaks Park, an amusement park, is located 15 minutes by car south of downtown Portland, Oregon, near the Sellwood Bridge. Its midway rides and 44 acres (178,000 m²) of grounds are modest; except during special events (such as the Fourth of July and Oktoberfest) the park can be quite empty.
The park was built by the Oregon Water Power and Navigation Company and opened on May 30, 1905, during a period when trolley parks were often constructed along streetcar lines. By 1985, the park was donated to a not-for-profit corporation which operates it as of 2004.
Notable rides include the cyclone, a giant slide, a looping roller coaster and bumper cars. There is also a slow-moving miniature train ride for kids. The roller skating rink is opened year-round and is considered by many to be the best part of the park; roller skates and roller blades can be rented at the rink.

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Pioneer Courthouse Square

Pioneer Courthouse Square, advertised as Portland's Living Room, is a public space occupying a full 40,000 ft² (3700 m²) city block in the center of downtown Portland, Oregon.
On either side of the square are sheltered MAX lightrail stops. On one side you will find towering classical columns, while on the other they are toppled over like those of an ancient ruin. On one end is a Starbucks and a cascading waterfall fountain. Between them is an alcove in which many of the younger crowd gather to drink coffee and chat. The center of the square is arranged like an amphitheater, with steps serving as seats when the square is used for musical performances or other events. When not used for events, it is a place where citizens congregate, to talk, juggle or play hacky sack. On many days, you'll find one or two buskers lining the edges of the square.

Portlandia

Portlandia is a sculpture by Raymond Kaskey located above the entrance of the Portland Building in downtown Portland, Oregon. It is notable for being the second largest copper repoussé statue in the United States after the Statue of Liberty. Installed in September 1985 after being floated down the Willamette River on a barge, the statue is based on the design of the city seal. It depicts a woman in classical clothes with a trident reaching down with right hand to greet visitors to the building. The statue itself is 36 feet (11 meters) high. If standing, the woman would be approximately 50 feet (15 m) high. An accompanying plaque contains a poem by Portland resident Ronald Talney.

Portland Saturday Market

The Portland Saturday Market is the largest outdoor arts and crafts market in continuous operation in the United States. It is held every Saturday and Sunday from March to December under the Burnside Bridge in Portland, Oregon. The market has over 400 members who generate about $8 million in gross sales annually and attract over 750,000 visitors to the historic Old Town district of Portland each year. While the market is accessible by foot and bike, Tri-Met's blue, red, and yellow MAX lines stop right in the middle bringing in people from all over the metro area.

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Powell's City of Books

Powell's City of Books is a bookstore in Portland, Oregon, and the largest independent bookstore in the United States. It is located on the edge of downtown and the Pearl District, occupying a full city block between NW 10th and 11th Avenues and Burnside and Couch Streets. The "City of Books" is headquarters for a local chain of bookstores which also maintains a growing business in online sales.
Powell's main store is open 365 days a year, and contains over 68,000 ft² of floor space. The inventory for its retail and online sales is over 1 ½ million books, with plans to grow to two million in 2004.

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