Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
4
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Known to Oregonians as just Waterfront Park, there are many outdoor activities to enjoy here.
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Neighbourhood: Downtown
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4.0
468 reviews
Excellent
193
Very good
166
Average
80
Poor
14
Terrible
15
Sarkis K
Burbank, CA2 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Not recommend. You don't get what they advertise or promise and that is why they don't refund your money because they know in advance that you're not going to be satisfied once you attend and are likely to request a refund like a lot of other people. Basically, it's not family or children friendly environment. So much people for the space that it's hard to even walk around, see anything, there's no place to sit because they're all taken in a very limited space, all dust in the air and people drinking and smoking wherever they want. The food and drinks are disgusting among other things. You can see the fireworks from anywhere outside the event. Paying to get in is only a disadvantage and such a waste of money.
Written 22 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynn K
2 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
My food was just meh… Tbh I’ve had better fish and chips at Long John Silver’s. My daughter had a burger and said it was fine. Maybe this is a local fast food chain and it is what it is, but I was expecting more, especially on the Oregon coast.
Written 19 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DAKOTA6629
Washington DC, DC5 contributions
Aug 2019
A lovely Saturday morning, my partner and I thought we would go visit the city of Portland. We reside out in the 'suburbs' about 20 min. away and are new to this are. We decided to beat the traffic and take the Tri-Met into the City Center. Our first shock was the absolute mess and litter strewn all over the sides of the rail tracks. People living in tents EVERYWHERE, under bridges, in every corner of the side of the I-205. Second shock - getting off tram after the Ross Bridge - stepping over people tenting on the sidewalks!! Trash all over the sidewalks, smell of urine and other things. I needed to pull my sleeve over my face. I feel very sorry for these people who got 'lost along the way', but damit - why cannot the chatty politicians do something about this? They seem to close one eye and let the trash and litter and disease grow in this 'could be nice' city near the Williamette. The prices in this city are higher than some of the bigger cities I have been like London, New York, SF, Paris, but this is the worst case I have seen with the trash and plain filth. You have rents of average studio for $1200 but people living across the road in a cardboard box. This city will eventually turn into an undesirable place if the great and mighty politicians don't assist with something. BTW - I paid $5.00 for a train ticket and had to stand on the TriMet since there were homeless sleeping in the seats! Hey Portland, how about hiring some train people @$12 hr. to clean up for the paying customers????
Written 24 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert I
25 contributions
Apr 2021
Formerly a favorite destination in PDX and a "must see" place for any walking tour of Portland. Since COVID and the nightly riots and demonstrations, the place has badly deteriorated. Homeless encampments, trash and graffiti. Needles and empty booze bottles are commonly seen in the grass and sidewalk. Rude and aggressive panhandling. Cops do not care. Avoid it.
Written 29 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Turtlemom
Beaufort, SC278 contributions
Sept 2017 • Couples
My husband and I strolled from our hotel to the Waterfront Park expecting a beautiful view of the Willamette River, gardens, and a park like setting. While there was a nice view and a place to walk along the riverfront, it didn't feel like a park. No gardens, lots of Canada Geese, and MANY homeless people and pan handlers. I did not feel safe here during broad daylight so would definitely not go there at dusk. While we have encountered homeless people in many cities and understand the difficulty in managing this population safely and respectfully, we were very surprised with the large number of people we saw sleeping everywhere.
Written 20 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
merseyheart
Portland, Oregon128 contributions
Waterfront Park makes it easy to enjoy the Willamette River. You can walk, bike, push a stroller, or navigate a wheelchair along the sidewalks here. There are plenty of benches, a new interactive fountain near Burnside Bridge, an older interactive fountain near the Hawthorne Bridge, and a maritime museum. You can rent bikes at the waterfront as well. Many people like to walk or bike across the bridges to the Eastbank Esplanade. The Portland Spirit, which offers river cruises, often departs from its dock at Waterfront Park.
Written 6 September 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dap0814
San Diego, CA33 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
This is a paved walk along the river. Not a nice walk. Next to the paved walk is dusty brown grass covered in trash. There are a lot of homeless people sleeping or begging for money. I would not feel comfortable being there at night.
Written 17 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buddy B
Portland, OR34 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
Waterfront Park use to be a nice place to visit and spend an afternoon but the Liberal Portland Mayor and City Council has turned Downtown into a refuge for the homeless. If you're traveling with children, be mindful that you might get to see a few folks going to the restroom in the park, doing drugs, or other acts you might find offensive. I'd suggest carrying mace or pepper spray in case you're approached by someone on drugs, mentally ill, or with poor intent.
Written 4 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
M H
Northern Virginia, VA782 contributions
Sept 2017 • Couples
Tom McCall's Park, dotted with homeless and debris in areas when we visited last month, is a cry from what it was when it was developed and named for him in the '80's. Tom McCall initiated and supported some of our country's first beautification and environmental protection laws and guidelines, including the west side of the Willamette River. It was a beautiful place to walk and enjoy nature in the '80's.
There are still spaces along the park that are beautiful and easy to walk- right in front of and nearby Riverplace Hotel, but further to the north, the area doesn't feel or look clean, and felt unsafe the night we walked to and back from a restaurant to our hotel. Skateboarders skated right into us, not attempting to yield in any way; homeless people were camped under the bridges and scattered beyond, and their litter and debris detracted greatly from what originated as a beautification project.
I was embarrassed that this had happened to my hometown and Tom McCall's legacy.
There are still spaces along the park that are beautiful and easy to walk- right in front of and nearby Riverplace Hotel, but further to the north, the area doesn't feel or look clean, and felt unsafe the night we walked to and back from a restaurant to our hotel. Skateboarders skated right into us, not attempting to yield in any way; homeless people were camped under the bridges and scattered beyond, and their litter and debris detracted greatly from what originated as a beautification project.
I was embarrassed that this had happened to my hometown and Tom McCall's legacy.
Written 9 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abby M
Ithaca, New York, United States1 contribution
Aug 2016 • Couples
The sections of this river walk that are close to Portland's Old Town/China town are completely overrun with homeless as there's 4 homeless shelters close to this park. The homeless in this park also aren't docile: they'll frequently hit you up for money all along your walk, there's a strong smell of urine and human feces near the Skidmore fountain part of the walk, the homeless are actively using hard drugs in the park (and subsequently having sometimes violent/bizarre/frightening episodes in the park right next to you from their drug use), and they're in various stages of dress/undress (such as changing all of their clothing in full view of everyone). If the homeless weren't bad enough, the majority of the cyclists fly through this park at dangerous speeds. I've been hit by 2 bikes while trying to walk along the trail that couldn't stop in time to avoid the number of people on the walkway. The human urine/feces, used syringes, and the homeless lying everywhere have destroyed the grass in the park and you can't sit/lay anywhere safely. This perhaps once beautiful river walk has been completely ruined.
Written 29 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
When do the cherry trees blossom?
Written 12 March 2017
April/May usually, depending on how cold the weather has been
Written 12 March 2017
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