Originally opened in 1915 as an elementary school, now Inside you will find everything from the old school auditorium turned into a movie theater with couches and tables to eat your home made pizza, to the detention hall turned into a whiskey and cigar room. The cafeteria now houses a fine eating establishment with a great menu and several home made beers on tap and a gift shop to pick up some great memories. A huge 20 person hot tub soaking pool and and an extra large conference room now hosts great live local and out of state performers of all types. The classrooms are turned into guest rooms with original chalkboards and cloakrooms, private baths, telephones and modems. Amazing artwork lines the walls, much of it dates back from the early years of The Kennedy Schools existence.

I love the scene and the good energy the school has. This is truly a must see experience to enjoy if you have yet to visit. The Kennedy is located at: 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave. Portland, OR 97211

The Oregon Historical Society was formed in 1898, shortly afterward it opened its first museum in Portland City Hall and began collecting literature and historical artifacts. The museum moved to the Keller Auditorium in 1917 before settling in its current location in 1966. The museum features several permanent exhibits in addition to traveling exhibits and those available online. Popular exhibits include Oregon My Oregon which occupies an entire floor of the building. It features more than 50 separate displays tell the story of Oregon through artifacts, interactive displays and several re-created environments. Additional exhibits include rare Western native basketry, the iconic landmark photographs of Carleton Watkins, and the first automobile built in Oregon by the Benson brothers. The society also houses one of the country’s most extensive collections of state history materials. Featuring over 30,000 books and 8.5 million feet of historic film the library covers everything from pre-statehood to present day.

The Oregon Historical Society Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and from 12pm to 5pm Sundays. Tickets are $11 for adults, $9 for students and seniors, $5 for those under 18 and free for children under 5 and Oregon Historical Society Members. Tours are included with the price of admission and last around an hour. The Oregon Historical Society Museum is located at 1200 SW Park Avenue in the heart of Downtown Portland. Check out their website at www.ohs.org for more information. Looking for something else that is uniquely Portland? Check out Powell’s Books at 1005 W. Burnside or Washington Park just minutes from downtown.

Dante’s opened in 2000 in an early 20^th century building with an illustrious past as a brothel, speak-easy, and a 80’s punk club. Over the past ten years the bar has expanded from 3,000 to 7,500 square feet and features award winning pizza as well as a full bar. It is home to wide variety of music styles from rock and roll to cabaret.

Dante’s features three full bars, and a full restaurant that serves award winning pizza and pasta. The bar is open daily from 11am to 2:30 with pizza by the slice served until 3. It is a free Wi-Fi hot and a VIP balcony is available for rent. Dante’s is located near Old Town at 1SW 3rd and Burnside. For more information check out Dante’s website www.myspace.com/dantesportland. Looking for more Portland music venues? Check out Lizard Lounge at 1323 NW Irving St or East End at 203 SE Grand Ave.

The idea for the Market came from Sheri Teasdale and Andrea Scharf, two artists who wanted to create a space where artists could display their work and customers could find high quality locally produced items. The Market moved to its current location in 1976 and started opening on Sundays the following year. It generates approximately $8 million yearly in gross sales and attracts around 750,000 visitors. Patrons are presented with a wide selection of items including one-of-a-kind clothing, and art of every type imaginable. A large selection of food is also available including pizza, Thai cuisine, vegetarian fair from Nepal and homemade ice cream. Rouge Ales is also always on hand to provide a fine selection beer to those 21 and over.

PSM runs from March 1 through December 24, Saturdays from 10 am to 5pm and Sundays from 11am to 4:30pm. There is no cost to enter but parking can be an issue, however all forms of public transportation run directly past the market. It is also important to note that many of the vendors only accept cash and while there are ATM’s on site, the wait can be excessive so it is best to plan ahead. The Portland Saturday Market is located at 108 W Burnside St, in Old Town. For more information check out portlandsaturdaymarket.com. Looking for more Portland landmarks? Powell’s Books at 1005 W. Burnside or Washington Park just minutes from downtown.

The course was designed by Frank Stenzel in 1928, while he was designing the West Course he decided to redo the East as well. Thus the Gledover in its current form was born. The West Course features open fairways with no water hazards and hilly yet easy to walk terrain, in contrast The East Course is known for its length and tight, tree-lined fairways; the greens on both are small and fast.. The course is a popular one with Portland golfers and aproximately 48,000 rounds are played per year.

Before its current incarnation as a live music venue, the Aladdin already had a long history. It began as a vaudeville house known as Geller’s Theatre, in the 1920’s. When talkies became all the rage it became a family movie house. During the 70’s it began to play pornographic movies which continued until the theater was purchased by Steve Reischman and Sally Custer in the early 90’s.

The Aladdin Theater has a capacity of 620 people. It serves beer, wine, and various other beverages as well as a variety of snack foods. Those looking for a full meal might want to check out Blue Dragonfly or Edelweiss Sausage Co & Delicatessen. The theater is located at 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave. in the Abernethy and Brooklyn neighborhood. Check out their website at aladdin-theater.com for more information.

Movie-goers can choose from a wide selection of beer and wine as well as pizza and traditional movie theater fair. The individual theaters feature tables and plenty of legroom to minimize spills and maximize the movie going experience. For those 12 and under admission is only 1 dollar though those under 21 aren’t permitted after 3 PM. Movies play all day and general admission is only 3 dollars. For those looking for a cheap night out, a ticket plus a slice and a beer at the Laurelhurst will still cost less than a ticket at most other theaters. The Laurelhurst Theater is located at 2735 E Burnside Portland in east Portland near the Laurelhurst neighborhood and Park. For show times and more information check out their website at laurelhursttheater.com.

During National Forestry Week in 1928, the Forestry Committee of the Chamber of Commerce convinced the City Council to establish an arboretum in Washington Park to preserve evergreens for educational and recreational purposes., The Arboretum is now home to just under ten thousand individual trees and shrubs most of which are individually labeled to help those who are particularly interested in the plant. Despite its relatively young age, the Arboretum possesses the largest group of distinct species of any arboretum in the U.S

The Hoyt Arboretum is a great place for an outdoor family activity in Portland. It features over two miles of stroller accessible trails as well as picnic areas and a visitor center. It features over 12 miles of trail and tours given by volunteers; in addition, it hosts Nature Day Camps and Lady Bug Walks as well as school tours. The park is open every day from 5 am to 10 pm, dogs are allowed on a leash but bicycles are prohibited on trails. The Hoyt Arboretum is located at 4000 SW Fairview Blvd just outside of Downtown Portland. and Sylvan Heights. Fore more information check out their website at www.hoytarboretum.org.

The Garden was founded in 1917 to serve as a place where European hybrid roses could weather the storm of World War I. In 1919 the city of Portland issued its first annual Gold Medal Award to the best new rose variety introductions. In the 1940’s it became the official testing site for the All-America Rose Selection , a Chicago-based non-profit association of rose growers dedicated to the introduction and promotion of exceptional roses. The Garden houses several smaller theme gardens dedicated to particular people and achievements. The Royal Rosarian Garden honors the Royal Rosarian civic group, while the Shakespeare Garden, only houses plants that were mentioned in its namesake’s plays.

The Gold Medal Garden is filled with the specimens that have won Portland’s Gold Medal Award for best new rose variety. This garden wasn’t planned so much as it developed through50 years of gold medal roses. As a test garden, this is one of only six places in the United States where miniature rose tests are conducted. The Miniature Rose Garden displays these test subjects as well as additional award winning variates in the middle of the garden near the center aisle.

The International Rose Test Garden offers tours given by OSU Extension Service Master Gardener volunteers on Tuesdays and Saturdays in addition guided tours of 10 or more are available for a small fee per person . The Garden is open daily 7:30 am until 9 pm admittance is free but donations are appreciated. Nearly all of the Garden is wheelchair and stroller accessible and leashed dogs are allowed. The International Rose Test Garden is located at 400 SW Kingston Ave just outside Downtown Portland and Nob Hill. For more information check out their website at www.rosegardenstore.org

In 1803, William Clark, of Lewis and Clark Fame first laid eyes on what would later become Forest Park. Originally inhabited by Native Americans, the 5,000-plus acreage that is now Forest Park was claimed by the United States in the early 1800s. The land was mostly doled out to prospectors but much of it reverted to the city of Portland at the beginning of the 20^th century. In 1948 the original three thousand acres was designated as city parkland and the park has been growing ever since.

The park offers trails that cater to bicyclists, equestrians, hikers and runners as well as nature photographers, birdwatchers and naturalists attracted by the park’s native plants and wildlife. Forest Park is home to over 100 bird species and 62 types of mammals. Its massive tree canopy and substantial undergrowth, help to serve as a natural air purifier, water collector, and erosion controller. Every year the Friends of Forest Park, host a series of guided hikes throughout the park. These hikes allow participants to learn about the culture and history of the park and include mountain bike tours and specialty tours for children. In addition the 30-mile Wildwood Trail is part of the region’s 40-Mile Loop system that links Forest Park to pedestrian and trail routes along the Columbia River to Gresham, through southeast Portland, along the Willamette Greenway, and back to the Marquam Trail in southwest Portland. For more information about the guided tours or Forest Park itself check out http://www.forestparkconservancy.org/