ATA 65th Annual Conference in Portland, OR on October 30 - November 2, 2024

EXPERIENCE PORTLAND DURING ATA65!

The Oregon Society of Translators and Interpreters (OSTI) and all of ATA’s Pacific Northwest residents are excited to welcome you to ATA65 in the beautiful city of Portland. We have created this guide to help you make the most of your time in Portland, including a list of sites to enhance your experience.

If you want to focus your visit on the area near the Oregon Convention Center, where ATA65 will take place, these two pages have excellent information for you:

But if you really want to experience everything Portland has to offer, here are some more suggestions curated by dedicated ATA members who live in and LOVE the Rose City.

Please note that all suggestions and links are provided to ensure the most accurate and up-to-date information gets to you. Still, it is possible that any or all these suggestions may be outdated or inaccurate at the time of our conference. All suggestions are accurate at the time of writing. Please check before you go.

Work hard, play harder: the best of Portland

  • Hopscotch Portland is even bigger than the original location in San Antonio, TX. This family-friendly gallery, featuring interactive installations created by a diverse group of artists from around the world, is extremely popular. You will need to buy your tickets online ahead of your visit. Interested? Get them today!
  • Oaks Amusement Park is one of the oldest continually operating amusement parks in the country. The historic Carousel and Oaks Park Train are free to ride. The Oaks Park Roller Skating Rink is not only the oldest roller rink in the country but also has the largest skating floor west of the Mississippi! During the month of October and through November 2nd, this amusement park holds ScareGrounds PDX, the Northwest’s largest haunted house and Halloween event. Reserve your tickets early because the event will have a limited capacity and could sell out on specific nights. Discount deals will be available for October 30th.
  • The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) offers hands-on interactive experiences for the whole family. In addition to the exhibits, visitors can take a 45-minute tour of the U.S. Navy’s last active-duty diesel-electric or enjoy a show at the Kendall Planetarium and movies at the Empirical Theater. Typically held on the last Wednesday of the month, OMSI After Dark is a 21+ event that gathers local vendors, artisans, and science content for you to enjoy. Get ready to taste-test a local brew, catch a show, or try a science demo—all while exploring the museum’s permanent exhibit halls. If you are staying in Portland after ATA65, explore the museum’s permanent exhibit halls and labs for just $5 per person on the first Sunday of each month. Tickets for Empirical Theater and Kendall Planetarium shows, tours of the USS Blueback Submarine as well as select special exhibitions can also be purchased for $5 per person on OMSI $5 Days.
  • If you actually want to play games, arcades in Portland offer special hours for the 21+ crowd in the evening. QuarterWorld is a retro-arcade museum and pinball paradise with two full bars and a full food menu! Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade and Bar is known for preserving games from the golden age of video arcade games. If you prefer pinball machines, take the MAX to Hillsboro and go to Next Level Pinball Museum. One of the largest arcades in the world, Next Level Pinball Museum features over 450 pinball machines and arcade games. Decorated floor to ceiling with collectable toys, signed movie items and vintage lunch boxes, it’s nearly 20,000 square feet of pop culture in the Museum. Those who enjoy board games will enjoy Mox Boarding House, a board game store, restaurant and bar, offering fine food and drink alongside your favorite games.

Eat your way through Portland

Portland is consistently ranked as one of the top food cities in the country. Accessibility to farm-fresh produce and locally sourced ingredients foster a delicious culinary scene that is as diverse as Portland’s residents and visitors! While in Portland, you must visit one of the many food cart pods, where the cities best food carts get together to give you a wider array of amazing options. If historical charm is more your style, go to the oldest restaurant in the city and order a Spanish Coffee, which it is made table-side. Have your camera ready! If you are curious about foraged and wild foods, Morchella is the place for you. This small restaurant is only about two miles away from the Oregon Convention Center, but you will need to make a reservation well in advance. If you like eating with a view, there are several options, including Met Tavern located on the 6th floor rooftop of the Hotel Eastlund just across from the Oregon Convention Center. If you are not on a tight budget, treat yourself to a meal at any of the restaurants inside The Ritz-Carlton. Bellpine is located on the 20th floor and the much more casual Meadowrue can be found in the hotel lobby. Would you eat on a boat? Portland Spirit offers dining and sightseeing cruises on the Willamette River. If you have any dietary restrictions, you will easily find what you need. Vegan? Portland has repeatedly been named one of the best cities for vegans (not only in the country, but in the world). Gluten-free? In addition to gluten-free restaurants, you will find bakeries and gluten-free beer options. James Beard was born in Portland and there is no shortage of James Beard Award-winning chefs in this city. If you want to eat at one of the best restaurants in the country, make your reservation for Kann today! This restaurant, owned by chef Gregory Gourdet, offers Haitian cuisine and their entire menu is gluten- and dairy-free.

Music to your ears

Portland has a diverse and thriving live music scene and you will find live music venues all around the city. A five-minute walk from the ATA conference hotel will take you to Portland’s largest music venue, the Moda Center. SOFI TUKKER, Maggie Rogers, and Porter Robinson are scheduled to perform at the Moda the days ATA65 will be held in Portland. Are you looking for jazz, garage rock, punk, blues? Portland has it. Free live music and comedy shows? Portland has that, too! Restaurants and bars with live music? Yep! If you prefer musicals, the Broadway musical “Wicked” will be at the Keller Auditorium through November 3rd, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” will be at Portland Center Stage through November 3rd, and “Amélie” will be at the Portland Playhouse through November 10th. If you want to sing the night away, just head to one of the karaoke bars in the city, or dance the night away at a dance club.

City of readers and writers

Portland boasts a number of independent bookstores, including the largest independent bookstore in the world selling new and used books: Powell’s City of Books, which occupies an entire city block. You could easily spend an entire day there. Snag a free pass in the Pearl Room Information Counter to get into the Rare Books room, get a treat at the Princess Bride-themed café inside the bookstore, or check their calendar of events in case your favorite author is in town at the end of October. Powell’s is also a great place to buy gifts or souvenirs to take back home with you.

If you are a writer, check the calendar of events offered by Literary Arts. You will find events, classes, and seminars held at different venues across Portland.

Many popular writers have called or still call Portland home. For fans of Beverly Cleary’s beloved characters, head to the Hollywood Library in Northeast Portland. It’s the starting point for the Walking with Ramona tour. The free, self-guided walk meanders past sites important to Cleary and inspiration for her books, including her homes, library, and a statue garden in Grant Park featuring Ramona Quimby, Henry Huggins and Henry’s dog, Ribsy.

Do some tax-free shopping!

Did you know that Oregon is one of the five states in the country with no sales tax? Now you do! Portland is a shoppers delight, and you will absolutely find something you were looking for (and probably something you never knew you needed but now can’t live without!).

  • The Portland Saturday Market is considered the largest continually operating arts-and-crafts fair in the United States, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Despite its name, it’s open Saturday and Sunday. With a variety of goods handcrafted by more than 250 vendors, the Saturday Market is a great place to score gifts and souvenirs. This large outdoor market features local makers, artisans, chefs, and live music with weekly sets of local musicians performing for marketgoers. From the market you can take pictures of the White Stag sign, which was the inspiration for the ATA65 logo, and it’s just a short walk or tram ride across the bridge from our conference hotel.
  • Downtown Portland is home to the Pioneer Place shopping center, where you can score tax-free savings on major brands. A few blocks away, you’ll find the only MUJI store on the West Coast.
  • If you are a thrifter, you will find a nice selection of antiquing and vintage stores in Portland, too.

Museums and beyond…

Portland is a city of creatives, artists, and artisans, and art can be found all around the city, but if you like murals, The Alberta Arts District is the place for you. Check out these other amazing art (and other) museums. In addition to art museums, Portland has a long list of art galleries and alternative art spaces.

  • The Oregon Maritime Museum is housed in “Portland,” the historic sternwheeler moored on the Willamette River. This working museum offers insight into the river-based history of Oregon and even a ride on the Willamette.
  • The Portland Chinatown Museum is Oregon’s first museum to celebrate Chinese American history, art and culture. This museum tells the stories of Portland’s historic Old Town Chinatown.
  • The Japanese American Museum of Oregon serves as a focal point for the preservation and sharing of the history and culture of the Japanese American community in Portland’s Old Town neighborhood.
  • The Hellenic-American Cultural Center & Museum celebrates Greek culture and how it has shaped this region. This museum features exhibitions highlighting Greek art and culture, from vases to poets and philosophers. Admission is free.
  • The Oregon Rail Heritage Center is also free. The volunteer-run museum’s modern exhibit space showcases three vintage steam locomotives. Donated to the City of Portland by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1958, the museum offers 45-minute train rides from April through October.
  • The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum houses displays of Bigfoot and other paranormal denizens of the Northwest and beyond. Nearly everything is for sale, from the sculptures and artwork to scoops of ice cream in the snack shop.
  • The Portland Puppet Museum is your place to learn about all things puppet and let your inner child out! It’s fun for all ages, with special puppet exhibits and shows. The exhibit hall is free to the public.

Take a hike within Portland’s city limits

  • Forest Park boasts more than 80 miles of paths and is one of the largest urban forests in the United States. Take the Wildwood Trail all the way up to Pittock Mansion to enjoy views of the city and, on clear days, Mount Hood, or take it down to the Witch’s House.
  • Mount Tabor Park offers paved and natural-surface trails that wind through evergreen forest and to the top of a 636-foot extinct cinder cone volcano, where you’ll enjoy great views of the city skyline. Pack a picnic, challenge yourself with some reps up the stairs near Southeast 69th Avenue or circle the picturesque reservoirs on the park’s west side.
  • The 4T Trail is a self-guided tour that lets you explore the city—and see some of the best views—without a car. Instead, you’ll rely on the 4 T’s: trail, tram, trolley, and train. The tour takes about four hours and a bit of leg power. The route is well marked with signs and involves about 2.5 miles of walking.
  • Located between the Willamette River and Sellwood-Moreland, Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is a haven for birds and walkers. The park’s Bluff Trail connects to the Springwater Corridor on the Willamette for a 2.3-mile loop that offers views of marshland favored by scores of great blue herons, as well as the vintage rides of Oaks Amusement Park.

Pamper yourself

Big conferences, such as the ATA Annual conference are exciting, but also overwhelming for some. If you need a break from networking or presenting, Portland offers different ways to decompress. Let’s start with a list of Portland’s most peaceful places.

  • Perched atop Rocky Butte, The Grotto comprises more than 62 acres of lush, treed gardens. Constructed in 1924 as an outdoor Roman Catholic sanctuary dedicated to Mary, Our Sorrowful Mother, the nonprofit center now hosts 300,000 visitors of all faiths each year. The Grotto’s unique aesthetic, which features tranquil paths dotted with intricately carved Catholic shrines, combines a traditional forested park with profound meditative bliss. Visit the upper level to access the meditation chapel and walk the labyrinth.
  • The Lan Su Chinese Garden is an authentic Ming Dynasty-style garden built by Suzhou artisans that brings together art, architecture, design, and nature in a 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition. The garden takes up an entire block of the city’s historic Chinatown district. Its covered walkways, bridges, open colonnades, koi-filled ponds, pavilions and richly planted landscape framing the man-made Zither Lake have created an urban oasis of tranquility and harmony. It’s an inspiring, serene setting for meditation, quiet thought, and tea, served in the authentic teahouse at Tower of Cosmic Reflections.
  • The Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden was founded in 1950 as a rhododendron test garden. Today, the park boasts more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, and other plants spread across 9.5 acres. Small placards identify the flora for visitors, and self-guided tour booklets are available on-site. One of Portland’s best waterfowl-watching spots, the garden is home to nearly 100 types of birds and other wildlife. Settle in on a bench by Crystal Lake and enjoy the sight of dozens of ducks and geese. Listen for the trills and squawks of scrub jays, red-winged blackbirds, songs sparrows, green-backed herons and many other bird species.
  • The Portland Japanese Garden provides tranquility and inspiring views at one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Asia. The end of October brings beautiful autumn colors to the garden, and you will not want to miss it while in town. Founded in 1963 as a symbol of healing between World War II adversaries, the grounds feature five separate garden styles, working in harmony to create a sense of peace. The lush Tea Garden is focused on a stone walking path designed to help visitors shed their concerns about the outside world. The Strolling Pond Garden reflects the rich landscape, with a bridge zigzagging through beds of Japanese iris by the waterfall, Heavenly Falls. Designed before Zen Buddhism became popular in the U.S., the Sand and Stone Garden uses the elements as focal points for quiet contemplation.
  • Go forest bathing in the Hoyt Arboretum. The 189-acre arboretum features 12 miles of trails and more than 2,300 species of plants from six continents. It is home to three species of redwoods—totaling 70 trees in all. Most can be viewed from the park’s scenic Redwood Deck, which sits surrounded by the giant trees. In fall, colorful foliage covers large swaths of the park in bold hues of orange, yellow, and red. The Maple Trail is ground zero for leaf peepers and offers a close-up look at nearly 130 species of maple tree that grow at Hoyt Arboretum.
  • If you don’t enjoy the great outdoors, get your pampering on at Portland’s fanciest spa, Knot Springs, located just one stop away riding the Portland Streetcar or the bus from the OCC. There’s a ritual to the Knot Springs spa process, which also includes enjoying the views of the Willamette River and downtown Portland skyline. A couple of more affordable options for pampering are the Everett House and Common Ground.

Explore Portland’s history

Incorporated in 1851, Portland may seem like a young city compared to many other parts of the country, but you can still find plenty of history. Here are some features and places for history lovers.

  • The Shanghai Tunnels were originally built to connect hotels and shops to the waterfront, so workers could bypass street traffic while stocking supplies. But legend has it they were also used to kidnap people through trapdoors still found in Chinatown buildings. The unsuspecting victims were then allegedly shipped out and enslaved as laborers on the high seas. Learn more about Portland’s dark history and decide for yourself whether or not the legends are true on a Haunted Shanghai Tunnel Tour.
  • With its first burial occurring in 1846, Lone Fir is the oldest cemetery in Portland and the final resting place of many of the city’s earliest settlers. Reconnect with the past through a quiet stroll or a guided tour. Lone Fir Cemetery is more than just a cemetery. It’s also one of Oregon’s most treasured historic places and Portland’s second-largest arboretum.
  • Pittock Mansion is characterized by its impressive architecture and 23 art- and antique-filled rooms, where you can learn about the fascinating success story of early Portland moguls Henry and Georgiana Pittock, instrumental in the city’s development. The mansion offers picture-perfect views of the city and its surroundings (Mount Hood is visible on clear days).
  • Discover Oregon’s fascinating history at the Oregon Historical Society, located across the street from the Portland Art Museum. The museum features many permanent and rotating exhibits covering local history both before and after Oregon became a state in 1859. Among the museum’s robust collection of historic artifacts is the “Portland Penny”—the very coin tossed in the air by city founders Asa Lovejoy (from Boston, Mass.) and Francis Pettygrove (of Portland, Maine) to determine which of their hometowns would be the new city’s namesake (“Portland” beat “Boston” on two out of the three tosses). Visit the museum store to pick up a unique souvenir.
  • The Japanese American Historical Plaza in downtown Portland’s Waterfront Park features 13 stone markers, which commemorate the history of the people who were deported to inland internment camps during World War II. The stones are engraved with short poems.
  • The Oregon Holocaust Memorial is set gracefully into a meadow in Portland’s beautiful Washington Park. This free outdoor memorial features Holocaust history, quotes from survivors and the names of Holocaust victims and their surviving descendants in Oregon and Southwest Washington. A vault in the monument contains soil and ash recovered from six extermination camps of the Holocaust, brought back to Oregon by Portland residents.
  • The Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Memorial wraps a wheelchair-accessible spiral path inside a meticulously landscaped bowl of greenery. Along the path, visitors are reminded of the Oregonians who sacrificed their lives and safety in the war and at the trail’s end, a curved, black granite wall outlines three years of the conflict, contrasted by local events that happened simultaneously.

Thank you to the Oregon Society of Translators and Interpreters (OSTI) for providing this information.

Make sure to visit the OSTI hospitality table at ATA65!