It’s time to turn over a new leaf 🍂

Where to see fall foliage in Portland

PDX Portland fall foliage Hoyt Arboretum

Hoyt Arboretum was founded in 1928 to conserve endangered tree species and educate the community. | Photo by @aliciapaulson

The crunch of papery leaves underfoot. The crisp scent of summer’s sugary decay. Fall is here, and with it, nature’s yearly finale of color. Portland offers a cornucopia of places to stroll through fall foliage; here’s a handful of our favorite spots.

Forest Park, 40+ access points in Multnomah County

The name of this sprawling, 5,200-acre natural sanctuary says it all. Forest Park is where you go when you want to see a lot of trees, and one species in particular far outnumbers the rest: the bigleaf maple. Big leaves = big autumn color. Pro tip: Take the 3.5-mile Maple Trail loop hike for maximum fall foliage.

Cathedral Park, North Edison Street + Pittsburg Avenue

Nature’s grandeur meets humankind’s feats of engineering at one of Portland’s most stunning public spaces. Home to legendary history, 400-ft towers, and dozens of tree species like crape myrtles and golden larches, Cathedral Park is a photographer’s paradise any time of year — but autumn is particularly dazzling.

Lone Fir Cemetery, 649 SE 26th Ave.

Peace and hushed beauty await the living — and the deceased — at this historic cemetery. Home to 700+ trees representing 67 species, Lone Fir is also the second-largest arboretum in Portland. The cemetery’s namesake tree still stands, though no longer in solitude, and its deciduous neighbors put on a spectacular fall show.

PDX Portland Japanese Garden fall foliage — Fall colors are echoed in the colorful koi at the Portland Japanese Garden.

Portland Japanese Garden, 611 SW Kingston Ave.

Tucked into the West Hills, this space is one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Asia. After paying the admission fee, take your time navigating the Portland Japanese Garden’s manicured paths surrounded by graceful Japanese maples — and other Asian shrubs and trees — that come into their full, fiery splendor in autumn.

Hoyt Arboretum, 4000 SW Fairview Blvd.

Portland’s beloved “living museum of trees” is a year-round respite from the hustle and bustle of city life — and an autumnal utopia come October and November. Home to 2,300 tree species from six continents, Hoyt Arboretum in Washington Park is one of the best places to feast your eyes on deciduous specimens like birches, maples, oaks, and witch hazels in all their fall glory.

Pro tip: Check with the managing agency of each site for specific photography rules.

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Friday, October 7

Hood River Valley Harvest Festival | Fri., Oct. 7- Sun., Oct. 9 | Hood River Event Site, Portway Ave., Hood River | $0.00 - $10.00 | Celebrate the fall harvest at this family-friendly event, complete with food and beverage tastings, offerings from local vendors and activities for folks of all ages.*
Radical Mycology Convergence | Fri., Oct. 7 - Sun., Oct. 9 | 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. | Brown Bottle Farm, 14711 S. Buckner Creek Rd, Mulino | $125.00 - $350.00 | Have some family-friendly fun-gi while learning about mushrooms, medicine + modern mushroom culture.
Dine the Couve | Now-Mon., Oct. 31 | Times vary | Participating restaurants in Clark County, WA | It’s officially dining month in Vancouver, Washington — enjoy 3 for $25 and 3 for $35 specialty menus at participating restaurants.*

Saturday, October 8

Fall Whiskey Festival| Sat., Oct. 8 | Ewing Young Distillery, 18715 NE Hwy. 240, Newberg | $10.00 | Sip on spirits and cocktails, listen to Irish music, play some yard games, and paint a pumpkin at this family-friendly outdoor event.
Oregon Potters Association Fall Fair | Sat., Oct. 8 - Sun., Oct. 9 | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | Cornell Farm Nursery & Cafe, 8212 SW Barnes Rd., Portland | Free | Celebrate the beginning of fall with this two-day market-style event featuring 20+ ceramic artists.
Portland Children’s Congenital Heart Walk | Sat., Oct. 8 | 7 a.m. | Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Rd., Portland | Support The Children’s Heart Foundation’s work to advance the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of congenital heart defects.

Sunday, October 9

Alec Benjamin | Sun., Oct. 9 | 8 p.m. | Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W. Burnside St., Portland | $65.00 - $127.00 | The singer-songwriter from Phoenix reached the top 40 in 25+ countries with his 2018 breakthrough hit, “Let Me Down Slowly.”
Lents International Farmers Market | Sun., Oct. 9 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | SE 91st Ave. + SE Foster Rd. | Free | Find fresh, locally grown fruits and veggies at affordable prices, including traditional Mexican produce and Asian greens.

Monday, October 10

Social Media Basics | Mon., Oct. 10 | 3-5 p.m. | Midland Library, 805 SE 122nd Ave., Portland | Free | Learn about the unique interfaces and tools offered by Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to help connect people around the world.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

FALL INTO MORE FUN

It’s World Smile Day — celebrate by gifting yourself a straighter smile

You’ll receive regular virtual Smile Check-ins™ to touch base on your progress. | Photo by Smile Direct Club

Want a straighter smile?

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Weather

85º | Sunny with a few passing clouds | 6% chance of rain

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 7:16 a.m.
Set: 6:39 p.m.

Older Adults

Construction is underway on an affordable housing project in Cedar Mill. The 54-unit Saltzman Road Apartments complex across the street from the Cedar Mill Community Library will cater to low-income LGBTQ seniors and will have “explicit anti-discriminatory policies.” 🏗️ (Beaverton Valley Times)

Biz

The footwear industry has found solid footing in Portland. Fila USA is the next sneaker and apparel maker to make a home here — it recently locked down a lease on a 3,000-sqft office space on Northwest Savier Street that will serve as a new performance division. 👟 (Portland Business Journal)
Classes at Barre3’s flagship Pearl District studio have been paused indefinitely amid rising rents and flagging foot traffic. Sadie Lincoln, the founder and CEO of the fitness company, opened the studio in 2008; since then, it’s served as the training location for instructors from across the globe. (Portland Monthly)

Eat

A new food cart is open at the historic Sheridan Fruit Company on Southeast Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Salvatore’s Grill serves burgers, sandwiches, Polish dogs, and bento boxes Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Pro tip: Try the saucy Meatball Sub made with a family recipe.

Arts

What do Oregon’s state parks mean to you? That’s the question the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department wants you to answer through your own unique artistic style. Submit a photo, painting, song, collage — the sky’s the limit here — by Sat., Dec. 31 for a chance to be featured in an online gallery.

Cause

Nordic Northwest is now accepting donations for its Nordic Vintage & Treasure Sale on Fri., Nov. 11 + Sat., Nov. 12. Donations — including shopping supplies — can be dropped off at the nonprofit’s Nordia House Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. up until the day before the sale. 🛍️

Portlander

Paging Jim from Portland: If you dropped a bottled message into the ocean off Jacksonville, Florida in 2018, Clint Buffington would like to connect with you. Clint — a self-described “message in a bottle hunter” who has found 100+ bottles to date — found the note in February in the Caribbean. Check your email, Jim. 🏝️ (KGW)

Community

More people are moving out of Multnomah County than moving in, according to a new analysis of IRS data. Between 2019 and 2020, Clackamas County was the most popular destination for those who left MultCo. Also of note: The tax filers who moved away tended to make far more money than the newcomers. 💵 (Portland Business Journal + KGW)

Travel

Conde Nast listed San Francisco as one of the top cities in the US. We couldn’t agree more, and think that it’s the perfect last-minute fall getaway. Be sure to stroll around Fisherman’s Wharf, grab a drink at the historic Tonga Room, and stay in this eclectic apartment with Bay views.*

Drink

Portland Cider Co. has added a new cider to its bushel of year-round offerings: the Imperial Dry. At 8.5% ABV, this bubbly cider is big in flavor and alcohol — with a bold, baked-apple flavor (it’s made with PNW-grown apples) and notes of pecan and toffee. 🍏
Getting groceries delivered is great, but getting your favorite beer, wine, and liquor delivered is even better. With Drizly, you can order your go-to libations as well as mixers, party supplies, and snacks + they’ll be delivered to your door in under 60 minutes. Order now. 🥂*

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Tour the tombstones at twilight 🌙

Take a Tombstone Twilight Tour at Lone Fir Cemetery in Southeast Portland

Headstones poke through yellow fall leaves covering the grass at a cemetery.

Lone Fir Cemetery is also a top spot to view fall foliage. | Photo by Margaret Fenton of Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery

It’s one thing to read about a person’s legacy in the pages of a book... and quite another to visit their final resting place. This Halloween weekend, you can do just that by taking a Tombstone Twilight Tour at Metro’s Lone Fir Cemetery in Southeast Portland.

The cemetery’s history stretches back to the mid-1800s. Many of the people buried at a handful of smaller cemeteries in downtown Portland were moved to Lone Fir as the city was developed. Those buried at what’s now the athletic field at Central Catholic High School (nicknamed the “Bone Yard”) were also moved. For nearly 50 years, every Portland burial occurred at Lone Fir until River View Cemetery was established.

Lone Fir’s residents include early pioneers, former slaves, activists, Civil War veterans, forty-niners, and members of the Pittock Family. Guests of the Tombstone Twilight Tour on Sun., Oct. 30 will get to know some of them — as well as some of the cemetery’s more notorious residents — during the hour-long walk led by Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery.

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THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Cambrie.

Editor’s pick: I brought a kokedama home with me from the Astoria Sunday Market last weekend. A coco-da-what-a, you ask? "Kokedama” is Japanese for “moss ball.” Here in the US, it’s gaining popularity as a new way to pot houseplants, sans the pot. You can take a workshop to make your own kokedama at Poppy & Finch’s new space in Northeast Portland.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Learn about the City of Roses’ patron “Copper Goddess.”

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Editorial: Cambrie Juarez, Ben McBee, Trevor Peters, Britt Thorson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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