Morning: Ride the MAX to the Washington Park station (the deepest in North America — kids love the time-line core samples in the walls) and start at the Oregon Zoo while the animals are active. Elephants first, then the mountain goats and the red pandas before lunch.
Midday: Picnic on the zoo lawns or ride the free park shuttle up to the International Rose Test Garden for a bloom-filled breather — children can race down the terraces while parents take in the Mount Hood view. The park’s playgrounds near the zoo make a perfect energy burn.
Afternoon: Slow the pace at the Portland Japanese Garden, where koi ponds and a waterfall mesmerize even wiggly explorers, or duck into the World Forestry Center to meet the talking tree. End with ice cream back downtown. One hill, a whole day of happy.
