Every Portland neighborhood has one, and local families swear by them: the Portland Parks & Recreation community centers and pools. The East Portland Community Center’s pool sports a lazy river and water slide; the Southwest Community Center pairs pools with climbing walls; Mt. Scott and St. Johns keep their corners of the city splashing happily.
Beyond the water: preschool gyms, after-school programs, family art nights, summer camps and free lunch-and-play programs in the parks all summer. The system’s Free for All summer series adds concerts, movies and festivals in parks across the city — all free.
In a city famous for rain, these warm, bright centers are where Portland childhood actually happens. A family pass here might be the best-value ticket in town.
