Gresham

Gresham lies on the eastern edge of the Portland area, where the city runs out into farmland and forest and Mount Hood fills the skyline on clear days. It began as a farming town, and the compact historic downtown on Main Avenue still has the look of one, with older buildings, small shops and a plaza for music and events. Mount Hood Community College sits on the south side. Gresham is a calm, practical city rather than a place with big sights, but it is a handy and affordable gateway to the mountain, the Columbia River Gorge and the Sandy River valley.

Main City Park is the heart of the city's green space, with sports fields, a dog park and Tsuru Island, a Japanese garden with a pavilion and an arched bridge. The Springwater Corridor is a paved trail that runs through the city and links to Portland for long walks and rides. Nadaka Nature Park is a small urban woodland with a shaded path and sculpture. Historic downtown Gresham has shops and the Center for the Arts Plaza, which hosts concerts and a Saturday farmers market in season. The Zimmerman House Heritage Farm preserves an old farmstead, and Oxbow Regional Park, east of the city, offers old growth forest and river access.

Gresham's food scene is made up of neighborhood restaurants and cafes more than destination dining. Main Avenue and the streets around the plaza have coffee shops, bakeries, pubs and family restaurants, and the Rockwood area has a wide range of Mexican, Vietnamese and Eastern European places. Edgefield, the McMenamins property in nearby Troutdale, has a brewery, a winery, a distillery and a music series in a historic setting. Nightlife is relaxed and centers on pubs and live music venues. For a bigger evening, the MAX light rail carries riders to central Portland in under an hour, so the city's restaurants and bars are within reach.

Historic downtown Gresham is the easiest base for a short stay, with the plaza, Main City Park and the MAX light rail stop close together. The Civic Neighborhood around the MAX station has newer buildings and easy trips to Portland. Hotels also cluster near Interstate 84 in neighboring Troutdale, which puts you on the way to the Gorge and Mount Hood. The MAX Blue Line and TriMet buses serve the city, though outside the center a car is useful, especially for the mountain and the park trails. Parking is easy. Portland International Airport is a short drive west.

Summer and early autumn are the best times for Gresham, with dry weather for the trail, the garden and the mountain roads. The Gresham Arts Festival in July and the Saturday farmers market draw crowds downtown. Spring is green and showery, and winter is gray, wet and mild, with snow in the mountains and the occasional dusting in town. One night suits a stop on the way to the mountain. Two or three nights let you add a day on Mount Hood, a day in the Columbia River Gorge and a day in Portland, using the MAX or the interstate for each trip.

Gresham is the doorway to Mount Hood. US 26 leaves the city and climbs east through Sandy to Mount Hood, with Timberline Lodge about 45 minutes away, and the Mount Hood Scenic Byway loop runs around the mountain toward Hood River. Interstate 84 leads east into the Columbia River Gorge, passing waterfalls and the Historic Columbia River Highway at Troutdale. The Springwater Corridor and the MAX connect with Portland to the west. Amtrak does not stop in Gresham, so rail travelers use Portland Union Station. Gresham works as a quiet night before a mountain day or a Gorge day on an Oregon road trip.