Official visitors guide to Portland Boat Rentals, jet skis, waverunners, and outdoor water sports lessons and boat tours at the freshwater lake of your choice. Portland is a city located in the state of Oregon, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers which are highly used for houseboat vacations, hunting, fishing, shipping, wakeboarding, flyboarding, water skiing, wakesurfing, tubing, and sightseeing. Portland is Oregon's most populous city, and the third most populous city in the Pacific Northwest region, after Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia. Located in the marine west coast climate region, Portland has a climate marked by both warm, dry summers and wet, cool-to-chilly winter days. For more than a century, Portland has been known as the "City of Roses", with many rose gardens – most prominently the International Rose Test Garden. It is also the home of the Timbers Major League Soccer team and the Trail Blazers National Basketball Association team.
Portland's location, with access both to the Pacific Ocean via the Willamette and the Columbia rivers and to the agricultural Tualatin Valley via the "Great Plank Road" through a canyon in the West Hills, gave it an advantage over nearby ports, and it grew very quickly. It remained the major port in the Pacific Northwest for much of the 19th century, until the 1890s, when Seattle's deep water harbor was connected to the rest of the mainland by rail, affording an inland route without the treacherous navigation of the Columbia River. The warmest month is August with a daytime average of 81.1 °F and an average low of 58 °F. Because of its inland location, Portland can experience heatwaves, in July and August particularly, with air temperatures sometimes rising over 90 °F. Winters are described as somewhat mild and very wet. Outdoor recreation and motor sports are very popular in the state because of the unique diversity of landscape.
Portland is one of only three cities in the nation with extinct volcanoes within its boundaries. Mount Tabor Park is known for its scenic views and historic reservoirs when people enjoy camping, boating, fishing, and hunting. Forest Park is the largest wilderness park within city limits in the United States, covering more than 5,000 acres. Washington Park is just west of downtown, and is home to the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Japanese Garden, and the International Rose Test Garden. Tom McCall Waterfront Park runs along the west bank of the Willamette for the length of downtown a great tourist and local destination for families, business outing, and friend gatherings. The 37-acre park was built in 1974 after Harbor Drive was removed and now hosts large events throughout the year. Portland's downtown features two groups of contiguous city blocks dedicated for park space: the North and South Park Blocks. Tryon Creek State Natural Area is one of three Oregon State Parks in Portland and the most popular; its creek has a run of steelhead. The other two State Parks are Willamette Stone State Heritage Site located in the West Hills and the Government Island State Recreation Area located in the Columbia River near Portland International Airport.