Washington Park, Portland

Visited the Oregon Zoo - part of Washington Park. Pay to park at the meter or from your phone. (This comes in handy when you spend longer in the zoo than anticipated and you can add more time from wherever you are.) Zoo exhibits were clean and well kept. Large variety of animals with new areas under construction. Informative sign boards with lots of activities and spaces designed for kids of all ages. Snacks and food available for purchase throughout the zoo. Prices are higher than I preferred but not higher than expected. Pathways and exhibits are easy to access with stroller or wheelchair. The only thing I raised my eyebrows at was the train ride. $4 per person for a six minute loop. It was fun, but not worth the money in my opinion. Overall great space to visit.

The rose garden is free, huge, and very interesting. There's a free garden tour at 1 p.m. according to sandwich boards around the garden. There's also a gift shop for the rose garden. I wanted to go to the Japanese gardens, but $20/person seemed really steep even though I've heard it's quite good. There are also several statues around and a children's playground by the old elephant shelter. It's nice and peaceful.