The Rose City: A blast on a budget in Portland(1)

The city on the Willamette River doesn't try to be more than it is. Therein and elsewhere lies much of its affordable charm. There is plenty to do that is free or surprisingly cheap compared to more glittery money pits, and Oregon has no sales tax.

Some Portlanders take themselves a bit seriously, but generally it is an unpretentious, eclectic city that welcomes like-minded people, one where everyone fits in somewhere.

Try http://www.goseeportland.com to see what other visitors and locals think of hundreds of places. Only a few get multiple mentions, which says more for variety than for consensus. Also try http://www.POVA.com for discount packages.

If you're out, about and Twittering, a new feature will connect you to people with fast answers: http://www.travelportland.com/visitors/twitter.html. Meanwhile here are some ideas:

KNOCKING AROUND: Portland is full of quick hits. Consider:

—The Japanese Garden overlooks the city in Washington Park (adults, $8). A short walk from the Japanese Garden is the world-famous International Rose Test Garden, which is free. Portland is called the

Also in Washington Park is the Oregon Zoo, served by an underground station on the light rail, and the kid-friendly Children's Museum and World Forestry Center. Abutting Washington Park is the 7,000-acre Forest Park. Click on "Find a Park" at http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/ for information on the parks and gardens.

—Powell's City of Books, 1005 W. Burnside, claims to be the world's largest independent used and new bookstore. Entry is free and it does seem like a city. You even get a map. The exit fee depends on your self control, http://www.powells.com.

—Local craftsmen show their wares downtown at the Saturday Market near the Burnside Bridge, http://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/

—The Portland Aerial Tram runs from the South Waterfront up to Oregon Health & Science University, the University of Oregon's medical school and hospital. Round trip is $4 with a staggering view. It runs frequently; http://www.portlandtram.org.

—The Chinese Garden, in what's left of Portland's once-raucous Chinatown, is downtown. Artisans were brought from China to build it; http://www.portlandchinesegarden.org ($8.50).

—The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, just across the river from downtown, is hands-on and kid-oriented with its own naval submarine, the USS Blueback, open for tours, http://www.omsi.edu/, 1945 SE Water Ave. (adults $11, children $9, submarine tours additional $5.50). For kids 7-18, OMSI also has superb summer science camps, from marine biology to high-desert fossil beds, four to 10 days long, as well as family programs that accommodate adults and younger children.

—Portland is among the nation's more bike-friendly cities. Rentals: http://www.yelp.com/reviews/12—Portland—OR/bikerentals—page—0.html. (If you're bringing Ol' Brown-Eyes, it's among the more dog-friendly too, but ask your hotel first.)

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