Rocky Butte

Rocky Butte is located in the Northeast part of Portland in Multnomah County, only a five-minute drive from McDaniel. It’s around a 3.2 mile hike to the top. The hike is all uphill but filled with beautiful scenery as you pass the endless trees, Portland Bible college campus and a historic tunnel.

The top of Rocky Butte is a big circle with an amazing view where you can sit on the ledge of the fence and look at the city. You also get an outstanding view of Mt. Hood.

My personal favorite time to go is at night when the sky is dark and you can see the city lights. I would definitely recommend taking some time out of your evening to hike or drive up there and check out the view.

Portland International Rose Garden

The Portland International Rose Garden is filled with over 10,000 roses and is located in Washington Park, about a ten-minute drive from downtown Portland. Although it’s a bit far, the scenery and attractions are worth it.

When stepping into the garden, you are immediately met with bursts of color from all the varieties of roses. Along with the fragrance of these roses you can see structures built around the garden. Nearby the Rose Garden are the Oregon Zoo and World Forestry Center, also located in Washington Park.

The best time to visit is June-Sept. because the roses are in bloom. With June approaching quickly, I suggest you take a trip to the Rose Garden!

Grotto

Another great spot near the McDaniel community is the Grotto, located on Skidmore St. and a five-minute drive from the school or a 14 minute bus ride. The Grotto is a sixty-two acre Roman Catholic sanctuary. Don’t be disappointed if you are not religious, this is still a gorgeous nature spot and is welcome to everyone.

The hike is filled with old statues and caves secluded in trees. My favorite time to visit is in the winter when they have Christmas lights up and you are able to walk or drive through and see the light show.

Oregon Zoo

An all time favorite place of mine is the Oregon Zoo, located in Washington Park next to the Rose Garden. There are many different areas to explore, as it has 64 acres of forested land. There are over 165 species and subspecies to view inside the Zoo. If you get tired of walking, they have a train that takes you on a ride through the forest.

There are many other attractions at the Zoo to keep you entertained, such as many different restaurants, cafes, and even a carousel! I definitely recommend taking a day in the summer to visit the zoo and all its attractions.

Laurelhurst Park

One of the best parks in Portland is Laurelhurst Park. Located on SE Chavez Blvd., Laurelhurst is relatively close to McDaniel, being about a nine-minute drive or 37 minute bus ride away. This 26.8 acre park is filled with many walking paths to go through and look at the beautiful blossoming trees. It even has a big pond that is filled with ducks in the summer!

The summer is a great time to visit since you can see Portland’s gorgeous cherry blossom trees. If you don’t have time this summer, it’s also a perfect visit in the fall when all the leaves have fallen and you can walk through and see all the colors.