Gresham

Gresham is the fourth largest city within the state of Oregon, with a population of 114,000 in 2020. It's the home of an annual jazz festival. It is a part of the Portland Metropolitan Area and is generally considered a Portland suburb.

The downtown area of Gresham can be easily missed by those driving along W Powell Blvd, but has a handful of restaurants and shops to offer, as well as Main City Park.

Get in

By plane

Portland International Airport (PDX ^IATA) is about 13 miles from Gresham. PDX is the largest airport located in the state of Oregon. Rental cars are available, and the MAX light rail connects to Gresham with a single transfer from the airport's Red Line to the eastbound Blue Line trains at Gateway Transit Center.

By transit

The MAX Light Rail's Blue Line serves Gresham, with most of the city reasonably able to access it, since it cuts diagonally across. The Blue Line runs directly from its eastern terminus near downtown Gresham to downtown Portland, and then onward to Beaverton and Hillsboro.

Numerous TriMet bus lines also connect Gresham to Portland and Troutdale.

By car

The best way to get into the city from Portland, and elsewhere to the north, south, or west, probably depends on your final destination. Interstate 84 is at the far north of the city, but US-26 (Powell Blvd.) also provides a route from Interstate 205 if approaching from the South.

Travellers approaching from the east will use Interstate 84, or US-26 if coming from Central Oregon.

See

• 1 Oxbow Park, 3010 SE Oxbow Parkway, ☏ +1 503 663-4708. A great place to have family picnics, barbecues with friends, and swim in the river. There are many activities that take place at Oxbow Park. There are areas within the park that allow people to camp over night. No pets. Parking $5 per car.  

Mt. Hood Jazz Festival

The Mt. Hood Jazz Festival is a jazz festival held each August in Downtown Gresham at 200 NE Hood Avenue. The festival is produced by the Gresham/Mt. Hood Jazz Association (GMHJA) which is a non-profit, public benefit corporation whose goal is to "promote the appreciation of jazz as a unique American art form." The Mt. Hood Jazz Festival is the signature production of the association, which produces other jazz performances and workshops year round.

The first festival was held in 1982. The festival has featured guests such as: Sonny Rollins, Dave Brubeck, Tito Puente and B. B. King.

Do

• Mt. Hood Theater, 401 E. Powell, ☏ +1 503 665-0604. Known for cheap prices, good movies and a comforting atmosphere. Two movies: adult $4.50, child or senior $3.50. (updated Jan 2019)

Buy

• Gresham Station. One of the largest shopping areas in town. There are several stores to shop around in. What makes Gresham Station such an easy accessible shopping area is that it is located right next to the MAX light rail line. Gresham Station offers such a wide variety of interest different shoppers. 

Eat

Restaurants are all over the city, but it is difficult to find restaurants with great food to offer.

• Don Pedros. Must have breakfast burritos! The food tastes great and is inexpensive. The green sauce is delicious! 
• Original Roadhouse Grill. Feeling for a juicy steak? Wanna have some peanuts while you wait? Then this is place for you! Booths are in secluded corners for your comfort. The wait staffs are extremely nice here and cater to your needs. When you're stuffed from your meal and ready to go, you'll have to kick your heels a time or two to get all those peanut shells out of your shoes! Always fun! 
• Szechuan Open Kitchen. This restaurant is by far the cleanest Chinese restaurant. The lunch menu is excellent with great prices to match. During lunch, which is 7 days a week from 11AM - 3PM, each entree comes with your choice of soup, fresh hot tea, and steamed rice. Dinner menu is just as great as the lunch menu. The entrees are a bit bigger than the lunch entrees, but also more expensive. A must try, 'Sesame Chicken'! 
• Asian Thai Bistro, 120 N Main Ave, ☏ +1 503-491-0737. 
• 1 Wall Street Pizza, 201 N Main Ave, ☏ +1 503 666-6500. Su-Th 11AM- 9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM. Great family style pizza restaurant. Allows for a great night for the whole family with the family fun room containing arcade style games and pool. 
• 2 Wok In, 305 N Main Ave, ☏ +1 503-666-3663. M-Sa 11AM-7:30PM. Great stir-fry combo plates, think Panda Express but with the family-owned feeling. They have a pleasant outdoor patio that is well decorated. $12-18 per plate. 
• 3 The Local Cow, 336 N Main Ave, ☏ +1 503-489-5116. 11AM-9PM. Burger spot serving organic Oregon-grown beef. $9-12 per burger. (updated May 2022)

Drink

• 1 Highland Pub & Brewery, 4225 SE 182nd, ☏ +1 503 665-3015. 

Sleep

• Ponderosa Inn, 1060 NE Cleveland Ave, ☏ +1 971-220-1002. 
• 1 McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey St, Troutdale, ☏ +1 503 669-8610. Housed in the former county poor farm, 15 mi east of downtown Portland. The hotel rooms range from suites and family rooms to hostel dorms.  

Go next

Routes through Gresham

to Astoria ← Portland ←	W  E	→ Troutdale → The Dalles
Ends at N S ← Portland ←	W  E	→ Boring → Prineville