By Megan Cecil-Gobble | Contributing Writer
Looking for a novel and inexpensive way to entertain the kids and save on fossil fuels? Want to see holiday lights and hear spiritual music along with getting some exercise? These adventures can be done by riding our area TriMet buses, MAX trains, and Portland Streetcars. Read on.
Family Adventure by #70 Bus and MAX Train
Getting your family to the Oregon Zoo in Washington Park is a bus ride followed by a train ride and it takes about an hour and 15 minutes from Concordia. There are lots of sights to see along the way. Catch the southbound #70 bus along NE 33rd. Get off the bus at Lloyd Center (NE 11th and NE Multnomah) and walk south to catch the red or blue line trains towards Beaverton or Hillsboro. Get off at the underground Washington Park station. Take the elevator up to the surface and walk to the zoo. Don’t forget to purchase tickets ahead of time online at OregonZoo.org.
You could also opt to hike part of the well-marked Wildwood Trail which starts north of the elevators. There’s even a part of it that is OK for strollers and wheelchairs. All buses and trains are equipped to carry them–and you. Other
Local Adventures Using Buses #17, #72 and #8 Bus
#17 runs along NE 27th and gets you to Downtown Portland for shopping or fairs, to the Convention Center for craft or car shows, or to see Fireworks on the 4th or Christmas Ships in December at Trillium Crossing.
Bus #72 is a commuter bus, but also gets you where you want to go for the sights. Around the holidays, The Grotto’s light and musical entertainment is a few blocks from the bus stop at NE 82nd and Sandy. The #72 bus goes to Clackamas Town Center, but a faster way to get there is switching to the yellow line MAX train going east at the NE 82nd and I-84 MAX Station. Catch the #72 on its route along Alberta to NE 30th, then Killingsworth past 42nd toward 82nd.
Bus #8 runs along NE 15th and runs by Lloyd Center, through downtown, and up to Pill Hill (OHSU, VA hospitals). For a round trip from OHSU, hike or bike across the Tilikum bridge, catch the streetcar back downtown, catch the Max back to Lloyd Center & take #8 or #17 back to Concordia.
Out Beyond the Neighborhood
Because my family is experienced taking the bus around Portland, we enjoy riding local buses wherever we go on vacation. It is a great way to see sights, meet people, and save money and carbon dioxide. Once you’ve practiced transit skills around our neighborhood, you too will be able to travel the world.
Be seeing you–by bus, by bike, or by legs.
Megan is the SW2 rep and a retired nurse/engineer. She travels, bikes, hikes, and swims along with her local multigenerational family. Stay active, be healthy.