The Portland area isn’t too spread out so you will probably have time to see some sights and visit some cool places (besides PCOC, of course). Here are a few options for getting from place to place.
Driving (e.g., renting a car)
This site lists all the rental car options at the airport. When it comes to driving around Portland, don’t be surprised if people slow down to let you by. Most drivers are super friendly. It may also be helpful for you to know that the driving speed limit is 20 mph in business districts and residential streets, unless otherwise marked.
Please be aware that Portland’s many bike lanes, moderate climate, gentle slopes, and eco-friendly attitude all add up to a lot of bicyclists on the roads. When driving, watch out for bikers because they are not only on bike lanes, they are EVERYWHERE :) On streets without bike lanes, or when making left turns, cyclists may mix with cars in the main traffic lanes. Yield to bikes at intersections with green “bike boxes,” designed to prevent collisions between cyclists using bike lanes and motorists making right turns.
And now for more driving-in-Portland info than you will ever need.Taxis
An easy-to-find option is the use of taxis. Taxis may be found at the airport as well as in strategic places around the city, but in most areas, you will need to call for a cab rather than simply hailing one from a street corner. Taxis may be a bit more pricey than other options but are good and reliable.
A mobile-app-based taxi service is Curb (formerly Taxi Magic).
Alternative Car Services
There are several other ride options, including:
Check out their websites to find the service that best meets your needs and make sure to download the app before leaving home.
Public Transportation
Portland has a great transit system called TriMet. They provide the MAX (Metropolitan Area Express) Light Rail and buses, which are both fully ADA accessible.
MAX connects Portland City Center with Beaverton, Clackamas, Gresham, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, North/Northeast Portland and Portland International Airport (PDX). The PCOC venue, DoubleTree by Hilton Portland, is on the MAX line, and it takes about 30 minutes to travel between PDX and DoubleTree, about 15 minutes between DoubleTree and Downtown Portland.
Portland Streetcar also runs near DoubleTree and around the city.