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Piedmont Lays a Claim to Having Portland's Best Park

Posted on February 25, 2025   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
City Cast Portland staff

City Cast Portland staff

Cupola at Peninsula Park and its rose garden, Piedmont neighborhood, Portland, Oregon

Sunny day at the park. (Mark E. McClure)

City Cast

Why the Piedmont Neighborhood Claims To Have Portland’s Most Beloved Park

00:00:00

The Piedmont neighborhood straddles the line between North and Northeast Portland. It’s a largely residential neighborhood with quiet streets and, locals argue, the best park in the city.

Jonathan Maus, editor and publisher of BikePortland, shared his favorite spots in his longtime neighborhood.

The boundaries: It runs from Northeast Ainsworth in the south to the north bank of the Columbia Slough. On the west side of the neighborhood is I-5, and on the east is Northeast Martin Luther King Boulevard.

There’s an old-school playground for both younger and older kids, shaded by tall evergreen trees. There’s an outdoor pool for summer and a community center for the winter. But best of all there’s a rose garden that dates back to 1912. “ If you look at the bricks and the way they trim everything, it looks so beautiful all throughout the year,” says Maus. “It's a really, really beautiful park.”

Other spots to enjoy the outdoors:

  • There’s a bike path along the Columbia Slough. “ It's got the best view of Mount Hood in our neighborhood,” says Maus.
  • Farragut Park. It has a wooded area on the north end, a new basketball court, and a splash pad.
path at the Peninsula Park, lone biker facing away

Taking a ride. (Jonathan Maus / BikePortland)

Where To Eat

It’s not a neighborhood with a whole bunch of commercial spots, but Maus has a few favorites:

Look for tasty Mexican food at a reasonable price.

🍽️ Casa Zoraya

The Peruvian spot has a nice patio and delicious food.

A food cart pod offers a range of options.

Bonus: Just outside the neighborhood boundary on North Killingsworth, Tulip Shop Tavern is worth a visit for its burgers and cocktails.

It seems only natural that the original Portland e-bike shop would be a place that BikePortland’s publisher and editor would recommend. But if you’re shopping for an e-bike, you might even catch Maus hanging out there.

What spots would you recommend in your neighborhood?

The Best Park in Portland?

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