Portland, Oregon: 16 Jun 2009 to 19 Jun 2009

Deemed “America’s Best Big City” by Money Magazine in 2007, the City of Roses offers residents and visitors an unpretentious ambiance with just the right touch of sophistication. Snow-capped Mt. Hood stands majestically in the background of the city at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. This time of year, the city’s famed roses should be at their peak—drop by the Peninsula Park Rose Garden or the International Rose Test Garden for abundant (and fragrant) proof. The tranquil Japanese Garden is one of the finest in the country, a delight even on rainy days.

Portland has in recent years become a bit of a Mecca for food lovers, with trendy restaurants in the Pearl District and elsewhere proffering the freshest Pacific Northwest produce prepared with innovative techniques. Generally regarded as the birthplace of microbrews, the city boasts more than 20 breweries, ranging from the more familiar Widmer Brothers, Rogue Ales and Full Sail to the amusingly named Amnesia and Hair of the Dog. Wine lovers need not feel neglected either, for the nearby Willamette Valley produces some of the finest Pinot Noirs bottled anywhere.