Take A Self-Guided Tour of Pittock Mansion in Portland

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Welcome to the historic splendor of Portland’s crown jewel - Pittock Mansion. Perched atop the West Hills, this elegant chateau beckons visitors with its captivating architecture and breathtaking views.

Embark on a journey through time as we delve into the rich history and opulent charm of Pittock Mansion, offering a glimpse into the lives of Portland's most influential family.

Join us as we uncover the fascinating stories and hidden treasures that await behind the doors of this iconic landmark.

As I usually am with these types of posts, I’m going to be vague when discussing the tour and what you’ll see as I don’t want to spoil everything.

I’ll first go over the parking situation at Pittock Mansion, as well as tours offered and admission fees. Then, I’ll discuss the history of the mansion and its former owners, while showcasing photos I took that’ll provide a glimpse into what you’ll see on the tour.

Let’s get into it!

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Pittock Mansion Location, Parking & Admission Fees

Pittock Mansion (pronounced Pit-Tick) is located within one of Portland’s Forest Park, and is near many popular attractions such as the Portland Japanese Garden, Oregon Zoo, and the Wildwood Trail (which will also take you to the famed Witches Castle).

For GPS purposes, its address is:

• 3229 NW Pittock drive

 

Parking at Pittock Mansion is easy with its large, paved lot near the mansion’s entrance. The mansion is part of Portland’s “Pay to Park” program.

The parking rate here is $2 per hour with a daily maximum of $8. The enforcement hours are between 9:30am - 8:00pm, inclusive of holidays. You can see up to date rates and additional information at Portland.gov.

Currently, the only tour offered is self-guided and you’ll need to pay for admission. Pittock Mansion tour prices (as of July 2023) are:

• $14.50 (Adults)

• $12.50 (Seniors 65 & up)

• $10.50 (Children 6 - 18)

• Free (Children 6 & under)

During the self-guided tour, you’ll have access to the mansion itself and the grounds. Currently, there is no access to the Gate Lodge. You can check the status of that here.

Tour tickets can be purchased on site (not recommended during summer months) or online. You’ll be asked to choose your date of visit and an entry time.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to purchase a ticket in order to visit the grounds. You’ll only need one if you actually want to see the interior of the mansion.

Pittock Mansion History & Tour Photos

Pittock Mansion was built in 1914 by Henry and Georgiana Pittock, who are considered to be the founders of Portland as we know it.

Henry and Georgiana would arrive to Portland (separately) in the mid-1850’s. Henry would go on own the successful newspaper, The Oregonian (which prints to this day), and become a savvy investor in industries such as real estate, silver mining and the railroad.

Georgiana would become an influential leader and figurehead in Portland, founding many local charities and organizations, such as The Ladies Relief Society, Women’s Union, and The Martha House.

The 16,000 square foot, French Renaissance style home was designed by architect Edward T. Foulkes with all the latest (of the time) technology.

As you’ll likely notice, the mansion was built in an oval shape with 45 degree angled wings. This was done to enable a commanding view of downtown Portland and the beautiful Cascade Mountains.

There are 23 rooms contained within the mansion, of which include; a sewing room, smoking room, music room, library, five large bedrooms and two sleeping porches.

You’ll have access to view many of the rooms listed above. You’ll also ascend the multi-level dueling grand staircase, with marble flooring throughout, as part of the tour.

Henry and Georgiana weren’t the only two that lived here. In fact, many members of their extended family moved in with them when construction completed.

This included their two daughters and their husbands, as well as their three grandchildren, Rhoda, Georgiana, and Peter (who was born in the mansion). Their two orphaned nieces also took up residence in the hilltop home.

As fate would have it, Henry and Georgiana would only enjoy the mansion and its splendors for four years. Georgiana would pass away in 1918 from stroke complications, with Henry following suit just a few months later.

The family continued to live in the mansion well into the 1950’s, with grandson Peter and his father, Edward, being the final residents.

In 1958, they moved out of the mansion and put it up for sale. After sitting empty for four years, the mansion was heavily damaged by a hurricane-like storm and consequently fell into disrepair.

By 1964, developers set their sights on the mansion, wanting to bulldoze it to make way for a new housing development. Portlanders, however, had something else in mind.

Citizens rallied against the idea of a development and instead demanded the mansion be repaired and preserved. The city agreed, paying a cool $225,000 for the property ($67,500 of which was raised by citizens).

Repairs took fifteen months to complete but by late 1965, Pittock Mansion opened to the public. The transformation from a private, luxurious residence to a historic museum was complete.

Today, the Pittock Mansion Society, a local non-profit, manages the day-to-day operations of the property and ensures it’s preservation for all.

I hope you’ll consider visiting and taking a tour of Pittock Mansion during your trip to Portland. It’s truly a beautiful property and a classic Portland experience.

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Visiting Seattle’s Iconic Space Needle

The Emerald City has so much to offer. So many parks, museums, coffee shops, and more to choose from you’ll never be able to see it all in one trip. There is one attraction however, that stands out from the pack (literally). That attraction would be the 605-foot tall, “Space Needle”.

Constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair, millions of visitors have stood atop its 520-foot indoor/outdoor, saucer-shaped observation deck that offers unobstructed views of downtown Seattle, the Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, the beautiful Cascades, and the Olympic mountain range.

We visited it for ourselves for the first time in 2020 (just before covid began to run rampant) to document and gather all the necessary information to help you plan a visit for yourself. So read on below to find out how you can experience this Seattle icon for yourself.

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Location & Tickets

Seattle Center

The Space Needle is located at, “Seattle Center”. Seattle Center is an arts, entertainment, tourism, and education center that spans 74 acres housing several attractions such as the needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Museum of Popular Culture (or, “MoPOP”, for short).

If you’re driving, the address for the Space Needle is as follows:

400 Broad Street. Seattle, WA 98109

If you’re walking from your hotel, you can simply ultilize Google directions and tap the walking tab for step-by-step directions. Likewise, if you’re using Uber or Lyft just punch, “Space Needle”, into the search bar.

Tickets & Where to Get Them

When it comes to purchasing tickets, you have more than a couple options. Your first and best one would be to purchase your tickets online in advance of your trip. You just go to the official website, select your date and time of arrival, pay, and you’re done.

When you arrive, your experience begins immediately. You could also purchase tickets at the kiosks on site or at the ticket window. Keep in mind, if you wait until the day of, you may experience lengthy wait times or even worse, no availability. This is especially true in the summer months.

General Admission

If all you’re looking to do is the Space Needle, this is the ticket for you. It gets you admission the main observation deck and access to , “The Loupe”. The world’s first and only rotating glass-bottom floor.

Combo Ticket

This is my top recommendation as it grants you access to not only the Space Needle, but the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum as well. You save $18 bucks versus buying them separately. So if Chihuly is also on your itinerary (and it should be), this ticket is the way to go.

City Pass

This is another great option, as you get 5 of Seattle’s top attractions for one low price. Currently, City Pass gives you access to the Space Needle, the Aquarium, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Woodland Park Zoo, and Chihuly Garden & Glass. This is a big money saver.

For further information or to purchase your tickets online, go here.

The Experience

With ticket in hand (or on your phone), you’ll arrive to the entrance on the date and time you selected. If your visit is outside the busy summer months, chances are good that you won’t have much of a wait. I visited in March and had no wait at all.

Shortly after entering the building, you’ll go through a security check point where they’ll check to make sure you’re not bringing any banned items such as weapons, drones, etc. For me, the process was quick and painless.

If you end up having to wait, all throughout are information boards detailing the history of the needle, it’s construction, and milestones accompanied by photographs. There’s a lot of interesting information here so be sure to check it out even if you don’t have a wait.

The end of the line is where you’ll enter the elevator. This is an experience all in itself especially if your operator has a sense of humor. The first couple hundred feet or so is enclosed but before long it’ll open up to clear glass and you’ll have an amazing view as your continue your ascent.

The Top House

At the end of the ride, you’ll step out of the elevator and into what’s referred to as the, “Top House”. On the inside, you’ll find plenty of seating throughout and viewing areas for those who don’t want to go outside. There’s also a refreshment stand that features a few snack items and Starbucks coffee.

Outside on the observation deck is where you’ll get amazing, 360-degree unobstructed views of the city and beyond. There’s benches all along for those brave enough to lean back on and even automated camera stations you can use to snag a free souvenir from.

The Loupe

The observation deck is cool and all, but perhaps the best feature of the needle is the semi-newly created, “Loupe”. It is the worlds first, and only rotating glass floor. Be warned, if you’re afraid of heights, you may want to skip this. If you’re not, it’s one of the coolest experiences you’ll ever have and alone is worth the price of admission.

To get to the Loupe from the observation deck, simple use the staircase adjacent to the refreshment stand. Called the, “Oculus”, this grand staircase is beautifully made with wood, steel, and glass. By the way, the area in between these two floors is where you’ll find the rest rooms.

Conclusion

Once you feel like you’ve gotten your fill of the views and plenty of photographs, you’ll simply head to the elevator and make your way back down. In true tourist fashion, you’ll be dropped off in the gift shop on the bottom level and it is here where you’ll find the exit.

Safe Travels

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