Portland is a city in Oregon with more than 530,000 residents, according to 2006 statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Portland's official history begins in 1843, when William Overton and Asa Lovejoy paid for land on the banks of the Willamette River, in what is now Portland. Today the city offers a number of places for families to go to have fun, which includes the Oregon Zoo, Oaks Amusement Park, Lady Bug Theater, Mt. Tabor Park and the Portland's Children's Museum.
The Oregon Zoo is home to hippos, rhinos, Humboldt penguins, lender-snouted crocodiles, bald eagles, saki monkeys, Roosevelt elk, sun bears and green anacondas. The zoo is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi, and it was created in 1887 by pharmacist Richard King.
The Oaks Amusement Park features roller coasters such as the Looping Thunder Roller Coaster, the Up, Up and Away balloon ride, bumper cars and the Herschell-Spillman Carousel. An indoor skating rink is also located at the amusement park.
Opened since 1965, the Lady Bug Theater, which is shaped like a lady bug, offers live theater performances, including puppet shows, for families. The theater also has acting classes and summer camps for children.
Mt. Tabor Park is the home of an extinct volcanic cinder cone, which was named after Mt. Tabor in Israel. The park also features basketball, tennis and volleyball courts and a playground.
The Portland Children's Museum features a number of hands-on exhibits and art studios for children. This includes the Playopolis, an area where kids can do activities such as tie dye shirts and paint a car, and the Garage, a space where children can be a part of eco-friendly construction projects.
