The Most Scenic Approach... by birchy99
Wow, if you want to see mountains, just fly into Portland. 99% of the time you approach from the east down the Columbia River Gorge. As you descend, you are eye ball to eye ball with the summits of Mt. Adams on the right, and Mt. Hood on the left. You might also be able to see the remnants of Mt. St. Helens on the right plus a distant view of Mt. Ranier near Seattle.Taking off from Portland you might swing around over Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams with Mt. Hood on right. I don't know of any other airport with this much scenery. Also, if you look closely on the approach you can seen the many extinct volcanoes to the south; Mt. Washington and Jefferson plus the Three Sisters near Bend. Of course this surmises you will be arriving on a clear day. As you may be aware we do have a bit of rain, clouds and fogs around here, so count your blessings if you get a good view.
Also, once inside the terminal you will find a nice, peaceful setting, with shops, and restaurants. The setting is less hectic than in larger airports. Security lines are usually short and the workers are usually friendly.
Parking is the usual at most airports. Short term is in a structure next to the terminal. Long term is next door plus the economy lot is accessable by shuttle bus. Interstate I-205 is the best way to access the airport, however, you can also take Max from the 102nd St. station, or access from Sandy Blvd.
