Photo by Carla Christian
Have you traveled through the renovated Portland airport yet? After more than three years of construction, the airport unveiled its stunning new terminal last fall. It’s an airy vaulted space laced with an intricate web of native PNW timbers and streaming with natural light. Living trees and plants offer a soothing counterpoint to the bustle of travel.
Photo by Carla Christian
On a recent departure, we caught some short flicks at the Hollywood Theatre. The theater shows brief films from local producers and it’s a great way to pass some time while you’re waiting. We watched documentaries about why the soils in the Northwest are so rich and fertile (the key is volcanos), the family who runs the beloved DeliciousDonuts in Portland, and the mesmerizing glass and metal sculptural designs of Sparks Designs, plus a cute musical animation called My Darling Daffodil about the persistence and patience of flowers. The theatre is free and you can come and go as you wish.
Photo by Carla Christian
Restaurants are open and there were some great food choices in the atrium area. The day I traveled there was a piano player providing live music, a nice extra touch. If I’ll be traveling over a meal time (and sometimes even if I’m not), I like to grab a sandwich to eat on board.
Photo by Carla Christian
We noticed a few other nice changes around the airport. Local favorite Powell’s Bookstore is back, so you can grab a good read for your flight. The new renovation also brings back a special reproduction of the beloved carpet that Portlanders like to photograph underfoot. There’s lots of space for visitors before security, so you can wait comfortably when you’re meeting someone for travel or arrival. And, to my husband’s delight, there’s a shoe shine service again as you enter terminal C. When you’re ready to leave, there is now a pickup area for ride sharing like Lyft and Uber in the short-term parking garage where there’s ample space to wait for your ride out of the weather.
Renovation reroutes introduced a long walk from terminal B, so if you fly into this terminal make sure you have your comfy walking shoes; if you can’t walk a half mile let the airport know you’ll need assistance. By 2026 the final phase will be complete.
