Portland is a great city, for all adults, including those with Asperger Syndrome, to share and enjoy a wide variety of fun activities. These outlets offer opportunities to contribute your talents and to connect with others. Truly, food, housing, counselling, and medical care are not enough for most of us. Many people need time to relax, regroup and to participate in their special interest/s. Here is a list of places to go and things to do, in Portland, to find enjoyment and entertainment. Note that this list is not comprehensive and is updated as time allows. Please email your comments and suggestions to: info@aspdx.org.

Portland First Thursday Art Galleries Open House Events - locations and hours found on linked PDF map
http://padaoregon.org/openings

Portland Last Thursday Arts District Arts and Entertainment Events [associated with Alberta Street neighborhood businesses and arts and crafts enterprises]
http://www.portlandneighborhood.com/alberta-street.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Street,_Portland,_Oregon

Portland on the Cheap - listings of museums, societies, destination sites with free or reduced admission
http://portlandonthecheap.com/activitiesandattractions_free.html

Portland Street Fairs and other Regularly Scheduled Annual Events
http://www.portland.com/annual-events.php

Portland METRO Area Farmers' Markets
http://www.portlandfarmersmarket.org/sec_Experience/markets/MetroMarkets.php

Gardens

Leach Botanical Garden
http://www.leachgarden.org/

The Grotto - A quiet place - shrine and botanical garden - [elevator token charge to view upper garden; limited days and hours]
http://www.thegrotto.org/

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden [small admissions charge]
http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?PropertyID=27&action=ViewPark

Parks

Portland Parks and Recreation Find a Park Page
http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/

Portland Area Trails, Parks, Bike Paths, Camping
http://www.trails.com/city-trails.aspx?keyword=Portland&state=OR

Columbia Gorge Camping and Hiking
http://www.riverdrifters.net/gorgecamping.htm

Mt. Hood National Forest Hiking and Camping Information
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mthood/recreation/campgrounds/index.shtml

Timberline Trail and Day Hikes [links from Mt. Hood URL, above]
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mthood/recreation/trails/index.shtml

Biking

Portland Area Bicycle Clubs, Rides, Events, Resources and Best Links Page
http://bikeportland.org/

On the Water

Columbia Slough Paddlers - Kayak and Canoe Rentals
http://www.columbiaslough.org/recreation/paddling_canoeing.htm

Willamette River Water Trail Website - canoeing and watershed restoration activities
http://www.willamettewatertrail.org/

Disk Golf Courses in NW Oregon and SW Washington - rules are simple; equipment not that expensive
http://www.oregondiscgolf.com/

Oregon Volkswalks and Volkssports - Join a club or just join an organized walk
http://www.walkoregon.org/eventlst.htm

Portland Metro Gyms, Athletic Clubs, Conditioning - comprehensive listing Check out some of the smaller, independent sites. You won't feel like a "herd animal" in some of them.
http://www.yelp.com/search?find_loc=Portland%2C+OR&cflt=gyms

Powell's City of Books - Portland's grand daddy store of used and new books; postings for special interest authors and readers groups near the Blue Room
http://www.powells.com/

Multnomah County Library Home Site Web Page
http://www.multcolib.org/

Great Used Book Bargains: Multnomah County Title Wave Bookstore
http://www.multcolib.org/titlewave/

Multnomah County Library Interlibrary Loan Program
http://www.multcolib.org/ref/ill/illpolicies.html

International List of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Literature Bookstores
http://www.sff.net/people/DoyleMacDonald/bookstor.htm

Instruments

Portland Music Co.- Portland's multi-store source for limited sheet music collection and basic instrument sales. They can refer you to specialized instrument stores, including repair services, in the Portland Metro vicinity.
http://www.portlandmusiccompany.com/index.html

Pender's Music Company [Sheet Music Service] With the closure of its store in the Woodstock neighborhood in April 2010, Portland musicians have this one responsive "distant" service for sheet music of all kinds:
Pender's Sheet Music Service
www.sheetmusicservice.com
1-800-772-5918

Portland Community Music Center - classical instrument lessons; affordable youth and local adult and visiting artists recitals and performances
http://www.communitymusiccenter.org/

Live Concerts

Local College/University Student, Faculty and Guest Artist Recitals and Performances - Many are Free Call to check  music department announcements at Reed College, University of Portland, and Marylhurst University. Phone numbers are on their websites.

Portland State Music Department Student and Faculty Recitals and Performances
http://www.pdx.edu/music/events/[Visit music department bulletin board on the third floor of Lincoln Hall for additional low cost orfree performances.] Also, see http://www.pdx.edu/music/music-classifiedsfor auditions, tutoring and lesson opportunities, and other happenings.

Reed College Music Department Portland Listing of major metro performance groupshttp://academic.reed.edu/music/music-portland.html

Oregon Bluegrass Association - jams, bands, events, festivals, workshopshttp://oregonbluegrass.org/ [Listen to "Music from the True Vine" every Saturday from 9AM to Noon, KBOO-FM, 90.7 (Portland) for a roundup of upcoming bluegrass events.]

Media

Music Millenium - Portland's Best Source for New and Used Recorded Music
Classic Millenium is right next door. Both stores custom-order.
Music Millennium
3158 East Burnside Street
Portland, OR
97214-1995
503-231-8926
www.musicmillennium.com

Everyday Music - Used and some New Music All Kinds and All FormatsThis five-store company has the broadest collection of used music media anywhere in the mid-NW. Its flagship store on West Burnside has a huge LP collection.The list is aimed at keeping these folks fed, clothed and keeping items in working order.http://www.everydaymusic.com/

Cheap Movies - first and second run - for the "In-Person-with-Others Experience"
http://portlandor.about.com/od/artsentertainment/tp/movie_theater.htm

Best Rental DVD Outlet in Portland - Movie Madness Video & More If you don't "do" Netflix or laptop and Ipod downloads, check 'em out. Lots of indies, art films, and classics.
4320 Southeast Belmont Street
Portland, OR
97215-1632
503-234-4363
www.moviemadnessvideo.com

Free Geek - Portland's ldest build-a-computer program - major volunteer opportunities
http://www.freegeek.org/

Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade- video and hands-on old-timey games for adults
511 NW Couch St
Portland, OR
97209
Phone: 503-796-9364
http://groundkontrol.com/arcade/index.php

Railroads

Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club - various membership levels available
http://www.cgmrc.com/

Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation - Portland steam engine restoration project
http://www.orhf.org/

Airplanes

National Association of Scale Aeromodelers
http://www.nasascale.org/

Portland Area Radio Controlled Model Aircraft Clubs - [Scroll down to Oregon]
http://www.towerhobbies.com/rcwairclub.html

SOLV - beach, parks, waterways, neighborhood cleanup and restoration - volunteer opportunities all over Oregon
http://www.solv.org/

Habitat for Humanity - Opportunities to Join Crews Building Affordable Housing and Make a Difference while Working at "Your Level" Portland and East Metro:
http://habitatportlandmetro.org/

West Tuality (Forest Grove) see www.habitat.org

Willamette West Habitat (Hillsboro) see www.habitat-west.org

Portland Community College Non-Credit Adult Community Education Program
http://www.pcc.edu/community/