Geography
Portland sits at the north end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. To the east are the volcanic Cascades, to the west is the Coast Range, and just a bit further west lies the Pacific Ocean.
Fertilized by the soils of Eastern Washington (thanks, Missoula Floods), the Willamette Valley boasts some of the country’s top wine-growing regions, it’s particularly known for its Pinot Noir.
Despite its reputation for moisture, Portland receives less rain than New York City — we just have it delivered over a slow eight-month drizzle. Proximity to the ocean moderates the weather, with winters rarely dipping below freezing and summers rarely warmer than 32ºC (90ºF). Tight land-use laws have kept nature both preserved and nearby, making Oregon a year-round destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
Getting to Portland
The United States has several cities named Portland. If you are planning to fly, be sure to choose Portland, Oregon – airport code PDX. There are regular stories in the news of careless travelers ending up in Portland, Maine — some 4000km from their intended destination.
Portland International Airport is well connected to destinations inside the United States, Canada, and Mexico with direct connections to Europe via Amsterdam (AMS), and Asia via Tokyo (NRT).
Getting around Portland
Portland is known nationwide as model of land use planning and public transportation. Trimet, our local transit agency provides great service — they’re also outstanding open source citizens, with great contributions to OpenStreetMap and the OpenTripPlanner. Don’t be surprised if you have the opportunity to hear from them at the conference.
The MAX Light Rail connects the Airport, downtown, the Convention Center, Portland State University, and the conference’s DoubleTree Hotel.
Points of Interest
Check out this extended FOSS4G map that includes events happening in parallel with FOSS4G as well as nearby points of interest.
