Last Updated on January 17, 2023

Our lives are increasingly busy and full of activity. Most of it feels necessary, but that doesn’t stop us from feeling overwhelmed and tense. These and other feelings continue to expand in us and become the norm. Soon we don’t even realize the level of stress we’re holding day to day. It’s imperative to your health and wellness to find rest and relaxation in your days. Visiting one of the best parks in Portland Oregon may be just the thing!

Related: Healthy Running!

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Incorporating Rest & Relaxation in Your Day

The trick to living a healthier existence while you’re still doing everything you have to is to incorporate rest and relaxation in your day.

It’s almost pointless to advise anyone to reduce the activity in their lives – not that we shouldn’t do that if we can. But life is busy. The ways that you bring rest and relaxation into your lives don’t have to be big or complex. In addition to the following, consider lovely walks or picnics in our local parks.

Sip a cup of tea
Read a good book
Enjoy a leisurely soak in the bathtub
Watch a great movie
Consider meditation
Try a yoga practice

The 5 Best Parks in Portland

Almost nothing is so nourishing to your mind and body as time spent in nature. Fortunately, Portland has many of the most beautiful and peaceful parks in the U.S. Here are the best places to find rest and relaxation.

Laurelhurst Park

This city park is located in the prestigious Laurelhurst neighborhood and expands over 26.81 acres. In 1919, this fantastic place was named the most beautiful park on the West Coast and as of 2001, it was the first park listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It boasts paved and unpaved paths, a picnic site with tables, a playground, dog leash-off areas, a horseshoe pit, a stage, and restrooms, as well as a soccer field and basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts. There are lots of ways to enjoy this park on your own or with friends. There are even several fantastic restaurants in the area.

Peninsula Park

You can find Peninsula Park’s entrance at 700 N Rosa Parks Way. This beautiful park, which once belonged to local businesswoman Liverpool Liz, extends across 16.39 acres. Many of its current features were added when it was purchased as a part of a city beautification initiative back in 1912.

This park boasts amenities like an accessible picnic area with shelter and tables, a playground, a horseshoe pit, a fountain, a splash pad, paved paths for walking or jogging, a plaza, and public art. There are even softball and soccer fields and basketball and tennis courts. If you prefer the Northern part of the city, this park is a wonderful place to spend your time.

Washington Park

Just two miles west of downtown Portland, you’ll find one of Oregon’s oldest and most beautiful parks. The Washington Park expands over 410 acres and is home to some of the most impressive attractions, including the Hoyt Arboretum, Portland Japanese Garden, the Oregan Zoo, International Rose Test Garden, the World Forestry Center, the Rose Garden Children’s Playground, and an archery range. Several memorials within the park include the Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Memorial, the Sacajawea Memorial, and the Oregon Holocaust Memorial.

The park has a free parkwide shuttle system, offsite parking services, and visitor information services.

Are you focusing on your health? We can be your new healing environment with personalized treatments and education. Visit Inner Gate Health & Wellness Clinic for more information.

Council Crest Park

For those who prefer the city’s southwest portion, you can enjoy Council Crest Park. It stretches over 42.95 acres, and because it’s over a thousand feet above sea level, it’s one of the highest locations in the West Hills and boasts amazing views of Portland. There are many attractions and amenities, including paved and unpaved paths, public art, picnic tables, a vista point, a plaza, dog off-leash areas, and a wedding site that may be reserved for your big day.

Cathedral Park

Cathedral Park is one of our city’s most historic parks and is located in the St John’s neighborhood. It’s best known for the awe-inspiring St. John’s Bridge, and the incredible free jazz festival held there every summer. The amenities available at this park include accessible restrooms, a plaza, a boat dock, a boat ramp, picnic tables, an outdoor stage, and a dog off-leash area. There are also paved and unpaved paths and a nature patch.

This park is not only one of the most beautiful in the city but also makes a wonderful escape because it is located away from downtown.

How to Find Rest in Your Busy Life

Use any or all of the above parks to find a little peace and rest in your busy life. Following are some other ways to invite restoration into your days.

Allow Yourself to Rest

Rest is essential to your physical and mental health. It isn’t an indulgence – it’s a must. Stress and burnout can lead to health problems, so you shouldn’t feel guilty or worry about career progress if you take time off.

Calm Your Mind

Often, the only thing busier than your day is your mind. Your thoughts are racing with everything you’re trying not to forget to do. This can be exhausting and stressful. A meditation practice can be beneficial for calming your mind.

Surround Yourself with Peace

While you may not be able to control the atmosphere in your office, you can choose recreational surroundings that bring you peace. Find spaces that nourish you mentally and emotionally.

Understand the Importance of Sleep

Without sound and restful sleep, your body cannot be in optimal health. So, in addition to being intentional about relaxing practices, you also have to prioritize sleep.

Enjoy the Best Parks for Rest

Visiting these parks is an excellent way to restore your energy and joy. Even if you’re only able to be in nature for brief periods, you can still benefit. Enjoy the fresh air, changes of seasons, and the lovely amenities and attractions they host.

Are you dealing with an injury or unexplained aches and pains? We can help you improve your overall health, wellness, and quality of life. Visit Inner Gate Health & Wellness Clinic to learn more.

Katherine V.

March 9, 2023.

While recovering from injuries sustained from a car accident, I have seen a few different acupuncturists as well as a chiropractor and masseuse at Inner Gate, and I have appreciated them all. The care I've received has been stellar - compassionate, personable, considerate, and soothing. Truly, Inner Gate practitioners have greatly helped me in my healing process. Thank you!

Abbie W.

July 26, 2022.

I have been seeing Nick Maxwell for Craniosacral massage for the last several months after a car accident left me with whiplash, nagging low back pain, a mild concussion, and stress and anxiety. He is an incredibly gifted healer that has helped me immensely! I have had a plethora of bodywork over the years, and I can undoubtedly say that his massages are the best. He has also helped with digestive issues/SIBO/nervous system recovery. I would never see anyone else again after finding him. I am much calmer, happier, and healing well thanks in big part to his care.

Elizabeth M.

February 10, 2022.

Well, I will start by saying that Nicholas Maxwell is my favorite massage therapist. I went to him after 1 year of shoulder pain. Before going to him, I was waiting for the pain to just go away; it didn't. He was the first person I sought any help from. I'm sorry to say, I didn't expect that much relief from a massage but after about 3 sessions I felt close to cured of 1 whole year of pain! He recommended a great physical therapist to solve my shoulder stiffness and pain. My pt said that Nick did a great job of loosening up the muscles for a quicker recovery. Nick seemed to wipe out all the surface pain and extraneous tenderness so that my pt could pinpoint my injury which turned out to be shoulder tendonitis. Now I see both of them concurrently. They both gave the same estimate for recovery, which was shorter than I thought it would be. I've had more that 50 massages in my lifetime (CA, NY, NV), Nick is the only massage therapist I have been to that leaves me feeling better for days and days after the actual massage. If I could describe what Nick's massages feel like, it would be like this: If the ocean waves had massaging hands, they would be Nick's. Before going to Nick, I am a chuck steak. After my massage, I am filet mignon. What can I say, Nick Is Awesome!!

Julian J.

November 4, 2021.

My physical therapist suggested acupuncture for my chronic knee injury in July 2021. I'm going to explain my story, but I want to say at the beginning that Emma Ellsworth at Inner Gate Health & Wellness saved me from a life of chronic pain. It's really difficult and frustrating to find good care anywhere these days, so trust me when I tell you that you can end your search now. Just call Inner Gate and ask for Emma. I always find it helpful to read health care reviews from folks who suffer from the same issues as me, so here's a bit about my medical history: My orthopedic physician diagnosed me with IT band syndrome in my right knee in January 2021. I began a course of physical therapy, but not only did the IT band syndrome not get better, I actually developed IT band syndrome in my left leg due to overcompensation. I pushed myself a little too hard and started noticing that even very light exercise would cause my symptoms to flare up (inflammation, pain, swelling, etc.). By May 2021, I could not walk more than 3 blocks at a time without my knees flaring up. Keep in mind that I'm an otherwise healthy person in my mid-30s. I then developed hamstring tendinopathy in both legs, I assume to disuse. Along with preexisting patellofemoral pain syndrome issues, suffice to say that my knees were totally busted, okay. After all that, my physical therapist and orthopedic physician basically threw their hands up and suggested either cortisone shots for the rest of my life, acupuncture, or prescription pain medication that I really shouldn't be taking due to family history of hypertension. In comes Emma. I'm a huge believer in modern Western medicine and everything, but Emma succeeded where two physical therapists, a physiatrist, my orthopedic physician, and my primary care doctor all failed. Emma succeeded not only because she did something they did not - acupuncture - but she succeeded because she was more effective and patient at taking time to find the actual root cause of my issues. She is super methodical about interviewing me at the beginning of every session, evaluating what worked / didn't work from last time, trying out new areas for acupuncture, and over the course of 4 weeks eventually found an acupuncture solution that reduced my pain. I remember when it happened - I had an acupuncture session one Friday in October, and two days later I was going for a walk and ended up walking like 3 times further than I had walked in the past 6 months. I stopped and was like, "Wow my legs don't hurt at all." The pain literally vanished, went from a 5-6/10 on the pain scale all day every day down to 0-1. The massive pain reduction has allowed me to resume my physical therapy exercises with less pain and start rebuilding my knee strength. I still go to acupuncture to deal with some knee meniscus issues and overall wellness / mental health issues. Honestly, I feel such a tremendous sense of wellness after every acupuncture session that I kind of don't ever want to stop going. Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading and hopefully my story is helpful. Seriously, go see the folks at Inner Gate. You won't regret it!!

Mitchell P.

October 19, 2021.

Inner Gate Health & Wellness provides exceptional care! Their staff, specifically Emma Ellsworth, is skillful, compassionate, and effective at providing holistic healing services, including acupuncture. I highly recommend treatment with Inner Gate and Emma Ellsworth for symptoms including depression, anxiety, pelvic floor pain, back pain, and digestion issues.

Ruben S.

April 15, 2021.

This is a long overdue, rave review for Terry. I've been to many acupuncturists over the last decade and she is hands down the most helpful and accommodating. I came in with a very unsolvable problem (tinnitus) and had tried everything before coming to Terry. Terry has helped improve my symptoms with Tinnitus and a number of other issues. She's also extremely patient and takes time out of every session at the beginning to go over progress and how I'm feeling. She has a good understanding of my problems and is always ready with solutions to help. Acupuncture with Terry is one of the highlights of my week -- thank you for being so great!!

Dr. Kaley B.

November 28, 2020.

Very impressed! Great acupuncture, well organized front desk. Liz is fantastic, and I'm not a fan of needles. Finally got some relief from back and neck pain. Looking forward to a few more sessions!

Abbie W.

September 15, 2020.

I highly recommend Oliver Leonetti at Innergate Acupuncture! I have seen him for the last 12 years for various ailments - ranging from nagging sports injuries to digestive issues to insomnia/anxiety, and he always provides the highest level of care that truly lasts. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable and skilled, but he is super kind and caring and always take the time to truly listen. I always feel better after leaving my appointment. I honestly do not know what I would do without Oliver or Innergate Acupuncture! Also, I've seen several of the acupuncturists there, and they are all fantastic as well.

M W.

July 9, 2020.

I can't recommend these guys enough! I have a 10 yr old competitive skier who was having some knee pain & had never had acupuncture done before...not only did these guys gently ease him into the entire process - they also helped him get back on the ski hill after the first couple of treatments I was super impressed with their professionalism & how both Liz and Casey approached his injury - now my little guy looks forward to going to his acupuncture appointments! Yay! Thank you a zillion times over for taking such good care of my little guy.

Abby J.

January 9, 2020.

I used to think acupuncture was sort of hokey. Not total witchcraft, but definitely not the magic, cure-all that people said. Well, folks, a few months in and I can report that I'm a changed woman! Well, really, it only took one session. Terry took my whole health history into consideration and helped with everything. Anxiety, sleeplessness, colds, ankle injuries, back pain--you name it. I've come in with problems and always left improved. I'm sure all the acupuncturists are lovely, but I want to stress how awesome Terry is. She takes my concerns seriously without making me feel like I'm at a stuffy doctors office. She approaches her work with humor and friendliness and is spot on with her treatment. Terry has made me feel comfortable from the get-go and has made my weekly appointments something for me to look forward to. My friends all have heard me rave about her, so I'd say everyone I know should go see her, but then I may never be able to squeeze in my appointments again! Just kidding, of course. Also, big props to the front desk staff too. They have been super kind and helpful when guiding me through insurance issues or unexpected after work traffic. I'd highly recommend Inner Gate SE to anyone with any ailment!

5 Best Parks in Portland, OR for Rest & Relaxation