The most mysterious of Portland's neighborhoods is Old Town/Chinatown. Below the streets of this river district, the "Portland Underground" (or "Shanghai Tunnels," as they are commonly known) serves as a reminder of the days when unsavory characters shanghaied thousands of unsuspecting sailors, loggers and ranchers. The Portland Underground consists of tunnels, catacombs and, apparently, an assortment of ghosts. The Northwest Paranormal Investigations group claims this to be the second most haunted place on the West Coast, and tour operators have experienced "incidents" that would lead one to agree. Ghost tours and history tours are offered by appointment.

Back on street level, Old Town/Chinatown is a bustling arts and entertainment district and the site of some of Portland's best music spots and art galleries. Every weekend from March through December, Old Town hosts the well-known Portland Saturday Market, is the largest continuously operating open-air crafts market in the United States. Artful items are offered by more than 350 vendors, and, as its slogan emphasizes, the market is open on "Sundays, too!" Portland Saturday Market is centered around the historic Skidmore Fountain, the city's first piece of public art. In addition, Old Town is said to have one of the largest collections of cast-iron buildings in the United States, second only to New York's SoHo District.

Portland's Chinatown makes up a significant part of Old Town and is home to the Portland Classical Chinese Garden. Named Lan Su Yuan, or "Garden of Awakening Orchid," this is one of the largest Suzhou-style gardens outside of China. The ornate Chinatown Gateway (at the intersection of Southwest Fourth Avenue and West Burnside Street) was assembled in Taiwan by artisans who adorned it with nearly 200 dragons and other mythical characters.

For a taste of Old Town/Chinatown: Don't miss House of Louie for authentic Chinese fare. Old Town Pizza Co., a Portland institution, still boasts "dead-fall" trap doors in the floor of its 1880s building. They lead, as you might suspect, directly to the Portland Underground. Velvet couches, fringed lampshades and a grand saloon bar evoke days of old. Mind your step!