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Nestled along the Tualatin River just south of Tigard and Lake Oswego, Tualatin, Oregon is only 12 miles from downtown Portland. Originally named Galbreath and then Bridgeport, the city adopted the same name as the river in the 1880’s. The name Tualatin comes from the Kalapuya Native American language and has been defined as lazy or sluggish. It probably refers to the flow of the river which often slows and meanders through the countryside on its way to the Willamette River. One thing is for sure, the river helps drain a fertile agricultural region known as the Tualatin Valley which attracted settlers right off the Oregon Trail who began to farm the area in the 1850’s. The town began to grow in 1886 with the introduction of the Portland & Willamette Railway, helping farmers ship crops to other regions of Oregon and beyond. With the railway came industry and the establishment of logging and lumbering by the Tualatin Mill Company. In 1906, the Oregon Electric Railroad placed Tualatin on its Portland-Salem service. Today, Tualatin is right on Interstate 5 connecting the entire state as it runs north-south from California to Washington.

A Tualatin tutor will keep you ahead of the academic curve so you can enjoy the many things to do in Tualatin as well as the Portland metropolitan area. Visitors to Brown’s Ferry Park on the Tualatin River will likely catch a glimpse of wildlife such as deer, bald eagles or red foxes. The 28-acre park is named after early settler Zenas Brown who set up the first ferry crossing on the Tualatin River. Today the park offers picnic grounds, a river outlook platform and seasonal canoe and kayak rentals. For something completely different, the city hosts the annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta in October. Spectators come from all over the Pacific Northwest and the United States for the event which involves competitors in giant pumpkins racing across the Tualatin Lake of the Commons. Racers are often dressed in brightly colored costumes depicting characters from superheroes to the tooth fairy.

A short trip across the river to either Tigard or Lake Oswego provides Tualatin residents with a wealth of amenities. Tigard offers several family friendly activities such as the annual “Taste of Tigard Food Festival” which features a variety of diverse foods and beverage choices from some of the best local and national brands. For well over a century, Lake Oswego has been a resort destination for Oregonians seeking outdoor recreation. Visitors can count on lakeside hotels, boating, fishing and numerous other excellent summertime activities.

A short drive north to Portland will reward animal lovers who will want to visit the Oregon Zoo. With over one million visitors every year, the zoo includes several individual habitats housing animals from around the world. Exhibits include “Africa Savanna,” “Eagle Canyon” and “Malayan Sun Bears.” In recent years, the zoo has established survival plans for 21 endangered and threatened species. Established in 1888, it is the oldest zoo in the United States west of Mississippi River.