25 Unmissable things to do in Portland, OR (The non-boring guide)

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Portland is what I would describe as a weird and wonderful city – it has a uniqueness about it that you just don’t find anywhere else.

Nestled between the snow-capped mountain of Mount Hood and the misty sprawl of the Pacific, this Pacific Northwest is known for world-class coffee and craft beer, creative quirks on every corner, and lush landscapes surrounding it.

From bike rides to book shops, there are so many things to do in Portland Oregon, you might just find you need to extend your trip.

Video Highlight: Things to do in Portland with kids

If you’re short on time, check out our video playlist for things to do with kids. Subscribe to our Youtube channel, so you don’t miss our latest travel adventures.

1. Visit the Saturday Market (go local)

The first place in Portland you must make sure you visit is the Portland Saturday Market – it’s the place to go for local arts and crafts, music, and food and craft beers.

It’s quite large, in fact it’s nationally recognized as the biggest open-air arts and crafts market in the U.S. It stretches over several blocks and its location in the Tom McCall Waterfront Park on the Willamette River is pretty stunning and convenient. It easily lends itself to other activities like walking or biking.

So why not make a day of it? You could spend hours of fun exploring all the food carts and boutique craft stalls. It’s a great place to pick up handmade arts, crafts, and local produce from the Pacific Northwest to take back home.

The Saturday Market is held every weekend from March to Christmas Eve, on, you guessed it, Saturdays.

2. Walk or bike along the Willamette River

Portland is a bikeable and walkable city. One of the most popular activities to do in Portland is to cycle around the miles of trails.

You’ll find plenty of trails throughout the city. For a nice safe one, especially if visiting Portland with kids, is a along the Willamette River.

To get there from downtown, simply cross the Willamette River via the bike-friendly Hawthorne Bridge and follow a 3-mile (4.8 km) path between OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) and the Sellwood Bridge.

There is a longer 30-mile route for the hardcore cyclists, which passes by Lake Oswego and several breweries. There are also 30-miles of bikeable paths in Forest Park. Plenty of hiking trails too!

3. Explore Powell’s City of Books

You have found yourself at the largest book store in the WORLD. Book nerds rejoice here!

Powell’s City of Books is an iconic landmark in Portland and takes up an entire city block. It has approximately one million books, both new and old!

I can guarantee you’ll get lost and be hunting down a customer service rep to help you figure out how it works! The shelves mix up the old and the new so it can be a little challenging to figure out which is which.

I’m pretty sure whatever your reading interest is you’ll find it in this Portland institution. Bibliophiles will love the Rare Book Room.

I am not good at shopping when I have so many choices so the girls selected a few new books and we hightailed it out of there. It’s definitely one of the unique and cool things to do in Portland so be sure to visit.

There are even free 45-min public tours of Powell’s books every Sunday. First come, first served.

4. Visit the Pittock Mansion

Although it’s recommended as one of the top attractions, we’re not big museum people, so I wasn’t confident we’d like this. But we discovered that the Pittock Mansion is definitely worth visiting.

The views alone make it one of the top attractions in Portland. We didn’t go inside the mansion itself, instead enjoying the beautiful gardens and learning more about the family and the home from the interpretative panels.

We learned that Henry Pittock was an outdoor adventurist, investor, and successful newspaper publisher. He built the French Renaissance inspired house on the hill for his family and moved into it in 1914.

It stayed in the family until 1958 when it sat empty for 4 years and became derelict until the citizens of Portland came together to save it form the hands of developers. In 1965, Pittock Mansion opened as a historic house museum.

Pittock Mansion sits 1,000 ft. in the West Hills. The panoramic views of the city, the Willamette River, and the distant Cascade Mountains were outstanding!

On a clear day, you can see Mount Hood, Mount St Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Rainier, and Mount Jefferson.

Exploring the surrounding grounds of the mansion is one of the top free things to do in Portland, and the land beyond has been kept wild, offering great opportunities for hiking. The woods behind Pittock Mansion are part of the Forest Park and you can hike the popular Wildwood Trail through here.

5. Eat donuts and hunt for the city’s best ones!

The question “who makes the best donuts in Portland?” is enough to start a war amongst Portlanders. It’s best that you taste test for yourself.

You have probably heard about (or even tasted) the incredibly wild and unique Voodoo Doughnuts. Well, they originated in Portland after noticing the city had ZERO donut shops.

Now there as ubiquitous as Starbucks (which, thankfully you won’t find a lot of in Portland).

Eating ALL the donuts and finding your favorite is one of the best activity to do with kids (and us big kids enjoyed it too)! Though our girls couldn’t go past the extreme flavors of Voodoo.

I appreciated the elegant fine dining style of Blue Star, and Craig went for the traditional style of Pips – it is hard to beat the smell of a hot cinnamon donut!

Whatever your favorite becomes, this is a must do activity in Portland!

Donut lovers can join the Portland Underground Donut Tour. If you do, we’d love to see photos and hear what you thought. Tag us @ytravelblog or post on our Facebook page.

6. Explore the Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Tom McCall Waterfront Park is a 30-acre park located alongside the Willamette River in downtown Portland. It’s one of the most beautiful parks in the city and has some nice views of Portland’s skyline.

It also hosts many Portland events due to its location. So keep an eye on what events are on when you visit Portland.

This is one of the places to visit in Portland for afternoon strolls, picnics, and to cool off in the Salmon Street Springs fountain.

At the northern end of the park is the Pine Street Market food hall.

7. Try Portland’s craft beers on a Brewery Tour

8. Wander around Portland’s neighborhoods

Portland is a neighborhood city. Take your time exploring each one, sampling the food, browsing the stores, sitting in coffee shops, and enjoying the atmosphere. I can guarantee almost all will be filled with tree lined streets and you’ll love the lack of development and high rises.

And of course, roaming the Portland neighborhoods is free to do. Well, until you start buying and tasting local things. We spent so much time exploring the neighborhoods of Portland that we didn’t even visit the heart of downtown Portland!

Here are a few of our favorite neighborhoods in Portland:

Mississippi Ave.

Located between North Fremont Street and North Mason Street, Mississippi Avenue was probably my favorite spot in Portland. It almost had a southern charm to it with its turn-of-the-century wood homes and porches. The local stores and restaurants were quirky!

Mississippi Ave, Portland is meant to be one of the most recent revitalizations over the past few years that took it from hell to hipster heaven.

You’ll find local fusion cuisine, cocktails and whisky bars, and breweries. Places to check out include:

• The Rebuilding Center – is a used building material store that takes up an entire block. It’s a recycling company that sells at discount bits and pieces from old houses and commercial buildings. you’ll find sinks, toilets, old signs and furnishings. It’s one of the cool things to see in Portland.
• The Light Bulb Lady (Sunlan Lighting Inc) – do not miss this historic store dedicated to the adoration of the light bulb. I wasn’t too sure this would be an exciting peruse, but I was pretty taken in by the wide variety of lightbulbs in all colors, shapes and sizes. I never knew they could be so cool actually. I hope “The Light Bulb Lady”, owner Kay Newell is there to greet you and hand over one of her hand-drawn funny light bulb cartoons.

SE Division St.

I feel like the buildings here grew out of the trees and gardens that surround them. It’s a mix of old and new buildings all hosting (again Portland style) independently owned retail and restaurants.

The Division St District is pretty long, so it may need a little longer. Although we only did one section of it and parked our car centrally.

In this area, you’ve got wine bars, breweries, eateries and of course, more shops to peruse. In SE Division St, don’t miss:

• Blue Star Donuts – multiple destinations in the city. The elegant choice for donuts.
• Salt & Straw Ice Cream – multiple locations in the city, but this was the one we ate at. It’s a local institution spreading throughout the West Coast of Oregon.
• Bollywood Theater – is another Portland restaurant I wish we ate at. It’s meant to be one of the best Indian restaurants in Portland. I was drawn in by the colorful umbrellas out the front. You may be by the Bollywood movies they play on the wall.
• The Little Beast Brewery – again something to come back to Portland for. We missed this one but were drawn in by the little yellow cottage sitting under a gigantic shady oak tree. Its elevated beer garden is primed for people-watching and tranquility. They serve food and craft wood-aged and blended beer naturally with diverse cultures, including Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, and wild flora.
• Clinton St Theater – has been playing the Rocky Horror Picture Show for decades.

SE Hawthorne St.

E Hawthorne is located in SE Portland, south of Belmont Street and north of Division Street.

It’s the grungy side of Portland, doing its best to maintain the weirdness of the city. With its funky shops and vintage stores, it’s probably a distant relative to Haight St, one of our favorite places to visit in San Francisco.

This area felt a little more cluttered to me with storefronts and restaurants stuck close together and spilling out onto the sidewalk. Things to check out:

• Vintage thrift stores – there are loads here so if that is your thang you will love it here. Browse away.
• McMenamins Bagdad Theater & Pub – will satisfy moviegoers and pint swillers.
• Portland Cider Company – If you love cider (like me) be sure to stop in here. You’ve never seen so many ciders of varying flavors. Grab yourself a flight, or save yourself the pain of not liking one of your flight choices, and go for a full pint of what you know you’ll love. For me, that was cherry cider paired with a fun game of UNO with the girls.

NE Alberta St.

Another Portland neighborhood that was once riddled with crime, Alberta St in North East Portland is where you’ll find a fashion and artsy vibe. Murals adorn the walls, and galleries line the street featuring local and global artists.

Fashionistas will want to do their boutique shopping here and foodies can head straight to the street’s flavorful and eclectic independently owned restaurants – bohos will have their vegan tastes covered here.

Things to do on Alberta St, Portland:

• Proud Mary Cafe – an Aussie-owned cafe that serves delicious food, communal ambiance and the best coffee in Portland. Vegemite toast for the brave ones.
• There are a few murals waiting for your perfect gram pose. Don’t forget your accessories.
• We didn’t get to Tin Shed Garden Cafe, but I loved the look of it and it was always busy when we drove by. Meant to be best for breakfast or brunch.
• Pine State Biscuits – always had a line out the street for warm, melt-in-the-mouth biscuits with all sorts of fillings.
• Waffle Window – meant to be just as delicious when it comes to breakfast. Works of art that belong in nearby galleries

NW 23rd Ave – Nob Hill

Why are trendy, slightly upper class places in cities called Nob Hill?Retorical question.

This neighborhood on the edge of Forest Park and Washington Park has art galleries, plentiful shopping on walkable streets, and many restaurants. Perfect.

Hit the trails and browse the century-old Victorian and Craftsman-style storefronts housing unique boutiques after it. It’s probably Portland’s most well known street and although you’ll find some of the bigger chains, you’ll still find many local retailers here.

There will be plenty of places to enjoy a quiet drink over the summation of a great day. Grab some food while you’re there.

While pretentious for Portland, I found this flashy district mixed with a slightly hipster, bohemian pinch of spice, but less touristy than the popular Alberta Arts District. It was quite a likable place.

Just next to it is Slabtown, an industrial and residential area that offers a few cool bars, breweries and shopping options. Don’t miss:

• PrAna – My go to place for travel, yoga, and outdoor clothes. actually any kind of clothes. Their stores are few and far between so stock up here.
• New Renaissance Bookstore – Three Victorian homes join here to create what is said to be the largest metaphysical bookstore in the country. Something about Portland and books. I loved browsing the store, not just for books, but crystals, herbs, jewelry, and yoga mats. All with a touch of mysticism. You’ll be happy to know you’re supporting a 28-year-old local business here.

9. Wander around Washington Park

Portland is well known for its green urban landscapes, and there is no better place to get your fill of that then at Washington Park. It’s the heart of the city and is filled with gardens, forests, and museums.

It’s where you’ll find the International Rose Test Garden, Oregon Zoo, Portland Children’s Museum, The Portland Japanese Garden, as well as some memorials, and the Hoyt Arboretum. And of course the children’s playground. Yes, we did give our girls a little play on the way to the rose garden!

There are plenty of small hiking trails in Washington Park if you want to stretch your legs and walk off all that food.

10. Smell the roses at the International Rose Test Garden

Alongside the weird label attached to Portland is the nickname of the City of Roses. This name becomes more clear when you visit the International Rose Test Garden. It has over 7,000 rose plants of about 550 varieties. They bloom typically from late May though to September.

I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy the International Rose Test Garden, so I was surprised by the awe I felt visiting. It is the oldest continuously public rose test garden in the US.

What does that mean? Well during World War I, a rose test garden was established to preserve the species of European roses that may be destroyed and so the garden was born.

Today the garden is mainly used to test new varieties that will be made commercially available to the public.

You’ll find rows of roses in various colors and sizes all emitting a divine fragrance. Don’t miss the Gold Medal Garden, you will find some of the prettiest roses you’ve ever seen. So pretty they have all won Gold Medal Awards!

The Portland Rose Garden is one of the impressive free things to do in Portland and also has great views of downtown and Mt Hood.

Hot tip: FREE public tours are offered daily at 1:00pm, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

11. Enjoy the quietness of Peninsula Park Rose Garden

Here is a rose garden that is equally as beautiful, albeit smaller, and almost free of people, so head to the Peninsula Park Rose Garden.

Our friend Kelly from Damesly Tours who lives in Portland took us here after a yummy breakfast together at the Proud Mary Cafe in nearby NE Alberta st.

The Peninsula Park garden dates back to 1913 and features more than 9,000 rose plants. Stroll around and literally smell the roses. There is a beautiful fountain in the middle of the garden too.

12. Walk across the Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People

Tilikum Crossing is the largest car-free bridge in the United States! It’s a popular place for cyclists and pedestrians to cross but also carries the Portland Streetcar, the MAZ Orange Line and TriMet buses.

This is a handy way to get from one side of the city to the other over the river and simply for those wanting to stretch their legs, and enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful views of the Portland skyline.

Combine this with your walk/bike along the Willamette River and a visit to OMSI Museum which is right next to the bridge.

Explore more of Portland’s bridges and waterfronts on this 2 hour walking tour!

13. Learn about science at the OMSI Museum

We decided to put the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) on our Portland itinerary because we had free entry.

The OMSI has 5 halls of 200 interactive exhibits and activities for all ages making it one of the top things to do in Portland Oregon with kids.

There are a lot of upsells with theater shows, submarine tours, and the Planetarium.

The USS Blueback submarine is one of the biggest draws to the museum since it’s the most modern American submarine on display in the U.S. It served for 30 years and was featured in the movie, The Hunt for Red October.

We decided to just do the basic section of the museum which the kids really enjoyed. We actually didn’t get to do too much beyond the first Innovation Station area. They were completely absorbed by the many challenging designs and puzzles that were out to solve.

They especially loved the earthquake simulator and trying to balance a lever with numbered weights, simulating a balanced equation. There was loads of other learning happening in this room so I was happy for the girls to experiment.

The section I found most riveting was the Life Lab upstairs in the Natural Science Hall. There was a gigantic timeline display of babies in utero. They had life-size replicas of how the baby looked from conception to birth.

It was fascinating to follow the growth. I’ve never seen such a powerful display before. There is also a planetarium, exquisite creatures, and cinema showings of science documentaries.

Hot tip: You get free entry with the annual reciprocal museum pass.

14. Relax in Pioneer Courthouse Square

The Pioneer Courthouse Square, otherwise known as Portland’s living room, is a public square in downtown Portland. It’s a huge space of 40,000-square-foot and connects some of the busiest streets in the city.

People flock here from all over to sit on the steps and chat with friends. It’s most famous for its brickwork though, which have each been inscribed with the names of people who made donations for its construction.

The square often has events throughout the year, so it’s worth swinging by to see what’s happening.

15. Ride the Portland Aerial Tram

The Portland Arial Tram is a cable car that takes you from the city’s South Waterfront district up to the Oregon Health & Science University campus on Marquam Hill. I mean, that’s one way to commute to your college lectures!

It opened in 2006 and is one of only two commuter aerial tramways in the U.S. (the other being the Roosevelt Island Tramway in New York City).

The ride only lasts for three minutes, but it offers excellent views of the city and is a great way to get up the hill without tiring out your legs!

16. Visit the smallest park in the world, Mills End Park

The Mills End Park is a tiny urban park, which you would miss if you weren’t; looking for it! In fact, there is some debate as to whether it’s even a park as it consists of one tree.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, it’s considered the world’s smallest park. If you happen to be crossing the median strip next to Tom McCall Waterfront Park look out for the small 2ft circle.

It won’t take you long to see, but it’s worth making a stop for a photo.

17. Marvel at Native American Art at the Portland Art Museum

The Portland Art Museum in Portland is one of the oldest art museums on the West Coast. It’s also one of the biggest, with a permanent collection of 42,000 pieces of art.

While we’re not big on museums and galleries, this museum is a little different as it has an exhibit on Native American art which is pretty cool to see!

There are some other exhibits for modern and contemporary art, as well as specifically Northwest American art and exhibitions of Asian art. If you don’t want to pay for entrance, the public outdoor sculpture garden is worth checking out.

18. Visit Willamette Valley Wineries

If you’re looking for day trips to take outside of Portland, then the Willamette Valley is a good choice. The region has over 700 wineries, so it would be rude not to stop by for a taste! In fact, it is recognized as one of the top producers of Pinot noir grapes.

If you’re traveling with kids and don’t think they’ll appreciate mom and dad getting sloshed, then you might enjoy some of the valleys hiking trails instead.

The region is full of outstanding nature spots, including the Silver Falls State Park. You can hike through forests and pass waterfalls, and then visit a winery on the way home.

19. Have a pint at Kennedy School, wait what?

Kennedy School used to be an elementary school, but now it has a bunch of bars in the building with school theme.

This is part of the McMenamins’ chain, which you’ll get to know in Oregon. They take old historic buildings and turn them into unique and quirky brewpubs, theater pubs, live music and hotels.

At Kennedy School you can enjoy a pint in a classroom, enjoy a movie in the old auditorium, or stay in one of the 57 comfortable rooms which used to be classrooms and other school offices.

20. Day trip to Columbia River Gorge

Just a short 30-minute drive east of Portland is the Columbia River Gorge, where some of the most dramatic landscapes in the Pacific Northwest reside. The gorge was carved by Ice Age floods and stretches over 80 miles long.

We explored this designated National Scenic Area on a separate trip, which you can read about here, but you could easily make a day trip out to explore the waterfalls and forests. In fact, it’s home to the greatest concentration of waterfalls in North America, including the iconic 620-foot Multnomah Falls, which towers higher than Niagara.

Go for a hike through lush, mossy trails that wind through old-growth forests, stop at scenic overlooks like Crown Point for sweeping views of the river, or explore historic towns such as Hood River. It’s well worth it!

21. Relax on Sauvie Island

Just 10 miles northwest of downtown Portland, Sauvie Island is a rural escape from the city, and offers farms, beaches, and wildlife preserves all in one spot.

At 26,000 acres, it’s one of the largest river islands in the United States, bordered by the Columbia River, the Willamette River, and Multnomah Channel.

If you’re here in the summer, visit the local U-pick farms to pick berries, or to relax on sandy stretches like Walton Beach.

22. See the city views from Mount Tabor

The hike up Mt Tabor is fun and short, and you get a great view of the whole city from the top. We did try to do this one, but there was no street parking nearby so you need to plan ahead for that.

Mount Tabor sits at about 636 feet above sea level, and is an urban park formed from a volcanic cinder cone, part of the Boring Lava Field.

The trail is beautiful, winding through towering Douglas firs and open meadows, leading to a summit crowned with historic open-air reservoirs and panoramic views of downtown.

23. Relax in Laurelhurst Park

Laurelhurst Park, tucked into one of Portland’s historic neighborhoods, is a beloved green park spanning 31 acres. It was the first city park in Portland to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, thanks to its Olmsted Brothers–inspired layout of winding paths, groves of giant Douglas firs, and a picturesque duck pond.

It opened in 1912 on what was once farmland, but today it’s better known as a space for locals to walk their dogs, for families to picnic under century-old trees, or musicians to play around the pond’s edge.

24. Explore the Shanghai Tunnels

The Shanghai Tunnels hide a seedy past. Beneath the bustling streets, this mysterious subterranean labyrinth was originally built in the late 19th century to move goods between waterfront warehouses and the city, but later gained notoriety for allegedly being used to “shanghai” sailors.

Today, it’s open to tourists by guided tour, where they can hear stories of bootlegging and secret entrances, speakeasies and debauchery, whilst exploring the dimly lit passages. It’s one of the more fun things to do in Portland.

25. Attend Portland Beer Week

When it comes to beer festivals, what do you think you can expect from one of the major cities for craft beer? A 10-day beer fest, that’s what!

Portland Beer Week is held every June and features more than 100 events across the city’s bars, breweries, and restaurants, highlighting everything from experimental brews to traditional lagers.

With over 70 breweries participating, it’s the best place for beer enthusiasts to try curated tastings, beer-pairing dinners, and take part in workshops on brewing techniques.

Getting around Portland

Portland OR has a good public transport system with light-rail, streetcar and buses to help with your Portland sightseeing. They are all operated by TriMet. You can buy tickets and day passes on the bus (exact change needed) or at vending machines at the stops.

You wouldn’t need to rent a car to get around Portland, but if you’re planning on heading out to the Oregon coast or want to see attractions outside the city center, then it will certainly be needed.

If you have your own car, be warned, parking can sometimes be difficult (although we always found one) and the streets are very narrow in the neighborhoods. It was quite the challenge with our huge Ford F250 truck!

Where to stay in Portland, Oregon

Portland is a big city and you’ll find a wide range of neighborhoods and accommodations that cater to different travel styles.

For first timers, Downtown is a convenient choice as it’s close to the main attractions, as well as has walkable streets and public transport connections. The Pearl District is another popular spot for tourists, and has chic boutiques, art galleries, and loft-style hotels, with a laid-back vibe – though it’s got touristy over the years.

If nature is your priority, stay near Washington Park or along the Willamette River. Here are some hotels we recommend as a base for exploring the city:

• The Benson Hotel – A downtown Portland landmark since 1913, the Benson Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Kimpton Riverplace Hotel – One of our favorite hotel brands, this pet-friendly hotel on downtown Portland’s waterfront, offers in-room spa services, a 24-hour fitness center, and marina-view condos for extended stays.
• The Heathman Hotel – is home to the acclaimed Headwaters restaurant and features a unique library of over 3,000 volumes signed by their authors (including Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners).
• McMenamins Kennedy School – stay in a historic elementary school. The hotel has a quirky restaurant and a bar onsite, as well as a heated saltwater soaking pool and movie theatre.
• Crystal Hotel – each guestroom is inspired by a song or performance from the past 100 years at the nearby Crystal Ballroom.

Final thoughts

One of the best parts of travel is experiencing local customs, and you get authentic American charm in Portland, Oregon.

When you visit Portland Oregon in the Pacific Northwest, you won’t find endless mundane tourist attractions and flashing neon lights. You’ll find much more than that!

The best thing to do here mostly involves strolling the quirky Portland neighborhoods to see what you discover. You’ll find fascinating museums, parks, and fantastic places to eat in Portland.

Our kids enjoyed visiting Portland as part of our Oregon road trip, especially after several weeks without any city experiences. We were happy to leave the RV in Columbia River Gorge to spend four days in Portland Oregon.

What do you think? Have you found something to do on this list? Let us know in the comments.

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