Top 15 Things to Do in Portland Oregon
When you’re planning your trip to Portland, Oregon, you’ll want to start with
a few basic attractions. Logically, especially when thinking of Portland's
climate, it would be wise to carry an umbrella while on your Portland adventure.
But to blend in with the laid-back vibe of Portland, forget the umbrella and
just wear a jacket with a hood along with some casual clothes. If you’re
thinking of doing some outdoor activities like hiking, bike riding, or kayaking,
make sure you pack appropriately. Once you’re done packing for your trip, you’ll
want to know top 15 things to do in Portland. This list will keep you busy
during your trip and help you experience the best the city has to offer. Whether
you enjoy outdoor activities, food, or sports, this list has something for
everyone. This list will most certainly help
you make the most of your visit to this beautiful and
interesting city.
15) Lan Su Chinese Garden
Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland is a great place to visit
because of its sheer beauty. Portland’s sister city of Suzhou, in the Jiangsu
province of China, collaborated with Portland to build what the garden’s own
website calls “the most authentic Chinese garden outside of China.”
Koi Pond - Lan Su Chinese Garden
The activities that are available to visitors throughout the year vary
seasonally, so check the Lan Su Chinese Garden’s
website to see what specific events will be taking place during your visit to
Portland. The name Lan Su translates to “Garden of
Awakening Orchids.”
Courtyard of Tranquility - Lan Su Chinese Garden
By InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California,
USA,
via Wikimedia Commons
Features include the Courtyard of Tranquility, a Chinese
terrace, and a fish pavilion. The Lan Su Chinese Garden is a fantastic night
destination in Portland featuring beautiful scenery at the Garden's Moon Locking Pavilion. While in the garden,
bask in the tranquil and peaceful surroundings of this beautiful oasis while
wandering around many native Chinese plants.
Public tours of this garden are at scheduled times throughout the day, and the
price of the tour is included in your admission.
14) Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area
This area of Portland is a must-see for every nature lover. It spans
approximately 205 acres and two large lakes dot the countryside. Renowned as the “largest protected wetland
within an American city”, there is definitely no shortage of wildlife to observe
in this extremely unique park.
Courtesy of pdxfamilyadventures.com
Wildlife in the wetlands include beavers, river otters, deer, bald eagles, and osprey. Another
highlight of this protected area is its population of western painted turtles,
which the Smith and Bybee website explains is
“one of the largest remaining populations” in the entire state of Oregon. The area is
perfect for activities like canoeing and hiking. If you’re looking for outdoor
adventure during your trip to Portland, taking a canoe around the wetlands area
might be the perfect way to experience the natural beauty of the city, while at
the same time experiencing the natural world.
Local Residents of Smith and Bybee Wetlands
Courtesy of travelportland.com
To get to the Smith and Bybee Wetlands Area, you’ll have
to either take a non-motorized boat or hike the paved Interlakes Trail. There is a parking lot for the trail,
so you’ll be able to park at the trail’s head. After leaving your car, you can hike
out into this beautiful
preserved area while taking in all that the wetlands in Portland have to offer.
13) Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
This museum is one of the biggest of its kind and is definitely a must-see in
Portland for anyone interested in science. Originally open since
1958 and since 1992 at its current location, the Oregon Museum of Science and
Industry allows visitors to enjoy experiences such as the Science Playground,
Earth Hall, Turbine Hall, Life Hall, and the Science Labs.
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
By Cacophony
via Wikimedia Commons
As its website
states, the museum has “over 200 interactive exhibits and labs.” This is a
museum where you’re expected to interact with and not just view the exhibits,
making it great for both kids and adults.
USS Blueback in front of OMSI
By Robert Gaskin
via Wikimedia Commons
If you have an inquisitive mind and a desire to spend a few hours in Portland
doing something that is both fun and educational, then OMSI is the place for
you.
OMSI Science Playground
By M.O. Stevens
via Wikimedia Commons
The museum also has visiting exhibitions like the Mummies of the World
Exhibit, so check the OMSI website to see a complete list of the attractions
available during your visit
to Portland.
OMSI Turbine Hall
By M.O. Stevens
via Wikimedia Commons
12) Portland Saturday Market
The Portland Saturday Market is located in Old Town within Chinatown, and takes
place every Saturday and Sunday from March until December.
Original Market Location Under Burnside Bridge
By Cacophony
via Wikimedia Commons
The goal of the
market is to give local artists a chance to sell their products in Portland, and
the market has since become a well-known place to find many types of
interesting and beautiful, hand-made products.
Original Location of Portland Saturday Market - Has Since
Expanded Behind Photographer
By Visitor7
via Wikimedia Commons
The website includes a vendor directory so if you’re on the hunt for something specific, check out the list and you can see
ahead of your visit the name of the vendor, the type of craft, and the location
of the vendor’s booth. If you aren’t in a hurry, then take some time wandering among the booths, looking
at all the beautiful wares.
Visitors Browsing Stalls at Portland Saturday Market
By Steve Morgan
via Wikimedia Commons
Vendors come with pottery, ceramics, jewelry, clothing, woodwork, glass, and
other types of handcrafted artisan products. There’s no need to eat before you
arrive at the Portland Saturday Market, as there are food stalls available with
tasty selections. Food choices include Greek food, pizza, Mexican food as well
as lighter fare like coffee and kettle
corn. Take a leisurely stroll through the market and pick up some special
treasures, further commemorating your trip to Portland.
11) Eat from One (or More) of Portland’s Food Carts
Take part in what is becoming a Portland tradition: eating from one of
Portland's 500 food carts. You will be sure to see some around town during your
visit, especially if you’re making the most of your Portland vacation by walking
around or using a bicycle for transportation.
Mediterranean Food Cart in Portland, Oregon
By stu_spivack (food truck),
via Wikimedia Commons
Definitely stop in, and try some truly one-of-a-kind food from any one of
these interesting and delicious food trucks. If you’re more serious than just
sampling some of the food at a few of Portland’s food carts, you can book a tour
of the best food carts in all of Portland.
Food Carts By Pioneer Square
The tour will take you on a 90 minute
exploration of Portland food culture while accompanied by a food cart
aficionado, allowing you to experience some of the best food carts in the city. If a tour isn’t in your plans, you
can find pods of food carts throughout town by finding a map online or even
downloading an app to your phone. This will help you find all the delicious spots
in town very easily, even without a tour guide.
10) Distillery Row
While Portland is getting famous for its microbreweries, the city is also home to
a neighborhood in which many small distilleries are producing quality
small-batch spirits, named Distillery Row. The neighborhood is located in Southeast Portland,
and there are currently over twenty liquors being produced on Distillery Row.
Courtesy of neighborhoodnotes.com
A Distillery Row passport is available at the distilleries themselves or
online through the website. The passport allows you to tour the distilleries and
sample their drinks. The website also suggests visiting local restaurants and
nearby
shopping venues while you’re in the neighborhood.
This is a great way to spend
an afternoon or evening in Portland, especially if you’re interested in experiencing
a unique and local attraction. The distilleries are open weekends and some additional hours during
the week. So if your visiting during the weekend, make sure to coordinate your
schedule with the hours of the distilleries that interest you the most.
9) Hiking
It’s difficult to think of Oregon without thinking of its beautiful natural
surroundings and
outdoor activities. If venturing into the great outdoors is on your list for
Portland, then taking a hike should be at the top of that activity list.
Hiking Beacon Rock in Portland
If you’re traveling to Portland by air, then camping can be a great option
for you. Hiking will allow you to keep your packing needs to a minimum and
prevent you from needing to rent any additional equipment while on vacation,
whether it be a kayak or a bicycle. There are many places to hike in Portland,
and the trails vary in difficulty (easy, moderate, or difficult). You can find
hikes that perfectly juxtapose beautiful wildflowers against stunning waterfalls.
The Multnomah Falls Lodge - Multnomah Country
By Werewombat
via Wikimedia Commons
If
photography is one of your hobbies, look for a trail that will give you plenty
of overlooks and particularly beautiful scenery. There are hiking clubs in
Portland, as well as guided tours you can pay for. Getting a guide can help you get to and from your hike site and take some
of the stress out of choosing one on your own.
Horse Rock Ridge near Crawfordsville, Oregon
By Sword Fern
via Wikimedia Commons
No matter how you choose to do it, seeing some of the natural beauty of
Portland is an absolute necessity. Whether you choose a short, easy trail for
nature gazing or a more difficult trail that will be sure to be much more
physically demanding, Portland has a hiking
experience for everyone.
Mount Hood and Trillium Lake
8) Microbreweries
Like Distillery Row and its hard liquor offerings, Portland seems to be getting
more and more famous for its microbreweries every single year. There are over 30 microbreweries listed
on the Portland Beer website, making it very easy to plan out a mini-vacation
around the different microbrew locations that are scattered around the city.
Oregon ranks third in the nation for breweries per capita.
Widmer Brewing World Headquarters
By M.O. Stevens
via Wikimedia Commons
Many of them will offer tours and
social tastings that pair specialty food with specific beers, so make sure to
look ahead and see if there are certain brewery tastings you may be interested
in. If you happen to be in Portland in June, you should definitely try to check
out Portland Beer Week. This local beer festival features over 40 events at
numerous locations
throughout the city. Portland has received the loving nickname as "Beervana,"
simply because it
has so many microbreweries in such a concentrated area.
Rogue and Morimoto Brands on Sale at the Saturday Market
So if you’re looking for the quintessential Portland
experience, having some local brew as you explore Portland should definitely be on your list. If you
don’t want to take the time and tour the entire brewery, you can find many of
the local beers in local bars. Some great bars to drink in some of the local
flavor are BridgePort Brew Pub, MacTarnahan’s
Tap Room, or any one of the 57 McMenamins franchised craft beer ale houses.
McMenamins in Corvallis, Oregon
By Don Nunn
via Wikimedia Commons
No matter what bar, pub, or restaurant you find yourself in, a good
rule is to ask in any bar around Portland is what local beers are available. If you’re unsure about what to order
or are looking for some variety, ask your server or bartender for a
recommendation. Then at the very least, you will have tried a Portland beer
recommended by a Portland local which should really authenticate your Portland
experience.
7) See Portland’s Bridges
The Willamette River runs through the city of Portland, making it not only a
beautiful city for natural wonder, but also for its architecture along the
river. This includes the eight bridges that cross the river within the Portland city
limits. The eight
bridges are mostly around downtown and link the city together.
Steel Bridge
There is the Steel Bridge, a double-decked vertical lift bridge that is
unlike any other bridge of its kind in the entire world. There is the Hawthorne
Bridge, famous because it is the oldest truss bridge with a vertical lift in the country.
Hawthorne Bridge
If
photography is one of your hobbies, the bridges that make up Portland's
cityscape offer a great opportunity to get some amazing shots. Visit them during the day to capture
Portland's beautiful skyline, then again at night for a chance to see them all lit up
against the illuminated structures that surround them. Other bridges include the Ross
Island Bridge, the Marquam Bridge, the Morrison Bridge, the Burnside Bridge, the
Broadway Bridge, and the Fremont Bridge.
Ross Island Bridge
Marquam Bridge
By Cacophony
via Wikimedia Commons
Morrison Bridge
By Steve Morgan
via Wikimedia Commons
Broadway Bridge
By Steve Morgan (Own work),
via Wikimedia Commons
Fremont Bridge
By Cacophony (Own work),
via Wikimedia Commons
Even if a full bridge tour isn’t on
your list, you have to include seeing at least one of Portland’s famous bridges
while visiting.
6) International Rose Test Garden
Portland has been nicknamed the City of Roses, so what better way to
celebrate your stay in such a place then to visit the International Rose Test
Garden? As its name indicates, this is a place used to test new strands of
roses.
By Cacophony
via Wikimedia Commons
If the concept alone wasn't interesting enough, the International Rose Test
Garden is also a magnificently beautiful (and fragrant!) place to visit. The
roses do not have names if they are still being tested, but rather they are
assigned and identified by number. The scientific environment here will give you
a piece of discovery along with the scenic sights.
This garden, Time explains, was born of a desire to protect rose species from
the bombings of World War I. The garden has been open in Portland since
1917 and now has over 7,000 rose bushes. The best time to visit is in June, though
the garden is open from April through October. Admission and parking are both
free.
5) Powell’s Books
This bookstore is so huge that it’s also called Powell’s City of Books,
because it takes up a whole city block. The store even provides maps for
customers, that’s how big
it is. It’s also the biggest independent bookstore in the world and according
to Time, represents the biggest chain of independent bookstores.
Powell's City of Books
By Cacophony (Own work),
via Wikimedia Commons
It all stared in Portland and this bookstore has become an institution,
making it
clearly one of the places you have to visit while in Portland. The store is
located on Burnside Street and is open daily until from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
There is a rare book room and you can even sell used books. While you’re there,
you can also see an art exhibit upstairs or, if you’re lucky, catch an
appearance by a noted author. Past authors who have appeared at Powell’s include
President Jimmy Carter, Joyce Carol Oates, and photographer Annie Leibovitz.
Author Craig Thompson at Powell's Books
By Joshin Yamada,
via Wikimedia Commons
If
you’re more interested in informational books, check out Powell’s Technical
Books which is a second building across the street from the original store. Powell’s
website boasts that the store has over 1,000,000 books on its shelves and that,
every day, over 3,000 people come in for a cup of coffee. Be sure to stop by
this iconic location that is enjoyed equally by tourists and locals. Even if you
don’t plan to shop for books, stop in for some coffee just to know you’ve been
to this famous location in Portland.
4) See a Portland Timbers Game
If you’re a sports fan and you happen to be in Portland during Major League Soccer
season, you absolutely have to visit JELD-WEN Field for a Timbers game. Major
League Soccer is enjoying an influx of new fans and, with an already large
fanbase in Portland, the atmosphere at the stadium on game day will contribute a
very exciting element to your Portland vacation.
JELD-WEN Field
There’s also another huge reason to go to a Timbers game: Timber
Joey. While most major sports teams have a mascot, the Portland Timbers have
taken things to a new level. Portland recognizes its logging heritage by naming
their team the Timbers and by having a mascot who is a lumberjack. This tradition
started in the 1970s when the Timbers were part of the North American Soccer
League and has continued with their entry into Major League Soccer. Try to root
for the home team to enhance your vacation in Portland. It will soon feel that
you are a local and not just another tourist while you are at the game. Timber
Joey is on the sidelines of every home match with a giant tree log.
Timber Joey's Log
By Living in London
via Wikimedia Commons
When the
Timbers score a goal, Timber Joey cranks up his chainsaw and cuts off a piece of
the log. After the match, he presents the piece of the log to the player who
scored the goal. It’s quite a sight to behold, so make sure you stop in for the
fun and excitement of a Timbers match and hope that you get to see Timber Joey's
iconic goal celebration in person!
3) Voodoo Donut
If you plan to visit only one restaurant while you’re in Portland, make sure to
visit Voodoo Donut. This famous Portland establishment offers not only donuts
but also hosts weddings. So if you have a non-traditional ceremony in mind, then
Voodoo Donut may
be the place to have your wedding.
A non-legal wedding without coffee or donuts is $25.00, but you can get
married legally and have donuts and coffee thrown in if you’re willing to pay a bit more ($325.00 for a six person group). Even if you
have no plans for donut-themed nuptials, you have to make this one of your
stops. Sample one of their legendary pastries like the Bacon Maple bar, which
features maple frosting and bacon.
Bacon Maple Bar
By Mike McCune
via Wikimedia Commons
The Voodoo Doll donut is another interesting
offering, and is shaped like a voodoo doll that is filled with raspberry jelly, complete
with a pretzel stick right through its heart. There are also more traditional
donuts available, such as the Portland Cream donut.
"Captain my Captain" Doughnut
By Kevin Galens
via Wikimedia Commons
All locations are open 24
hours so there’s no excuse to miss out on this sugary, Portland staple.
2) Forest Park
Even if getting out in the outdoors either to do some hiking or kayaking isn’t on your
agenda, one of the top places to visit while you are in
the city is Forest Park. Located in the west part of Portland, the park is a
haven for locals and is easily accessible no matter what your means of
transportation may be while you’re visiting Portland. It overlooks the
Willamette River and, according to Time, has more than 70 miles of trails making
it the biggest wooded
park in the country.
Wildwood Trail - Forest Park, Portland
By EncMstr
via Wikimedia Commons
You can visit Forest Park for a casual stroll or, for a
more in-depth experience, check out one of the many hiking or walking trails. The
park’s website explains that it is in the Western Hemlock zone, meaning that it
has three different types of coniferous trees and works hard to maintain
the plants that are natural to a Western Hemlock zone. Things to do in the park
apart from taking in the amazing natural scenery, are hiking, running, walking,
or mountain biking.
View from Leif Erikson Drive - Forest Park
Joe Mabel,
via Wikimedia Commons
To experience the amazing greenery that Portland has to
offer, this is a great way to see the beautiful trees of Oregon without having
to leave the comfort of the city. There is even a hiking trail that ends at Pittock Mansion, a
beautiful and majestic home that, according to its website, was built by
Portlandian Henry Pittock and his wife Georgiana in 1914.
Pittock Mansion
By Cacophony
via Wikimedia Commons
This is an excellent
way to combine a view of Portland’s amazing natural scenery with one of its most
famous architectural highlights.
1) See the City on a Bicycle Tour
The best thing to do in Portland is to see Portland. While you’re there,
you’ll want to be sure you fully take in the Willamette River, the beautiful
eight downtown bridges, and the sights and sounds of the city itself. Since more and six percent of Portland locals use bikes to commute
every day, a bike tour is the best way to see all of Portland like a true
resident.
Pedal Bike Tour
If you have flown into the city, renting a bike can be a great way to get
around for the day and ensure you see many of the famous attractions in
Portland. There are plenty of companies that rent bicycles and offer bike tours
of the city. Depending on your agenda, you can book a bike tour of downtown
Portland and extend it all the way to the Columbia Gorge Highway.
Courtesy of viator.com
There are even
brewery bike tours available. Even if you don’t want to take a tour, you can
rent a bike and then go your own way, using maps or apps or just your sense of
direction. Sometimes the best way to see a city is to get lost in it and with
all that Portland has to offer.
Brewcycle Portland Brewery Tour
Courtesy of thefitworldtraveler.com
By taking a ride around town on a bike to see
where the day takes you, could just be your best day in this gorgeous city yet!
Conclusion
No matter what you decide to do, Portland certainly has something to offer for
everyone. From the beautiful gardens to the excellent opportunities for outdoor
activities, Portland has plenty of things to do if you want to enjoy nature. If
you’re more interested in food, drink, and culture, be sure to check out the
microbreweries or distilleries and other great food options. Most of all get
ready to experience beautiful surroundings in city that is both fun and vibrant. If you
want to do some research before your trip, you’ll be able to make sure all the
exhibits and tours you want to experience are available and probably even get
lower prices. If
you’d prefer a laid-back approach, there will still be plenty to do if you
choose to wander the city at your own pace without a pre-determined plan. In
fact, roaming around without a plan will put you in the correct mindset for
experiencing Portland like a native Portlandian.
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