What is the first thing you imagine about Portland, Oregon? A metropolis with lush vegetation where roses and trees shadow well-beaten trails or a city enriched by history, thriving art, and music?
For us, Portland has some of the best features the West Coast has to offer. Thanks to a huge variety of parks and gardens, it’s way greener than many cosmopolitans you’ve visited.
And if we haven’t mentioned its booming craft beer scene and a great portfolio of strong coffee roasters, you’re about to find out more later in the article. Here we rounded the 12 best things to do in Portland, Oregon year-round.
1. Hit On The Trails
There’s literally nothing better to celebrate the great outdoors of Portland than a hike. An immense network of trails running from the rocky coastline to the vast rivers and dense jungles make hiking one of the best things to do for visitors of all ages in Portland.
Believe it or not, just 90 minutes out from your doorstep is a breathtaking beauty of mother nature. The bucket list of Portland’s best hikes is huge – but here are three of our favorite ones to give you a heads-up.
The Columbia River Gorge, known as The Gorge for short, has hordes of day hikes with a view. Hop on a 30-minute ride east of Portland downtown and you’ll soon discover plenty of moderate trails for both hikers and bikers. To game up your skill, there are some off-road sections that meander to hidden waterfalls.
Meanwhile, Forest Park is another great call. Blanketed with a thick layer of moss wrapping the roots of old-growth trees that shadow verdant valleys.
The last one, the hike at Hoyt Arboretum is more popular with families with kids, with most of the trails leaving the Visitor Center. If you’re new here, bring a map so you won’t get lost amidst 2300 species of trees and shrubs. Oh! And did we mention they collected them from six different continents?
2. Swim And Traverse Down The Willamette River
Willamette is one of the very few rivers in the States that run in the South-North direction instead of East or West. Rivers in the US aren’t normally designed this way.
Lucky for the locals in Portland, not only can they live along this quirky current but also have access to plenty of water sports without traveling further afield. When summer is around the corner, the calm surface of Willamette is peppered with passionate boaters, paddlers, and swimmers, celebrating the cool waters running here from the very far southern Cascades.
Roughly 15 minutes ride south of Portland, you’ll end up at a vast wetland called Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. This nature reserve sits on the southern edge of a massive yet shallow lake. The lake is wrapped around by a forest trail to the east and Oaks Amusement Park to the west.
3. Start Your Beer Adventure With Portland’s Best Breweries & Bars
70 is the minimum number we have in the record trying to count how many breweries call Portland home. Dubbed the king of USA’s craft beer, Portland will have you spoiled when planning out where to go each night. If this sounds like you, check out our favorite rooftop bars in Portland to be inspired!
If you’re new to Portland’s craft beer scene, let me walk you in on a little secret: the city is home to certain breweries with exclusive concocting techniques that can’t be found elsewhere.
Even better, some breweries even look like a church in disguise, setting up cask-pulled ale far back of the hall or making full use of an old craftsman’s house and converting it into a taproom.
4. Indulge In The Vibrant Coffee Scene
Portland has no tolerance for yucky coffee. To really have a place here, they need to have a strong roasting portfolio or master their pour-over skills. If you ask the locals, their favorite shops barely go without well-built espresso machines.
We love coffee as much as you do. That’s why we rounded up the 12 best coffee shops in Portland you’ve gotta try. Just by ticking off this bucket list, your insight into Portland’s coffee scene will be enough to do them justice.
Jokes aside, the best coffee shops in Portland come in a roll call, from Pinterest-worthy spots to local roasters and even global chains (including heavyweights like Stumptown Coffee Roasters – a truly local success).
Don’t forget that Portland is a great sports town too, with plenty of stellar sports cafes to offer fans when a big game is around the corner. Local names like Deadstock Coffee & Gallery are filled with a large NBA fan base every season from October to April.
5. Take On Portland’s Best Parks
When a city is known for its hikes, then it’s probably the best place to be one with nature. Portland is no exception. What do you think if we say there are over 279 parks here to forest bathe and unplug from social buzzes?
Well, let’s start with a place called the International Rose Test Garden. This is literally one of the most beautiful parks we’ve seen in many cities we’ve visited. The garden is like a fairy wonderland where you swim through a pool of 700-ish different rose varieties. On top of that, the excellent location plus a scenic view of Portland’s skylines make it one of the top-rated parks for a romantic date stroll or tagging your kids along.
The second one you’ve got to visit is Laurelhurst Park, one of the locals’ favorites. Enveloping Firwood Lake in the middle, Laurelhurst Park is like a tiny fairyland on its own. Take your pooches out on a walk to an off-leash area and throw a frisbee, finish your favorite book on the rolling hills, or take on a hike on one of the forested paths – you name it.
The last one is Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. While it’s not technically a park, Crystal Springs is extremely crowded when spring is around the corner. Every year from February until April, the park is showered with various flora species in full bloom, especially cherry blossoms.
6. Greet Animals At Oregon Zoo
Two miles southwest of downtown Portland, Oregon Zoo can’t be missed on your first trip to the city. The zoo has been around since 1888, acting as a veterinary center with a well-equipped tab and nutrition center aiming to provide animals the best health care and living habitat.
Oregon Zoo is now sitting on the west hill which is part of Washington Park, blanketed by thick vegetation with wooded trails crisscrossing around. In between, animals’ habitats take over different spaces of the zoo without bars or cages.
Amongst them, the Elephant Lands beckons the most attention. Providing shelter to five Asian elephants in 1962, Oregon Zoo has become famous ever since.
Other than watching those giant babies roaming free, you can also check out the Northwest Exhibit where river otters, black bears, bald eagles, and beavers settle down under the same forest canopies by a waterfall.
Address: 4001 SW Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221
Admission Ticket:
| Type | Rate |
| Adult (12 and up | $24 |
| Child (2–11) | $19 |
| Infant (under 2) | Free |
Note:
- Prices are subject to change.
- Online reservation is required for visitors of all ages.
- Tickets are available 10 days in advance.
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7. Learn History At the Pittock Mansion
History buffs assemble! We’ve found a really cool getaway to unveil Portland’s richest history for you!
This is Pittock Mansion, a heritage mansion that’s now converted into a museum. Henry Pittick built it in 1914 when affluence and wealth from real estate, banking, mining, and railroads brought him a giant asset. This massive fortune signed him up on the list of Oregon’s most influential families over 100 years ago.
Today, they open the grounds for public visit without any extra cost, while admission to the mansion (now museum), and the Gate Lodge comes with a ticket. Once a month, you’ll have a chance to sign up for a behind-the-scenes tour of the mansion where Henry’s private den and the third-floor servants’ quarters are displayed to the public.
Even if you don’t have the time to make it inside the mansion, at least come here for the view – Even the locals say so. A scenic vista from the mansion’s grounds grants you a spectacular landscape over Mount Hood in the background.
Address: 3229 NW Pittock Dr, Portland, OR 97210
Admission Ticket:
| Type | Rate |
| Members | Free |
| Adults | $14.50 |
| Seniors (65+) | $12.50 |
| Youth (ages 6–18) | $10.50 |
| Children (under 6) | Free |
8. Walk The Color-Rich Alberta Arts District
On the lesser-known side, a few hours roaming Alberta Arts District when autumn is around the corner will cap off your relaxing weekend on a high note. Lying north of Portland’s Old Town, Alberta Arts District beckons your attention with a series of quirky murals covering the exterior of chic cafes and cute bistros.
For the locals, Alberta Arts District is a holy land for street foods and independent home restaurants other than the gravitational pull.
Traditional staples from Ethiopian, and Nepalese to American and Mexican muster to give this working-class neighborhood a unique personality, with great photo-ops and insightful messages of social justice.
9. Portland Saturday Market
Dubbed as Pacific Northwest’s proudest open-air market, Portland Saturday Market is NOT just an average flea market to find dips, spices, knives, and veggies.
Small local businesses dishing up North Pacific staples and art makers have called it home for years, on every Saturday no matter rain or shine. Since the board of management receives new applications anytime, you’re guaranteed the latest treats every time you come.
If you’re asking us what to expect before setting out. Well, our record has some North African food (which should be the first thing to be in your cart – don’t shop hungry!), hot buttered pretzels, Polish staples (that’s unique), and many more.
10. Chase The Food Carts And Food Cart Pods
What if you crave a light bite in the middle of the day but are not in the mood to read hundreds of restaurant reviews, rest your worries – those Portland food cart pods will come to the rescue.
Unlike other regular food trucks selling things on their own, those food carts in Portland actually muster in a group. They take over a corner of a bustling avenue, allowing you to sample several dishes at a time without roaming here and there.
That’s why in Portland, they call it ‘food pods’. From decadent desserts and snacks to sandwiches and Thai specialties, you name it. The city says they now have 500 carts, but it’s always changing so it’s hard to count exactly how many.
If you’re unsure where to start, stick to downtown Portland with the first stop at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Here you will find Fried Egg I’m In Love and Amelia’s serving lunchtime favorites. Then meander to Third Avenue where Stretch The Noodle dishes up savory fresh noodles every day.
The Cart Blocks
Address: 770 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209
Third Avenue Food Cart Pod
Address: SW 3rd Ave &, SW Harvey Milk St, Portland, OR 97204
Portland State University Food Cart Pod
Address: SW 4th Ave & SW College St, Portland, OR 97201
Pioneer Courthouse Square
Address: 715 SW Morrison St Suite 702, Portland, OR 97205
11. Shop For Made-In-Portland Goods
How can you leave Portland without a bag full of handmade keepsakes? The thriving art scene here has nourished a land of diversity and creativity, allowing local businesses to come up with quirky and quality goods you can hardly take your eyes off of it.
For the ladies, Betsy and Iya will have you in awe, focusing on crafting only the most unique jewelry like Baliza Rings or Kala Hoop Earrings. They also develop over 20 bath and body products like perfume, body oil, lotion, and cleanser.
Speaking of rare-find items, you can’t go without Powell’s City of Books. Dubbed the world’s largest used and new bookstore, Powell’s now has roughly one million books in their massive building, along with puzzles, board games, and mangas.
Last but not least, those looking for soulful decorative items to stock up on their homes must give Fei Goods a go. The two Portland-based sisters, Felicia and Fiona, craft, mold, and pour their ceramics all by hand. Candles and incense are other products developed by the Fei team.
12. Cast A Spell At Voodoo Doughnut
Ever been to any Voodoo in California, Florida, or Colorado before? If that’s a yes, you’ve only visited one of 16 Voodoo Doughnut locations across the State.
Based out of Portland, Oregon, Voodoo Doughnut has received a standing ovation from local foodies. They say it’s organized, yummy, and hilarious. The store is chock full of shiny glass cabinets housing outstanding flavors with thick frosting every time.
The doughnuts here are as big as your head, with their sugary spell sating kids’ sweet teeth and late-night bite seekers seven days a week.
Wondering what their best seller is? Bacon Maple Bar is the way to go, with rich frosting enveloping hot fresh dough and topped with crunchy candies. Other creative flavors like Pumpkin Cream Canole and Old Dirty Bastard all make you happy tossing the pennies.
Address: 22 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97204
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That’s about it! If this ultimate list is not enough to fulfill your vacation week, we don’t know what will. But perhaps, these 15 best restaurants in Portland will cap off your getaway to Portland on a high note!