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Portland is a quirky city that certainly earns its slogan “Keep Portland Weird.” Even though I think visiting all the great breweries and restaurants is the best part of visiting Portland, there are some other pretty cool things to do in the city too. You’ve got bridges to walk across, gardens to stroll (like the Portland Japanese Garden and International Rose Test Garden) and plenty of farmer’s markets to hop around to. Portland actually has some of the best farmer’s markets I’ve ever seen!
I especially love to visit Portland from late spring through summer, where you can take advantage of the better months for weather. Good weather definitely makes the outdoor activities a lot more enjoyable, but you can, of course, visit this Pacific Northwest City year round.
This post lists out some of the best things to do in Portland, Oregon!
Be sure to also check out my full Portland guide on where to eat, best breweries to visit and general tips for visiting the area:
Take a Food Tour
Portland is one of the “foodiest” cities I’ve ever been to the in the U.S.A., touting an impressive and very eclectic range of different cuisines. And it’s not just traditional restaurants – Portland has many different food cart pods throughout the city where you can find affordable casual eats!
Take a food tour with a local company if you aren’t sure where to start, or create your own DIY itinerary, which is especially easy if you’re going the food cart route. Don’t miss the Alberta Arts District, Mississippi, and Kerns neighborhoods, which are home to some of my favorite spots.
And I highly recommend including donut eating on your Portland itinerary. Portland has so many great donut shops! You could even design a whole tour around this sweet treat. Be sure to try the famous Voodoo Doughnut and Blue Star Donuts, or specialty shops like Pip’s Original Doughnuts & Chai and Doe Donuts for creative vegan options.
Visit Washington Park
Washington Park is a massive 410-acre park and has many popular stop for Portland visitors, including the Oregon Zoo, the Japanese Garden, International Rose Test Garden, and the Hoyt Arboretum – just to name a few. You could make multiple visits here or try to hit as many as you can in one day.
Portland Japanese Garden
One of the best ways to spend a sunny day in Portland is wandering through the Portland Japanese Garden. It’s one of my favorite places to visit in all of Portland! The Portland Japanese Garden is actually one of the most impressive Japanese gardens I’ve been to in the U.S. Caretakers of the garden spare no intricate detail, and it’s such a calming and relaxing activity.
Pro tip: If you’re visiting in the summer, be sure to take a bottle of water with you! You’ll get thirsty with all that walking around.
International Rose Test Garden
Nearby the Japanese Garden, you’ll also find International Rose Test Garden, which serves as a beautiful space to grow different and unique varieties of roses. It’s also completely free to wander through! The best time to visit is from May to October, when most of the 10,000+ rose bushes are in bloom.
From the Rose Garden, on a clear day, you can even see Mount Hood and the cityscape of Portland peeking through the trees in certain spots. Can’t beat those views!
Walk the Waterfront
Spring and summer are the perfect times to go for a walk along the Tom McCall Waterfront Park for lovely views of the river and bridges. If you happen to visit in the spring, you have the chance to see cherry blossoms in full bloom (April is the perfect month for that).
Visit Farmer’s Markets
Farmers’ Markets in the Portland area are some of the best I’ve ever been to. You’ll find tons of stalls with art, crafts, and food goodies (my favorite part), and even samples of liquid libations like local hard cider or spirits.
The Portland Saturday Market has a lot more crafts and shopping (it’s much larger), while the Beaverton Market is more food-oriented and less crowded. If you only have a few days in the city, stick with the Portland Saturday Market. However, if you end up branching out (say to visit SakeOne or some wineries west of the city), give the Beaverton market a try!
The farmers’ markets are seasonal so be sure to check opening dates and times below.
- Beaverton Farmers Market: https://www.beavertonfarmersmarket.com/
- Portland Saturday Market: https://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/
Go Saké Tasting at SakéOne
Another fun activity that we’ve done when in Portland is to take a drive out to SakéOne in Forest Grove. I was never a huge fan of saké, but after our first visit turned out to be a fun and interesting experience, I became a lifelong fan! I highly recommend the flight tasting with food pairing.
Although SakéOne is located west of Portland in a suburb called Forest Grove, if you’re looking for a unique activity, I would definitely put this on your list. You could even pair your visit here with a stop at the Beaverton Farmer’s Market or one of the local wineries.
Alberta Arts Mural Hunting
My absolute favorite neighborhood in Portland is the Alberta Arts District. Not only are some of my favorite restaurants here, there are countless colorful murals around almost every corner. It’s pretty much like going to a free outdoor art gallery! Set aside some time on your itinerary for a self-guided walking tour through this vibrant neighborhood.
Go Brewery Hopping
The Portland brewery scene lives up to its “Beervana” nickname and I’ve been to more breweries than I can count in the city. Some of my top favorites include Great Notion Brewing, Gigantic Brewing, Breakside, Cascade, Ecliptic, and Ruse. But it’s really hard to pick favorites with so many options in the city!
Visit Great Notion in the Alberta Arts District and hop around to all the different eateries and do a mural tour. Or, you can visit Ruse and Gigantic, which are relatively close together, before heading over to the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden to walk off the calories.
Visit Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls is an epic waterfall that you must visit at least once when visiting Portland! Getting to the falls is about a 30-minute drive from the center of the city and getting there early in the day is best. Parking here can be a little tricky as the falls are a popular destination for visitors, especially in the summer. Because of this, timed permits are now required from From May 24 through September 2 and can be purchased in advance via this website.
Alternatively, you can take the Columbia Gorge Express from the Gateway Transit Center in Portland to avoid having to worry about parking! Just be sure to book your round trip ticket in advance on their website.
If you have a car, check out the nearby historic Vista House or make a day trip out to Hood River.
Walk the Bridges
Portland is a great city to walk or bike through and I highly recommend taking a few walks across some of the bridges. There are many to choose from – Portland is known as Bridge City with 12 bridges crossing the Willamette River. Some of my favorite views of the city are from the Hawthorne and Morrison Bridges!
And if you get a chance, check out St. John’s Bridge. The architecture is just stunning! We stayed in a condo once near this beauty and I loved seeing it every day we were there.
Visit the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden is truly a great spot if you’re looking for a leisurely way to spend an afternoon. One thing I really love about Oregon is that there is no shortage of flourishing plant life. We’ve seen some beautiful things flowering here in the spring! Credit is due to that incessant wet stuff falling from the sky, of course.
Crystal Springs is also located near a couple of my favorite breweries – Gigantic and Ruse. Beer and garden strolls make a perfect pairing, do they not?
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