Portland travel guide
Portland Tourism | Portland Guide
You're Going to Love Portland
Portland, Oregon is one of America’s jewels. Situated at the base of Mount Hood in the Pacific Northwest, it’s a magnet for artists and makers, tax-free shopping, and feels like nowhere else. Plan your visit today.
Spend time finding out why Portland acquired its nickname “the Rose City” by attending the International Test Rose Garden or the annual Rose Parade. Or visit a different music venue every night, finding out about new bands and checking out touring acts as they pass through.
Great food is always easy to come by in Portland. After you’ve shopped at Washington Square or downtown boutiques, check out restaurants on Burnside Street like the French fare at Le Pigeon, soul food at Screen Door, or Spanish tapas at Ole Ole. Then wash it all down with some of Oregon’s infamous craft ales at superb bars like the Beermongers (1125 SE Division St).
From shoppers and sports fans to music lovers and hikers, Portland is a wonderful destination to explore.
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Portland
1. Music
Portland is famous for its bohemian culture centered around art and music. Whatever time of year you visit, you can listen to superb indie bands at venues like Aladdin’s Theater (3017 SE Milwaukie Ave) while Holocene (1001 SE Morrison Street) is the place to head after the gig for all-night DJ sets.
2. Shopping
Portland doesn’t have a sales tax, which means one thing only: plenty of shopping bargains. Head to chain stores like Macy’s at Washington Square Mall or window shop in the Downtown district at independent boutiques like Radish Underground (414 SW 10th Ave).
3. Sports
Portland isn’t just for indie rockers and shopping fans. It’s also Oregon’s sporting center. Home to an NBA franchise (the Trail Blazers), a successful Major League Soccer team (the Timbers) and an NHL team (the Winterhawks), sports fans can take their pick.
4. Scenery
When you stand in downtown Portland, it’s hard to miss the soaring majesty of Mount Hood, a sample of the kind of beautiful scenery you will find not far from the city center. Take a rental car to coastal beauty spots like Seaside and Cannon Beach or head inland to Multnomah Falls to watch the Columbia River crash its way towards the sea.
5. Roses
Portland is known as the Rose City, and with good reason. The cultural highlight of the city’s calendar is the Rose Festival, which takes place at the Rose Test Garden (400 SW Kingston Ave). In the summer, the gardens play host to 7,000 rose varieties, creating an astonishingly beautiful sight.
What to do in Portland
1. Washington Park: Take a Deep Breath in
This mega park in downtown Portland has a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy. From a zoo to rose gardens, an archery range to children's museums - you can easily spend a whole day bouncing between Washington Park's many possibilities. Alternatively, there is always the option to just sit back and enjoy a nice picnic as you lounge in the wide open green space. Washington Park is also situated close to many popular Portland restaurants and bars for a healthy mix of urban and rural views.
2. International Rose Test Garden: Follow Your Nose
A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet in Portland's International Rose Test Garden. Here, over 500 different types of roses are cultivated and on display from April to October for visitors to enjoy free of charge. For those with a green thumb, you can also buy some of the buds at the adjacent store to try your hand with growing these unique roses at home. The International Rose Test Garden is also conveniently located within Washington Park and next to the Portland Japanese Garden.
3. Portland Japanese Garden: Engage in cultural Serenity
Ever feel like you want to travel abroad, without having to navigate an unfamiliar land and language? Then the Portland Japanese Garden in Washington Park is perfect for your hidden wanderlust. The gardens take up just over 9 acres of land and also contain a cultural village and small cafe. The annual Japanese festival puts on several events to educate the public about Japanese culture, family, and history. Visitors flock to Portland's Japanese Garden in the spring to view the famous cherry blossoms, which illuminate the branches in a dreamy pastel pink.
4. Oregon Zoo: Let's Go Play As The Animals Do!
Lions, tigers, and bears...may I? Take your time wandering through the Oregon Zoo's many exhibits featuring all kinds of exotic wildlife from lions to polar bears, crocodiles to eagles. But the zoo is more than just a passive viewing experience. In the summer, the Oregon Zoo puts on many concerts, day camps, and unique animal interaction experiences to keep you active and informed. Try your hand at feeding Desi the Giraffe or kick back with some live music and enjoy some local beer samplings. The Oregon Zoo is most certainly one of the most popular Portland destinations.
5. Portland Children's Museum: Rediscover Your Childish Wonder
The Portland Children's museum is an interactive experience for children to safely explore, learn, create, and imagine. The concept of an immersive childrens' museum was first experimented with in 1946, and has since sparked a nationwide effort to explore the way children experience and connect to the world around them. There are several structured programs for children including story and craft time, though the museum is primarily an open-concept play-place for children to enjoy on their own. You'll love the atmosphere of part-time daycare, play-date, and adventure park!
1. Washington Park: Take a Deep Breath in
This mega park in downtown Portland has a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy. From a zoo to rose gardens, an archery range to children's museums - you can easily spend a whole day bouncing between Washington Park's many possibilities. Alternatively, there is always the option to just sit back and enjoy a nice picnic as you lounge in the wide open green space. Washington Park is also situated close to many popular Portland restaurants and bars for a healthy mix of urban and rural views.
2. International Rose Test Garden: Follow Your Nose
A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet in Portland's International Rose Test Garden. Here, over 500 different types of roses are cultivated and on display from April to October for visitors to enjoy free of charge. For those with a green thumb, you can also buy some of the buds at the adjacent store to try your hand with growing these unique roses at home. The International Rose Test Garden is also conveniently located within Washington Park and next to the Portland Japanese Garden.
3. Portland Japanese Garden: Engage in cultural Serenity
Ever feel like you want to travel abroad, without having to navigate an unfamiliar land and language? Then the Portland Japanese Garden in Washington Park is perfect for your hidden wanderlust. The gardens take up just over 9 acres of land and also contain a cultural village and small cafe. The annual Japanese festival puts on several events to educate the public about Japanese culture, family, and history. Visitors flock to Portland's Japanese Garden in the spring to view the famous cherry blossoms, which illuminate the branches in a dreamy pastel pink.
4. Oregon Zoo: Let's Go Play As The Animals Do!
Lions, tigers, and bears...may I? Take your time wandering through the Oregon Zoo's many exhibits featuring all kinds of exotic wildlife from lions to polar bears, crocodiles to eagles. But the zoo is more than just a passive viewing experience. In the summer, the Oregon Zoo puts on many concerts, day camps, and unique animal interaction experiences to keep you active and informed. Try your hand at feeding Desi the Giraffe or kick back with some live music and enjoy some local beer samplings. The Oregon Zoo is most certainly one of the most popular Portland destinations.
5. Portland Children's Museum: Rediscover Your Childish Wonder
The Portland Children's museum is an interactive experience for children to safely explore, learn, create, and imagine. The concept of an immersive childrens' museum was first experimented with in 1946, and has since sparked a nationwide effort to explore the way children experience and connect to the world around them. There are several structured programs for children including story and craft time, though the museum is primarily an open-concept play-place for children to enjoy on their own. You'll love the atmosphere of part-time daycare, play-date, and adventure park!
Where to Eat in Portland
Everywhere you turn in Portland you’ll find great cafes, bakeries, and restaurants serving food from across the world. Fast food lovers will enjoy the burgers at Cheesesteaks & Burgers (701 SW Sixth Ave). In Downtown Portland Papa Haydn (701 NW 23rd Av) is the best place to go for decadent desserts.. After dining, why not venture into some of Portland’s brewery pubs? The city is famed for its craft beers that use locally grown Cascade hops and bars like Belmont Station (4520 SE Stark) or Rogue Ales Public House (1339 NW Flanders St) are the perfect places to sample them.
When to visit Portland
If you want to tour the beaches of Oregon or hike in the hills, summer is the best time to go. Between July and September, Portland is also a hive of cultural activity, with the Waterfront Blues Festival, the PDX Soap Box Derby, and the Oregon Brewers’ Festival. However, don’t rule out a winter trip. The weather can get pretty chilly in Portland from late November until March but there’s a lively Holiday Ale Fest in Pioneer Courthouse Square and the Oregon Convention Center hosts a massive festive market in December, so a Christmas break could be ideal.
How to Get to Portland
Plane
Most visitors to Portland will arrive at Portland International Airport, which is around 9 miles northeast of the center of town. The best way to reach downtown Portland from the airport is to catch the MAX light rail service which takes half an hour and costs $2.50. The last MAX train leaves at 11:49 p.m. daily, so any late arrivals will need to take a cab. Expect to pay around $30 for a taxi to central districts.
Train
Portland’s Union Station is on the Amtrak network, so there are good rail connections to other parts of the country. The Cascades service connects Portland to Seattle and Vancouver. The Coast Starlight links the city to San Francisco and Los Angeles, while visitors from Chicago and cities to the east can take the Empire Builder. All of them stop at Union Station, which is ten minutes’ walk north of the city center.
Car
Reaching Portland by road is simple if you are coming from Seattle to the north or California to the south. Simply take Interstate 5. I-84 runs into the city as well, and allows drivers to get to Portland from cities like Denver, Boise, and Salt Lake City.
Bus
Bus is a popular way to reach Portland and the following bus companies offer connections to the city:
Greyhound – run buses into the bus station at 550 NW 6th Ave from cities like Spokane, Seattle and Sacramento.
Bolt Bus – stop at 647 SW Salmon and link Portland to Seattle, Vancouver, and Eugene.
Central Oregon Breeze – stop at 62995 Plateau Drive St and link the city to destinations in central Oregon.
Airports near Portland
Airlines serving Portland
Where to stay in Portland
Northeast Portland – One of the most exciting parts of town, Northeast Portland is where you will find the Moda Center basketball arena (400 SW Rose Park Rd), home to the Trail Blazers, along with the Alberta Arts District, the best place in town to go for restaurants, small galleries, clothes stores, and craft markets. Diverse and friendly, this is a great neighborhood for younger travelers and couples.
Popular Districts
Downtown – The business hub of Portland, Downtown, isn’t all about making money. Attractively laid out with fountains and plazas aplenty, Portland’s Downtown is a cultural center, thanks to music venues like the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. It’s also a great place to shop, with shoe stores like Zelda’s Shoe Bar (717 SW Alder St), jewelry makers, farmers’ markets, and men’s apparel stores like Steven Alan (1029 SW Stark St).
Pearl District – The most dynamic part of town, the Pearl District has been revolutionized in recent years, becoming a bohemian, artistic neighborhood packed with cafes, restaurants, and cultural venues.
Where to stay in popular areas of Portland
Most booked hotels in Portland
How to Get Around Portland
Public Transportation
Portland is one of the easiest American cities to get around. Many people choose to rent bikes, and the city has published a handy map of all of the cycling routes to guide visitors. However, if you don’t have the energy to pedal, there are light rail, streetcar, and bus services all over town. Single tickets on the TriMet public transit system cost $2.50 and day passes are $5, while 7 day passes will cost you just $26.
Taxis
Taxi rates are the same everywhere in Portland. When you enter the cab, the meter drop is $2.50. After that, taxis cost $2.90 per mile and $1 for every extra passenger. Uber operates in the city as well, with a base rate of $1.25 for UberX vehicles and then $1.15 for every mile after that.
Car
Portland is fairly easy to navigate by car, with a simple grid system. However, locals tend to advise against driving into town as parking is scarce. Metered parking costs $2 per hour and enforcement is strict. That’s why it makes more sense to park your car outside the center and use public transport. The city center is also walkable, with compact neighborhoods.
The Cost of Living in Portland
Shopping Streets
One of the great things about Portland is shopping. It’s the largest city in America without a sales tax, so in many cases shoppers will make big savings on their purchases. Downtown Portland's home for big-brand shopping, Pioneer Place (700 SW 5th Ave) is a multi-block shopping center and houses the major brands that fashionistas crave, including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany & Co., Tory Burch, Scotch & Soda and more. If you love to read, free an afternoon to browse at Powell’s City of Books (1005 W Burnside S), which houses over a million titles. For bohemian fashions, art, and crafts items, head to Hawthorne District where you can shop at boutiques like Communion (3556 SE Hawthorne Blvd) and find retro-bargains at the House of Vintage (3315 SE Hawthorne Blvd).
Groceries and Other
Portland is nowhere near as expensive as New York or San Francisco, but groceries tend to be slightly more costly than elsewhere in the U.S. For example, you’ll pay around $3.20 for 12 eggs, around $2.40 for a large beer and about $25 for an affordable meal. There are plenty of supermarkets in the center of town, with major chains like Safeway or Trader Joe’s as well as local institutions like Zupan’s (2340 W Burnside St) and New Seasons (3445 N Williams Ave).