With over 8 million visitors a year, Portland, Oregon continues to be a hot spot for travelers in the Pacific Northwest. Situated between the Columbia and Williamette Rivers, Portland is the perfect mix of the great outdoors and urban life. If you’ve been wondering where to take your next vacation, then Portland should be high on the list.
If you want to visit a city with:
- incredible coffee
- a flourishing foodie scene
- lush green forests
- lots of outdoor recreational activities
- tons of amazing parks and attractions
- skiing and boating activities
- charm, personality, and quirkiness
Then Portland should be next in line. Here are some notable attractions and activities that make Portland worth visiting.
Attractions
Pittock Mansion
No need to go to France to see a French Renaissance-style château, because there’s one right here on the West Coast! Pittock Mansion is a 46-room estate situated on 46 beautiful acres in the West Hills of Portland, Oregon. The mansion offers panoramic views of Downtown Portland, Williamette River, and the distant Cascade Mountains.
The mansion was originally built in 1914 as the private home of London-born publisher Henry Pittock and featured the latest technology of the time period. It’s now a historic museum showcasing unique architecture and documents Portland’s transformation from pioneer town to a modern, industrialized city.
Pittock Mansion Website · Directions · Open daily 10 AM – 4 PM
Powell’s City of Books
Known as the largest independent bookstore in the world, Powell’s Books is one of Portland’s leading tourist attractions. The bookstore occupies a full city block and has every book you can think of, both old, new, and the rare. They also have a cafe and free WiFi, making it very easy to spend an afternoon here.
If you’re an avid reader, book collector, or just someone that loves little odds and ends then this is the place for you.
Powell’s Books Website · Directions · Open daily 9 AM – 10 PM
Oregon Museum Of Science And Industry (OMSI)
Ever wondered what it’s like to step foot inside a submarine? Or how about witnessing the awesome power of a black hole? Well, you can do all that and more at this nationally-renowned science center. With over 200 interactive exhibits, there’s something to enjoy for all ages (yes, even your teens!).
OMSI provides science learning in the form of interactive exhibits and activities. And if you’re anything like me, that was how I learned best! All exhibits cover a range of topics in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics space. It’s educational, but a whole lot of fun.
OMSI Website · Directions · Open daily 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Outdoors
Washington Park
Oregon is full of lush green forests and it’s fully on display here in Washington Park. The park is 400 acres of nature, wild forests, walking trails, and gardens (and it’s only 10 minutes away from downtown!). But that’s not all! It also includes plenty of fun activities and attractions.
In the park you’ll also find a zoo, forestry museum, arboretum, children’s museum, rose garden, Japanese garden, amphitheater, memorials, archery range, tennis courts, soccer field, picnic areas, and playgrounds. If that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is! Visiting the park is definitely a multi-day event and oh, so worth it.
Washington Park Website · Directions
International Rose Test Garden
With over 10,000 rose bushes of approximately 650 varieties, the International Rose Test Garden is the oldest, continuously run public rose garden in the United States. Here you’ll find plenty of photo opportunities and pathways to take a nice leisurely stroll. Keep an eye out for the miniature roses as they are quite a sight to see!
Rose Garden Website · Directions · Open daily 7:30 AM – 9 PM
Portland Japanese Garden
Upon visiting Portland’s Japanese Garden, Nobuo Matsunaga, the former Ambassador of Japan, proclaimed it to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The garden stretches across 12 acres and contains meandering streams, intimate walkways, and spectacular views of Mount Hood and the surrounding city.
There’s also an authentic Japanese Tea House serving world class Japanese tea with traditional gracious, attentive service, and delicious edible delights. This is definitely the type of place you want to take your time seeing. It’s highly recommended you find a nice spot to sit for 15-30 minutes and let the sounds of nature and the waves of relaxation wash over you. Add this to your must-see list when visiting Portland and you won’t regret it!
Japanese Garden Website · Directions · Open most days 10 AM – 7 PM
Food
Coffee
Portland is known as one of the cities at the forefront of the “third wave coffee” movement. If you’re not familiar with that term, third wave coffee essentially means that every step of the coffee process is treated with the highest level of care and quality possible. From the growing of the coffee plant, to the harvesting, brewing, and even the serving of the coffee, the highest quality end product is the ultimate goal.
If you’ve ever wanted to try coffee where you can actually taste the different flavor profiles of the original coffee plant then Portland is where you want to be. Here are some notable locations:
- Heart Coffee: One of the most renowned and respected roasters in Portland. Here you’ll find consistent, flavorful coffee with pronounced fruit tones and richness in every sip.
- In J Coffee: With a break from the norm, In J is a specialty coffee shop that serves Yunnan and Chinese-style drinks. Chinese coffee is still quite new and rare, so if you want to try something new then this is the palce.
Microbreweries
During the initial craft beer boom, Portland was at the front of the pack with the most breweries and brewpubs than any other city. Though presently they have been surpassed by other locations, Portland are still heavy hitters when it comes to craft beer. It’s home to multiple world class breweries and hosts several beer festivals every month. Here are some festivals to look forward to:
- Portland International Beerfest: A 3 day event that showcases hard-to-find beers and ciders from all over the world. Here you can sample everything from classic styles to exotic new-world hybrids.
- Oregon Brewers Festival: It’s one of the nation’s longest-running beer festivals and considered a craft beer destination. Over 50,000 visitors travel from all over the world annually to drink up what the festival has to offer.
Family Friendly Fun
Oregon Zoo
Perhaps the most popular attraction in all of Oregon, the Oregon Zoo welcomes over 1.5 million visitors annually. Here you’ll find over 2500 animals representing 215 different species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Be sure to check out the elephant exhibit as it’s always very popular with visitors.
Oregon Zoo Website · Directions · Open daily 9:30 AM – 4 PM
Portland Children’s Museum
If you have younger kids, Portland’s Children Museum is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. They have tons of interactive exhibits that’ll keep your kiddos occupied for hours. Kids can let their imaginations run wild in the clay studio, or get some pretend shopping done in the market place. They have many more exhibits and it may be worth your time to check out their calendar of events as there’s always something new around the corner.
Children’s Museum Website · Directions · Hours & Admission
PlayDate PDX
And if your kids haven’t had enough, then you can head right on over to PlayDate PDX. It’s Portland’s largest indoor playground with a cafe. Let your kids wear themselves out in PlayDate’s three-story indoor castle that’s equipped with four slides, two rows of ball cannons, and plenty of climbing and crawling activities.
The cafe serves snacks, finger foods, and beer & wine making it a great place for adults to get some relaxation while the kids run and play.
PlayDate PDX Website · Directions · Hours & Admission
Conclusion
So there you have it. Those are some of the notable attractions that make Portland such a hit with travelers. And of course, you’re not limited to the Portland area. There’s also the glorious Oregon Coast which is only a 90 minute drive away.
All in all, Portland is a fantastic travel destination for single travelers, groups, or family vacationers. With all the activities and attractions, Portland has something enjoyable for everyone.