Oregon, United StatesRose City
Portland
A green, bike-friendly river city of food carts, coffee, bookshops and craft beer, with the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood close by. Easy to walk and easy to like.
- Best months
- Jun to Oct
- Ideal stay
- 2 to 3 days
- Train
- Not confirmed
- Bus
- Not confirmed
Photo by Sean Oulashin on Unsplash
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Best months
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June, a good time to go
- July, a good time to go
- August, a good time to go
- September, a good time to go
- October, a good time to go
- November
- December
Known as
- Big city
- River city
- Food city
- Arts city
- Wine country
Getting there
- Highway / road trip
- Commercial airport
- Local public transit
Train and bus
- Train
- Not confirmed
- Bus
- Not confirmed
People
652,503
in the city, 2,542,282 in the metro area
Languages
English
Portland sits where the Willamette River meets the Columbia, with Mount Hood visible on a clear day and Forest Park running along the western hills. The city is divided into quadrants and neighborhoods, each with its own main street, and most of them are worth a few hours on foot or by bike. It has a reputation for being relaxed and a little eccentric, and for liking things made by hand. Oregon has no sales tax, which helps in the shops. Rain falls often between autumn and spring, but the city is built for it, with good cafes and bookshops to wait it out.
Powell's City of Books fills a whole city block downtown and is the obvious first stop. Washington Park holds the International Rose Test Garden, the Japanese Garden and the Oregon Zoo, and Hoyt Arboretum has trails among tall trees. Forest Park offers miles of walking in a wild setting very close to the center. The Portland Art Museum is in the South Park Blocks, and on Saturdays and Sundays the Portland Saturday Market sets up under the Burnside Bridge in the warmer months. Pittock Mansion has a view over the city. A drive east opens the Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls.
Portland takes eating seriously. Food carts gather in lots across the city and offer creative dishes from many countries. Coffee roasters are everywhere, and breweries and taprooms fill nearly every neighborhood. Restaurants range from Pacific Northwest seafood and mushrooms to Vietnamese soup, Thai and Korean. The Pearl District, Alberta Arts and Mississippi Avenue all have good restaurants, while Hawthorne and Division Streets are lined with bars and cafes. Wine from the Willamette Valley is served widely. Voodoo Doughnut is an old novelty stop if you want one. Nightlife leans toward cosy bars, live music and late cafes.
Downtown and the Pearl District are the easiest places to stay on foot, with the streetcar and MAX light rail within reach. The Lloyd District sits near the Convention Center and the airport line. On the east side, Hawthorne and Alberta Arts feel more local, with smaller hotels and guesthouses. The airport is connected to downtown by MAX, so you can arrive without a car. TriMet buses, the streetcar and light rail cover most visitor needs, and Portland is a good city to cycle in, with bike lanes and rental stations. Parking downtown is available but needs patience.
Late spring to early autumn is the best period, with dry, bright weather and long evenings. July and August are the driest months and the most popular. June brings the Rose Festival and the roses are at their best. Autumn colors arrive in October, and winters are mild, gray and wet. A weekend covers the main sights, but two or three days leaves room for the Gorge and a coffee tour. Add more if you want Mount Hood hiking or a Willamette Valley winery day. Bring a rain jacket in any season but high summer.
Portland is a key stop on Interstate 5, between Seattle and California. Seattle lies to the north, and the Amtrak Cascades train links the two. South, the Willamette Valley has pinot noir wineries and leads toward Eugene. West, the road reaches Cannon Beach and the Oregon coast, and east it follows the Columbia River Gorge toward Hood River and the dry country beyond. Mount Hood is a short drive for skiing in winter and hiking in summer.
Highlights
- Powell's City of Books
A huge independent bookshop that fills a city block.
- International Rose Test Garden
Rows of roses in Washington Park with a view toward Mount Hood.
- Portland Japanese Garden
A calm, carefully kept garden on the hill above the city.
- Forest Park
A large wooded park with trails right next to the city.
- Food carts
Pods of small kitchens serving dishes from many countries.
- Columbia River Gorge
Waterfalls, cliffs and viewpoints a short drive east.
- Mississippi Avenue
A stretch of bars, cafes and small shops in North Portland.
- Pittock Mansion
A historic house with a wide view across the city.
Neighborhoods
- Pearl District
Former warehouses turned into galleries, restaurants and shops next to downtown.
- Old Town and Chinatown
The historic core near the river, with the Saturday Market and nightlife.
- Alberta Arts
A northeast main street of murals, galleries and restaurants.
- Hawthorne
Eclectic southeast shops, bars and cafes on a long, walkable boulevard.
- Mississippi Avenue
A compact strip of bars, bookshops and beer gardens.
- Nob Hill
Northwest streets of boutiques, brunch spots and Victorian houses.
Getting around
Downtown and the close-in neighborhoods are walkable and easy to cycle. MAX light rail, the streetcar and buses connect the airport, downtown and the east side.
- Airport
- Portland International Airport (PDX)
Scores
Very good
- Rated by Route By Design.
- About 720 violent crimes per 100,000 people a year in the city itself; the US average is about 370. Source: Violent crimes per 100,000 residents in the city, 2024 (FBI/agency data compiled on Wikipedia).
- The other scores are estimated from the city’s size, attractions and transport links.
Where to stay
- Camping nearby
- Plenty
- Hostels
- Yes
Showing 1 to 6 of 10
RV parksColumbia River RV Park10649 NE 13th Ave, Portland, OR HostelsJT's on Jackson626 SW Jackson St, Portland, OR RV parksJantzen Beach RV Park1503 N Hayden Island Dr, Portland, OR HostelsKEX Portland100 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR HostelsNorthwest Portland Hostel479 NW 18th Ave, Portland, OR RV parksPortland Fairview RV Park21401 NE Sandy Blvd, Fairview, OR RV parksRoamers Rest RV Park, LLC17585 SW Pacific Hwy, Tualatin, OR RV parksSun Outdoors Portland South8275 SW Elligsen Rd, Wilsonville, OR HotelsThe Georgia Hotel308 SW 12th Ave, Portland, OR HostelsThe Society Hotel203 NW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR
Things to do
Showing 1 to 6 of 90
Parks & outdoorsAinsworth Linear Arboretum2105 NE Ainsworth St, Portland, OR EntertainmentAladdin Theater3017 SE Milwaukie Ave, Portland, OR EntertainmentArlene Schnitzer Concert Hall1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsAudrey McCall BeachPortland, OR Sightseeing & toursBattleship Oregon MemorialSW Naito Pkwy, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsBroughton Beach Park4141 NE Marine Dr, Portland, OR ActivitiesCeltic Axe Throwing2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR Museums & galleriesChefas Projects134 SE Taylor St, Portland, OR stadiumsChiles Center5000 N Willamette Blvd, Portland, OR EntertainmentCinema 21616 NW 21st Ave, Portland, OR EntertainmentClinton Street Theater2522 SE Clinton St, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsColumbia River Gorge Family activitiesCreston Pool4454 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsCrystal Springs Rhododendron Garden5801 SE 28th Ave, Portland, OR EntertainmentCurious Comedy Theater5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsDahl Beach City ParkDahl Beach, 20199 McLoughlin Blvd, Gladstone, OR EntertainmentDante's350 W Burnside St, Portland, OR Museums & galleriesDay in the Life529 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR casinosDotty's11955 N Center Ave, Portland, OR casinosDotty's880 NE 25th Ave, Hillsboro, OR Museums & galleriesEast Creative Collective211 SE Madison St, Portland, OR Family activitiesEast Portland Indoor Pool740 SE 106th Ave, Portland, OR ToursEndless Oregon Tours650 S Lowell St, Portland, OR ActivitiesEscape Games PDX2636 NW 26th Ave, Portland, OR Family activitiesExperiment PDX1421 SE Stark St, Portland, OR AttractionsFood carts Parks & outdoorsForest Park casinosFortune Casino La Center318 NW Pacific Hwy, La Center, WA EntertainmentFunhouse Lounge2432 SE 11th Ave, Portland, OR ActivitiesGlowing Greens509 SW Taylor St, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsGovernor Tom McCall Waterfront ParkPortland, OR Family activitiesGrant Outdoor Pool2300 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR zoos aquariumsHatfield Marine Science Center Oregon State University2030 SE Marine Science Dr, Newport, OR EntertainmentHelium Comedy Club1510 SE 9th Ave, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsHoyt Arboretum4000 SW Fairview Blvd, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsInternational Rose Test Garden Parks & outdoorsIra Keller Fountain ParkSW 3rd Ave & SW Clay St, Portland, OR EntertainmentKickstand Comedy1006 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsLan Su Chinese Garden239 NW Everett St, Portland, OR EntertainmentLaurelhurst Theater2735 E Burnside St, Portland, OR EntertainmentLiving Room Theaters341 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsLovejoy Fountain ParkSW Harrison St & SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR AttractionsMississippi Avenue stadiumsModa Center1 N Center Ct St, Portland, OR Family activitiesMontavilla Outdoor Pool8219 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR climbing gymsMovement Portland1405 NW 14th Ave, Portland, OR Family activitiesNortheast Swap and Play5830 NE Alameda St, Portland, OR Museums & galleriesOMSI1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR zoos aquariumsOaks Bottom Wildlife RefugeSE Sellwood Blvd & SE 7th Avenue, 10830 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsOff-Leash Dog Park1120 SW Council Crest Dr, Portland, OR Sightseeing & toursOld Town Portland13 NW 4th Ave, Portland, OR AttractionsOle BolleNordic Northwest zoos aquariumsOregon Coast Aquarium2820 SE Ferry Slip Rd, Newport, OR Museums & galleriesOregon Historical Society1200 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR Museums & galleriesOregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education724 NW Davis St, Portland, OR zoos aquariumsOregon Zoo4001 SW Canyon Rd, Portland, OR Family activitiesPeninsula Pool700 N Rosa Parks Way, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsPettygrove ParkS Harrison St, Portland, OR Sightseeing & toursPittock Mansion Family activitiesPlay Street Museum11221 NE Evergreen Pkwy Ste F, Hillsboro, OR Parks & outdoorsPoet's BeachPortland, OR Museums & galleriesPortland Art Museum1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR ActivitiesPortland Axe Throwing5901 SE Foster Rd, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsPortland Japanese Garden casinosPortland Meadows Poker8102 NE Lombard St, Portland, OR climbing gymsPortland Rock Gym21 NE 12th Ave, Portland, OR climbing gymsPortland Rock Gym10860 SW Barnes Rd, Portland, OR AttractionsPowell's City of Books stadiumsProvidence Park1844 SW Morrison St, Portland, OR EntertainmentRegal Fox Tower846 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR Museums & galleriesRental Sales Gallery1237 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR Museums & galleriesRobin Becic Gallery1307 SW 1st Ave, Portland, OR EntertainmentRoseland Theater8 NW 6th Ave, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsSauvie Island BeachSauvie Island, OR Parks & outdoorsSewallcrest Park1900 SE 31st Ave, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsShakespeare GardenSW Sherwood Blvd, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsSouth Hawthorne Waterfront Park1403 S Harbor Way, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsSouth Waterfront Greenway0848 SW Curry St, Portland, OR climbing gymsThe Circuit Bouldering Gym6050 S Macadam Ave, Portland, OR climbing gymsThe Circuit Bouldering Gym NE410 NE 17th Ave, Portland, OR Family activitiesThe Flip Museum136 SE 3rd Ave, Hillsboro, OR EntertainmentThe Old Church Concert Hall1422 SW 11th Ave, Portland, OR EntertainmentThe Siren Theater3913 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR Museums & galleriesThe Skeleton Key Odditorium939 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR Family activitiesToto1434 NW 17th Ave, Portland, OR Sightseeing & toursUSS Blueback Submarine1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR stadiumsVeterans Memorial Coliseum300 N Ramsay Wy, Portland, OR stadiumsViking Pavilion930 SW Hall St, Portland, OR Parks & outdoorsWallace Dog Park1628 NW 25th Ave, Portland, OR casinosilani1 Cowlitz Wy, Ridgefield, WA
Food & dining
Showing 1 to 6 of 44
Breweries & wineriesBackwoods Brewing Company231 NW 11th Ave, Portland, OR Breweries & wineriesBaerlic Brewing Co.2235 SE 11th Ave, Portland, OR RestaurantsBesaw's1545 NW 21st Ave, Portland, OR 97209 Breweries & wineriesBull Run Distillery2259 NW Quimby St, Portland, OR Cafés & coffeeCase Study Coffee802 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR NightclubsCultura Portland904 NW Couch St, Portland, OR NightclubsDistrict Nightclub220 SW Ankeny St, Portland, OR NightclubsElevate Nightclub125 NW 5th Ave, Portland, OR RestaurantsFogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse930 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR Bars & pubsFortune614 SW 11th Ave, Portland, OR Breweries & wineriesFreeland Spirits2671 NW Vaughn St, Portland, OR Breweries & wineriesHelioterra Wines2025 SE 7th Ave, Portland, OR RestaurantsHiggins Restaurant & Bar1239 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205 Markets & food hallsHollywood Farmers Market4420 NE Hancock St, Portland, OR RestaurantsHuber's Cafe411 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97204 Bakeries & dessertsInsomnia Cookies1974 SW Broadway, Portland, OR Cafés & coffeeJava Man Coffee508 SW Broadway, Portland, OR NightclubsKasa Nightclub Portland424 SW 4th Ave, Portland, OR Cafés & coffeeKen's Artisan Bakery338 NW 21st Ave, Portland, OR 97209 RestaurantsKing Tide Fish & Shell1510 S Harbor Way, Portland, OR Cafés & coffeeLess and More Coffee ii811 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR Breweries & wineriesLiving Haus Beer Co628 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR Cafés & coffeeLotus & Bean536 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR RestaurantsLuc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen835 SW 2nd Ave, Portland, OR Bars & pubsMultnomah Whiskey Library1124 SW Alder St, Portland, OR Breweries & wineriesNew Deal Distillery900 SE Salmon St, Portland, OR Bakeries & dessertsPix Patisserie / Pix-O-Matic2225 E Burnside St, Portland, OR Markets & food hallsPortland Farmers Market1803 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR Markets & food hallsPortland Farmers Market - Shemanski Park1010 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR Bars & pubsRaven's Manor235 SW 1st Ave, Portland, OR Bars & pubsRhinestone2100 SE Clinton St, Portland, OR RestaurantsRuth's Chris Steak House850 SW Broadway, Portland, OR Markets & food hallsSellwood Moreland Farmers Market1650 SE Claybourne St, Portland, OR NightclubsShake Bar28 NW 4th Ave, Portland, OR Markets & food hallsSouth Waterfront Farmers Market3508 S Moody Ave, Portland, OR Cafés & coffeeStarbucks720 Sw Broadway, Portland, OR Breweries & wineriesStone Barn Brandyworks3315 SE 19th Ave, Portland, OR Bakeries & dessertsThe Cheesecake Boutique By Queen Mama406 SW Oak St, Portland, OR Bakeries & dessertsThe Cookie Dough Cafe120 NW 13th Ave, Portland, OR RestaurantsThe Melting Pot1050 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR Bakeries & dessertsToasted S’mores Bar1126 SW Alder St, Portland, OR Breweries & wineriesWayfinder Beer304 SE 2nd Ave, Portland, OR Bars & pubsXport Bar & Lounge1355 SW 2nd Ave, Portland, OR Breweries & winerieseverywhere pdx920A SE Caruthers St, Portland, OR
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Work remotely
Portland scores 6.5 out of 10 for remote work (good), in the top 13% of the cities we score.
Showing 1 to 6 of 9
CoworkingIndustrious Portland811 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 1000, Portland, OR 97204 - Fast wifi
- Day pass
- Private desks
- Meeting rooms
- Open late
CoworkingCo-Working PDX at Fox Tower805 SW Broadway, Suite 900, Portland, OR 97205 - Fast wifi
- Day pass
- Private desks
- Meeting rooms
CoworkingCENTRL Office - Portland Downtown1155 SW Morrison St, Portland, OR - Fast wifi
- Private desks
- Meeting rooms
Cafés & coffeeJava Man Coffee508 SW Broadway, Portland, OR - Fast wifi
- Quiet
- Laptop friendly
CoworkingPast Lives Makerspace2808 SE 9th Ave, Portland, OR - Fast wifi
- Open late
Cafés & coffeeCase Study Coffee802 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR - Laptop friendly
CoworkingDesign Commons PDX108 NW 9th Ave #200, Portland, OR - Fast wifi
Cafés & coffeeLotus & Bean536 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR - Fast wifi
CoworkingNedSpace621 SW Morrison St #800, Portland, OR - Fast wifi
Where to next from Portland
Pick a city to see how far it is and how to get there, then add it to your route. Choose how many miles out to look, up to 200.
7 cities within 100 mi of Portland by road.
Zoom with the buttons, or hold ctrl while you scroll. Our cities are the markers; other towns on the map are for reference only.
Pick a city on the map to see how far it is and add it to a route.
All 7 cities within 100 mi, with travel times
- Vancouver Washingtonabout 12 mi · about 19 min by car · estimated
- Gresham Oregonabout 14 mi · about 23 min by car · estimated
- Hillsboro Oregonabout 16 mi · about 26 min by car · estimated
- Salem Oregonabout 54 mi · about 1 h 2 min by car · estimated
- Hood River Oregonabout 72 mi · about 1 h 22 min by car · estimated
- Cannon Beach Oregonabout 83 mi · about 1 h 35 min by car · estimated
- Astoria Oregonabout 90 mi · about 1 h 42 min by car · estimated
Routes through Portland
- Pacific Coast road trip16 days · 8 stops · May to September
- Troll Hunt: the giant trolls of the Pacific Northwest7 days · 3 stops · April to October
- Cascadia by train and ferry10 days · 4 stops · May to September
- Remote work, Bellingham to Bend18 days · 4 stops · May to September
- Spokane to Portland along the Columbia6 days · 4 stops · September to October
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