The Top 10 Things to Do in Portland, OR
#10 -
Food Trucks
We love a good food truck, and Portland takes it to the next level with theirs. They’re more like food stands operating out of a truck, as most of them are in a permanent location, but boy do they serve some delicious food! We took a food truck tour by Portland Walking Tours so we got to learn all about the scene and skip the line at some popular trucks. On the tour, we tried some food that we might not have tried on our own and ended up being delicious! The Dump Truck was our favorite, offering unique dumplings such as the bacon cheeseburger dumpling. We wish we were eating one right now!
#9 -
Portland Saturday Market
We love walking around outdoor markets! It gives us an opportunity to meet local artists, discover new products, and try some territorial treats. It’s the longest running continuously operated outdoor market in the United States, dating back to 1974. Contrary to what the name suggests, it operates every Saturday and Sunday from March thru Christmas Eve. Wake up, grab a cup of joe (see Stumptown Coffee), and spend an hour exploring the market.
#8 -
Waterfall & Wine Tour
We ventured out of the city and took a waterfall and wine tour by a company called Evergreen Escapes. It was such a wonderful and beautiful day. It was mid-December and pretty cold, so we ended up as the only people on the tour. We were driven around by our guide in a Mercedes passenger van and were given snacks and drinks. Since it was just the two of us, we were able to set the record for most waterfalls visited in a single tour! We stopped at six shimmering waterfalls, including the gorgeous Colombia Gorge! After hours of admiring the falls, we popped into a couple of quaint wine bars to cap off a beautiful day!
#7 -
Stumptown Coffee
We pretty much always start our day with a nice cup of joe to fuel us when exploring a new city. And while we’re pretty loyal to the green goddess known as Starbucks, we like to give the local roaster a chance to show us what they’ve got. In Portland, look no further than Stumptown Coffee. Opening their flagship shop in 1999, they’re known as major players in the development of the use and appreciation for higher quality coffee beans. They purchase their beans from all around the world, leading to many options when you’re in store. Try out a cup to kick off your day, or better yet pair one with the next suggestion on our list.
Photo provided by Unsplashed.
#6 -
Donuts!
Portland has not one but two popular donut establishments: Blue Star Donuts and Voodoo Donut. It should go without saying but, we had to try both! Blue Star Donuts were good, but the clear winner in our eyes was Voodoo Donuts. Blue Star seemed like a more traditional donut place, while Voodoo created a unique atmosphere and donut concoctions you can’t get anywhere else. We tried the “Portland Cream” and the “Blueberry Cake” and they were like little circles of heaven. After chowing down at Voodoo Donuts, take a very short walk to take photos with the famous “Keep Portland Weird” mural.
#5 -
Christmas Lights
Okay, so we love Christmas lights, and since we were visiting a new town so close to Christmas we had to check out their best lights. We ubered around and stopped at two of their most popular areas for Christmas lights: the Grotto and Peacock Lane. The Grotto, an internationally renowned Catholic shrine spanning 62 acres, puts on what they call their “Christmas Festival of Lights.” It runs from the day after Thanksgiving thru Dec. 30th (closed on Christmas Day) and is essentially a huge Christmas celebration packed with half a million lights, a choir, children’s activities, and tons of treats. It was really beautiful and well run. On our way back we happened to be driving past a street called “Peacock Lane,” so we stopped to walk up and down the street. Such a fun experience at this time of year!
#4 -
Powell’s City of Books
Situated in the heart of downtown Portland, Powell’s City of Books, is the world’s largest independent bookstore. We decided to walk through it without any preconceived plan and were really happy we did. This place is gigantic! They literally color code their rooms so you can actually find what you’re looking for. The 1971 establishment takes up an entire city block, offers 3,500 different sections, and contains about one million books! It’s surprisingly very well organized considering its great size. We explored the different rooms and grabbed a coffee at their cafe. Powell’s truly is a haven for book lovers and a very cool place to explore for an hour or two.
#3 -
Huber’s Cafe
We arrived in downtown Portland around 10PM and were itching to do some light exploring and grab a quick bite. Not knowing anything about it, we stumbled about Huber’s Cafe and decided to give it a try. We’re so glad we did! It turns out, Huber’s is Portland's oldest restaurant, having opened in 1879! We sat in the crowded bar area which gives off the feel that this bar is historic. We shared some appetizers and then had to join in on the fun of their signature drink, their spanish coffee. Every spanish coffee is made tableside with great showmanship and ultimately ends with a yummy flaming cocktail.
#2 -
Division St. Bars & Restaurants
We stopped here as part of our wine tour and were surprised to see an up and coming neighborhood of shops, restaurants, and bars. It was trendy, but comfortable, and just a hop across the river from the Downtown area. Great place to go for some wine sippin’ or cheese! Dinner at Ava Gene’s and after dinner drinks at Division Wines makes for a great date night.
#1 -
Japanese Rose Garden
If you’re visiting Portland during the spring, be sure to spend a few hours at the Portland Japanese Garden. Located in Washington Park a few miles west of downtown, this 12 acre garden has 8 separate spaces to explore. Full of serenity and inspiration, a visit to the Portland Japanese Garden would certainly be a highlight of your trip.
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