Fun Things to Do in Portland, Oregon

I just got back from a fabulous trip to Portland, OR for my cousin’s wedding! As most of you know, I grew up in Idaho and have a love affair with the Pacific Northwest. Any time I get a chance to talk about the PNW or visit, I get really excited.

Because I love Portland so much, I’ve decided to put together a list of my recommendations plus a few from close friends and family (who I trust)! Hope this helps you on your future adventures in Portland!

Fun Things to Do in Portland, Oregon….

First, let’s start with….brunch. 🙂

Best Brunch Spots:

• Pine State Biscuits – Try the Reggie Deluxe! Fried chicken, bacon, gravy, cheese on a biscuit (YUM!). That’s it above and they make the biscuits right there in front of you.

• Gravy – Located on the retro/hipster street of Mississippi Ave. Very YUM!

• Screen Door

• Broder

• Mother’s Bistro – A Portland staple. I had the breakfast nachos!

• Kenny and Zuke’s

Inside of Bollywood Theatre (a great lunch and dinner spot)

Cool Things to Do:

• Portland Japanese Tea Garden

• Portland Saturday Market – amazing vendors and shops. Walkable from VooDoo Donuts and Powell’s! I always go to the jewelry vendors and buy cute, delicate rings.

• Shops on Mississippi Ave. – It’s so awesome just walking down the street because there are SO many urban, hipster and eclectic shops to pop into.

• Powell’s Bookstore – I come here every time I’m in Portland! You can get lost inside the store since it takes up an entire block.

• Portland Farmer’s Market

• Pittock Mansion

• Rose Test Garden

• Hawthorne District – Tons of thrift shops and 2nd hand stores with really cool clothes and trinkets!

• St. John’s Bridge

• Portland Art Museum

• Cocktails at The Ace Hotel

• Lan Su Chinese Garden

• Boat Tour around the river

• Pearl District – It’s fun to walk around this district and I recommend staying in this part of town since it’s so central!

• Northwest Portland/Alphabet District – tons of great shops and food!

My fam and I outside of the Portland Saturday market Hanging out on Mississippi Ave.

Lunch/Dinner:

• Portland City Grill

• Portland Food Carts – These are literally all over the city. You can’t miss them. Try going to get the Schnitzelwich if you can find it!

• Bollywood Theatre – order all of the things! It’s got such a cool Indian/Bollywood vibe inside and the food is like nothing I’ve ever tasted before.

• Little Bird Bistro

• Henry’s Tavern

• Bamboo Sushi – best rated sushi in the city

Treats:

• Salt & Straw Ice Cream – amazing hand made ice cream!

• Blue Star Donuts – Lemon Poppyseed donut FTW

• VooDoo Doughnuts – this is a Portland tourist hotspot! Go early to avoid lines!

  

Breweries:

• Deschutes Brewery – this is about 1 block away from Powell’s. Great spot for happy hour!

• Rogue Alehouse – The famous Rogue brewery that serves bacon maple ale to mimic the bacon maple VooDoo donut. I don’t recommend this beer….tastes super weird. 🙂

• Laurelwood

• Hair of the Dog

• BaseCamp Brewery – try the S’more’s Stout!

• Commons Brewery

• Breakside Brewery

Coffee Shops:

• Stumptown Coffee – long line, but yummy! They also have cold brew to go!

• Ristrettro Roasters

• Heart Coffee Roasters

• The Albina Press

Outside of Portland:

• Multnomah Falls

• Wahclella Falls

• Go on a hike to Oneonta Gorge

• Visit a fruit stand on the way to the Oregon Coast

• Drive to the Oregon Coast (roughly 1.5 hours from Portland)

I’m sure I’ve missed some great reccs! Any more to add?