Location: Portland
Top Things to do in Portland
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What to do and see in Portland, Oregon (OR): The Best Things to do Good for Big Groups
You’ll wonder why you don’t live in Portland after you’ve visited this laid-back and friendly city. With a reputation for manicured parks, eclectic nightlife, fine micro-breweries and distilleries, and nature that cuts right into the city, Portland’s a Pacific Northwest must-visit. Don’t miss the famous Japanese Garden, one of the largest and most beautiful of its kind outside of Japan.
Restaurants in Portland
1. Wildwood Adventures
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,092 reviews
Wildwood Adventures is the top rated provider for half day and full day adventure and sightseeing tours from Portland, OR. With world famous destinations like the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. Hood, Willamette Valley vineyards and of course the city of Portland, which will you choose? Pick from one of our public small group tours...or let us tailor a private tour just for you!
2. No Whining Wine Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 139 reviews
Welcome to No Whining Wine Tours! With over 10 yrs in the Oregon wine industry, incl. experience in tasting rooms, events and tours! Why not Spend a day with us, whisk you away and let us show you why we are so passionate about our region's wine and wineries! Door-to-door service! Lunch..Often will meet winemakers! Join the best! It's all about laughter, education and remember, No Whining!!!
3. Pedal Bike Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,517 reviews
Visiting Portland and want to experience it like a local? Hop on a bike with Pedal Bike Tours for an easy, fun and safe spin through the city's history, coffee houses, food, green architecture and bike friendly lanes to see why Portland is America's Bicycle Capital. Pedal Bike Tours offers guided tours that highlight Portland's unique attributes and interesting neighborhoods as well as bicycle rental. Guided tours include Historic Downtown, The Columbia Gorge, Food Carts Culinary Tour, The Oregon Brewery Trail, the Oregon Coast and Wine Country
4. Backcountry Wine Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 473 reviews
Backcountry Wine Tours offers unique, personalized tours in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Our specialty is getting off the beaten path and taking you to the "hidden gems" of Oregon Wine Country. Since 2011, we have been perfecting the art of matching guests with the right wineries and experiences. With over 400 to choose from, how do you know you're going to the ones you'll love? That's where we come in! Let us treat you to an unforgettable experience that's both educational and adventurous. We take care of absolutely everything - and we go the extra mile to introduce you to the people and places you would have never found on your own with a casual visit or a tour with a big-box company. The most beautiful vineyards - check. Meeting winemakers and winery owners - check. Large, spacious luxury vans - check. Knowledgeable and courteous drivers - check. Secret backroads routes - check. The very best top-shelf wine - check. Come *check* it out!
5. Washington Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,532 reviews
This popular park offers miles of trails, an extensive rose garden, a large Japanese garden and a zoo. For information on free shuttles, attraction admission hours and pricing within the park, and maps, visit our website.
Reviewed By PaulPapich - San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
My wife and I live immediately adjacent to Washington Park in Southwest Portland. In fact, being close to the Park was one of the major reasons we selected the property we bought. We visit it every week without fail. To start with, Washington Park is immense and gorgeous! It is home to the International Rose Test Garden, Japanese Garden, Holocaust Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, the city's zoo, arboretum and forestry museum, archery range, tennis courts, walking trails, and much, much more. It would be a world-class destination if it only had the Rose and Japanese Gardens, which are extraordinarily beautiful. But perhaps the greatest draw for me personally are the trees - my ancient, stately friends, covering the hilly terrain, providing shade to walkers like me, and peace to anyone seeking a haven in today's chaotic world.
6. Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,636 reviews
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is a nationally-renowned science center providing science learning to a range of audiences. Our programming is guided by OMSI’s long-term vision to promote a healthy, innovative, and sustainable society where everyone is prepared to participate in civic life. OMSI’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programming helps visitors and program participants master 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration. We achieve this through exhibits, classes, camps, traveling educators, and adult programs around the state, making OMSI a trusted educational resource to all Oregonians.
Reviewed By goldencalgirl - Eureka, United States
This place was the highlight for my kids' spring break trip to Portland. We saw a dog hero movie, toured the submarine, and saw all the exhibits except the planetarium. We arrived before they opened, but they let us wait in line inside, which was nice. We ate lunch at the restaurant, which had a good variety for kids and adults. The kids probably could have spent all day here.
7. International Rose Test Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,561 reviews
The oldest official, continuously operated public rose test garden in the United States boasts more than 8,000 roses.
Reviewed By PaulPapich - San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
If you are ever in Portland during its glorious summer months, you absolutely owe it to yourself to visit the International Rose Test Garden. It is one of Portland's true gems. Imagine tens of thousands of perfect roses in full bloom, dozens of rose varieties, colors of every hue! Now imagine lovely walks among the rows and rows of roses, the perfume in the air, the tranquil atmosphere, the stately conifers that enclose the Test Garden on three sides, the view of downtown on the fourth, and the happy people taking photographs and stooping to smell the flowers. There you have the Rose Garden!
8. Pittock Mansion
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,529 reviews
Built in 1914, Pittock Mansion was a modern home with unique architecture and the latest technology. Experience the story of Portland through the lives of one of its most influential families and get to know the pioneer spirit behind its transformation from “stumptown” to modern, industrial city.
Reviewed By backpacker31 - Boynton Beach, United States
This is a must-see when in Portland. It’s location close to downtown Portland (but feels a world away) makes it a perfect excursion. I took the self-guided tour of the mansion’s interior which was well worth the $12 cost of admission. The (at that time) state-of-the-art household features such as recessed lighting, massaging/spa shower, individually controlled lighting, thermostat, refrigeration room and local/long distance telephone system are incredible. Although most of the household furnishings are not original to the house (or the Pittock family), I found it quite fascinating to learn how they acquired these from other local families in similar sociology-economic circles who lived at the time as the Pittocks. The history of the home’s construction, it’s decline and subsequent abandonment and its massive restoration is amazing. The grounds are lovely and the front lawn has some of the best views overlooking Portland and beyond (on a clear day you can see Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens and more).
9. Portland Japanese Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,182 reviews
Considered the most authentic Japanese Garden outside of Japan, the Portland Japanese Garden is a haven of tranquil beauty in all four seasons. In Spring of 2017, the Garden opened its new Cultural Village, complete with new garden spaces, classrooms, exhibition and gallery space, and the Umami Cafe.
Reviewed By mrg0137
On a recent trip to Portland, my wife and I stopped in Washington Park with the intention of seeing the Japanese Garden and nearby International Rose Test Garden. Since it was clearly out of season for roses in mid-November, there wasn’t much to see when we stopped at the Rose Garden first. We almost then skipped the Japanese Garden, since it was chilly and raining, and I hadn’t realized that unlike the Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden is an attraction with its own admission fee, not just part of the park that you can meander through freely. I’m really glad we ultimately decided to pay the $18 per person and visit the Japanese Garden, since it was absolutely serene and beautiful, even while walking through in the pouring rain on a chilly day. The line for tickets didn’t look particularly long that afternoon, but it was a bit slow-moving, since there was only one person working the admission window and others had a lot of questions and were buying memberships. I would definitely buy tickets online in the future to skip the line. We entered the gardens close to 3:00 pm, and were told that the last admission of the day would be at 3:30, although it sounded like there was no real time pressure, with the gardens staying open for a while after 3:30 so the final guests of the day could still make their way through. The gardens are built into a hill, so there was a bit of a leisurely uphill climb to get from the entrance at the bottom of the hill to the start of the gardens at the top. There is a shuttle service offered for those who want to avoid the walk and start at the Cultural Village at the top of the hill. From the Cultural Village, which includes restrooms, a gift shop, and a terrace with beautiful bonsai trees, you can start to meander through the gardens themselves, which are absolutely beautiful, with stunning landscaping and water features. Everything in the gardens is currently marked out with one-way paths to help promote social distancing, and the only thing that appeared to be closed was the Japanese Tea House. The gallery building that currently has a photography exhibit with photos from internment camps was open with limited capacity and was interesting to visit. Outside of that, we really enjoyed taking a leisurely walk through the various garden paths and discovering the various sculptures and plantings. It was especially gorgeous to be able to see the variety of changing colors on the trees in the fall. We also really liked that the size of the gardens was manageable so that it didn’t take forever to see everything, but there was still enough to do that the $18 admission was just about worth it (it could maybe be a couple dollars cheaper, but it’s so lovely that I didn’t mind supporting them through our ticket purchase). We spent about an hour at the garden in total, and probably would have spent more time if it wasn’t raining the entire time. I imagine that on a nicer day, you could easily spend a couple hours meandering through the gardens and taking time to relax at various spots along the way. Despite seeming a little pricey at first, the Portland Japanese Garden is absolutely beautiful and worth a visit. It’s a serene paradise in the middle of Portland, and it’s an interesting chance to see what I’ve read is one of the most accurate Japanese gardens in the United States.
10. Portland Saturday Market
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,089 reviews
Operating since 1974 the Portland Saturday Market is the largest continually operating outdoor arts and crafts market in the nation. Located in Waterfront Park and Ankeny Plaza in Portland’s historic Old Town the Market is one of the most popular shopping destinations for local handcrafted goods. The Market offers a unique opportunity for customers to meet the artist as well as see one of a kind pieces created in the artist’s booth. Over 250 small businesses and individuals artists from across the NW region gather each week for the Saturday/Sunday event with live music and a plethora of exotic foods that will satisfy everyone’s appetite.
Reviewed By L3739IAfrant
The Saturday market is always a must when we visit esp for local artisans and food. The waterfront scenery is beautiful and other parts of the city can be strolled. Great way to start a weekend.
