Top Five Things To Do In Portland, Oregon

I have heard so many great things about Portland Oregon over the past few years, so when flying into Portland was the best option for us when we went to Oregon to visit my brother and his family in Bend, I was excited to do some exploring. Portland was everything I had heard; artsy, a great place for foodies, a cultural center, liberal, and creative. 

Yet, it was also much smaller than I imagined too. For a city with such a big reputation, I was surprised by the size of the city, but happily so because it was simple for a country girl like myself to navigate effortlessly. When I share my travel stories I like to share the positives and what I loved best, but I also prefer to be honest and share what I felt while there from the good and the negative experiences to simple things that surprised me during the trip. 

The one thing that surprised me was the number of homeless people we saw on the streets and the tent cities all over the sidewalks, the parks, at the waterfront, and under bridges. I didn’t learn until after our visit that there are so many tent cities around Portland that the city itself has been nicknamed Tent City, USA. Homelessness is common in the United States, especially in major cities, and it is always something that has deeply saddened me. In 2015 Oregon passed laws that thankfully made it illegal for police to target and profile people because of their homelessness. I mention it here on the blog because I like to share authentic thoughts on the places I visit to give my readers an honest view of what travelling to certain places is like, to prepare for the best and the unexpected. 

I also noticed that the outfits of choice were almost always black, brown, or beige. I was wearing a light pink jacket and I might as well have been wearing a flashing neon sign around my neck! I always do my best to dress like the locals, but I didn’t do my homework very well this time around. 

Portland is a lovely and creative city so I wanted to share with you today my top five suggestions. 

One. Powell’s City of Books

Powell’s was the number one recommendation we received by every local who gave us ideas of where to go. I made a full blog post about Powell’s this week because I feel that every bookstore has a story to tell. 

Two. Multnomah Waterfall

Multnomah Falls is right outside of Portland and an easy drive to get to. You take an exit right off the highway and walk under the highway to get to the entrance. You will find a restaurant, gift shop, public restroom, and even a snack hut before the park. 

Three. Portland Japanese Garden

The Portland Japanese Garden is a 5.5 acre garden that includes a lovely waterfall and a tea house. If it had not been raining and if we had more time we would have made this number two on our to-do list. 

Four. Food.

You cannot go wrong with the local food in Portland! Skip the food chains and find a local place; any place will do. And similar to California, you will find plenty of new age, vegan, and vegetarian options. 

Five. Portland Theater 

The Portland Theater is not something we knew about before our visit, but we certainly wish we had! If you are visiting Portland to pick up some culture and view the museums and galleries, add a show to your list. You can even catch a Broadway show here like Aladdin! 

Is there anything you would add to this list? Tell me about your top five for visiting Portland in the comments below.