I was trying to get away from doing this.
Trying to avoid writing an article about how to plan the ‘perfect Portland itinerary’ Because there really isn’t such a thing. Not for any one person, anyway. It’s impossible to suggest a ‘to-do’ list for a Portland weekend getaway because EVERYONE has different interests, different tastes, and different priorities. It’s not a one-size-fits-all endeavor.
But here I am, writing it anyway. Trust me, there are better guides. No, really. There are.
So take it for what it’s worth…a GREAT BIG grain of salt. The salt grain is huge because I have picked out things to do that will suit (almost) anyone. These activities can be done year-round, rain or shine. And we all know that our Rose City gets plenty of rain! It’s part of what makes the city so gorgeous. All that green. In addition, I encourage you to visit my Events Page for the local happenings during the time that you will be visiting Portland.
And I have also provided extra stuff at the bottom of the page to take the place of anything on the main itinerary I’m about to lay out for you. Here we go….my attempt at a Portland travel guide. Any of these suggestions could also be included into an Oregon 3-day itinerary. Mix and match, go wild!
Portland Itinerary DAY 1
Breakfast at Besaws
Portland is known as one of the foodie capitals of the world, and a brunch capital, in particular – Besaws serves up its fantastic brunch seven days a week folks, from 8 am – 3 pm. So come on down! Besaws goes from down-home to fancy at the turn of a fork. What do I mean by that? Well, you can choose from a chicken fried steak stack to a duck confit cassoulet. And who doesn’t want duck confit for breakfast?!?
Book browse at Powells
The world’s largest and most famous independent bookstore needs to NOT be missed. I don’t care if you call yourself a bookworm or not, you need to come here. Buy your book, SELL your book, Browse for a book (or a dozen). Genres are laid out quite nicely and color-coded throughout the three stories of their flagship store. Grab a map on your way in! Their periodical section (read: magazine) is to die for. You could easily spend the whole 2 days here just taking in everything. You can even have lunch at their café. But I recommend…
Lunch at Laurelhurst Market
Just east of the bridge about 2.5 miles from Powells is the Laurelhurst Market. Vegetarians, run away now! Yes, it’s a full-service butcher shop, but it is also a tasty lunch spot and neighborhood bar, serving spectacular sandwiches from 11 am – about 4 pm. Then for dinner, they switch to a full-service steakhouse, complete with a craft cocktail bar. YUM This is definitely one of the more versatile eateries in town.
Afternoon at OMSI
I love science (heck, I have a Biochemistry degree, for crying out loud), so the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a great, hands-on place to bring the kids, and the adults have plenty of fun, too. They are always hosting some new exhibit. And with a planetarium and a 3-D movie theatre, what’s not to like?
Dinner at XLB
Widely considered as serving the best soup dumplings on the West Coast, I chose to celebrate my 50thbirthday at XLB. All of my foodie friends recommend it, so you know you’re in good hands here. And it’s affordable, to boot! For those culinary aficionados in the know, XLB stands for xiaolongbao in the Chinese language, which in English translates to “small basket buns.” These glorious little pockets of heaven take the form of paper-thin dough filled with meat and steaming broth.
DAY 2
Breakfast at Pine State Biscuits
This Alberta Street staple of a breakfast spot usually has a line out the door for a reason. I recommend the Reggie Deluxe. What is that, you say? It’s HEAVEN. A buttery flaky biscuit that sandwiches a hand-battered breast of chicken, complete with bacon, a fried egg, and cheese. Wow! Don’t worry too much about working this off, save your jog around the block for tomorrow. This mega-meal needs to digest properly. In order to do that, walk Alberta Street and take in all of the street art and eclectic shopping
The International Rose Test Garden at Washington Park
Marvel at 550 species of over 7,000 rose varieties at this world-renowned rose garden. Having just celebrated their centennial in 2017, the garden hosts free public tours Memorial Day through Labor Day, daily at 1 pm. Washington Park itself is a wooded oasis in the heart of Portland. This is the home of the Portland Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum and an extensive network of hiking trails. It’s a great place to wear out the kiddos. This should be a part of any Portland outdoor itinerary!
Take a Guided Tour (or self-guided)
Big Pink Bus Tour – Hop on, hop off!
BrewCycle Tours – Drink, Pedal, Repeat
Portland Street Art (self-guided)
Dinner at Lardo
For the sandwich lover in ALL of us. Hallelujah! Vegetarian? The Griddled Mortadella will have your eyes rolling toward the back of your head. The Pork Banh Mi is out of this world. You’ll come out of there feeling like a, well…lardo.There are two locations in the Portland metro area, so your gluttonous desire for tasty food is covered.
There is so much to do and see in Portland. Two days is not nearly enough, so it was kind of torturous for me to write this post. I had to make some major sacrifices on what to include, and what to scrap. Having said that, here are some more links for you to explore.
Some Other Things To Do
Art Galleries and Shopping in the Pearl District
Walk across the St. Johns bridge
Oregon History Museum / Portland Art Museum
Have a meal (or six) at a Portland Food Cart (where all the food groups are represented)
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It’s always interesting to see the differences between what visitors to our fair city list as must-do’s (14-year Portland resident here) and people who live here. Some overlaps of course (hello Powell’s), but I always appreciate the contrast: go-go-go vs. take it easy. Having said that, are two days really enough to “get” this place?
It’s always interesting to see the differences between what visitors to our fair city list as must-do’s (14-year Portland resident here) and people who live here. Some overlaps of course (hello Powell’s), but I always appreciate the contrast: go-go-go vs. take it easy. Having said that, are two days really enough to “get” this place?
Hi Peter!
I agree, 2 days is not nearly enough to fully experience Portland! But the reality is, that is all the time many visitors have. I’ve heard time and time again that Portland is just a ‘stop’ in the Pacific Northwest itinerary, and that they spend the majority of their vacation on the coast, up in Seattle, etc.
A buttery flaky biscuit thаt sandwiches a hаnd-battered brеast of chickеn, complete with bacon, a fried egg, and cheese. Wow! Dоn’t worry too much about working this off, save your jog around the block fоr tomorrow.
And i think that everybody like it/
A buttery flаky biscuit thаt sandwіches a hand-battered breast of chіcken, complete with bacon, a friеd egg, and cheesе. Wow! Don’t wоrry too much about working this off, save your jоg around the block for tomorrow. And i know that everybody like it.
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