Outdoor Activities in Portland, OR
Portland, OR's best outdoor activities include Director Park (Free), First Thursday Art Walk (Pearl District) (Free), Forest Park (Free), Forest Park (Lower Macleay Trail) (Free), and Gigantic Brewing Company ($6-12).
First Sunday of every month is $5 admission. The planetarium alone is worth the trip on a gray Tuesday.
1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214 · Tue-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm, Sat 9:30am-7pm, Sun 9:30am-5:30pm, closed Mon
Take the MAX to avoid the $8 parking fee. The polar bear exhibit is genuinely impressive and the winter hours mean fewer crowds.
4001 SW Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 · Daily 9:30am-5:30pm, Nov-Feb 9:30am-3:30pm
The fountain rises and falls like a tide, which means even one-year-olds can safely splash in the shallow end. Ice cream across the street.
810 NW 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97209 · Daily 7am-10pm, fountain seasonal (May-Sep)
Less chaotic than Jamison Square and right downtown. Good backup option when you need to kill 30 minutes between errands.
815 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205 · Daily 7am-10pm, fountain seasonal (May-Sep)
Combine this with the free Rose Garden and Hoyt Arboretum for a full morning that costs exactly zero dollars.
1700 SW Sherwood Blvd, Portland, OR 97205 · Daily 5am-10pm
Free, gorgeous, and your kids will tolerate it for exactly as long as it takes to walk to the playground. Mount Hood views on clear days.
400 SW Kingston Ave, Portland, OR 97205 · Daily 5am-10pm
Twelve miles of trails through a living tree collection, all free. The redwood grove makes you forget you're in a city.
4000 SW Fairview Blvd, Portland, OR 97221 · Grounds: Daily 5am-10pm; Visitor Center: Daily 10am-4pm
Tell your kids you're hiking to a witch's castle and they'll practically run the whole trail. Mossy stone ruins at the turnaround point.
2960 NW Upshur St, Portland, OR 97210 · Daily 5am-10pm
The views from the lawn are free and arguably the best panorama in Portland. Hike up from Forest Park if your kids have the legs for it.
3229 NW Pittock Dr, Portland, OR 97210 · Daily 10am-5pm (Apr-Oct), 10am-4pm (Nov-Mar), opens noon Tue · Ages 0+
The koi pond is a toddler vortex. You'll spend 20 minutes trying to leave. The teahouse is a nice parental reward.
239 NW Everett St, Portland, OR 97209 · Wed-Mon 10am-6pm, closed Tue
Beautiful enough that even screen-addicted tweens might put their phone down for five minutes. Under 5 free.
611 SW Kingston Ave, Portland, OR 97205 · Wed-Mon 10am-6pm, closed Tue
The skating rink has been here since 1905 and it still slaps. Rides are seasonal but the rink runs year-round.
7805 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR 97202 · Seasonal; skating rink Tue-Sun, varies
Organ-pipe music, wooden floors, and the kind of retro charm you cannot manufacture. Pre-school skate sessions exist for tiny wobblies.
7805 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR 97202 · Tue-Sun, hours vary by session. Kids' sessions weekday mornings. · Ages 3+
The water pump and sand zone will destroy your kid's clothes and they'll talk about it for a week. Bring extra everything.
SE McLoughlin Blvd & Bybee Blvd, Portland, OR 97202 · Daily 5am-midnight
Smaller and less overwhelming than OMSI. Good for the 4-8 range who want to push buttons without the sensory overload.
4033 SW Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221 · Tue-Sun 10am-4pm, closed Mon · Ages 0+
Free to walk, fun to eat. The elephant ears alone justify the trip. Artists making things in real time keeps kids interested longer than you'd expect.
2 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland, OR 97204 · Saturdays 10am-5pm, Mar-Dec
The weather machine sculpture activates at noon daily — it's weird and kids love it. Free Art in the Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
701 SW 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97204 · Daily, events vary
Part of the path literally floats on the river. Combine with Tilikum Crossing for a 3-mile car-free loop that toddlers in strollers and kids on scooters both love.
SE Water Ave & SE Caruthers St, Portland, OR 97214 · Daily 5am-midnight
The ninja obstacle course is catnip for the 5-8 crowd. Small enough that you can actually see your kid from the bench.
6517 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213 · Wed-Fri 9:30am-4pm, Sat-Sun 9:30am-2pm · Ages 2–10
Four bucks for a kid to swim. Not glamorous, but neither is watching your children slowly destroy the living room on a rainy Saturday.
77 NE Knott St, Portland, OR 97212 · Varies by session, check Portland Parks schedule · Ages 3+
An actual wave pool and water slides, indoors, 15 minutes from downtown. This is the nuclear option for a rainy weekend.
7300 SE Harmony Rd, Milwaukie, OR 97222 · Varies by session, check NCPRD schedule · Ages 0+
Three dollars, diving boards, and a shallow end for little ones. This is summer in Portland.
7951 SE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97202 · Daily during summer, check Portland Parks for schedule
Twelve lanes, couches instead of plastic chairs, and an arcade. Rainy-day bowling that doesn't feel depressing.
808 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214 · Mon-Fri 4-10pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-12am · Ages 0+
Free, quiet, and full of frogs. The paved trails handle strollers and the interpretive center saves you on rainy days.
15655 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton, OR 97006 · Park: Dawn to dusk; Interpretive Center: check website
The energy-to-dollar ratio here is unmatched. Ninety minutes and your kids will sleep like they hiked a mountain.
2777 NE Hogan Dr, Gresham, OR 97030 · Mon-Thu 10am-8pm, Fri-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 10am-7pm · Ages 3+
The dance floor literally bounces — mechanical floating floor from 1914
1332 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209 · Show nights, check schedule
Drink in the old detention room of a 1915 elementary school
5736 NE 33rd Ave, Portland, OR 97211 · Mon-Wed 7am-10pm, Thu-Sun 7am-midnight
Eight garden styles across 12 acres — Kengo Kuma cultural village
611 SW Kingston Ave, Portland, OR 97205 · Wed-Mon 10am-6pm, closed Tuesdays; last entry 5:30pm
Grounds are free — Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens views from 1,000 feet up
3229 NW Pittock Dr, Portland, OR 97210 · Daily 9am-4pm, opens at noon on Tuesdays (Sep-Mar)
250-person converted church — free shows on the Bar Bar outdoor stage
3939 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227 · Show nights, check schedule
Built by Suzhou artisans — teahouse serves real Chinese tea and dim sum
239 NW Everett St, Portland, OR 97209 · Daily 10am-5:30pm (Mar-Oct), 10am-4:30pm (Nov-Feb)
250+ artisans every Saturday since 1974 — free admission, waterfront
2 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland, OR 97204 · Saturdays 10am-5pm, Mar-Dec
Food carts + beer hall + covered seating on Mississippi Ave
4233 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97217 · Daily 11am-1am
Lower grotto is free — $11 elevator ride to 62 acres and Columbia River views
8840 NE Skidmore St, Portland, OR 97220 · Daily 9am-5pm (winter) to 9am-8pm (summer); seasonal hours vary
Witch's Castle glows green after rain — 1.6 miles roundtrip, free
1905 NW 29th Ave, Portland, OR 97210 · 5am-10pm daily
Free — 12 miles of trails, free guided hikes Wed and Sat
4000 SW Fairview Blvd, Portland, OR 97221 · Grounds 5am-10pm daily; Visitor Center 10am-4pm daily
10,000 roses, Mt. Hood views, free — peak bloom June through September
400 SW Kingston Ave, Portland, OR 97205 · 5am-10pm daily
Walk in free since 1905 — $1 per ride or $22.95-$43.95 all-day bracelet
7805 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR 97202 · Seasonal (Mar-Oct), check schedule
Free wine, free galleries, free museum — first Thursday of every month
Various galleries, Pearl District & Old Town, Portland, OR · First Thursday of each month, typically 5-8pm
You can tour an actual submarine — plus planetarium and hands-on exhibits
1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214 · Tue-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm, Sat 9:30am-7pm, Sun 9:30am-5:30pm, closed Mon
Free live music nearly every night — bluegrass, folk, jazz, and more
2958 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97232 · Mon-Wed 4pm-midnight, Thu 4pm-1am, Fri 4pm-2am, Sat 9am-2am, Sun 9am-midnight
Craft beer meets champagne lounge — a uniquely Portland combo
5224 SE 26th Ave, Portland, OR 97202 · Mon-Fri 2pm-9pm, Sat-Sun noon-9pm
Massive covered patio with string lights and fire pits — free live music and DJ nights
600 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214 · Daily 11am-2:30am
Dog-friendly patio with rotating food carts and strong IPAs
2828 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97232 · Mon-Thu 3pm-10pm, Fri noon-11pm, Sat-Sun noon-10pm
Brewery in a converted 1929 church with stained glass and soaring ceilings
2400 NW Wilson St, Portland, OR 97210 · Wed-Mon 11am-10pm, closed Tue
Portland's first B Corp brewery — organic, solar-powered, and family-friendly
2944 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR 97202 · Sun-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
Video rental store still open + cinema museum with real movie props — peak Portland.
4320 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97215 · Daily 12pm-9pm
Rated the most beautiful urban park on the West Coast — free, with a spring-fed pond.
SE Cesar E Chavez Blvd & SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97214 · Daily 5am-midnight
5,000+ rose bushes in a sunken formal garden — Portland's original rose garden, free.
700 N Rosa Parks Way, Portland, OR 97217 · Daily 5am-midnight