Things to Do with Kids in Portland, OR

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

The submarine tour is $8.50 and the most interesting 45 minutes you'll spend this week. You don't even need OMSI admission to do it.

1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214 · Tue-Sun 10:10am-4:30pm · Ages 3+

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

Give your kid $10 in the used section and watch them agonize over the decision for 45 minutes. Saturday storytime at 11am in the Rose Room.

1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209 · Daily 10am-9pm

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+

Kids 17 and under always free. A legitimate rainy-day option where nobody has to pretend to be interested — the Native American gallery is genuinely cool.

1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205 · Wed-Sun 10am-5pm, first Thu until 7pm · Ages 0–17

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

Free storytime nearly every day in half a dozen languages. Your rainy Tuesday just got a plan.

801 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97205 · Mon/Wed/Thu/Sat 10am-6pm, Tue 10am-8pm, Sun 12pm-5pm, closed Fri

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

No ropes, no harness — just climbing and soft landings. The kids' section has shorter walls and the kind of problem-solving that wears them out fast.

410 NE 17th Ave, Portland, OR 97232 · Mon-Fri 6am-10pm, Sat-Sun 8am-8pm · Ages 4+

Small and manageable, which is actually the selling point. Your toddler can't disappear into a three-story structure you can't see into.

1925 NE 42nd Ave, Suite C, Portland, OR 97213 · Check website for current session times · Ages 0–6

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+

Entire city block of books — nine color-coded rooms, free to browse

1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209 · Daily 10am-9pm

Kids 17 and under always free; First Thursdays free for everyone

1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205 · Tue-Sun 10am-5pm, closed Mon; First Thursdays 10am-7pm (free)

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

Rooftop bar with Mt. Hood views — no show ticket needed to drink up there

1300 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97214 · 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

Restaurant open 20 hours a day — shows happen underground

830 E Burnside St, Portland, OR 97214 · Restaurant: 7am-late; shows check schedule

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

Quintessential 'Keep Portland Weird' — a quirky dessert-and-coffee house in a creaky old Victorian.

707 SE 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97214 · Thu-Sun 7pm-12am

Dive bar with the best smashed burgers and fried chicken in Portland — not a typo.

3639 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214 · Daily 11am-12am

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

British pub atmosphere with 50+ taps and a dartboard — Portland's best pub since 1976.

4534 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97215 · Daily 11am-2:30am