What to do in Portland for a weekend: 3 beautiful days in Rose City

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Portland, Oregon is one of the best cities in the US for foodies, beer-lovers, outdoorsy folk, and lovers of the arts. Known for perhaps their quirky representation in the Portlandia TV show, Portland is the perfect getaway for a few days with stunning gardens, delectable donuts, and a top foodie destination as ranked by numerous news outlets. Because I have local family, I’ve visited numerous times, but since I recently spend 6 days exploring Portland with my local aunt and uncle, I am confident that I know exactly what to do in Portland for a weekend.

Looking for a quick version? Don’t worry, I’ve condensed this itinerary down to a free printable (or downloadable) version! Just tell me where to send it.

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How to get to Portland, Oregon

Portland is easy to get to with a major international airport (aka PDX). Inside you’ll find local restaurants and coffee shops and they even have their own social media famous carpet! You can even do some shopping because there’s no sales tax in Oregon! I actually bought my rain jacket at the Columbia store in the airport and saved $50!

You can also get to Portland easily on US Highway 5, which crosses the West Coast from north to south from California to Washington (and through Oregon).

Getting around Portland

Portland has extensive and affordable public transportation. You can download the Hop app, which allows you download a virtual Hop Card (their reusable fare card). Alternatively, you can pay with card or cash in person.

Fares are $2.50 for 2.5 hours and $5 maximum per day and the fare covers TriMet buses, the MAX Light Rail, and WES commuter rail, so no matter where you’re going, you’re covered.

Biking is also huge in Portland. You can rent bikes all over town with Biketown PDX. Yes, there’s an app for that!

It costs $1 to unlock a bike and 30 cents per minute, or $8.25 per month if you plan to use bikes extensively on your trip.

Of course, you can rent a car, especially if you’re planning to explore the Columbia Gorge or take a day trip to Cannon Beach or Seattle, you’ll need one!

Parking in Portland is easy with the Parking Kitty app and in a few places in the city, you can pay once and move your car around in that area without paying again. This works in areas like downtown and around Washington Park.

Best places to stay in Portland

Portland is divided into neighborhoods so deciding where to stay really comes down to which neighborhood you want to be in.

Some popular options include Nob Hill, Mississippi Avenue, Hawthorne, and Pearl District.  I stayed in Northeast Portland with my local family and loved it! It’s near Alberta Street, which is a main hub of activity in that area.

Portland has faced challenges in recent years with petty crime and their unhoused population. Because of that, I recommend choosing safety over convenient locations (for example: Old Town may be convenient but not all travelers may feel safe there). Plus, Portland is relatively small, so it’s easy to get around – seriously, you can drive from one side of the city to the other in like 15 minutes tops!

When is the best time to visit Portland

Like much of the Pacific Northwest, Portland is a great city year round. However, winters can get a bit bleak and quite rainy. I recommend spring and fall when the colors are really poppin’ around the city! Gardens in Portland are wonderful and a big part of this itinerary so if you can visit when the colors are in full swing, that’s the way to go.

Summer can be great as well, but it’s a popular time to travel since schools are out, so you may be met with more crowds.

Related read >> Best fall destinations in the US (Portland is on this list!)

How much does a weekend in Portland cost?

Weekend in Portland Itinerary Map

Day 1 (Friday)

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Get acquainted with a food tour

Welcome to Portland! I’m starting you off with one of the best food tours in Portland that will introduce you to one of Portland’s most important foodie scenes – the food carts.

These are like food trucks except that they are stationary. A group of 3 or more food carts is called a food pod! The city has over 1000 food carts and 70 pods, so it’s a must when visiting the city.

I took a guided tour of multiple food pods with Lost Plate Food Tours* and I highly recommend them!

On this tour not only will you learn about the food carts and pods, but you’ll get to taste your way through them with over 10 good sized tastes (not tiny little bites!). You’ll even end at a brewery and get to try a local craft beer or two.

The tours only operate Tuesday through Friday, so today’s the day!

You can book your tour here and use code “periodicadventures” to save.

*Disclaimer: I was hosted on my food tour with Lost Plate Food Tours. As always, all opinions are my own.

Step back into the 70s at a laser show

Once you’re stuffed, make your way to OMSI – or the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry – because tonight you’ll be seeing one of their classic laser shows in their planetarium.

They have a variety of options that rotate throughout the year including Lady Gaga, Tayor Swift, and AC/DC, but if you want the full psychedelic experience, I recommend a 1970s artist! When I visited, they were showing Laser Floyd, the Pink Floyd show where I got to see their 50^th anniversary Dark Side of the Moon show, which played the album in its entirety while a laser technician operated most of the laser show live! Amazing!

Related read >> Other incredible science museums in the USA (OMSI is on the list!)

Indulge in a Portland staple

To cap off the night, head to Salt and Straw for an evening dessert. This Portland ice cream shop has some of the most incredible flavors all made by hand in shops designed to bring the community together.

Since their creation, Salt and Straw has expanded extensively across the US and even has some locations in the Disney parks.

You’ll find unique flavors like salted, malted, chocolate chip cookie dough (yes, that’s one flavor), Arbequina olive oil, marionberry coconut sherbet (a local Portland berry), and pear and blue cheese.

If you’re like me and want to try a bunch, you could taste the flavors with little spoons, OR you can order an ice cream flight, which is 4 kids scoops!

Day 2 (Saturday)

Choose your own adventure

Saturday in Portland is special because they have the largest continuously operating crafts market in the country since 1974! I’ll give you a couple options on how best to organize your day so you can visit the Portland Saturday Market.

Option 1: Breakfast at the market, then a garden visit

Your first option is to hit the market first thing when they open, which is officially at 10am, although some vendors are set up around 9:40am.

Grab some breakfast from the food carts. A local favorite are elephant ears, which is a large piece of fried dough usually covered in cinnamon sugar, although at the original cart, you can find lots of other flavors and options.

Walk around the market and admire all the incredible artists’ works. You never know what you might find! I took home a packable cribbage board and I’m obsessed!!

Once you’ve experienced the market, head to the Rhododendron Garden in the late morning/early afternoon. They close at 3:30pm so be sure to plan accordingly.

More on the garden in a minute.

Option 2: Garden first, then lunch at the market

The other option is to visit the Rhododendron Garden first thing in the morning and hit the market in the afternoon once you’re done.

That way, you can grab lunch at the market. I ate at the Best Taste of India food cart and it was delish!

Regardless of which option you choose, I recommend eating at the market because there are so many great options.

Stroll the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

Now onto the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. This itinerary is garden heavy because the gardens in Portland are truly magnificent and all so unique that you won’t get tired of visiting them!

The Rhododendron Garden is located near Reed College in the Southeast. It costs a whopping $5 to enter and has 2500+ species of plants and flowers, plus wildlife that will keep you entertained. We saw ducks including babies, a mother goose nursing a nest, and even a Bald Eagle!

The garden is 9 acres, so you can spend at least an hour here.

Note that the parking lot is small, so if you’re worried about crowds, I recommend visiting the garden first thing in the morning and the market afterwards (Option 2 above).

Lunch at more food carts

If you’re craving some lunch, I recommend the Nob Hill food pod. There’s sushi, Indian, and burgers. But, what we had and what became an instant favorite were jianbings from Bing Mi, which are savory Chinese crepes filled with egg, green onions, cilantro, wonton crackers, sauces, and your choice of meats, tofu, or mushrooms. Yum!

Relax at the Portland Japanese Garden

Once you’re fueled up and ready to go, it’s time for another classic Portland Garden – the Japanese Garden.

This is on every Portland itinerary and for good reason! The garden is 5.5 acres and has a gorgeous waterfall, tea house, pathways, and zen garden.

Tickets are $22 for adults and $18 for students. Parking is paid through the Parking Kitty app as the Japanese Garden is located in the public Washington Park.

Don’t miss the tranquil Zig Zag Bridge, the Sand and Stone Garden reminiscent of ocean waves, and the Castle Wall made by a 15^th generation stonemason from Japan!

Explore Portland’s neighborhoods for dinner

For dinner, I recommend congregating at one of the streets that are hubs for Portland’s various neighborhoods (i.e. Alberta Street, Hawthorne, or SE Division Street).

If you’re like, hey lady, just tell me where to go, I recommend PDX Sliders on Division Street. They have some of the best truffle fries I’ve ever had and some incredible burgers of course. They have mushroom and black bean burgers for my vegetarians and vegans.

Day 3 (Sunday)

Discover Portland’s donut scene

There’s one key food we haven’t covered yet on this trip and that’s donuts. Portland is known for their donuts with big names including VooDoo Doughnuts, which has expanded to the Universal parks, and Blue Star Donuts, a local favorite that has grown to national acclaim.

You know that I’m a firm believer in food tours, so what better way to experience Portland’s donut scene than on a food tour.

I went with Underground Donut Tours* where we visited 5 donut shops and tried 3 donuts from each spot…that’s a lot of donuts so come hungry! Your guide will cut each donut into quarters, so you’ll get an ample taste without filling up too quickly.

While on the tour, you’ll get info on each shop, what makes them special, and even get to walk around downtown Portland to see some sights including Pioneer Square and the Portlandia statue.

Tours are $55 and come with 12+ tastes (aka 3 full donuts or more!) and a drink of choice from one of the shops.

*Disclaimer: I was hosted on my donut tour with Underground Donut Tours. As always, all opinions are my own.

Bookworms rejoice at Powell’s

Another Portland classic that we haven’t visited yet is Powell’s City of Books, the world’s largest independent bookstore!

Even if you aren’t a bookworm, this bookstore is not to be missed! They have a newly revamped Princess Bride themed coffee shop and on the top floor, a rare books room that’s only open Friday through Sunday, so you’re in luck when visiting Portland for a weekend!

Choose your own adventure: garden edition

To cap off your trip, I am once again recommending a garden visit. I have two choices, so check them out and decide, which one you want to visit…or if time permits, visit both!

The first is the Lan Su Chinese Garden. This is a completely accessible Chinese garden downtown that you can visit in an hour or less. It’s small but stunning!

Be sure to download the Discover Lan Su app to enhance your visit with interactive scavenger hunts that guide you through the garden.

They have a tea house where you can order some delicious teas, juices, and snacks like mooncakes, dumplings, and noodles.

Tickets are $14 per person and parking is available via street parking only (there isn’t a designated lot). On public transport, you can reach Lan Su Chinese Garden via the Old Town Chinatown stop on the Blue and Red MAX lines.

The other option this afternoon is visiting Hoyt Arboretum. Also located in Washington Park, Hoyt Arboretum is hailed as a “living museum of trees” in the city and has some of the most incredible trails!

Before you set off, I recommend stopping by the Visitors Center to ask what trails they recommend for the time of year you’re visiting in. Each trail has a collection of trees and they may not all be in bloom, so ask the experts.

When I visited in early May, they recommended the Magnolia Trail and it was magnificent because it was in bloom!

One trail you can visit year round and absolutely should is the Redwood Trail. Did you know Portland has one of three Redwood forests in the whole world? Yeah, I didn’t either!

The Redwood Trail has a beautiful deck where you can sit and admire these incredible trees at your leisure. Highly recommend! It’s the perfect peaceful way to end your Portland weekend trip!

Other things to do in Portland, OR

• Aerial Tram – Traveling to and from South Waterfront and Marquam Hill, you can get some nice aerial views of the city and surrounding mountains on a clear day. Note, it’s closed on Sundays.
• Columbia River Gorge – For a solid half day trip from Portland, Columbia River Gorge is STUNNING with waterfalls shooting out of the mountains at every turn. You likely know of Multnomah Falls, but don’t miss Rowena Crest viewpoint, Horsetail Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls among others!

• Lan Su Chinese or Hoyt – If you chose to visit one of these at the end of your itinerary, but have extra time, consider visiting the other one you missed!
• Peculiarium – This is such a bizarre, yet totally Portland oddity. It’s part eatery, part shop, part museum of peculiarities. If you’re looking for off the beaten path, this is it!

• White Stag Sign – Looking for a classic photo spot? The White Stag Sign that says Portland, Oregon is a good option. Note that you really can only see it well from Burnside Bridge or Waterfront Park on the ground, so it’s challenging to get a picture with the sign. Also, Waterfront Park is a dodgy at night in this area, so my solo female travelers, please exercise caution.
• Pittock Mansion – If you read this itinerary and kept thinking, “too many gardens, not enough history,” Pittock Mansion is the answer. It’s a historic home and museum that you can tour for a dose of history and culture.
• Witch’s Castle – Located in Forest Park, you can hike for 1/2 mile to Witch’s (or Witches) Castle, an abandoned structure from 1935 that was used as a public restroom until 1962.

• International Rose Test Garden when in bloom – In June, the International Rose Test Garden comes alive with beautiful roses. It is quite literally a test garden so new varieties of roses are grown and tested here!
• Oaks Amusement Park – This small amusement park is one of the oldest in the country. You’ll find a roller coaster and other rides, a roller rink, food carts, and a bunch of picnic tables for a fun family-friendly outing.

My Travel Essentials

• Travel Insurance – Going on an international trip? Don’t forget travel and medical insurance with SafetyWing.
• Travel Card – If you’re new to travel hacking, fear not! My favorite card for beginners gives you $750 in rewards when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus lounge access, 10x points on hotel bookings, and free TSA pre-check!
• Get Your Guide – Check out Get Your Guide for a one-stop-shop for booking travel activities.
• Booking.com – This is my favorite hotel search aggregator, specifically for reading reviews. On Booking.com, the reviews can be searched for keywords like WiFi, breakfast, pool, amenities, etc.! So helpful!
• Anti-pickpocket bag – Worried about having your valuables swiped? PacSafe makes the best travel bags with zippers and straps that lock and with mesh steel enforced fabric.
• Give the Gift of Travel – This is the perfect gift for travelers in your life! Tinggly allows you to gift experiences around the world, perfect for birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries.
• Staycation Idea – Check out Resort Pass, which gives you day passes to resorts so you can use their pool, spa, and fitness center, a great staycation idea!

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