Portlandia is more than just a hipster-foodie haven tucked in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. With more than 10,000 acres of public parks, no sales tax, thousands of bike riders and the largest annual children’s parade, the Rose Festival’s Junior Parade, there is plenty to keep a family busy and entertained for days on end. Whether you're heading to Portland, Oregon for a weekend getaway, or just tackling your own city as a parent for the first time—here are a few places to start exploring.
1. Shop the Portland Saturday Market
Situated along the Columbia River is the Portland Saturday Market. It is the largest continuously operated outdoor market and is open Saturdays and Sundays from March through Christmas Eve. With rows and rows of handcrafted clothes, wooden toys and fresh foods from Northeast Africa, Lebanon, Greece and Poland (to name a few), there's something for everyone. The ever-present live music and awesome people watching provide great entertainment for little shoppers. But if you're lucky enough to visit on the first Sunday of the month, you'll catch free kids' activities like puppet shows, creative arts activities, science fairs and more.
2. Get scientific at OMSI
Oregon Museum of Science & Industry
1945 SE Water Ave
Portland, OR
No visit to Portland is complete without a stop at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry—almost always known as OMSI—and if you live in PDX, having a membership is a must. The 219,000-square-foot museum is packed with five enormous halls bringing science to life through interactive exhibits and displays. The teeniest scientists can tackle the Science Playground (infant to age six) with its 7,000-square-feet of water play, sandbox digging, and an extra soft infant area. Older kids will love touching fossils, insects and animals in the Life Science Hall, experiencing an earthquake in the Earthquake House and running plenty of experiments in design, chemistry and physics labs.
3. Get the wiggles out at Playdate PDX
Playdate PDX
1434 NW 17th Ave
Portland, OR
Head to Portland's ultimate indoor playground with a cafe for some rainy day fun. Playdate PDX houses an interactive dance floor, climbing and crawling activities, four slides and two rows of ball cannons in its three-story indoor castle. There's a separate area for toddlers while the main play space is suited for kids up to 12 years old. When it rains, they'll get their wiggles out and you'll get a much-needed break (and a glass of wine or beer!).
4. Find fun at the Portland Children's Museum
Portland Children's Museum
4015 Southwest Canyon Road
Portland, OR
Located in historic Washington Park, the Children's Museum is an ideal destination for hands-on, playful learning experiences. The interactive museum bases its exhibits on the early childhood schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy which allow for inquiry-based learning. Kids can explore a market, clay studio, pet hospital along with an outdoor area and kiddie-sized maze. Check the calendar before your visit so you don't miss activities like story time, art glazing and live theater.
5. Hit the stacks at Powell’s City of Books
Portland is a bibliophiles dream with Powell Books in various locations around the city. Powell Books is the largest independent chain of bookstores in the world and really delivers with a flagship location stocked with more than one million titles. The aforementioned flagship, Powell’s City of Books in the Pearl District, offers a free weekend kids’ story time in the Rose Room. Or you can just wander the aisles (make sure to snag a map from the counter first!) with a cup of coffee as you discover books for your family to enjoy.
6. Amuse yourself at Oaks Park
Oaks Amusement Park
7805 Southeast Oaks Park Way
Portland, OR
Oaks Amusement Park is a long time tradition in Portland. The 44-acre site on the Willamette River opened in 1905 and has entertained Portland residents and visitors ever since. The amusement park includes a roller rink, Ferris wheel, carousel, roller coasters, railroad, carnival games and mini golf. The rides are open from March to September, but roller skating fans can glide around the rink all year round!
7. Eat your way through foodie paradise
Portland is a foodie paradise, and no visit would be complete without a stop to one of VooDoo Doughnuts three locations. Try a Bacon Maple bar fresh out of the fryer or the quirky VooDoo Doll doughnut. Pip's Original is a sleeper hit though, with mini donuts for mini hands and seriously spiced chai for you. If you don't have a cavity yet, get a cone at one of the Salt & Straw Ice Cream shops. Pine State Biscuits makes a delicious breakfast, or fry up your own pancakes on tabletop griddles at Slappy Cakes (watch out for weekend crowds). Slurp up the broth in your ramen at the kid-approved Boke Bowl (Bambino Bowls available plus animal-themed chopsticks!). And if all else fails you can try one of Portland’s 500 food trucks.
8. Visit the city's haven for tree huggers
World Forestry Center - Discovery Museum
4033 Southwest Canyon Road
Portland, OR
The World Forestry Center is dedicated to educating visitors about forests across the globe through exhibits on the preservation, science and importance of trees in our daily lives. The first floor focuses on PNW forests—learn about animals on the forest floor, operate a Timberjack harvester and take a "wet-free" raft ride of the Clackamas River. The second floor takes you on more international adventures, and you'll go on virtual train and jeep rides to explore South Africa, Brazil and China. Don't leave without taking a photo on or in Peggy, a steam locomotive from 1909 parked outside the museum.
9. ...then actually explore the outdoors!
Portland is a city defined by its nature, and the sprawling network of parks in the urban core mean enjoying the outdoors is easy! Head to Washington Park to find the International Rose Test Garden, Portland Japanese Garden, Oregon Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum and an epic playground (right by the rose garden). The Washington Park Loop Hike will pass through all these attractions. The Portland Japanese Garden recently underwent a $33.5 million expansion and is a truly spectacular sight!
If it's more playground romping you're after, head to the Harper's Playground in Arbor Lodge Park, which is built for all abilities; the new Luuwit View Park, which has amazing views; and Lents Park with musical instruments, a rock climbing wall and swings. For nature play, Westmoreland Park's playground has climbable logs, a sequoia grove and man-made stream to help littles feel in touch with their surroundings.
10. See the smallest park in the world
Mill Ends Park is a tiny urban park at a mere 24 inches across in a median strip on SW Naito Parkway started by Dick Fagan who wrote a popular column called Mill Ends. The park was originally a small hole on the median for a light pole. When no pole arrived to fill the hole, Fagan planted flowers and the "World's Smallest Park” was born. The park was dedicated on St. Patrick’s Day in 1948 but became an official park in 1976.
If you're going for a visit:
• Public transportation is available via the TriMet Transportation System (includes MAX Light Rail) to get to popular areas like Downtown, the Zoo and Lloyd Center.
• If traveling by car, remember you can’t pump your own gas in Oregon! It’s against the law in places with more than 40,000 residents.
• Stay at a kid-friendly, but centrally located hotel. The Kimpton RiverPlace was recently revamped, adding the options of a kid’s tents for an indoor campout. The Bunkalow Suite has a fun bunk-bed room attached to a junior suite.