Looking for some of the best date ideas in Portland that are different than the typical dinner and a movie date? There are so many fun things to do in Portland and many of them can work as dates.
US Ghost Adventures is an awesome company that offers a variety of guided tours and haunted experiences across different cities in the United States. Visitors can learn the compelling history and stories of the paranormal and the city’s darker side. Make sure to check out the variety of tours offered in [Portland] here. They are very affordable too!
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To help you out, I have broken down the list into the following categories.
Foodie Date Ideas in Portland
Free and Cheap Date Ideas in Portland
Outdoorsy Date Ideas in Portland
Cultural Date Ideas in Portland
Romantic Date Ideas in Portland
Unique Date Ideas in Portland
Other Date Ideas in Portland
Table of Contents
Where to Stay in Portland
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Portland hotels here! Also, check out this post with some of my favorite Portland hotels.
The following are some of the best hotels in Portland. *means it is one of my favorites!
- Hilton Portland Downtown
- The Duniway Portland*
- Hyatt Centric Downtown*
- AC Marriott Portland Downtown*
- Moxy Portland Downtown
- Kimpton Hotel Vintage Portland
- Home2Suites Portland Airport
- Residence Inn Portland Airport
- Hyatt Place Portland Airport/Cascade Station
- Hampton Inn Portland East
Foodie Date Ideas in Portland
For those who love fun foods and restaurants, these date ideas in Portland are for you!
Dinner at Mucca Osteria
For those looking for a romantic dinner spot, head to Mucca Osteria, a delicious Italian restaurant. They hand make all of their pasta and source some of their ingredients from Italy. It is also super close to the downtown area.
Eat at Olympic Provisions
Olympic Provisions is a Portland Staple. It is known for its charcuterie boards and sausages. They have several locations around Portland and each one has a slightly different menu.
Go on a Food Tour
Portland is known for being a foodie city, so what better way to sample the food and then a food tour. I highly recommend going on a food tour with Portland by Mouth if you are looking for something that gives you a feel for Portland places. I opted to take the Vibrant Kerns Hood Food Tour which stopped at 5 different places. The Brunch on Mississippi Tour might be the best for a date idea in Portland.
If coffee and donuts are your thing, head out on a coffee and donuts tour with Lost Plate Food Tours. With this tour, you will get to stop at 5 places and eat your fill donuts as well as sample some of the best coffee Portland has to offer.
The following are some other food tours in Portland.
- Donut Tour
- Food Cart Tour
- Eastside Food Trucks
- Coffee and Donuts
- Biking Food Cart Tour
- Pizza Tour
- Brunch on Mississippi Food Tour
Grab a Meal at a Food Truck
Food trucks are a Portland staple and you have to eat at them at least once. Hitting up a food truck pod makes for a great date idea in Portland as you can sample a variety of things in one spot! Many of them have a drink truck as well. You can read more about specific food truck pods in this post.
Enjoy a Coffee
A coffee date is one of the classic date ideas in Portland. Portland is known for having some of the best coffee and definitely does not have a shortage. Although my personal favorite coffee shop is Coava Coffee, you can read about others in this post to see which one fits your vibe.
Snack on Edible Cookie Dough
The Cookie Dough Cafe offers edible cookie dough and other fun desserts. Grabbing a treat there makes for a fun quick date or a great end to a dinner date. The sizes are perfect for sharing as well.
Afternoon Tea
Afternoon Tea is always a fun experience and makes for a different date idea in Portland. There are a scatting of tea rooms across Portland, but the following are some of the most popular options.
Go to Brunch
Brunch is always a fun option for a date, especially if you want to start the day early. Portland has a ton of fun and delicious breakfast and brunch spots. The Original Pancake House, Fried Egg I’m in Love, and Swank and Swine are some of my favorite options.
Meal Cruise
The Willamette River flows around downtown Portland. Thus, grabbing a meal on a cruise makes for an awesome date idea as well as a scenic time. You can opt to do a lunch or dinner cruise.
Free and Cheap Date Ideas in Portland
There are so many fun free and cheap date ideas in Portland. If you want some activities that will save you some money, these are some of the best options.
Distillery Row
Portland has a ton of distilleries scattered near and around the Downtown area, known as Distillery Row. You can even get a passport to go tasting at all of the distilleries. Visiting any of these makes for fun date ideas in Portland. You can read more about which distillery will fit your tastes here.
Relax at a Brewery
Breweries are another Portland staple. Hitting up a brewery for dinner, happy hour, or a nightcap makes for some great date ideas in Portland.
Outdoorsy Date Ideas in Portland
There are so many fun outdoorsy date ideas in Los Angeles! LA is full of hiking opportunities and gorgeous gardens. Best of all, unless otherwise noted, all of the following are free!
Lan Su Chinese Gardens
Cost: $13
The Lan Su Chinese Gardens is a fun outdoorsy date idea in Portland. Visitors can stroll around this Chinese Garden and see a lot of plants and decor from China. You can also get in for free on Wednesdays.
Portland Japanese Garden
Cost: $19
The Portland Japanese Garden is a 5.5-acre space with a variety of gardens and features such as waterfalls and mountain views. They even have a teahouse inside the gardens as well. Plan to spend an hour or two wandering through the gardens.
The Grotto
Cost: $10
The Grotto is an outdoor Catholic Shrine that covers 62 acres. Visitors can opt to visit the shrine for free or pay $10 to wander through the gardens on the upper level.
Hoyt Arboretum
The Hoyt Arboretum is a 186-acre area with walking and hiking trails. It is a great place to go for a nice stroll. It is located atop a ridge so it has some great views of the area.
Hike Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls in the Portland area and one of the most visited natural recreation areas in the PNW. Visitors can opt to just view the falls or opt for the hike to the top. Note that the trail is not open during inclement weather, and in the summertime, you will need to get a reservation to visit in the summertime.
Hike to Witches Castle
Witches Castle is a fun hike to the ruins of an old stone house. It is a pretty easy half-mile hike from the trail parking. You can also opt to continue on the trail further if you want a longer hike. The building was once the site of executions in the 1800s.
Cultural Date Ideas in Portland
Museums and concerts always make for fun date ideas in Portland. Portland has a few museums to visit as well as several venues for concerts and festivals.
Visit a Museum
Portland has a handful of awesome museums to enjoy.
- Portland Art Museum
- Oregon Historical Society
- Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
- World Forestry Center
- Oregon Rail Heritage Center
- Oregon Contemporary Art Museum
Jazz Festival in Cathedral Park
One weekend during the month of July, a Jazz Festival is held in Portland. This makes for one of the best date ideas in Portland. Admission is free and you can stay for however long you would like to.
Keller Auditorium
The Keller Auditorium hosts a variety of concerts throughout the year. Check their website for the most up-to-date information. Previously, they have also had plays and musicals here too.
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall is home to the Oregon Symphony Orchestra and also sometimes has dance groups or other concerts. Make sure to check online for their schedule as it makes for a great Portland date idea.
Romantic Date Ideas in Portland
Nothing beats a romantic night out on the town! These are some of the best romantic date ideas in Los Angeles.
Pittock Mansion
Although you can tour the inside of the Pittock Mansion, I recommend heading there around sunset to take in the views of Portland. You could even have a picnic dinner on the lawn. It is one of the most romantic date ideas in Portland.
International Test Garden
Before or after dinner, opt to take a stroll through the International Test Garden, especially if it is the summertime when all the flowers are blooming.
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
The Tom McCall Waterfront Park is known for the infamous white stag sign, views of the riverfront, and the cherry blossom trees in the springtime. Taking a stroll through this area makes for a romantic date idea in Portland.
Spa Package
Los Angeles has a ton of places with high-end spas that can make for a romantic and relaxing day. Desuar Day Spa, The Ritz-Carlton Spa, and Hugh Spa are three popular locations. You can also check places like TravelZoo and Groupon for discount spa packages that include amenities at hotels.
Have a Pool Day
Many of the hotels in Portland have a “Resort Pass” you can buy in order to be able to access their amenities like their pool for the day. Spending the day by a fancy pool makes for one of the best date ideas in Portland.
Unique Date Ideas in Portland
Some of the best fun and unique date ideas in Portland can be found scattered across the city and not in many other places.
Flightseeing Tour
If you really want to splurge on one of the best date ideas in Portland, opt to go on a flightseeing tour. You can opt to sly around Mount Hood or Columbia Gorge Waterfalls. Both options make for gorgeous sites and great photo opportunities.
Portland Night Market
The Portland Night Market happens Friday and Saturday nights and is one of the most unique date ideas in Portland. You can get food, beverages, and snacks, and sometimes has some special events. Make sure to check the website for the most up-to-date information.
Powell’s City of Books
Powell’s City of Books is the largest independent bookstore in the world. You can easily spend a couple of hours wandering the stacks and figuring out the best books to buy.
Other Date Ideas in Portland
There are so many options for some of the best ideas in Portland. There are other random ideas that do not fit in another category.
Wine Tasting in Willamette Valley
Hitting up wineries always makes for one of the best date ideas in Portland for wine lovers. Wilmette Valley is situated right outside of Downtown Portland and is an easy day trip. You can easily go to one or two wineries and bring a lunch with you. You could also head to the Columbia Valley which is east of Portland or hit up the waterfront wine tasting rooms in Vancouver, Washington.
Timbers Game
For sports fans, you cannot go wrong with a Timber’s game. The Timbers are the local soccer team and heading to a Timbers game is always one of the best date ideas in Portland.
Portland Blazers
Another opportunity for sports fans is heading to a Portland Blazers game. This is the local NBA basketball team. The season typically runs from October to April.
Wander Hawthorne Street
Hawthorne Street is a cute little street full of restaurants and shops. It is a cute place to spend a couple of hours wandering around and grabbing a bite to eat, thus making it one of the best date ideas in Portland.
There are so many fun date ideas in Portland and hopefully, you have found some new adventures for you and your significant other. You can also opt to head out on one of these day trips from Portland or plan a romantic weekend away. If you have any other ideas feel free to comment below.
