Portland is Oregon’s largest city and is the seat of the Willamette Valley. When people think of Oregon, they may think of pioneers heading to Oregon on the Oregon Trail. Parts of Portland still hold this Western feel, but Portland has grown into a unique and foodie city. It is often awarded for being the “Greenest City in America.” Living on the West Coast, it is easy to spend two days in Portland on a weekend trip, and it has a ton of free and cheap things to do as well as places to eat.
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!
Disclaimer: Special thanks to the Portland Tourism Board for hosting me at several attractions on my trip to Portland! As always, all thoughts and opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no cost to you!
Table of Contents
History of Portland
Prior to the arrival of American settlers in the 1800s, the Portland area was settled by the Chinook people. This area was first documented by Lewis and Clark on their expedition through unknown territories.
The Willamette Valley soon became the goal destination for many settlers during the 1840s via the Oregon Trail. The area became known as Stumptown due to the growing amount of stumps in the area due to the clearing of trees to make room for settlers. Throughout the years, Portland grew as a port town and became a major city in the Oregon Territory.
During World War II, the area became an assembly center for the Japanese Internment Camps. Throughout the 1900s, Portland continued to grow and became known as the rose city due to the number of rose gardens in the city.
Best Time To Visit Portland
Portland winters can be very rainy, but you will find cheaper prices. Although you can find things to do indoors, I recommend visiting Portland in the summer or early fall in order to take advantage of all of the outdoor activities.
How to Get to Portland Oregon
If you are visiting from Seattle, taking the Amtrak is the easiest and most convenient way to get to Portland (unless you drive). From most other places, plan to fly to Portland International Airport (PDX). From California, tickets normally cost a little under $200 round trip. We got ours for $157 round trip!
Transportation for Two Days in Portland
Although Portland does have a light rail and bus system, if you plan on taking any day trips, I recommend renting a car. To rent a car, I recommend using Autoslash to find the best rental car prices. We were able to find a parking garage near our hotel for $7/day. If you opt to stay in Portland and use public transportation, it costs $2.50/ride and there is no day pass option. Uber and Lyft are also widely available.
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.
Portland has a ton of different areas to explore. If it is your first visit, I recommend staying in the Downtown Portland area near Pioneer Square and the Pearl District for your two days in Portland. This will ensure you are within walking distance of many of the main sites. If it is not your first visit, and are more of a foodie, opt to stay in Eastern Portland in the Moda Center, Lloyd District area. This area has a ton more unique restaurants and bars and is where more of the locals live.
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
Things to Do in Two Days in Portland
Day 1
Fried Egg I’m In Love
Cost: $
Hours: 8am-2pm
After getting a good night’s sleep in the hotel, grab breakfast at Fried Egg I’m Love, at the Pioneer Square location, where this food truck specializes in egg sandwiches. All of their sandwiches are served on sourdough bread and they get all eggs from local farmers. They have a variety of unique sandwiches with punny names such as the “Yolko Ono” and “Smells like a Protein Spirit.” It is the perfect start to two days in Portland.
Go on a Food Tour
When spending two days in Portland, going on a food tour is a must! For those who love coffee and donuts, the Coffee and Donut tour with Lost Plate is the perfect choice. This tour takes you to 5 different coffee and donut places over the course of 2.5 hours. You get to try some of the best local coffee shops.
If you prefer a food tour focused on local foods, opt to go on a food tour with Portland by Mouth. The Vibrant Kerns Hood food tour is the perfect option for those wishing to sample some of the best places in Portland. If you want a tour more geared to breakfast, try the Brunch on Mississippi tour.
Pioneer Courthouse
Cost: Free
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm
After breakfast, take a quick stroll by the Pioneer Courthouse, the oldest federal building in the Pacific Northwest. It is located in Pioneer Square and is considered the center of the Downtown area of Portland. Visitors can also take a quick walk through the inside.
Portland Art Museum
Cost: $27.50 General Admission
Hours: Tues-Sun: 10am-5pm, Closed Mondays
Next up on your two days in Portland is the Portland Art Museum. This museum recently underwent a major renovation and is the perfect stop for any art lover! This museum is free the first Thursday of every month and is open until 7pm.
The Portland Art Museum was established in 1892 and is one of the largest and oldest art museums on the West Coast. The museum houses a wide range of collections, spanning from Native American art, European and American works, and modern and contemporary pieces. There are a few notable works of art by Monet, Van Gogh, and Diego Rivera. Make sure not to miss the gorgeous outdoor space on the top floor.
Portland Saturday Market
Cost: Varies by vendor
Hours: Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun: 11am-4:30pm
Walking around the art museum will make you hungry, so grab lunch at the Portland Saturday Market. This is a local outdoor farmer and craft market that contains a plethora of vendors. It is the biggest outdoor market that is continuously operated in the United States.
Next to the Portland Saturday Market is the infamous Portland, Oregon White Stag Sign. Make sure to snap a couple of photos of it before heading for a walk along the Tom McCall Waterfront Park. During the springtime, this stretch is lined with blooming Cherry Blossoms. This area is a great place to sit and eat your food or take a moment to take in the views of the river.
Voodoo Donuts
Cost: $
Hours: Mon-Thus: 5am-3am, Fri-Sun: Open 24 hours
Grab a snack at Voodoo Donuts. Everyone knows those famous pink boxes you see people carrying around in Portland. Why is there not a Voodoo Donuts in the airport? Voodoo Donuts began in 2003 and is known for its eccentric decor and many illustrations of Voodoo priests around the shop (and as a donut).
Although they have since expanded to multiple other cities, the original shop is located in Portland. Voodoo Donuts has 100 different unique varieties of donuts and tends to use unconventional ingredients such as fruit loops and marshmallows. Perhaps its most famous donut is the Voodoo Doll donut. Make sure to get there early or go later in the evening to try and avoid the lines.
Lan Su Chinese Garden
Cost: $13
Hours: March-May: 10am-6pm, May-Oct: 10am-7pm, Oct-March: 10am-4pm
This walled Chinese garden opened in 2000. It came to be because Portland and the Chinese city Suzhou are sister cities. Therefore, Portland wanted a prime example of Chinese nature within its city limits. Some plants in the garden are over 100 years old as they came from China and many of the rocks were brought over from China. Plan to spend about an hour wandering through this 40,000 square foot garden.
Powell’s City of Books
Cost: Free to look
Hours: 9am-10pm
Powell’s City of Books is considered the largest independent bookstore in the world. This bookstore takes up an entire city block on the edge of Portland’s downtown area. It is the place for any bookworm to spend some time. Visitors can find new, used, and rare books. If you have old books, you can even sell them to Powell’s. I always have to visit Powell’s on any two days in Portland.
Teacher Tip: Did you know Oregon does not have any sales tax? Oregon is a great place to buy any clothing or other goods you have been eyeing for a while.
Mucca Osteria
Eat dinner at Mucca Osteria, an Italian restaurant that uses organic and local ingredients. They have a wide variety of Italian dishes (more than just pasta), but I recommend the carbonara or the gnocchetti. Make sure to pair it with a glass of wine off their extensive wine list.
Multnomah Whiskey Library
Cost: $
Hours: Sun: 4pm-10:15pm, Mon-Thurs: 4pm-11:15pm, Fri-Sat: 4pm-12:15am
Grab after-dinner drinks at the Multnomah Whiskey Library. This exclusive whiskey club always has a line and a long wait. If the line is too long, opt to grab a drink at The Green Room, which is located right below the Whiskey Library. Both places have delicious cocktails and a great atmosphere.
Day 2
Go Wine Tasting in the Willamette Valley
Cost: Tastings start at $15
Hours: Varies by the winery
Oregon has a pretty decent wine region. The Willamette Valley, which holds the majority of the Oregon wineries, contains over 600 wineries and continues to grow each year. It is well worth a short drive to hit up a winery or two on your visit to Portland. On our previous trip, my husband and I opted to visit Montinore Estate and Brick House Wines. I would highly recommend both wineries. Montinore has a wine tasting room but at Brick House you will need to schedule an appointment for a private tasting.
Pittock Mansion
Cost: Free to walk the grounds, $12 to tour the inside
Hours: Feb.-May: 10am-4pm, June-Aug: 10am-5pm, Sept.-Dec: 10am-4pm
After hitting up a winery or two, head to the Pittock Mansion to take in some gorgeous views of Portland. If you have time, you can tour inside of this historical home. This 46-room estate was built in 1914 in the Victorian and French Renaissance styles. In 1974 it became a part of the National Register of Historic Places. The mansion is a great photo opportunity for all!
Portland Japanese Garden
Cost: $20 General Admission
Hours: Summertime: Mon: Noon-7pm, Tue-Sun: 10am-7pm, Wintertime: Mon: Noon-4pm
Tues-Sun: 10am-4pm
Near the Pittock Mansion is the Portland Japanese Garden. The Portland Japanese Garden is a 12-acre Japanese-style garden that opened in 1967. There are multiple garden spaces located inside as well as a tea house and a culture village. Each area represents a different type of Japanese garden, including a Zen-style garden and a garden typical to Daimyo in medieval Japan. Opt to view a Japanese Tea Ceremony or one of the many other performances. Plan to spend a couple of hours wandering through these beautiful gardens.
Hopscotch Portland
Cost: $24
Hours: Mon-Wed: 10am-9pm, Thurs-Fri: 10am-10pm, Sat: 9am-11pm, Sun: 10am-11pm
End your evening with a visit to Hopscotch Portland. Hopscotch Portland is a 23,000-square-foot immersive art experience in the Central Eastside, blending interactive installations from local and international artists with light, sound, and technology. It features 14 interactive exhibits as well as a bar with food and drinks. My personal favorite was the Quantum Trampoline room.
Plan to spend about an hour to an hour and a half wandering the exhibits. Make sure to bring socks for the trampoline and ball pit rooms, both great places to create content! Also, note that Friday evenings are adult-only starting at 7pm.
More than Two Days in Portland?
If you have more than two days in Portland, make sure to check out these other stunning locations or head out on a road trip to the Oregon Coast. Portland is also a great place to start a Pacific Northwest road trip or head out on one of the best Oregon road trips.
Distillery Row
Hit up some distilleries to go Whiskey Tasting at Distillery Row! This area contains 12 different distilleries. Visitors can opt to buy a distillery row passport that allows for a tasting at each of the distilleries. Westward Whiskey is one of the most popular distilleries in Portland. Their tasting room offers samples, tours of the distillery, and more in-depth whiskey classes.
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Cost: Free admission to the visitor center and museum, $10/person if you would like to view the fort.
Hours: Tues-Sat: 9am-4pm, grounds open daily.
Located just above Portland in Vancouver, Washington is the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. This fort was first established as a fur trading post in 1824 and eventually became the headquarters of the fur trading company until they abandoned it. Later, the United States Army took over the fort and expanded it into what it is today. Visitors are able to wander around the fort or opt for a guided tour with a National Park Ranger.
The Grotto
Cost: Free but $8 to view the gardens
Hours: 9am-5pm
Another fun stop is the Grotto. The Grotto, built in 1924, is also known as the National Sanctuary of our Sorrowful Mother. This shrine is located outdoors in the middle of a forest. Although the actual shrine is located at the foot of a cliff, visitors can ascend to the top of the 110-foot cliff to view the gardens and catch a brief glimpse of Portland. During the holidays, everything is lit up and decorated in Christmas lights. The shrine itself is free, but it costs to go up to the clifftop gardens.
Hoyt Arboretum
Cost: Free
Hours: 10am-5pm
The Hoyt Arboretum is located near the Portland Japanese Garden, so you could possibly squeeze in a trip after wandering the gardens. This arboretum has tons of trees and over 2300 species of plants. There are 12 miles of trails throughout the park that are great for hiking. There is also a small visitor’s center where you can get more information about the park and it also contains a small nature center.
International Test Garden
Cost: Free
Hours: 7:30am-9pm
This Rose Garden, located inside Washington Park, contains over 650 varieties of roses. You could spend all afternoon walking through the 4.5 acres of land and viewing the variety of roses. Each year, a rose festival is held and a rose queen is elected. I recommend going in June when the roses are usually at their peak bloom.
Multnomah Falls
Cost: Free
Hours: 9am-5pm
Multnomah Falls is another stop that can be added prior to going to the airport. This 620-foot waterfall contains an upper and a lower falls and is the tallest waterfall in Oregon. Visitors can opt to view it from the base of the waterfall, hike up to the bridge about 100 feet up, or hike all the way to the top of the waterfall. It only takes a few minutes to walk to the bridge, but plan on spending a little bit more time if you choose to hike to the top. At the top is an observation deck that overlooks the falls and gives a fantastic view of the Colombia Gorge.
Oregon Historical Society Museum
Cost: $10
Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun: 12pm-5pm
Established in 1898 and located in Downtown Portland, it is a great place to get an overview of the history of Oregon. Inside the museum are multiple relics from various time periods as well as a huge mural that depicts the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The museum has a permanent collection as well as a rotating exhibit.
Take a Day Trip to Salem
Salem is the capital of Oregon and has a ton of cool sites to see and cheap things to do! It is about an hour’s drive from Portland, so it is very easy to do in a day. Visitors can tour the capital building and learn more about the legislative process. There are also many parks and gardens, such as the Oregon Garden and the Riverfront City Park to wander through.
Perhaps opt to take a hike to South Falls. Make sure to grab a bite to eat at Venti’s Cafe which serves amazing chicken and hummus and has delicious beer options. Make sure not to miss out on Archive Coffee and Bar: It is a coffee shop by day and a bar at night!
As you can see there are a ton of options for things to do during two days in Portland. It is a fantastic choice for a weekend trip or for a few days on a PNW road trip!
Total Costs for Two Days in Portland
Airfare: $157/person
Hotel: $202 total or $101/person
Rental Car (including parking): $60 total or $30/person
Total Cost: $288/person for two days in Portland
If you have more time, opt to go on some of the best weekend trips to see more of the PNW and Oregon. You can also head to California after and check out the Los Angeles area!
18 thoughts on “Two Days in Portland, Oregon: 20 Must-See Sites That Keep Portland Weird”
Great guide! I’m a huge fan of Portland. There’s tons to do in Portland itself and its also a great home base for day trips, like you mention. We actually managed to pull off a day trip to the coast from Portland!
That is awesome! I need to make it out to the coast.
Portland looks like so much fun! I just know I could get lost in Powell’s City of Books for hours. A definite happy place in the making!
Oh I’ve definitely spent many hours in Powell’s!
These are amazing ideas for day trips! Defo saving this for when I visit. Thank you for sharing!
Your posts always make me wish I loved in the US ? All these places sound like such perfect destinations for a bit of exploration!
I’ve only been to Portland once, but didn’t get to do so many of these great suggestions. Now I can’t wait to go back! 🙂
There are a lot of hidden gems in Portland! Hope you get to go back soon.
Awe! Sounds like you just need to come visit!
Wow that’s an awesome list.hope to visit some day
Thank you!
awesome! I definitely love that biggest individual bookshop in the world!
I love that bookshop!
Love this guide! I went to Portland last year and loved it! I went wine tasting in Hood River, but I would love to check out Willamette Valley next time.
Oh I need to try Hood River next time. The wine tasting was awesome!
It’s great to know how much you can do with two days in Portland. I’ve always heard it’s a cool city and reading this post, I can understand why. Thank you for sharing!
It definitely has some unique sites to see!
Portland looks like an epic city! I hope to go sometime this year. It’s one of my top USA bucket list cities and definitely keeping this post handy. 🙂