Portland Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Portland tours and things to do in Oregon’s quirky, green city and its spectacular surroundings: chase the waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge including towering Multnomah Falls, marvel at snow-capped Mount Hood, graze the city’s famous food carts and craft breweries, sip Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley, and escape to the wild Oregon Coast at Cannon Beach. Compare top-rated experiences and plan the perfect trip.
rating
Explore Portland by interest
Whatever brings you to Portland — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Top attractions in Portland
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Multnomah Falls
620-foot falls.
Mount Hood
Snowy peak.
Cannon Beach
Haystack Rock.
Portland City
Quirky & green.
Food Carts
Street food.
Willamette Valley
Pinot Noir.
Craft Beer
Beervana.
Shanghai Tunnels
Haunted history.
45 min awayColumbia Gorge
Waterfalls.
1.5 hr awayMount Hood
Snowy peak.
1.5 hr awayCannon Beach
Oregon Coast.
1 hr awayWillamette Valley
Wine country.
City awayFood Carts
Street food.
City awayBreweries
Craft beer.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Portland visitor asks before booking.
Spring (Mar–May)
Green and blooming, with some rain — pleasant.
Summer (Jun–Sep)
Warm, dry and sunny — the best time to visit.
Autumn (Oct–Nov)
Crisp with autumn colour and wine harvest.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Cool and rainy; snow up on Mount Hood.
For waterfalls
Spring brings the fullest, most powerful falls.
Best overall
Summer and early autumn are ideal.
One day
The city and the Gorge waterfalls.
Two days
Add Mount Hood and wine country.
Three days
Add the Oregon Coast.
For nature
The Gorge, Mount Hood and coast.
For wine
The Willamette Valley.
With kids
Waterfalls and the beach.
On foot
Downtown and the neighbourhoods are walkable.
MAX light rail
The MAX light rail and streetcar serve the city.
Car & tours
A car or tour is best for the Gorge, Hood and coast.
By bike
Portland is one of America’s most bike-friendly cities.
Where to stay
Stay downtown or in the Pearl District near the sights.
US dollar
The USA uses the dollar; cards are widely accepted.
Multnomah Falls
A timed permit may be needed for Multnomah Falls in summer.
Graze the carts
Explore the food-cart pods for cheap, global eats.
Wine day trip
Set aside a day for Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
Mount Hood
Combine Mount Hood with the Gorge on a full-day tour.
Reach the coast
Day-trip to Cannon Beach for the wild Pacific.
Summer & autumn
Visit in summer or early autumn for the driest weather.
Gorge tours
Waterfall tours fill up in summer — book ahead.
Mount Hood
Full-day Mount Hood tours sell out — reserve early.
Wine tours
Willamette wine tours have limited spots — book ahead.
Coast trips
Oregon Coast day trips fill up — reserve early.
Food tours
Food-cart tours book out on weekends — reserve ahead.
Summer
Summer is busiest — book everything well ahead.
Gorge tour
Around $70–110 for a Columbia Gorge waterfall tour.
Mount Hood
About $100–160 for a full-day Mount Hood tour.
Wine tour
Roughly $110–170 for a Willamette Valley wine tour.
Coast trip
Around $90–150 for an Oregon Coast day trip.
Food tour
About $60–90 for a food-cart tour.
How to save
Combine the Gorge with Mount Hood on one full-day tour.
Portland through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Full waterfalls.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Some rain.
- Best for
- Dry & sunny.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Best.
- Best for
- Wine harvest.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Crisp.
- Best for
- Mt Hood snow.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Rainy.