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Matt Wastradowski
Matt Wastradowski is an Oregon-based travel writer who loves writing about the great outdoors, craft beer, and regional history.
48 hours in Portland
Spend two days seeing the best of Portland — urban parks, flavorful fare, engaging museums and more.
Matt Wastradowski
Matt Wastradowski is an Oregon-based travel writer who loves writing about the great outdoors, craft beer, and regional history.
When you have 48 hours in Portland, you’re just scratching the surface of what makes Oregon’s largest city so special. But with so much to see and do — including creative food carts, expansive parks, exciting events and acclaimed attractions — it’s a good problem to have. Here’s how to make the most of a busy weekend in Portland.
Day One: Parks, Gardens and Creative Curiosities
Start your day downtown with a pastry and cup of joe at Case Study Coffee Roasters, which roasts its beans in-house across the street from the stately Multnomah County Central Library. For a heartier breakfast, The Daily Feast dishes old-school diner fare with locally sourced ingredients two blocks away.
Celebrated Stops at Washington Park
From breakfast, take the MAX Light Rail red or blue lines westbound to the 410-acre (165 ha) Washington Park. Highlights are numerous but include the Oregon Zoo, which hosts 165 species and subspecies of mammals, birds, insects and more; the Hoyt Arboretum, a “museum of living trees” that offers roughly 12 miles (31 km) of hiking trails through roughly 2,000 species of trees from around the world; and the regal Portland Japanese Garden, home to a tea house, art exhibits and eight distinct garden spaces.
You could spend far more than two days in Portland traversing the park’s many attractions, so choose one or two experiences that spark your curiosity — and consider the season. More than 10,000 rose bushes bloom in the International Rose Test Garden between late spring and summer, for instance, while fall foliage at the Portland Japanese Garden and Hoyt Arboretum make those outdoor spaces especially colorful in autumn. Whenever you visit, bounce between attractions via the wheelchair-accessible Washington Park Free Shuttle.
Creative Pursuits in Downtown and the West End
Take the MAX Light Rail red or blue lines back into downtown, and head north on the corridor around Southwest 10th and 11th avenues — a stretch known as the West End, where small businesses showcase Portland’s creativity in many ways. Tender Loving Empire sells jewelry, art, music and more from local artisans. Nearby, Living Room Theaters pairs its upscale food offerings with a crowd-pleasing mix of indie films, foreign movies and blockbuster titles. Powell’s City of Books takes up an entire city block, offers a selection of 1 million books and is the largest independent bookstore on Earth.
Hungry for lunch? Deschutes Brewery’s Portland Public House is a few blocks north of Powell’s and offers a filling mix of Pacific Northwest-inspired pub grub and more than two dozen craft beers. Nearby, the Cart Blocks food cart pod serves a wide range of cuisines from around the world.
Explore More
These uniquely Portland neighborhoods are all ripe for exploration.
History, Games and More in Old Town Chinatown
After lunch, find a mix of history-inspired attractions and laid-back fun for kids of all ages in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood a few blocks east. The Japanese American Museum of Oregon covers the neighborhood’s past as a hub of Japanese culture in Portland — and how World War II upended countless lives. Grab a sweet snack on West Burnside Street at the world-famous Voodoo Doughnut before diving into immersive exhibits at the Portland Chinatown Museum. Learn about Oregon’s Chinese immigrants through oral histories, video presentations and multimedia. Family-friendly and all ages until 5 p.m., Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade and Bar brings together old-school arcade games, classic pinball machines and occasional video game tournaments.
Dinner in the Pearl District and Slabtown Neighborhoods
A few blocks west, take the Portland Street Car line and find dinner anywhere in these bustling neighborhoods. Jojo serves hulking sandwiches alongside its signature fried potato wedges. The veteran Justa Pasta has been preparing Italian classics with handmade noodles for 30 years, and Andina has earned acclaim for a stellar menu of Peruvian dishes and Peruvian cocktails. Grab a nightcap at Paymaster Lounge; the neighborhood bar hosts a spacious back patio and is one of Portland’s legendary dives.
Day Two: Outdoor Fun and Friendly Neighborhoods
You’re halfway through an action-packed 48 hours in Portland, and today’s itinerary includes museum exhibits and other fun attractions. Fuel up for the day’s adventure in downtown with brunch — a meal that reflects Portland’s leisurely lifestyle. Cheryl’s on 12th brings European, Mexican and down-home influences to its extensive menu. The Black-owned Grits N’ Gravy serves hand-crafted Southern classics, and Mother’s Bistro & Bar prides itself on scratch-made, regionally inspired comfort fare.
Urban Adventures in Forest Park
Take TriMet bus line 15 or TriMet bus line 77 to a residential slice of Northwest Portland, where you’ll find the Lower Macleay trailhead — a pastoral gateway to Forest Park. Spanning over 5 thousand acres (2,000 ha), Forest Park is among the largest urban green spaces in the United States. More than 80 miles (207 km) of trails crisscross the forested ridgeline at the heart of the park, so catch a glimpse of that beauty with a short trip on the Lower Macleay Trail. The first quarter-mile (0.4 km) of trail is paved and wheelchair-accessible as it parallels Balch Creek under a canopy of Douglas fir. After about a mile, hikers arrive at the Witch’s Castle; the abandoned stone building once housed restrooms but is today one of the city’s most photographed sites.
Extend Your Trip
Stay longer to enjoy more of what Portland and its surrounding region has to offer.
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Globetrotting Cuisines in the Nob Hill Neighborhood
Return to the trailhead, and take TriMet bus line 15 south toward Northwest 23rd Avenue. The leafy boulevard is chockablock with chic cafes, laid-back taprooms, boutiques and other fun stops. Top Burmese serves samosas, curries and other South Asian classics in a hip outpost adorned with greenery, while Grassa offers filling bowls of fresh pasta. A block over, indulge in Portland’s world-famous craft beer scene with pub grub and a pint at the award-winning Breakside Brewery.
World-Class Museums in Downtown Portland
Take the Portland Streetcar back into downtown — where you’ll spend the afternoon checking out some of the city’s celebrated museums. The Portland Art Museum hosts permanent and rotating exhibits featuring art from around the world. Across the street, the Oregon Historical Society looks at the state’s natural features, cultures, communities and more through photographs, interpretive panels and multimedia displays.
Dinner in the Alberta Arts District
Celebrate the end of your two days in Portland with a night on the town. From downtown, take TriMet bus line 17 to walkable NE Alberta Street for dinner in the Alberta Arts District. The buzzy Great Notion Brewing pours a creative variety of ales and lagers, and its in-house kitchen is led by Matt’s BBQ Tacos — famous for its handmade tortillas and decadent smoked meats. Savor vegan-friendly fare on one of two spacious patios at The Bye and Bye. The Mole Mole Mexican Cuisine food cart slathers its signature sauce on burritos, enchiladas and other Mexican dishes.
Where to Stay
You’ll find the most hotel rooms in downtown Portland, with a few overnight options in Old Town Chinatown. Learn more about where to stay in Portland.
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