The Ultimate Portland Weekend Guide
Instagramable Locations
If you're here in the spring/ early summer you cannot miss the international rose test garden! Hundreds of varieties of roses line this multi acre FREE park in Picturesque SW Portland. We highly recommend bringing your Camera and taking public transit there as parking is scarce and sometimes expensive. If it's not Rose season head across the street to the Japanese Gardens, and take a meditative walk through it's cool, shaded winding paths!
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International Rose Test Garden
400 SW Kingston AveIf you're here in the spring/ early summer you cannot miss the international rose test garden! Hundreds of varieties of roses line this multi acre FREE park in Picturesque SW Portland. We highly recommend bringing your Camera and taking public transit there as parking is scarce and sometimes expensive. If it's not Rose season head across the street to the Japanese Gardens, and take a meditative walk through it's cool, shaded winding paths!
The Portland Japanese Gardens are some of the most beautiful in the world. We're actually members and if you're here for a week or more and think you may go more than once or plan to return to the city multiple times this year it may be worth it to get a membership! The cost of admission varies based on events but is usually around $15-20 per person. It's directly across from the Rose Test Gardens (which is free). Note Parking is scarce and expensive so we recommend taking public transport.
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Portland Japanese Garden
611 SW Kingston AveThe Portland Japanese Gardens are some of the most beautiful in the world. We're actually members and if you're here for a week or more and think you may go more than once or plan to return to the city multiple times this year it may be worth it to get a membership! The cost of admission varies based on events but is usually around $15-20 per person. It's directly across from the Rose Test Gardens (which is free). Note Parking is scarce and expensive so we recommend taking public transport.
Did you ever watch the show "The Librarians?" If so you have likely seen St. Johns Bridge- its where the secret entrance to the library is filmed. When the show came out I was actually working for an insurance company a few blocks away and would frequently run into the actors on my lunch break! St. Johns is STUNNING think the golden gate bridge if it were mint green and not so tourist ridden. It's a great place to have a picnic or go for a stroll and then walking into downtown St. Johns for a bite. We really like going to "The Great North" Coffee shop, getting a veggie breakfast sandwitch and latte and then walking around St. Johns park/ Bridge. There's lots of free parking near the bridge and the area is very walkable- Public transit is easy as well.
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St. Johns Bridge
8600 Northwest Bridge AvenueDid you ever watch the show "The Librarians?" If so you have likely seen St. Johns Bridge- its where the secret entrance to the library is filmed. When the show came out I was actually working for an insurance company a few blocks away and would frequently run into the actors on my lunch break! St. Johns is STUNNING think the golden gate bridge if it were mint green and not so tourist ridden. It's a great place to have a picnic or go for a stroll and then walking into downtown St. Johns for a bite. We really like going to "The Great North" Coffee shop, getting a veggie breakfast sandwitch and latte and then walking around St. Johns park/ Bridge. There's lots of free parking near the bridge and the area is very walkable- Public transit is easy as well.
Must Do!!
You've probably heard of the world famous powells books. It is 100% worth the hype and a great place to get lost in for a day. We highly recommend carving out 2-4 hours of your trip to visit this Portland Institution- make sure you grab a Map at the door- its a labrinth of informaiton. Parking near Powells is Scarce and SUPER spendy plus driving downtown is stressful. Take an Uber here or public transit.
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Bandar Buku Powell
1005 W Burnside StYou've probably heard of the world famous powells books. It is 100% worth the hype and a great place to get lost in for a day. We highly recommend carving out 2-4 hours of your trip to visit this Portland Institution- make sure you grab a Map at the door- its a labrinth of informaiton. Parking near Powells is Scarce and SUPER spendy plus driving downtown is stressful. Take an Uber here or public transit.
Interactive Activities
If you're a nerd or science enthusiast the OMSI is alot of fun. It's also a great place if you're meeting friends or family with children. It's an interactive science museum with rotating exhibits similar to the Exploratorium in San Francisco. You can explore a decommissioned submarine, watch the stars at the planetarium or make cool experiments. It makes for a great rainy day activity and is reasonably priced. There is ample parking, it's not crazy expensive but it's not free and as always public transport is easy peasy.
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OMSI/SE Water MAX Station
If you're a nerd or science enthusiast the OMSI is alot of fun. It's also a great place if you're meeting friends or family with children. It's an interactive science museum with rotating exhibits similar to the Exploratorium in San Francisco. You can explore a decommissioned submarine, watch the stars at the planetarium or make cool experiments. It makes for a great rainy day activity and is reasonably priced. There is ample parking, it's not crazy expensive but it's not free and as always public transport is easy peasy.
Coffee Coffee Coffee
Our favorite Coffee and Tea Shops in the city!
Seven virtues is our happy place, locally owned with a few locations they make excellent coffee. They are also big supporters of local LGTBQ+ community, sponsor local highschool clubs and are in general run by lovely people. Our first day in Portland we met the owner and he welcomed us to the city and gave us our coffee on the house. If you want a souvenier bag of coffee that will support a local business that reinvests in the community this is it! Also their coffee is really fucking good.
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Seven Virtues Coffee Roasters on Glisan
5936 NE Glisan StSeven virtues is our happy place, locally owned with a few locations they make excellent coffee. They are also big supporters of local LGTBQ+ community, sponsor local highschool clubs and are in general run by lovely people. Our first day in Portland we met the owner and he welcomed us to the city and gave us our coffee on the house. If you want a souvenier bag of coffee that will support a local business that reinvests in the community this is it! Also their coffee is really fucking good.
The name says it all- if you're here for work and need a quiet place to sit, sip and type up those responses to emails that we all know could have just been a quick IM this is the place to do it. They have a wide range of coffees, and their baristas are friendly and knowledgable.
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Good Coffee
4747 SE Division StThe name says it all- if you're here for work and need a quiet place to sit, sip and type up those responses to emails that we all know could have just been a quick IM this is the place to do it. They have a wide range of coffees, and their baristas are friendly and knowledgable.
Local coffee shop with 3-4 locations around the city. They have a dark chocolate semi sweet mocha that will make all your dreams come true. The vibe is great, not your typical white room with black line drawing artwork. It's kinda as if a pub and a coffee shop had a baby... and that baby made really bomb lattes.
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Barista
1725 NE Alberta StLocal coffee shop with 3-4 locations around the city. They have a dark chocolate semi sweet mocha that will make all your dreams come true. The vibe is great, not your typical white room with black line drawing artwork. It's kinda as if a pub and a coffee shop had a baby... and that baby made really bomb lattes.
Delicious lattes and specialty roasts galore at Heart! I always take my coffee snob San Francisco pals here and it NEVER dissapoints. It's on a busier street with limited parking (though parking is free). It's also down the street from the famous Screen Door southern restaurant, so if you feel like getting a coffee while you wait in line for eternity this is a good place to do it.
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Heart Coffee Roasters
2211 E Burnside StDelicious lattes and specialty roasts galore at Heart! I always take my coffee snob San Francisco pals here and it NEVER dissapoints. It's on a busier street with limited parking (though parking is free). It's also down the street from the famous Screen Door southern restaurant, so if you feel like getting a coffee while you wait in line for eternity this is a good place to do it.
Best Brunches
A little known brunch gem is this Gastropub on Mississippi Ave. Normally a sleepy scene before 12noon Interurban opens around 10 on Saturdays and serves amazing brunch! With firepits out back and very cool decore plus great drinks we typically have brunch here every other month cuz its so dang goooooood! Also- they have many gluten free options for those who love gluten- but for whom gluten does not return its love.
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Interurban
4057 N Mississippi AveA little known brunch gem is this Gastropub on Mississippi Ave. Normally a sleepy scene before 12noon Interurban opens around 10 on Saturdays and serves amazing brunch! With firepits out back and very cool decore plus great drinks we typically have brunch here every other month cuz its so dang goooooood! Also- they have many gluten free options for those who love gluten- but for whom gluten does not return its love.
Petite Provence is IMHO one of the best value brunches in the city. They used to only have 1 location and in the last decade have opened several across Multnomah county. Their head chef is trained in paris and they produce some of the yummiest brunch options this side of the atlantic. It's also a great place for those with food sensitivities as their staff are well trained and they have several allergen friendly options.
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Petite Provence Boulangerie & Patisserie
3420 NE Sandy BlvdPetite Provence is IMHO one of the best value brunches in the city. They used to only have 1 location and in the last decade have opened several across Multnomah county. Their head chef is trained in paris and they produce some of the yummiest brunch options this side of the atlantic. It's also a great place for those with food sensitivities as their staff are well trained and they have several allergen friendly options.