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Emma Mannheimer
Emma Mannheimer is a Seattle-born, Portland-based writer and editor. Read More
Portland’s Best Instagram Spots
No filter is needed at these photo-friendly local landmarks.
Emma Mannheimer
Emma Mannheimer is a Seattle-born, Portland-based writer and editor. Read More
We’ve all heard the saying: “Pics or it didn’t happen.” Luckily for you, we’ve collected Portland’s most Instagrammable spots to ensure your photographs capture PDX from its best angle. From mansions to flowers to doughnuts (this is Portland, after all), these picturesque destinations are sure to spark envy in your many friends and followers.
To see (and share) more great local photos, follow @travelportland on Instagram and tag your photos #PDXNOW.
Eight Best Instagram Spots in Portland
Voodoo Doughnut
If the emblematic pink boxes, bubblegum-colored brick wall and neon sign aren’t spectacle enough, then let the notorious delicacies at Voodoo Doughnut capture your camera’s vision. Cereal-coated cakes, bacon-bedazzled bars and voodoo doll-shaped donuts filled with jelly “blood” are just the beginning.
Where to shoot
From the line snaking along SW Third Ave. to the cramped interior, you can’t go wrong.
Keep Portland Weird Sign
While you’re in Voodoo’s neighborhood, pop across the street to the iconic Keep Portland Weird sign and snap a selfie proudly featuring the city’s unofficial mantra. The Portlandia fans among your followers will surely recognize the sign from the television show’s opening credits.
Where to shoot
The parking lot across SW Third Ave. from Voodoo Doughnut (at Ankeny). Bonus points for a Unipiper sighting!
Perched atop Old Town’s White Stag Building, The Portland Oregon sign serves as a twinkling salutation to one and all. A snap of this informal city beacon — which looks spectacular day or night — guarantees instant nostalgia for your trip to the Rose City.
Where to shoot
Portland Oregon Sign
The sidewalk on the north side of the Burnside Bridge affords the best view.
Cathedral Park and St. Johns Bridge
Believed to be a landing spot of Lewis and Clark, leafy Cathedral Park is gorgeous any time of year. The juxtaposition of this North Portland waterfront park with the gothic St Johns Bridge provides photographers with gorgeous sights. Capture the slender suspension bridge’s teal supports in the background, and you’re sure to rack up those likes in no time.
Where to shoot
Get ground-level shots in Cathedral Park and be sure to walk onto the bridge to capture its iconic spires.
Mt. Tabor Park
There’s nothing like spending the afternoon on a dormant volcano to get those creative juices flowing. With 190 acres (77 hectares) of trails, trees and reservoirs to explore, Mt. Tabor Park guarantees a perfect photo for every kind of Instagrammer. Be sure to check out their summer concert listings to make the most of your visit.
Where to shoot
The reservoirs offer a great foreground for the skyline, while the summit offers more expansive views.
International Rose Test Garden
Perhaps the dreamiest spot in all of Stumptown, the International Rose Test Garden is a hotbed of Instagram activity for natives and visitors alike. The world-famous, century-old garden features more than 650 varieties of roses, not to mention sweeping views of the city. Don’t miss the park’s special Shakespeare garden, where visitors can see and sniff botanical beauties mentioned in the bard’s works.
Where to shoot
Capture the skyline from the eastern edge of the garden; the amphitheater is great for group shots.
Pittock Mansion
Once the home of pioneering The Oregonian publisher Henry Pittock, historic Pittock Mansion promises panoramic views of downtown Portland and unparalleled glimpses of Mount Hood. You’ll find plenty of lavish details to document inside the French Renaissance-style chateau before heading outside to its expansive public grounds for a picture-perfect picnic.
Where to shoot
Shoot the city from the viewpoint on the east side of the mansion grounds, then turn around to get a shot of the mansion itself.
Portland Japanese Garden
Share the quiet power of the Portland Japanese Garden with your followers by snapping photos that encapsulate the garden’s tranquil beauty. Snag footage of the mesmerizing koi fish swimming beneath your feet, or take a silent still of the meticulously groomed Sand and Stone Garden.
Where to shoot
No matter where you point your camera, shots of this Portland treasure will provide digital bliss.
Places for Pretty Pictures
A gorgeous photo is almost always guaranteed at these local destinations.
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