Skip to content
Travel Portland logo

The Official Guide to Portland

  • Attractions
    • Avalon Theatre & Wunderland arcadeView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people sitting at tables eating foodView All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
    • Division/Clinton
    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • Light rail train car driving past people shopping at an outdoor marketView All Plan
    • Portland Maps
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Safety in Portland
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search
Primary Menu 31 Events Near Me content loading animation Search
  • Attractions
    • Avalon Theatre & Wunderland arcadeView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people sitting at tables eating foodView All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
    • Division/Clinton
    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • Light rail train car driving past people shopping at an outdoor marketView All Plan
    • Portland Maps
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Safety in Portland
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search

Lora Shinn

a parent carries their child on their shoulders while the other parent blows bubbles toward them two children sitting on a train, one is dressed like a train conductor
i
The annual family-friendly Portland Pride Festival returns every summer to downtown Portland’s Waterfront Park, along with events throughout the city.
Credit: NashCo
Attractions / Family Friendly

Family Fun for All Ages

In Portland, it's easy to entertain toddlers, teens and everyone in between.

Updated July 25, 2022 2 min read

Lora Shinn

Whether your children are just learning to crawl or have long since mastered their iPhones, Portland’s abundant kid-friendly activities keep the good times rolling. Here’s a rundown of play-perfect suggestions for kids of all ages.

Young ’Uns (ages 0-5)

On hot days head for splash-worthy Jamison Square in the Pearl District. Like a geyser, the fountain’s waterfalls stop, drain and cascade again. To chill out even more, order some homemade scoops at nearby Cool Moon Ice Cream.

Big Kids (6-10)

If Bill Nye “the Science Guy” were to design the world’s most fun-packed laboratory, odds are he’d look to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) for inspiration. Inside, brainpower boosts — and belly laughs — come courtesy of hundreds of interactive displays. Ride in a motion simulator, sit back for an IMAX film, then board a full-size submarine — the USS Blueback — docked outside in the Willamette River.

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)

With interactive science labs, a planetarium, a giant-screen theater, a retired navy submarine, traveling exhibits and "After Dark" events, OMSI lures all ages.

Read more

Budding biologists flock to the World Forestry Center and the adjacent Oregon Zoo, where 64 park-like acres boast natural enclosures that evoke everything from African savannahs to tropical rainforests. Kids can hop aboard the newly renovated and solar-powered Zoo Train, a steam locomotive that dates back to the 1950s.

The Portland Art Museum offers family-focused tours every Sunday (psst: kids under 17 get in free). Cap the day at McMenamins Kennedy School, where class consists of watching movies on a big screen and snacking on slices of pizza. Plus, mom and dad can sip on a wide selection of locally handcrafted ales.

Oregon Zoo

Located near downtown Portland in Washington Park, the Oregon Zoo is home to more than 2,600 animals.

Read more

So Not-a-Kid-Anymore (11 and up)

Got a trend-savvy tween or two? Portland Saturday Market is the go-to spot for creative crafts, handmade art and jewelry, and other one-of-a-kind finds. Book lovers could devote an entire week to exploring the block-size Powell’s City of Books, which augments its 1 million new and used books with offbeat local souvenirs and gifts.

Adventurous families can take to the air via Oregon Helicopters helicopter tours, or zoom up the Willamette River on a Willamette Jetboat tour. Families can also rent their own private electric boat with Portland Electric Boat Company (no experience necessary!). A visit to Kerr Bikes sends you on a beautiful cruise along riverfront bike paths with a four-seat “surrey” bike rental.

Oaks Amusement Park

In Southeast Portland’s Sellwood neighborhood, Oaks Amusement Park has been providing families with carnival thrills and family fun since 1905.

Read more

And old-fashioned thrills abound at Oaks Amusement Park, which boasts retro roller coasters, a Ferris wheel and even a roller-skating rink. Parents can foster some competitive spirit, too: Challenge the kiddos to a putting match at downtown’s Glowing Greens, where ultraviolet black lights amp up a 3-D, pirate-themed indoor miniature golf course, or round out the day with a battle of wits at Mississippi Pizza, which hosts a kid-friendly spelling bee the first Saturday of the month from September through May. Who said parents can’t spell fun?

Attractions, For Kids

Family Friendly

Discover the best things to do in Portland with toddlers, tweens, and every age in between.

Go To Family Friendly

Was this page helpful?

Visitor Information

In town or planning your visit and need some advice? Get in touch! Our information desk is currently staffed Monday – Friday.

visitorinfo@travelportland.com

1-888-503-3291 (toll free)
503-427-1372

Map & Guide

get a free copy of our visitors map and guide to portland

Get a Copy

Newsletter Signup

Get your guide to Portland's events, attractions and news.

Follow Us

  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Information For

Local Businesses
Media
Meeting Planners
Travel Industry Professionals
Event Organizers

Brought to you by

Travel Portland Logo

We are a promoter and steward of this evolving city and its progressive values, which have the power to transform the travelers who visit us.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Español
  • Français
  • Deutsch
  • 日本語
  • 汉语
  • 漢語
  • 한국어
Copyright © 2023 Travel Portland
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Copyright Policy
Visit The USA Logo