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  • Attractions
    • View All Attractions
    • Attractions Open Now
    • Museums & History
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
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    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
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    • 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
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    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
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The Alberta Arts District\'s monthly Last Thursday art walk and street fair The Alberta Arts District\'s monthly Last Thursday art walk and street fair
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The Alberta Arts District’s monthly Last Thursday art walk and street fair
Attractions

Free & Nearly Free

You don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy Portland.

Updated Jan. 20, 2021 6 min read

Sample food and beverage and plenty of the famous “Keep Portland Weird” spirit at these free and almost-free attractions. Want more? Read our guide to Portland on a budget.

Always Free

Brewery and Distillery Tours

Many of Portland’s breweries and distilleries offer complimentary tours and tastings once a week or more. Contact each facility for times and details.

  • Hopworks Urban Brewery
  • House Spirits Distillery
  • Rogue Ales Distillery and Public House

Brew Tours

More Beer & Brewing
Head to Rogue Public House in Portland\'s Central Eastside for a sampling of the city\'s best craft beer.

Central Eastside Brewery Tour

With eight breweries and counting, Portland's bustling Central Eastside practically overflows with award-winning suds.

Sip beers of all styles at Deschutes Brewery\'s Portland pub.

Portland Beer Tours

Explore “Beervana” with the help of local expert tour guides on these Portland beer tours.

Toast to world-class beer and spirits at Rogue Distillery and Public House.

Pearl District & NW Portland Brewery Tour

In the Pearl District and Northwest Portland, local beer legends like McMenamins brew alongside flagship names from around the state.

Central Library

The oldest public library on the West Coast, Portland’s Central Library was built in 1913. The library boasts more than 17 miles of bookshelves and terrific artwork, much of which reflects a “Garden of Knowledge” theme. Highlights include the ornately decorated stairs and a 14-foot cast-bronze tree in the children’s room. The tree’s bark is a sculptural relief of images that intrigue children: vines, musical instruments, toys, ballet slippers, animals, storybook characters and letters.

Oregon Rail Heritage Center

Portland is home to more working steam locomotives than any other city in the country, and you’ll find them at the volunteer-run Oregon Rail Heritage Center, opened in 2012. Guided interpretation, presentations, exhibits and events tell the story of Pacific Northwest railroads and, during the holiday season, light-adorned “Holiday Express” trains tour passengers along the Willamette River. Located near OMSI and accessible via Portland Streetcar.

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Cheap Things to Do in Portland for History Buffs

Experience Portland’s history without breaking your budget.

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Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at PSU

A budget-friendly trip downtown isn’t complete without a visit to the free Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University. Opened in 2019, this multi-floor museum features works by Northwest artists, as well as art by PSU faculty and students. The museum also hosts frequent events and rotates in works by national and international artists, such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and David Hockney.

Monthly Gallery Walks

One of the best times to explore Portland’s galleries is on the first Thursday of every month during the aptly named First Thursday Gallery Walk. On these nights, galleries and shops in Old Town, the Pearl District and downtown stay open late, inviting the public to mingle with the artists and explore new exhibits. The streets buzz with performers, sidewalk artists and enthusiastic crowds, and many galleries offer free appetizers and wine. See a map of participating galleries.

Complementing First Thursday is Northeast Alberta Street’s Last Thursday event, which falls on the last Thursday evening of each month. This event offers plenty of gallery shows, plus sidewalk vendors, live music and a street-fair vibe. Held on Northeast Alberta Street between 15th and 30th avenues. Participating venues include Ampersand, Antler, Guardino Gallery and others.

Portland’s newest monthly art event is First Friday in the Central Eastside district, just across the Willamette River from downtown. Several First Friday shows and events are held in artists’ studios, cafés and other nontraditional exhibit spaces. Map of locations.

Read more about monthly art walks

Forest Park

For outdoor enthusiasts, winter and fall are a wonderful time to hike through Forest Park, the nation’s largest urban wilderness. This nearly 5,000-acre wilderness has miles of hiking, jogging and mountain biking trails that are relatively free of traffic during the cooler winter months. Autumn sees the park’s mostly evergreen forest dotted with vibrant fall color. This is the perfect time of year to escape to the quiet solitude of the woods — and all within a 10-minute drive of most downtown hotels.

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The Grotto

The Grotto, a 62-acre Catholic sanctuary, is one of Portland’s most visited attractions, greeting more than 175,000 guests of all faiths each year. Visitors can stroll through this natural gallery in the woods; view the marble replica of Michelangelo’s famous Pietà, carved into the base of a 110-foot cliff; or ride the elevator ($6) to the top of the bluff for an impressive, panoramic view of the area’s highlights, including the Columbia River Valley, the Cascade Mountain Range and Mount St. Helens.

Hoyt Arboretum

Home to plants from all seven continents, this 185-acre hiker’s paradise contains more than 2,000 species of trees and 12 miles of trails. At the south end of the Hoyt Arboretum is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. An interpretive center offers restrooms, maps and brochures.

International Rose Test Garden

In Washington Park, you can also explore one of the largest and oldest rose test gardens in the country — for free. This is the largest of Portland’s three rose gardens. Started in 1917, the International Rose Test Garden, just minutes from downtown Portland, has 10,000 rose bushes, spectacular views of the city and an on-site gift shop.

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Free tours are offered daily at 1 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Parks & Gardens

More open spaces
Forest Park has 70 miles of trails for hikers to enjoy.

Forest Park

With 70 miles of trails within Portland city limits, 5,156-acre Forest Park is a popular escape for runners, equestrians and hikers alike.

The Rose Garden in Washington Park.

Portland International Rose Test Garden

With great views of the roses and the skyline, the Portland Rose Garden in Washington Park is a must-see.

The Grotto offers many lush and peaceful spots for spiritual meditation.

The Grotto

This serene woodland sanctuary in Northeast Portland features 62 acres of botanical gardens.

Pioneer Courthouse Square

Located in the heart of downtown Portland, Pioneer Courthouse Square is affectionately known as the city’s “living room.” Once a grim parking structure, the square is now a thriving urban park and the single most-visited site in Oregon, attracting more than 9.5 million visitors annually. The square’s on-site resources include TriMet’s bus and light rail ticket office. The square is also one of Portland’s leading outdoor venues, hosting 300 events each year, from large-scale concerts to cultural festivals. The Portland Farmers Market operates in the square every Monday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., June-September.

Portland Farmers Market

Enjoy live music and samples of wonderful locally grown and prepared foods. During peak season, farmers’ markets are held on most days of the week around the city. At the Saturday market, chefs demonstrate how to create dishes with fresh market ingredients.

Locations/dates: The flagship market is held year-round on Saturdays in the South Park Blocks at Portland State University. On Mondays, the market comes to Pioneer Courthouse Square (June-Sept.), and Wednesday’s market is held in the South Park Blocks of the Cultural District (May-October). Hours vary by location.

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Portland Saturday Market

Even though the Portland Saturday Market shuts down in January and February, this is still a great fall and early-winter attraction. You don’t have to buy anything, just browse through booth after booth of handmade crafts, jewelry, clothing and artwork. Street musicians, local performers, tarot card readers and international food kiosks round out the scene. The best thing about Saturday Market is that the people staffing the booths and selling the items are the same artists who created the crafts for sale. The market is open Sundays too.

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Powell’s City of Books

Spend an afternoon exploring Powell’s City of Books, the world’s largest independent bookstore, covering an entire city block. Boasting more than 1 million titles, Powell’s is a mecca for bibliophiles searching for used, out-of-print, rare or autographed books. While the browsing is free, book-lovers will be hard pressed not to purchase something — especially from the bargain tables. Browsers are welcome to take up to three titles into the coffee shop for perusing. Ride Powell’s three-door elevator — one of only a handful in the United States — or check out the Rare Book Room.

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Affordable Attractions

More on a Budget
The iconic sign and namesake courthouse at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Pioneer Courthouse Square

Located in the heart of downtown Portland, the city’s “living room” hosts hundreds of events each year.

Verde Cocina chef Noe Garnica serves farm-fresh cuisine at the Portland Farmers Market.

Portland Farmers Market

Enjoy fresh, local produce, meals and treats at every Portland Farmers Market location.

One of the 250+ artisans who sell their products at the Portland Saturday Market.

Portland Saturday Market

Open every Saturday and Sunday from March–December, Portland Saturday Market is the largest arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S.

This Portland landmark is the world\'s largest new and used bookstore.

Powell’s City of Books

Covering an entire city block, Powell's is a landmark, a great bookstore and a microcosm of the city itself.

子ゾウのリリーと母ゾウのローズツー

Oregon Zoo

The West's oldest zoo, located just minutes from downtown Portland in visitor-friendly Washington Park, is home to 2,200 animals.

Portland hairdresser Nelly Ayala, co-creator of Paz Hair Lounge, at My People\'s Market.

My People’s Market Spotlights Local Entrepreneurs of Color

My People’s Market showcases local entrepreneurs and makers of color, connecting them with industry professionals and consumers.

Public Art

You can’t visit Portland without encountering public art. In the central city, you’ll discover a surprising mix of artistic styles, materials and settings within any given 10-block radius. Public art is integrated into architectural façades, along the street, in the parks, inside public buildings and in the sculpture garden outside of the Portland Art Museum. There are even indoor exhibits — perfect for rainy-day sightseeing.

Free Days

Oregon Historical Society
Several free days per year.

Portland Art Museum
Free—first Thursday of every month, 5-8 p.m.; always free for ages 17 and under.

Almost Free Days

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
$2 – first Sunday of every month.

Oregon Zoo
$5 – second Tuesday of every month (September–May)

Portland Children’s Museum
$3 – second Sunday of every month (per person when purchased between 9 a.m. and noon).

Attractions, Budget, For Kids, Museums & History, Parks & Gardens

Art & History

More Museums
The Portland Art Museum\'s two buildings are separated by a public sculpture garden.

Portland Art Museum

The Portland Art Museum is central to the city's cultural district, housing a large and wide-ranging collection of artworks.

The monthly First Thursday art walk in the Pearl District

Monthly Art Walks in Portland

Explore Portland's art gallery scene with three regular art walks, held in different creative neighborhoods around town.

A mural painted outside vintage shop Artifact on Southeast Division Street.

Visual Arts in Portland

View paintings, sculptures and other visual art in a wide range of galleries, public spaces and unexpected venues.

Kids get some hands-on learning at OMSI.

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)

With a planetarium, a giant-screen theater, a retired navy submarine, traveling exhibits and “After Dark” events, OMSI has lures for all ages.

\"Experience Oregon\" is a 7,000-square-foot permanent exhibit at Oregon Historical Society, reflecting the people, places and events that shaped the land that is now known as Oregon.

Oregon Historical Society

The Oregon Historical Society collection includes thousands of historic artifacts (including the “Portland Penny"), permanent and rotating exhibits and an extensive research library.

Families play and learn together at the Portland Children\'s Museum.

Portland Children’s Museum

Dreaming of a family-friendly afternoon full of hands-on learning? Head to the Portland Children’s Museum, in attraction-packed Washington Park.

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