Skip to content
Travel Portland logo

The Official Guide to Portland

  • Attractions
    • women dances with large fans outside on a city street surrounded by people in colorful dragon costumesView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people dining at picnic tables in front of a food cartView 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
    • Portland Visitor Center
    • 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
    • women dances with large fans outside on a city street surrounded by people in colorful dragon costumesView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people dining at picnic tables in front of a food cartView 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
    • Portland Visitor Center
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Safety in Portland
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search

Sylvia Randall-Muñoz

A person stands with their back facing the camera in front of a natural stone wall Someone stands in front of a rock wall.
i
The Grotto, in Northeast Portland, is one of the city’s most serene attractions.
Attractions

The Grotto

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

Updated Sept. 15, 2023 3 min read Northeast Portland

Sylvia Randall-Muñoz

Know Before You Go

The Grotto grounds, gardens and gift shop are all currently open. Masks are optional. For more information about hours and admission, visit The Grotto’s website.

Perched atop Rocky Butte, a Northeast Portland cliff, The Grotto comprises more than 62 acres (25 hectares) of lush, treed gardens. Constructed in 1924 as an outdoor Roman Catholic sanctuary dedicated to Mary, Our Sorrowful Mother, the nonprofit center now hosts 300,000 visitors of all faiths each year. The Grotto’s unique aesthetic, which features tranquil paths dotted with intricately carved Catholic shrines, combines a traditional forested park with profound meditative bliss.

Visiting The Grotto

How much does it cost?

It is free to visit the lower level.

Admission to the Upper Gardens:
$9.95 for Adults
$8.95 for Seniors (65+)
$4.95 for Youth (3-11 years)

Admission to the Upper Gardens is sold until 7:30 p.m.

Details are subject to change; please check The Grotto’s Website for current information.

When can I visit?

The gardens are open to visitors 9 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Mother’s Day through Labor Day. The gardens are open year-round, though close earlier with the change in seasons.

Please check The Grotto’s Website for current information.

What is the best time of year to visit?

Something is always in bloom at the gardens, from spring bulbs to fall color to winter berries. Check out What’s in Bloom at The Grotto.

Lower Level

There are two levels within the Grotto, and the lower garden is accessible to the public free of charge. It includes an imposing cave that was carved out of the 110-foot (33.5 m) basalt cliff in 1923 to serve as an outdoor cathedral. The marble statue in the center of the cave, a replica of Michelangelo’s depiction of Mary cradling Jesus’ crucified body, is surrounded by flowers and glowing votive candles.

rows of benches face a rock wall and tunnel surrounded by moss, trees
The Grotto offers many lush and peaceful spots for spiritual meditation.
Credit: Kaleb Nyquist via Flickr

Nearby, a tranquil trail is lined with towering trees; downy tufts of moss inch up their trunks, providing an aura of muted solitude. Along the way, elaborately carved sculptures tucked into the mossy stones illustrate the 14 Stations of the Cross.

The lower level also houses a visitor complex, an art gallery displaying historical nativity scenes, a gift shop chock-full of Catholic souvenirs and the Chapel of Mary, where mass is held every Sunday. Between masses, choral music plays softly from the speakers as visitors rest on wooden pews and observe the impressive architecture and art in hushed silence. From May through October, mass is also held outdoors in the Grotto Plaza — an expansive, pew-lined square facing the Grotto Cave.

More Places to Enjoy Tranquility

More gardens
people look at koi in pond at garden

Portland Japanese Garden

A haven of meticulously maintained, tranquil beauty, proclaimed one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan, the Portland Japanese Garden offers meandering streams, intimate walkways and an unsurpassed view of Mount Hood.

A woman holds a camera to her eyes in a traditional Chinese garden with a pond, pavilion and trees.

Lan Su Chinese Garden

This year-round wonder houses an authentic Ming Dynasty-style garden built by Suzhou artisans, offering a peaceful escape in Portland's historic Chinatown.

tall bridge with circular bracing above a pond with ducks amid a forested park

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

Round out your floral explorations of the Rose City with a visit to Southeast Portland’s lush Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. The park boasts more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, with blooms from late February -June.

Upper Level

For an admission fee, guests can ride the elevator built against the cliff’s craggy rock face to reach the Grotto’s famed botanical gardens. Upon disembarking, visitors are greeted by a lush oasis of expertly groomed rhododendron gardens and dense foliage overlooking the Columbia River Valley, Cascade Mountains and Mount Saint Helens. Perched atop the cliff is the impressive Marilyn Moyer meditation chapel — a modernist granite and glass structure that has won numerous national and international architecture awards since its construction in 1991. The chapel’s north wall is made entirely of glass, providing a striking view of the Cascade Mountain Range and Columbia River Valley. Another bronze pietà occupies the center of the chapel, further casting an aura of solemnity and introspection.

The upper level also includes the Peace Garden, featuring a trail that meanders through mossy fir trees and flowerbeds and circles a serene reflection pond. The path leads guests to the Grotto’s labyrinth, a circle of crimson bricks surrounded by welcoming wooden benches. In the late spring and early summer, the botanical gardens are in full bloom, overflowing with Technicolor rhododendrons, daylilies, impatiens, roses and daisies. Another peaceful path weaves through St. Joseph Grove’s towering trees to St. Anne’s Chapel, a small brick building built in 1934 that houses several pastel-colored paintings.

Holiday Lights

Portland is full of bright ways to embrace the shorter days of winter; here are some of the stars in the city’s constellation of holiday light displays.

See the sparkle

In December, the Grotto hosts a dazzling Christmas Festival of Lights that draws over 60,000 guests each year. The trails are ablaze with lighted decorations, and the Chapel of Mary is filled with song in the form of nightly concerts and family caroling.

No matter what time of year you visit, the Grotto offers calm, peace and introspection, transcending boundaries of faith to offer an oasis of abundant greenery and breathtaking views. The sanctuary is located about 8 miles (12.8 km) from downtown Portland and is easily accessible by car or bus.

Attractions, Outdoors, Parks & Gardens

Outer Northeast Portland

Explore some nearby sights in outer Northeast Portland.

  • Taqueria La Mestiza

    Enjoy Mexican and Yucatecan favorites at reasonable prices at this tasty, no-frills taqueria in Northeast Portland.

  • Rocky Butte

    Rocky Butte is an extinct volcanic cinder cone with great views of Portland and the Cascade Range. The butte features hiking trails and is a popular rock climbing area.

  • Von Ebert Brewing – Glendoveer

    Von Ebert Brewing is an independent brewery offering craft beer and classic pub fare in a family-friendly space.

  • Luuwit View Park

    This 16-acre (6.5-ha) park features views of Luuwit (the Native American name for Mount St. Helens), a community garden, a soccer field, paved pathways, a playground and a water play area.

  • Food Fight Grocery

    An all-vegan grocery store specializing in vegan junk food (chips, cheese, fake meat and candy), Food Fight also has small produce and bulk sections.

Hosting an Event at this Venue?

Our meetings listings have all the details you need.

Learn more

Was this page helpful?

Visitor Information

visitorinfo@travelportland.com
1-888-503-3291 (toll free)
503-427-1372
Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Portland Visitor Center

1132 SW Harvey Milk St #104,
Portland, OR 97205

Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

guide cover with images of sights around Portland; the white stag sign, the Tilikum Crossing, and food.

Map & Guide

Pocket-sized brochure guide and map.

Get the guide

Screenshot of hand holding mobile phone with Near Me Now Map on the screen

Near Me Now App

An app to explore the best of Portland.




Newsletter Signup

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

Follow Us

  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • 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