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Emilly Prado
Emilly Prado is a writer, award-winning journalist and consultant living in Portland. Read More
Cheap/Affordable Things to Do in Portland for Arts Lovers
Experience Portland’s culture without breaking your budget.
Emilly Prado
Emilly Prado is a writer, award-winning journalist and consultant living in Portland. Read More
Portland boasts a stellar music scene, ample museums and galleries, and some of the best art walks and festivals anywhere — and exploring them all doesn’t take busting your budget. This itinerary of cheap things to do in Portland is designed to help any art lover make the most of a weekend day in the city.
Getting Around on a Budget
For each of our budget itineraries, we recommend getting an all-day TriMet pass ($5) good for the city’s public light rail, streetcar and bus.
Transit on the Cheap
Explore Portland on a budget with these wallet-friendly transportation options.
Biketown Bike-Share in Portland
Introduced in 2016, Portland’s bike-share program brings 1,000 smart bicycles to the central city.
MAX Light Rail
Portland's efficient light rail system connects the metro area and downtown core. Learn how to ride and where to go on MAX.
Electric Scooters (E-Scooters) in Portland
E-scooter sharing lets users rent vehicles via an app for one-way trips. Before boarding, check out our dos and don’ts for riding e-scooters in Portland.
Cheap Arts Activities in Portland
Breakfast and Browsing in Hawthorne District
Estimated cost: $9.00
Indulge in a heaping, music-themed breakfast sandwich at Fried Egg I’m in Love, which began as a beloved Portland food cart. Savor your gooey pesto and parmesan “Yolko Ono” sandwich ($9.00) amidst an egg-themed mural and plenty of yolk-yellow accents.
Stroll the boulevard and check out nearby murals using online maps from Portland Street Art Alliance (don’t forget to snap some souvenir photos in front of these works of art!). Next, do some vintage shopping — or browsing to protect your pocketbook — at House of Vintage or Red Light. Hawthorne is known for its resale shops; even if you don’t buy, you’ll find plenty of entertaining eye candy.
Travel Time to Next Destination
Pedal Downtown for Public Art
Estimated cost: $5
Next, hop on a neon orange Biketown rental at a nearby kiosk for a quick ride to downtown Portland. You’ll pay a $1 to unlock the bike plus $0.20 per minute, and the downhill ride will take about 15 minutes ($4.00).
Dock the bike and spend an hour or two scoping out some of the city’s expansive public art collection. Download this free walking map to explore more than 100 centrally located sites, indoors and out. Standouts include Manuel Izquierdo’s The Dreamer (Southwest Third Avenue and Market Street) and Portlandia (Southwest Second Avenue and Jefferson Street).
Don’t leave downtown without heading to the free Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University. Opened in 2019, this multi-floor museum features works by Northwest artists and art by PSU faculty and students. The museum also hosts frequent events and rotates works by national and international artists, such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and David Hockney.
Lunch and a Concert
Estimated cost: $10
For lunch, pick up some food cart fare ($10) and head to the elegant Old Church for its Wednesday lunchtime concert series (free). Soak in the classics performed by concert pianists, cellists and other musicians in this impressive restored 1882 church-turned-concert hall.
Travel Time to Next Destination
Get Lost in a City of Books
Estimated cost: Free
Weave through nine color-coded rooms packed with books at the three-story Powell’s City of Books (free), open since 1971. (There’s a map to help you find your way.) On Sundays, visitors can join a free 45-minute tour. Any day, you can get a glimpse of the rare book room, which houses 9,000 volumes valued at $1.8 million. Their oldest book dates back to 1480! Don’t miss the stellar art book collection and frequent free reading in the top-floor Pearl Room.
Punk Rock Pizza
Estimated cost: $3.50–10
Across the street, grab a hand-tossed slice at Sizzle Pie and take a photo with the pizza-themed food pyramid mural. The punk rock pizza shop offers $3.50 half-slices, crave-worthy salads and plenty of options for vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike.
Evening Entertainment
Estimated cost: Free–$6
Up the block, catch an art-house film at the plush Living Room Theaters ($6 on Mondays and Tuesdays). Or duck into the basement of the Crystal Hotel for free live music from rotating musicians-in-residence at Al’s Den (free). Back on the eastside, you can also catch free local music at Rontoms’ Sunday Sessions (free).
Affordable Fun
From free live music to wallet-friendly happy hours, having fun in Portland doesn't require breaking the bank.
Upcoming Free Events
There's no need to break the bank with these upcoming no-cost events.
Spirit of Halloweentown
The historic town of St. Helens, located 45 minutes from Portland, celebrates Halloween all month long with haunted tours, costume contests and more.
Dahlia Festival
Celebrate the season of DAHLIAS. A Rainbow of Color. Stroll through almost 40 acres and a beautiful display garden of stunning dahlias featuring over 370 varieties. The beautiful fields are open from August to September each year, closed on Monday and Tuesday. Pick out and order your favorite dahlias for Spring delivery and planting. Purchase…
Woodstock Farmers Market
The popular Woodstock Farmers Market features fresh produce, baked goods, fresh juices, sweets, cheese, meat and more from 30+ vendors, along with artisan-made products like jewelry, ceramics and art.
Chapman Swift Watch
Every September, spectators gather to see the world’s largest roost of Vaux’s swifts swarm and spiral into the chimney of a Northwest Portland school.
Farmers Market at Portland State University
The Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University will be open every Saturday, year-round. April through October hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. November through March hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Market at PSU is located in Downtown Portland in the South Park Blocks between SW College & Montgomery Streets.
Hollywood Farmers Market
Year-round on Saturdays, the Hollywood Farmers Markets hosts 50+ vendors, bringing you the best of the region’s agricultural bounty. In addition to amazingly fresh, local food, you’ll find live music, children’s activities, and fun events throughout the season. April through September, every Saturday 8 AM to 1 PM,October and November, every Saturday 9 AM to…
Rocky Butte Farmers Market
Rocky Butte Farmers Market, an iconic urban neighborhood market featuring affordable locally grown foods and artisan products, weekly children's activities, live entertainment, and a dog-friendly, energetic block party vibe, is back for the 2023 Season. The market's goal is to lower barriers to market participation for beginning and under-represented vendors and to strengthen connections within…
Portland Saturday Market
Open every Saturday from March–December, Portland Saturday Market is the largest arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S.
Lents International Farmers Market
Lents International Farmers Market opens on Sunday, June 4, 2023, and is open every Sunday through November 19, 2023. The Lents International Farmers Market (LIFM) is the only one in Portland with an intentional international focus. LIFM provides fresh, affordable and culturally appropriate produce to the diverse community of Lents neighbors. Founded in 2006 by…
Come Thru: Black & Indigenous Market
Come Thru Market is an incubator market centering on Black and Indigenous Farmers, Makers, and Friends. Come Thru supports BIPOC growers in taking their small business dreams to the farmers’ market environment. It’s a vibe – Come Thru and get what you need.
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