Downtown
Explore diverse shopping, dining and cultural offerings in downtown Portland.
Know Before You Go
Downtown Portland is well served by TriMet, the city’s public light rail, Portland Streetcar and bus system.
Portland’s compact, walkable downtown offers easy access to great food, green spaces, cultural offerings, tax-free shopping and seemingly endless things to do. Browse the Rose City’s most diverse mix of retail brands, see a show and grab a bite at a food cart or fine restaurant — all conveniently located in downtown Portland.
Where to Stay in Downtown
The city center offers easy access to shopping, entertainment, culture—and other districts, making downtown Portland a natural jumping-off point for visits to the city. Downtown is home to more than 35 hotels, from independent boutiques to big-name shopping brands, along with multiple coworking spaces if you happen to be here for business. With a direct MAX light rail connection to Portland International Airport, Portland Streetcar service, and short, walkable blocks, downtown is great for a car-free stay.
Where to Eat and Drink in Downtown
Coffee connoisseurs select from a hand-written menu of single-origin, house-roasted beans at Courier Coffee Bar. Once you’ve made your choice, baristas grind the beans right in front of you to prepare a perfect pour-over into a steaming mason jar. Never short on local-roasted coffee, for award-winning single-origin coffee, visit the green wall at Coava Coffee for an urban escape after wandering the city center.
Flying Elephants, a Portland-local chain across from Director Park, offers deli fare from a fresh salad or sandwich with classic pastries to sate the sweet tooth. For a modern and romantic experience, head to Q Restaurant & Bar with electric menus featuring dishes inspired by Pacific Northwest cuisine.
As the evening winds down, relax into a leather armchair at Multnomah Whiskey Library, where expert staff offers recommendations from 1,500 available spirits. Count on a line to get in; downstairs, The Green Room serves as a sophisticated (and thirst-quenching) waiting area.
Explore Downtown Portland
Eat, shop and play in the lively central city.
Downtown and Central City Shopping
Downtown Portland boasts a wide array of shopping options, from major national and international retailers to locally owned boutiques and specialty shops.
Downtown Restaurants
Downtown Portland restaurants run the gamut — you’ll find everything from budget lunch options at a multitude of food carts to delicious fine dining at acclaimed dinner spots in central city.
Central City Activities
Walk to a wide range of entertainment in central city and downtown Portland including theaters, museums and parks that play host to festivals and farmers’ markets.
Things to Do in Downtown
Museums, parks, sports arenas, shopping, and theaters; these attractions in downtown Portland are enough to keep any traveler busy for days. Known as Portland’s living room, Pioneer Courthouse Square is a gathering space where most days, you can see people enjoying their lunch breaks or taking a beat from exploring the city. From food carts to art installations and performances, The Square is a must-see.
Walk along the South Park Blocks, a green strip spanning 12 city blocks ending at the campus of Portland State University, to discover public art, the Portland Art Museum, Oregon Historical Society, and seasonally, the Portland Farmers Market at PSU, in the heart of Downtown’s cultural hub.
Take in some music -folk, jazz, a hundred flavors of indie rock, soul, singer-songwriter- at McMenamins Crystal Ballroom, a historic Portland music hall that remains among the most vital and central venues in the city. It features high ceilings, a balcony, grand chandeliers, wide, arched windows, and “floors that bounce.” The ballroom complex includes Lola’s Room, a much smaller venue and bar on the second floor beneath the ballroom. Ringlers Pub is on the street level, featuring beer from the Crystal Brewery. And the Crystal Hotel is nearby, with its own restaurant and music venue.
Favorite Theaters
This neighborhood offers a thriving theater community with major venues within a few city blocks.
Downtown Shopping Highlights
Parisian-style shopping at Union Way provides only in-Portland shopping. This sleek arcade houses iconic local brands like Danner, the iconic Oregon boot brand, which has opened its first-ever stand-alone retail shop in the alley. Also, find trendy denim boutique Self Edge and if you need a sweet treat after shopping, try Wailua Shave Ice.
Nearby boutiques Frances May, Pinkham Millinery, and Tender Loving Empire feature local designers and artisans, while Woonwinkel offers a curated selection of housewares and jewelry from local and international artists.
Step into WILDFANG, a bastion of tomboy fashion, beloved by celebrities like Janelle Monae and Kristen Stewart for its feminist T-shirts and gender-binary-breaking collection of blazers, bow ties, and button-ups.
Central city’s premier shopping center, Pioneer Place boasts more than 75 stores, including H&M, Apple, and J. Crew. (Did we mention that all shopping in Oregon is tax-free?)
Things To Do Outdoors
Visit verdant parks and outdoor attractions nestled amid downtown's hustle and bustle.
Portland's Central City
There's a lot more to Portland's urban core than Downtown, a center for retail, restaurants and cultural attractions. Goose Hollow is home to Providence Park soccer stadium, while the Pearl District is famous for upscale bars, boutiques and galleries. Old Town Chinatown offers streetwear shops, Saturday Market and Lan Su Chinese Garden and Northwest/Nob Hill boasts shopping, dining and access to Forest Park and the historic Pittock Mansion. East of the Willamette River, the Central Eastside offers family-friendly attractions, shopping and nightlife, while Lloyd is home to the Oregon Convention Center and the Portland Trail Blazers.
Downtown Events
Explore Downtown Portland and all that it has to offer at these upcoming events.
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