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A stroll through downtown Portland will take you past several vibrant murals painted on the sides of historic buildings.

Downtown

Explore diverse shopping, dining and cultural offerings in downtown Portland.

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A stroll through downtown Portland will take you past several vibrant murals painted on the sides of historic buildings.

Know Before You Go

Downtown Portland is well served by TriMet, the city’s public light rail, streetcar and bus system.

Portland’s compact, walkable downtown offers easy access to great food, green spaces, cultural offerings and tax-free shopping. Browse the city’s most diverse mix of retail brands, see a show and grab a bite at a food cart or fine restaurant.

Explore Downtown Portland

Eat, shop and play in one of the city's liveliest neighborhoods.

Downtown Shopping

Downtown Portland boasts a wide array of shopping options, from major national and international retailers to locally owned boutiques and specialty shops.

Downtown Dining

From food carts to fine dining, you’re always just steps away from great food in downtown.

Downtown Portland Activities

Walk to a wide range of entertainment in downtown including theaters, museums and parks that play host to festivals and farmers' markets.

Neighborhood Spotlight: Downtown

Follow our guide to find the best coffee, restaurants, tax-free shopping, food carts, bars and things to do in downtown Portland.

Let's go

Where to Stay

With Portland's highest concentration of hotels, not to mention ample restaurants, cultural attractions and shops, downtown makes a great home base for your visit.

Downtown hotels

Downtown Attractions

These attractions in downtown Portland are enough to keep any traveler busy for days.

Pioneer Courthouse Square

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

Portland Art Museum

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

Oregon Historical Society

The museum’s collection includes more than 85,000 pieces, including Native American artifacts and the “Portland Penny."

Pioneer Place

Downtown Portland's home for big-brand shopping houses the major brands that fashionistas crave, along with an expansive food court and a movie theater.

Center for Contemporary Native Art

The Portland Art Museum's Center for Contemporary Native Art showcases the work of modern-day Native American artists.

Union Way Shopping Arcade

Evoking Paris’ intimate passageways and Scandinavian architecture, this shop-filled alley connects downtown Portland’s West End with the Pearl District.
5 to Try

Favorite Theaters

This neighborhood offers a thriving theater community with major venues within a few city blocks.

  • The Old Church Concert Hall

    Built in 1882, this former church hosts live music including folk, alternative, world, indie, classical, jazz and more.

  • Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

    This grand Italian rococo theater is a historic building and performing arts center whose Broadway marquee is crowned by a 65-foot-high “Portland” sign illuminated with 6,000 lights.

  • Keller Auditorium

    The spacious Keller Auditorium was built in 1917 and is part of Portland’5 Centers for the Arts. The venue hosts performing arts events of all kinds, including Broadway productions, ballet and opera.

  • Whitsell Auditorium

    Located inside the Portland Art Museum, the Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium features year-round foreign, independent and classic films, and hosts visiting artists from the PacNW and across the globe as well as host International FIlm Festivals.

  • Winningstad Theatre

    This courtyard-style theater is Portland’5 Centers for the Arts’ most flexible performing space. With 304 seats, the seating and stage can be reconfigured in a variety of ways to allow for innovative staging and set design.

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.

Let's go
5 to Try

Outdoor Attractions

  • South Park Blocks

    Set aside for public use in 1852, the South Park Blocks were the city's first parks, forming a green corridor through the heart of the city and playing home to the Portland Art Museum, the Oregon Historical Society and Portland State University.

  • Tom McCall Waterfront Park

    This downtown riverfront park offers a 1.5-mile stretch of green along the Willamette River. Waterfront Park is home to many signature Portland events, along with Salmon Street Springs and the Japanese American Historical Plaza.

  • Mill Ends Park (The World’s Smallest Park)

    At 24 inches (61 centimeters) in diameter, this is the world's smallest dedicated park. Over the years, events have been held at the park and contributions have been made to the park, such as the small swimming pool and diving board for butterflies.

  • Keller Fountain Park

    An astounding 13,000 gallons of water per minute cascade through the terraces and platforms of this unique fountain landscape. Designed by Angela Danadjieva, this city landmark was inspired by the waterfalls of the nearby Columbia River Gorge.

  • Director Park

    This European-style piazza features a fountain, ample outdoor seating and the Travel Portland Visitor Center, and plays host to occasional events in the summer.

Downtown Event Picks

More events
Color Line: Black Excellence on the World Stage
Sept. 28, 2019–Feb. 16, 2020

Color Line: Black Excellence on the World Stage

Portland Art Museum Free

At the International Exposition of 1900 in Paris, American sociologist, historian, and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois put together “The American Negro Exhibit,” a remarkable collection of more than 300 photographs of African-American men and women, homes, churches, businesses and universities. These photographs were paired with a series of charts and graphs designed by…

Art & Design
Cultural Communities
Exhibition
History
Editor's Pick
Ladies and Gentlemen ... The Beatles!
Oct. 17–Nov. 12, 2019

Ladies and Gentlemen … The Beatles!

Oregon Historical Society Free

In 1964, The Beatles came to America for the first of the group’s three North American visits. Their journey in America began on Friday, February 7 of that year, when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr arrived from the U.K. at the newly named John F. Kennedy International Airport. With cameras flashing…

Editor's Pick
Exhibition
History
Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University
Ongoing

Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University

PSU Farmers Market Free

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.

Food & Drink
Shopping
Editor's Pick
Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony
Friday, Nov. 29, 2019

Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

Pioneer Courthouse Square Free

Every year, thousands of Portlanders gather at Pioneer Courthouse Square to celebrate the lighting of the spectacular 75 Douglas-fir tree provided by Stimson Lumber Company. Join up for a community sing-a-long (limited edition holiday songbooks will be available at the event or for download on our website). Pre-show entertainment begins at 5 p.m. With a…

Editor's Pick
For Kids
Music