Downtown

Walkable downtown Portland offers easy access to great food, green spaces, cultural offerings, tax-free shopping and seemingly endless things to do. Shop 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 with easy public transportation access from the airport to your hotel.

Things to Do in Downtown

Downtown Portland is the city’s cultural heart — a day or two exploring the city center’s compact blocks (considerably shorter than your average city block) rewards you with options like the Portland Art Museum, whose rotating exhibitions have included works by Frida Kahlo and Guillermo Del Toro. You’ll likely stumble across Pioneer Courthouse Square, known to locals as Portland’s Living Room and the perfect place to grab a bite from a food truck, mingle with Portlanders or catch a MAX Light Rail train.

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Credit: Justin Katigbak, Travel Portland

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Credit: Leah Nash

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Credit: Ian Sane, via Flickr

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Credit: Jon Kraft

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Credit: NASHCO Photo

Review Portland’s history of activism, how the city got its name and how migrant families nurtured the Willamette Valley at the Oregon Historical Society. Top off your day of exploration with a walk to the world’s smallest park, Mill Ends Park (guarded by a resident leprechaun), then head over to the human-sized Tom McCall Waterfront Park, a leading spot for summer festivals and the best place to catch spring cherry blossoms.

As the evening rolls in, showtime begins. Check out the historic Keller Auditorium, which hosts Broadway performances, operas and ballet productions. Relish the Italian Rococo Revival architecture at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall while enjoying anything from classical ensembles to jazz musicians. ​​Take in some folk, limitless indie rock and soul at McMenamins Crystal Ballroom, featuring high ceilings, a balcony, grand chandeliers, arched windows and floors that bounce.

Where to Eat and Drink in Downtown

Heralds of the Rose City’s second-wave coffee scene, Stumptown Coffee Roasters’ downtown and largest location offers a rotating gallery courtesy of its Artist Fellowship series. Vegans rejoice — they’ll never charge you extra for oat milk. For Italian hand-pulled espressos, check out one of Spella Caffe’s two downtown locations, or grab a single-origin, house-roasted coffee at Courier Coffee Bar. In Courier’s shared space, try Soen’s kakigōri, Japanese shaved ice piled high with locally-grown fruits and house-made syrups. Other coffee favorites include Instagrammable Less and More Coffee, located in a former bus kiosk, Behind the Museum Café for matcha and onigiri, and PDX Coffee Club on the second floor of the Portland Food Hall, where owner Joe Shum Seruto pours expertly sourced coffees and creative lattes. Among the four delicious stands in the food hall, find Mi Pueblito Magico, a family-owned Mexican food stand offering everything from crisp taquitos to hearty burritos.

If you don’t eat at a food cart, did you really see Portland? We think not! Try Chinese hand-pulled noodles at Stretch The Noodle and soft milk-bread sandwiches at Tokyo Sando — both in the Midtown Beer Garden, with 25 other food carts. Near the striking interactive fountains at Keller Fountain Park, Murata Restaurant dishes traditional Tokyo classics like steaming seafood nabe and delicately sliced sushi. Reserve the tatami room two days in advance for a complete taste of what’s on offer. For old-fashioned flair, head a couple of blocks west of the waterfront to Huber’s Cafe, Portland’s oldest restaurant, established in 1879, best known for its flaming Spanish-style coffees and beloved turkey dinners. Reach for the sky at Portland City Grill for new American cuisine with a healthy side of panoramic downtown views 30 stories high.

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

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

Downtown Shopping Highlights

Shop Parisian-style at Union Way, an enclosed yet airy shopping experience with a variety of businesses, perfect for rainy days. This sleek arcade houses local brands like Danner, the iconic Oregon boot brand, which opened its first-ever stand-alone retail shop in the alley.

Shop designer style with a personalized styling session at Mercantile, or visit Canoe for a modern take on lasting home goods. Stock up for your home library or office at Kinokuniya, a haven of books, manga and Japanese stationery.

Tender Loving Empire and Crafty Wonderland are must-visits for folks seeking a piece of Portlandia. Both shops present perfectly curated work from local Portland and Pacific Northwest artists and craftspeople. Nearby boutiques Frances May and Pinkham Millinery feature local designers and artisans, while Woonwinkel offers a curated selection of housewares and jewelry from local and international artists.

Central city’s premier shopping center, Pioneer Place, boasts dozens of stores, including H&M, Apple and Zara, and high-end names like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. and Gucci. (Did we mention that all shopping in Oregon is tax-free?!)

Events in Downtown Portland

As the home base for many of the city’s biggest festivals, downtown Portland consistently bustles with events year-round. Anytime of year, enjoy West End Wednesdays, a community-oriented celebration of local business, music and food held on the last Wednesday of each month. Expect live music, DJs, discounted shopping, special events and off-menu items at participating bars and restaurants. Each Saturday at Portland’s South Park Blocks, browse the produce tents and food carts at the Portland Farmers Market.

Summer fun begins at lunchtime’s Noon Tunes, a series of free concerts, dancing and food vendors in Pioneer Courthouse Square. Around the holidays, enjoy the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony or a bevy of holiday ales at the Portland Holiday Brew Fest. February welcomes the annual Portland Winter Light Festival, featuring mesmerizing light art installations citywide, including multiple downtown locations.

Credit: Diego Diaz

Spring brings the Portland Rose Festival, which includes a floral float parade and a city fair. Perfect for the Fourth of July, enjoy four days of blues, soul, funk and R&B artists at the Waterfront Blues Festival. Portland Pride is not to be missed, with downtown celebrations starting mid-July.

From May through October, you can find even more local produce, ready-to-eat foods, flowers and live music at the Wednesday Shemanski Park Farmers Market. Cap off your year at November’s Portland Book Festival, a cozy fall festival featuring more author events, kids’ story times, writing workshops and a massive book fair with local vendors and food carts.