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  • 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
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    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
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    • 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
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Tuck Woodstock

Tuck Woodstock

Tuck Woodstock wrote and edited content for Travel Portland from 2014–2020. Read More

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A view of the historic St. Johns Bridge connecting North and Northwest Portland.
Credit: Aaron Lee
Neighborhoods / North Portland

St. Johns

Once its own town, this North Portland enclave is filled with homegrown shops, independent spirit and plentiful things to do.

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A view of the historic St. Johns Bridge connecting North and Northwest Portland.
Credit: Aaron Lee

More than 100 years ago, leafy St. Johns existed as a small, quiet town at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. Today, the quaint North Portland neighborhood retains its small-town charm with its many locally owned shops, pubs and cafés. Pack a picnic blanket for an afternoon in Cathedral Park, cross the picturesque St. Johns Bridge and get ready to explore a lovely, lesser-known side of Portland.

North Portland Hotels

The Jantzen Beach area in North Portland offers great freeway access, putting you within a short drive of popular Portland neighborhoods and Vancouver, Washington.

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Short-Term Rentals in St. Johns

Use the links below to search for short-term vacation rental listings in and near St. Johns.

Airbnb

Vacasa

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Explore Portland With Near Me Now

Are you in Portland or visiting soon? Our Near Me Now web app will lead you to some of our favorite neighborhood spots.

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Coffee Shops

If you like a pastry with your coffee, set a course for The Sparrow Bakery and try their signature Ocean Roll. For traditional and not-so-traditional coffee drinks, take a stroll down Willamette Boulevard to Cathedral Coffee, where you’ll find a rotating menu of baked goods and seasonal coffee concoctions.

Eats

Tucked away in the back of a Mexican grocery store and bakery, unassuming Tienda Santa Cruz garners rave reviews from the city’s foodies for its enormous, budget-friendly tacos and burritos, packed with authentic flavors.

Another perennial pizza favorite, the Signal Station serves hand-slung pies inside a repurposed vintage gasoline station complete with a spacious patio.

5 to Try

St. Johns Eateries

These five dining destinations in St. Johns are local favorites.

  • St. Johns Beer Porch

    Located in North Portland, the St. Johns Food & Beer Porch pod has over a dozen food carts and a variety of local brews and ciders on tap. With a covered seating area, it’s a great place to stop after exploring the St. Johns neighborhood.

  • Paiku

    Formerly a food cart, Paiku is known for its sweet and savory scratch-made pies and baked pancakes. The cozy St. Johns eatery offers brunch, dinner and a full bar.

  • Jamaica House

    The aptly-named Jamaica House serves jerk chicken and other favorites inside a quaint and colorful old house. Vegans and vegetarian options available.

  • Tienda Santa Cruz

    This Mexcian mini-mart and taqueria sells tacos, burritos, tamales, imported foods, and piñatas. They have an in-house butcher selling meats and cheeses. Their bakery also sells fresh, house-baked Mexican pastries.

  • StormBreaker Brewing – St. John’s

    Located in the historic St. Johns neighborhood, this award-winning Portland brewery offers original draft beers, cocktails and a hearty menu of sandwiches, burgers, salads, and more.

Get Outdoors

One of the city’s most cherished green spaces, Cathedral Park attracts dog walkers, picnic goers, boaters and wedding parties. Mark your summer calendar for can’t-miss annual events like the free Cathedral Park Jazz Festival. Within an easy walk of the park, visitors can beat the heat with a summery kolsch in the airy tasting room of the Euro-inspired Occidental Brewing.

Sauvie Island

Sauvie Island, the Manhattan-size isle is one of the largest river islands in the country just north of Portland, is where families can find an entire day’s worth of adventures with swimming, hiking, birding and local farms.

Go To Sauvie Island

Entertainment and Events

Find Frito pies, rockin’ bands and bourbon-spiked sweet tea at Southern-inspired bar and music venue The Fixin’ To. The patio of Leisure Public House, another favorite watering hole, hosts bocce ball and ping-pong matches late into the night.

St. Johns’ two top movie theaters were both built more than a century ago, but that doesn’t stop them from showing first-run films with classic style and cutting-edge cinematic technology Better yet, St. Johns Twin Cinema and McMenamins St. Johns Theater & Pub both serve local beer and buttery popcorn, along with hearty fare like pizza, tater tots and burgers.

5 to Try

Things to do Outdoors in St. Johns

Explore the flora and fauna of this North Portland neighborhood.

  • Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area

    At nearly 2,000 acres, Metro’s Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area is the largest protected wetlands within an American city.

  • Pier Park

    Pier Park, located in North Portland is home to a top-rated disc golf course, a public pool and an expansive park area equipped with a seasonal play fountain, play structures, a covered picnic area, sports fields and a large skate park.

  • Cathedral Park

    Once a fishing and seasonal living site for Native American tribes (and a landing site of Lewis and Clark), this multi-level park offers beautiful views of the St. Johns Bridge, fishing, a boat ramp, an off-leash dog area and picnic tables.

  • St. Johns Bridge

    Built in 1931, this historic green suspension bridge connects Northwest and North Portland. The bridge’s picturesque dual, gothic-style towers inspired the name of Cathedral Park, believed to be one of 14 Lewis and Clark landing sites in the area.

  • Kelley Point Park

    Kelly Point Park includes a canoe launch, swimming and fishing along the beach, historical information, walking paths, picnic areas and vistas of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.

Shop

Photographers from around the globe make pilgrimages to Blue Moon Camera and Machine to peruse a veritable museum of vintage film cameras and one of the world’s last remaining optical printing labs.

Another go-to spot for browsing, Salty Teacup brims with whimsical jewelry, soap, housewares and art, all handmade by Portlanders.

Fun Facts About St. Johns

It’s named after a real person.

St. Johns is named after an early settler named James John. Throughout his life, John gave land to those in need. He also donated money and land to build a public school.

According to the journals of Lewis and Clark, there was a Native American settlement near the area we now call Cathedral Park.

There’s an annual parade and “bizarre.”

If you happen to be in St. John’s on the second Saturday in May, prepare for live music, a parade and big crowds. The all-day event takes up six city blocks and includes a parade, activities for kids, more than 100 vendors and a beer garden. Learn more about The St. Johns Bizarre.

Forest Park is just across the bridge.

Enjoy easy parking and fewer crowds by accessing Forest Park from St. Johns. Park near the foot of the St. Johns Bridge and cross the Willamette, enjoying some great views of the city along the way. Once across the bridge, cross Highway 30 and head south. Look for a set of stairs connecting you to the North Forest Park Loop/Ridge Trail.
Neighborhoods, Tours & Itineraries

St. Johns Events

Celebrate and explore St. Johns at these upcoming events.

Light Up St. Johns Ugly Sweater Holiday Events
Nov. 6, 2023–Jan. 1, 2024

Light Up St. Johns Ugly Sweater Holiday Events

St John's Business District Free

Join one of Portland’s most charming neighborhoods and Light Up St. Johns with Ugly Sweater Holiday Celebrations. The St. Johns Boosters and local businesses present a series of celebrations to revel in the most festive of seasons: 11/6-1/1 | St. Johns Ugly Sweater Holiday Window Displays | Stroll the St. Johns Business District to see…

Food & Drink
Nightlife
Shopping
St. Johns History Tours by Slabtown Tours
Ongoing

St. Johns History Tours by Slabtown Tours

2 Strokes Coffee $20

St. Johns is a neighborhood with small-town charm in Portland, Oregon, located in North Portland on the tip of the peninsula formed by the confluence of the Willamette River and the Columbia River. Many structures from the days when the neighborhood was an incorporated city are still standing. The community is known for its amazing…

Guided Tour
History

More Portland Events

Visit our events calendar to discover even more things to do in Portland. Search by date, event type and more.

See All Events
Editor's Picks

If You Like St. Johns, You'll Love…

Fans of St. Johns' cozy pubs, indie shops and neighborhood spirit should check out these picks.

movie goers enjoy pizza and beer

Brew ‘N’ View – Movie Theaters That Serve Beer

Portland’s beloved “brew ‘n’ view” movie theaters run the gamut from funky to swanky, serving up all manner of drinks, food and films.

a woman looks at a sweater at Artifact PDX

Vintage Shopping in Portland

Browse costume jewelry, tailored suits and racks upon racks of dresses at Portland's nearly 50 vintage shopping destinations.

Exterior of a coffeeshop with two benches, hanging plants and a striped awning

Quiet Places Made for Reading

Pick up a winning read at one of Portland’s many independent bookstores and curl up in a cozy corner of one of these eight local coffee shops.

Illustration by Subin Yang

North Portland Neighborhoods

Sometimes called the “Fifth Quadrant,” North Portland encompasses a range of neighborhoods and commercial districts, including St. Johns, Mississippi/Williams and Kenton. Attractions include the St. Johns Bridge, Portland International Raceway, Peninsula Park Rose Garden and Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area.

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