Skip to content
Travel Portland logo

The Official Guide to Portland

  • 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
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • 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
  • Region
    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • Light rail train car driving past people shopping at an outdoor marketView All Plan
    • Portland Maps
    • Portland Visitor Center
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Safety in Portland
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search
Primary Menu 31 Events Near Me content loading animation Search
  • 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
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • 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
  • Region
    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • Light rail train car driving past people shopping at an outdoor marketView All Plan
    • Portland Maps
    • Portland Visitor Center
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Safety in Portland
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search

Brian Barker

floating homes and house boats on the water floating homes and house boats on the water
i
The St. Helens Marina is a tree-lined, quiet harbor on the Columbia River.
Region

St. Helens

Cozy inns, local legends and Hollywood romance take center stage on a weekend trip to St. Helens.

Updated Feb. 12, 2022 2 min read

Brian Barker

With more than 60 miles of Columbia River shoreline, forested hills, uncongested blacktop roads and quiet bays, Columbia County, just 30 minutes northwest of Portland, has long been renowned among cyclists, birders, anglers and other nature lovers. But the county’s inviting small towns, like St. Helens, also have plenty to offer visitors who like to pair country-fresh air with plenty of creature comforts.

Portions of the smash-hit vampire saga “Twilight” were filmed in St. Helens.

The scenery provides an enticing backdrop to contemplate the area’s historical significance: Legendary explorers Lewis and Clark camped here in 1805 as part of their journey to the Pacific Ocean (and on the way back in 1806). Today, locals are just as likely to regale you with tales of another notable duo: Edward and Bella of Twilight fame. Portions of the smash-hit vampire saga were filmed in town in 2008.

Plenty more local history waits inside Olde Town’s collection of antique shops. Funky thrift stores like Jilly’s offer enough sequined evening gowns, feathery earrings and wigs, not to mention Twilight souvenirs, to deck out any costume party.

On Thursday nights from June to August, walk to nearby Columbia View Park to dance off meals during 13 Nights on the River, a popular outdoor concert series paired with a farmers’ market and river views.

When the sun finally sets, a visit to St. Helens’ Historic Columbia Theatre provides a nostalgic way to cap the day. Opened in 1928, the lobby is filled with memorabilia from Hollywood’s Golden Age, including photos of MGM actors and an enormous 1930s carbon arc projector on display. The balconied 400-seat cinema is fully modernized, though, with high-definition digital projection, 3-D technology and the latest releases. When the curtain falls, don’t be surprised if the theater, much like the town, leaves you wishing for an encore performance.

Region, Tours & Itineraries

River Town

Take in all the sites that this Columbia County gem has to offer.

More Nearby Regions
Dozens of jack-o\'-lanterns illuminate the lawn of a park

The 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.

a person kayaking on glassy water with puffy clouds reflected in it

Outdoor Adventure in Columbia County

With an emerald backdrop and riverside paths, outdoor adventure awaits from bird-watching on Scappoose Bay, or exploring the historic community of St. Helens, Columbia County offers countless family-friendly activities.

vintage furniture and knick knacks on display in the interior of Hawthorne Vintage

Antiquing in Portland

Mid-century furnishings, hardware, kitchsy collectibles and vintage lighting and furniture all await in Portland's carefully curated antiquing scene.

Discover Something New

Winter Hikes in and Near Portland

Oregon is the perfect place for outdoor adventure, any time of year — explore our selection of all-weather paths and hikes in and near Portland.

Was this page helpful?

Visitor Information

visitorinfo@travelportland.com
1-888-503-3291 (toll free)
503-427-1372
Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Portland Visitor Center

1132 SW Harvey Milk St #104,
Portland, OR 97205

Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

guide cover with images of sights around Portland; the white stag sign, the Tilikum Crossing, and food.

Map & Guide

Pocket-sized brochure guide and map.

Get the guide

Screenshot of hand holding mobile phone with Near Me Now Map on the screen

Near Me Now App

An app to explore the best of Portland.




Newsletter Signup

Get your guide to Portland's events, attractions and news.

Follow Us

  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Information For

Local Businesses
Media
Meeting Planners
Travel Industry Professionals
Event Organizers

Brought to you by

Travel Portland Logo

We are a promoter and steward of this evolving city and its progressive values, which have the power to transform the travelers who visit us.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Español
  • Français
  • Deutsch
  • 日本語
  • 汉语
  • 漢語
  • 한국어
Copyright © 2023 Travel Portland
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Copyright Policy
Visit The USA Logo