There’s just something about Portland. Whether you’ve visited the Pacific Northwestern metropolis or religiously watched every episode of Portlandia and feel like you’ve been, there’s an undeniable energy and contemporary momentum when it comes to the “City Of Roses.” Recognized for boasting more breweries than any other city in the world, for legally requiring shoelaces to be tied in public, and for having designated food cart parking since 1912, PDX is a uniquely captivating and inviting atmosphere. Whether it’s beer or coffee, street meat or Michelin stars, Willamette Valley or Forest Park, there’s a Portland for everyone.
There are not enough hours in the day to do, see, shop, and eat everything Portland has to offer. But here’s a good place to start, plus a map to help you get there.
12PM Nice Ride
Head to Wheel Fun Rentals and pick out your whip for the day. Hop on a tandem with your lover or hit the town solo in a chopper.
1PM “City Of Roses”
Find out how Portland got its nickname and swing by the International Rose Test Garden for a free tour of over 10,000 rose bushes every day at 1pm sharp. (Unless you visit in the winter, then go have a beer at Ecliptic).
2PM Meals On Wheels
Bon Appétit and CNN have distinguished Portland as a worldwide food cart destination. Downtown’s Alder Food Pod is home to more than 600 diverse and delicious culinary options that will satiate all your cravings.
3PM Art History
Founded in late 1892, Portland Art Museum is the seventh oldest museum in the United States and the oldest in the Pacific Northwest. Good luck getting your exhibition up here – 90% of the museum’s real estate is dedicated to its permanent collection.
4PM Sustainable Sushi
It’s a thing. In 2008, Bamboo Sushi became the world’s first certified sustainable sushi restaurant, publishing the carbon footprint of each menu item intricately and interactively online. Check it out.
5PM Dessert Before Dinner
Chocolatier Cacao has three spectacular drinking chocolates to satisfy your afternoon sweet tooth. Pour it over Salt & Straw’s Arbequina Olive Oil ice cream if you really want to spoil your dinner.
6PM Retail Therapy
Rekindle your inner badass and suit up with some “wild feminist” wardrobe staples at Wildfang. Besides making you look cooler, the store raised over $400K for charities supporting reproductive, immigrant, and women’s/human rights in 2018 alone.
7PM Modern Druggists
From cannabis confections to smoke-ready home decor, Serra Dispensary makes weed chic. This is the perfect place to bring your uptight friend who hasn’t blazed since that “one time in high school.”
8PM What Lies Beneath
Known locally as the “Shanghai Tunnels,” the old Portland Underground is a must-see for anyone curious about the city’s shady past. Choose between the Ghost Tour and the Ethnic History Tour based on how strong that edible was.
9PM Keith Richards
Named after a Fleetwood Mac album and sporting a massive image of the Speedo-clad Rolling Stone behind the bar, Tusk is a modern twist on Middle Eastern fare. Combining traditional flavors with Portland’s freshest produce, executive chef Sam Smith welcomes a level of reinvention most easily identifiable by the kitchen’s hummus du jour.
10PM Party On
Over 100 years old, McMenamins Crystal Ballroom is a music venue that features vaulted ceilings, grand chandeliers, giant wallscapes, and a famous floating dance floor. Show us your moves.
11PM Worlds Collide
The Instagrammable mural and artfully curated menu are just a couple of the things that make Palomar so unique. There’s nothing quite like this New Orleans, meets Cuba, meets Portland situation that’s been buzzworthy since the day it opened last year.
12AM Old Fashioned
You name it, Multnomah Whiskey Library has it. Make yourself comfortable on a Chesterfield while you sip your favorite single malt and count your blessings.
1AM It’s Fine
Feeling guilty about all those purchases? Relax. Portland doesn’t have sales tax, so it’s basically like everything was free.
2AM Vacation Diet
If you love french fries, or you’re drunk, or both, Potato Champion is the move. There’s an eclectic mix of fry-centric dishes, but we like to keep it classy and order the chili cheese fries.
3AM Gnar Gnar
Located under the east end of Portland’s Burnside Bridge, Burnside Skatepark was illegally built by the local community and eventually sanctioned by the city as a legitimate “shred zone.” You’re not sleeping anyway, might as well find yourself a skater boy.
4AM Sugar Rush
If you find yourself at Voodoo Doughnut at 4am, the universe is on your side. This 24/7 purveyor of creative carbohydrates is the perfect way to end a night in PDX. They’re known for their doll-shaped Voodoo Doughnut, but there’s something about the Old Dirty Bastard that gets us every time.
5AM Nightcap
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere. They never specified which 5 o’clock. If you’re staying in Portland, chances are your room has a beautiful bottle of Pinot Noir from the surrounding Willamette Valley. Flush the mini bar price list and reach for that corkscrew.
6AM Patient Zero
In 1999, two major moments happened. Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” was #1 and Stumptown Coffee opened its first flagship café and roastery in Portland. A lot has changed since then.
7AM Savasana
Scared to fly home with that last edible? Don’t. Chow down and let the high enhance your yoga flow for an extra mindful and restorative experience at Love Hive Yoga.
8AM Waffles > Pancakes
If you feel the same way you’re going to love Waffle Window. And whether or not you even know your Chinese Zodiac sign, get with the times and order a “Year Of The Pig.”
9AM Take It Easy
If SoulCycle, Chillhouse, and Aire Ancient Baths had a baby, Knot Springs Social Club would be that baby. An expertly engineered mix of relaxation and socialization, there’s no better place to start the day.
10AM Shelf Life
Quench your literary thirst and take a trip to Powell’s. The Portland landmark is also the world’s largest new and used bookstore, boasting over 1 million titles and a map to help you navigate your way through the endless aisles.
11AM Beer Snob
Portland is home to over 70 breweries. That’s more than any other city in the world! Don’t panic. Let Brewvana take you on a tailor-made “path to imbibement” made for boozehounds like you.