What do you say when people ask what you like most about living in Portland? The access to the beach? To Mount Hood? To biking trails? To world-class playgrounds and parks? To great sports teams? To low-cost public pools? Splash fountains? Nature walks? First-rate museums? Well, yes. Yes, and yes. There is so much to do in Portland with your family–so much in fact that you could find something to do every day of the year. Here are 365 things to do in Portland with your family.
Be Iconic
Explore the Great Outdoors
Walk It Out
Go By Bike
Get Soaked
Embrace the Snow
Get Your Wiggles Out (While Staying Warm and Dry)
Cheer for the Home Team
Play a Game
Be Creative
Hit Up a Museum
Live and Learn
Catch a Show
Sing Along
Be Moved by Trains, Planes, and Automobiles (and Trams)
Get Festive at a Festival
Discover a New Neighborhood
Go Shopping
Eat Your Way Through Town
Frolic at a Farm
Commune with the Animals
Welcome Fall
Celebrate the Holidays
Stay Up Late
Get Outta Town
Give Back
Be Iconic
- Run up the stairs at Pioneer Courthouse Square
- See how many mountains you can find at Portland’s highest point, Council Crest
- Visit Mill Ends Park, the smallest park in the world
- Be enchanted by the unforgettable Enchanted Forest
- Take a carousel ride at Oaks Amusement Park
- Wander around Saturday Market
- Get whiplash at Mount Tabor’s soapbox derby
- Run through the Salmon Street Fountain
- Visit the Wooden Shoe Tulip Fest for the best picture of the year
- Visit the Portland, Oregon Old Town sign for a photo op
Explore the Great Outdoors
- Let your creativity soar at a nature playground
- Test your boots for leaks in the biggest puddle you can find
- Race leaves down Crystal Springs at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
- Make your kids gasp at the huge barn-like Memorial Playground in Wilsonville
- Pretend you’re spiders at the rope-filled Dickinson Playground
- Dig for “fossils” at Ibach Park in Tualatin
- Pretend you’re a pirate at Frances Street Playground in Hillsboro
- Feel welcome at Harper’s Playground, the only inclusive playground in Portland
- Learn about groundwater with a pirate theme at the Aquifer Adventure on the Columbia Slough in September
- Explore the Confluence Project – a series of art sights up and down the columbia gorge that reflect the travels and journals of lewis and clark
- Look for rainbows
- Head to Westmoreland Park for the summer milk carton race
- Give a hoot at Tryon Creek’s annual Owl Fest–and dissect an owl pellet while you’re at it
- Try to catch a cherry blossom at the waterfront
- Score a goal at a demo Soccer Shots class
- Hit some balls with the kids at the driving range at the Children’s Course
- Take a horse riding lesson
- Fly through the air on a zipline at Tree to Tree Adventure Park
- Fill your basket at a local Easter egg hunt
Walk It Out
- Dress up in green and run the Shamrock fun run
- Follow in Ramona’s footsteps with a walk around Klickitat Street
- Go for a jog with the family
- Do the waterfront bridges loop–about 3 miles altogether
- See if you can spot some wildlife in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge
- Take a honeybee nature hike at the Leach Botanical Garden
- Join a historic walking tour through SW Portland
- Visit Kelley Point Park, where the Columbia and Willamette Rivers meet
- Explore a new path at Forest Park
- Smell the roses at the International Rose Test Garden and pick out your favorite variety
- Find the fairy house at Leach Botanical Gardens
- Take a guided Ladybug Nature Walk
- Find the highest point at Mt Tabor
- Search for tiny treasures while geocaching
- Hike the nature trails at Cooper Mountain Nature Park
- Feel tranquil at the botanical garden at The Grotto
- Find a rare bird at Reed Lake
- Feed a wood duck at the Crystal Spring Rhododendron Garden
- Stretch your legs and take in the views during a two-mile hike along Wahclella Falls in the Gorge
Go By Bike
- Rent one of those orange bikes and see where you end up
- Ride the streets without the car at Sunday Parkways
- Show off your bike skills at the Lumberyard
- Bike the Fanno Creek trail
- Or check out another of these kid-friendly bike routes
- Ride or watch the flood of bikes during the annual Bridge Pedal
- Take a free bike repair class
- Sail through the worst day of the year–on bike
Get Soaked
- Grab your life jacket and inner tube and take part in the Big Float
- Dangle your toes in the Willamette from Sellwood Riverfront Park
- Go swimming at Blue Lake
- Dive in at one of PP&R’s indoor or outdoor pools
- Find cool lava rocks at George Rogers Park before jumping in the water
- Discover a new local swimming hole
- Drink in the play area at the Water Resources Education Center in Vancouver
- Dip your toes in the fountain at Jamison Square
- Make your water baby’s year with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge’s waterpark
- Zoom down the slide at the Southwest Community Center
- Take your kids in for a soak at the Kennedy School soaking pool
- Rent a paddleboat or canoe and paddle to Ross Island
- Try out stand up paddling
- Head up the gorge and take a kayak lesson
- Look for birds from a kayak at the Ridgefield Birdfest
- Drive to Lost Lake for a summer dip
- Save some driving time and head to a beach at Sauvie Island (skip the nude one!)
Embrace the Snow
- Go sledding at White River West Sno-Park
- Hop onto a snow tube at Mount Hood Ski Bowl
- Wax those skis for a trip to Cooper Spur Mountain Resort
- Walk on (frozen) water while snowshoeing at Mirror Lake
- Watch your bottom while ice skating at the Lloyd Center
Get Your Wiggles Out (While Staying Warm and Dry)
- Jump and leap at an open gym
- Watch your kids bounce themselves silly at JJ Jump
- Try your archery skills at a Trackers open session
- Get ready to roll at the Oaks Park’s roller skating rink
- Stretch out with a kids’ yoga class
- Climb the walls–literally–at a rock climbing gym
- Get into laser tag at Superplay in Beaverton
- Sign up for a summer of free bowling with Kids Bowl Free
- Jump into a ball pit at Westside Dance & Gymnastics
Play inside at Jenni and Tommy’s Unplugged in Tigard- Play minigolf at Wilsonville’s Family Fun Center
- Head to the batting cages in SE Portland and hit a few out of the park
- Perfect your cartwheel at the Playground Gym
- Get your sweat on with Barre3’s annual free class in The Fields Park in the Pearl District
- Get in a workout with your little one
- Dance together at Dance with Joy studios
- Go indoor skydiving at iFly in Tigard
- Take a drop-in class in trapeze, acrobatics and aerial dance at Echo Theatre
Cheer for the Home Team
- Be part of Timbers nation
- Head to the Little League Softball World Series at Alpenrose Dairy
- Watch a track meet at the University of Oregon
- See the Portland Pickles baseball team at Lents Field–or the Hillsboro Hops just outside of Portland
- Attend the Winterhawks’ Annual Mascot Night on February 4th – you’ll see real hockey game plus the mascots play and are available for pictures before and during the game
- Can’t make it on the 4th? Go to another Winterhawks game
- Hold up a sign for your favorite runner at the Portland Marathon
- Wave a giant foam finger at a Blazers game
- Cheer like mad during a dragon boat race
- Stomp your feet for International champions the Rose City Rollers at a derby match
Play a Game
- Construct something impressive out of Lego at Bricks and Minifigs
- Get inspired by the Lego creations at the Bricks Cascade Lego show
- Rack up the points playing arcade games at Avalon Theatre & Wunderland
- Play oversized chess at Director Park
- Master a board game at Cloud Cap Games
- Deal out a hand of Mermaid Beach, the card game invented by local girl Emily Ehlers
- Make it, break it, take it at the mini-Maker Faire at OMSI in September.
- Take a coding, 3D printing, tinkering/building, or art class at Art of Stem.
- Play pinball at Ground Kontrol
Be Creative
- Make your own robot at The Craft Factory
- Try one of these crafts by some of our favorite local artists
- Try out a sewing class
- Draw a picture of what you did today
- Design your own plate at Mimosa Studios
- Make a seasonal craft at Sparks Art Center’s messy art
- Get hands on with a Home Depot Woodworking Kids Projects
- Splatter the walls at Portland Child Art Studio
- Or check out any of these other fabulous open art studios
- Learn letterpress at the Independent Publishing Resource Center
- Make watercolor art using rain
- Build a fairy garden at Artemisia
- Celebrate the Chinese New Year with a craft at your local library
Hit Up a Museum
- Save money by visiting a museum during one of its free days
- Suck up some knowledge at the vacuum museum
- Make waves at the new Designing Our World exhibit at OMSI (link)
- Celebrate Children’s Day at the Portland Japanese Garden, with Taiko drumming, origami, and a koi parad
- Check in on the elephants at the Oregon Zoo
- Play hard at the Children’s Museum
- Ride on a fire truck at the fire safety museum
- Celebrate the Chinese New Year during the Lan Su Chinese Garden’s two-week long festivities, complete with martial arts demos, lion dancing, and crafts
- Go back in time with a visit to Fort Vancouver
- Explore the end of the Oregon Trail at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
- Ride the rapids at the World Forestry Center
- Walk the halls of Pittock Mansion–it’s especially lovely in December with the holiday decorations
- See stars at OMSI’s planetarium
- Break open geodes after a trip to the Rice Museum of the NW
- Do a craft during one of Washington County Museum’s family days
- Celebrate the Japanese New Year with hands-on activities, traditional foods and more at the Mochitsuki festival at the Japanese Gardens
- Spend a cultural Saturday on a family tour of the Portland Art Museum
- Impress your budding pilot with a trip to the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum
- Pull the strings at Portland’s only puppet museum
- Find out a bit more about Oregon’s history at the Oregon History Museum–free for Multnomah County residents
Live and Learn
- Go to a storytime at Powell’s or your favorite local bookstore
- Take a book, leave a book at a Little Free Library
- Read Ramona the Pest by Portland’s own Beverly Cleary
- Ask your librarian for a book suggestion
- Pick up some new comic books and graphic novels at books with pictures
- Get immersed in books at Wordstock
- Take part in the library’s summer reading program and snag a t-shirt for your efforts
- Explore kid area at main Vancouver branch library
- Check out a baby sign language class
- Catch a Spanish Story and Play time through Portland Early Learning Project (PELP)
- Write a letter to the editor together to your local paper
- Start a 529 account for your kids with the Oregon College Savings Plan
Catch a Show
- Watch a movie in the park as part of PP&R’s Summer Free for All
- Better yet, watch it in the pool with one of their Dive In Movies
- Relax at a Mommy Matinee at the Kennedy School
- Be impressed by the talented young actors at Oregon Children’s Theatre
- Then be impressed all over again at Northwest Children’s Theater
- Laugh along to a puppet show by Penny’s puppets
- Catch a kid-friendly flick at the Portland International Film Festival
- Dress up and see Oregon Ballet’s The Nutcracker
- Head to the historic Hollywood Theater for a family feature, classic film or fun film festival
- Attend a sing-a-long movie at Cinema 21
- Take in a multilingual show at Milagro Theater
- Brush up your Shakespeare with a performance of Shakespeare in the Park
- Think on your feet with Improv 4 Kids at ComedySportz
- Catch a thunderous performance by Portland Taiko
Sing Along
- Support the Portland Youth Philharmonic at an affordable price by catching one of their cushion concerts
- Groove along to the music of Mo Phillips
- Let Olive Rootbeer and Dingo make a balloon hat for your kids after their singing and storytime hour
- See a free music show at the library
- Bop down to Summer Arts on Main Street for a free outdoor concert
- Grab a blanket and head to Cathedral Park for their annual Jazz Festival
- Check out a concert during Portland Parks and Rec’s Summer Free for All
- Get your tickets to Pickathon for a weekend of family-friendly music
- Rock and roll at home with these songs by former staple of the Portland kindie scene Van Oodles
- Book a suite at Voicebox and get some family karaoke in (minors allowed til 9 pm m-th & 7 pm fr-su!)
- Strum along with Ben at Santa Fe Taqueria (kids eat free on Wednesdays!)
- Dance to the beat at a demo Music Together class
- See a kid-friendly Portland Opera to Go performance
- Go to a free symphony concert in the park…
- …And then support the musicians by buying tickets to one of the Oregon Symphony’s hour long kids concerts
- Sing your ABCs (and enjoy it!) with The Alphabeticians
- See some music and eat organic, local food at Warehouse Cafe in Brooklyn
- Groove along to the annual Blues Festival on the Waterfront
- Rock out with your favorite local musicians for a good cause at Rox in Socks
Be Moved by Trains, Planes and Automobiles. And Trams
- Take the blue line to Tualatin Hills Nature Park
- Take the Red Line to the airport even though you’re not travelling anywhere
- Ride the Orange Line to Milwaukie
- Enjoy the view from the tram
- Visit the (always free) Oregon Rail Heritage Center for an up-close look at some big steam engines
- Cruise through Washington Park on the zoo train
- Wave to Santa aboard the Holiday Express
- Check out Pearson Field Education Center’s flight simulator lab in Vancouver
- Explore Portland by the 4T Trail – Trail, Tram, Trolley and Train
- Drive a dozer, excavator and other big trucks at Dozer Days
- Ride a speeder train along Oaks Bottom
- Get a super-cheap breakfast from Ikea and watch the planes land
- Get an even better view of planes taking off and landing from Marine Drive, just past Broughton Beach (bring money for parking)
- Climb aboard a construction vehicle at Dozer Days
- Be amazed by the lifelike scenes set up at the Columbia Gorge Model Railroad show
- Sail down the Willamette on the Portland Spirit
- Salute a sailor during Fleet Week
Get Festive at a Festival
- Revel in the sights and sounds of India at the annual India festival
- Mangia! at the Italian festival
- Eat a bratwurst at an Oktoberfest
- Peruse the stalls at the Mississippi Street Fair
- Visit the kids’ tent at the Alberta Street Fair
- Watch the floats at the annual Rose Festival parade
- Sample cotton candy at the Oregon State Fair
- Let your spirits–and your kites–soar at the Lincoln City Kite festival
- Crane your neck at Tigard’s Festival of Balloons
- Be immersed in music during the free Washington Park Summer Festival
- Try a pierogi at the Polish Festival
- Celebrate the end of slavery with a Juneteenth celebration
- Enjoy a taste of Scotland, bagpipes and all, with the Portland Highland Games
- Joust and juggle at the Oregon Renaissance Faire
- Indulge in baklava at the Greek Festival
- Mangez des crepes at the Bastille Day Festival in Portland’s park blocks
- Stuff your face without the guilt at the Oregon Berry Festival
- Watch the floats at the Macy’s holiday parade
- Wave and cheer for the Washington County St Patrick’s Day Parade, and then chow down on corned beef and cabbage.
- Celebrate Earth Day in the PSU Park Blocks
- Head to the waterfront for Portland’s Cinco de Mayo festival
- Ride the rides during the Rose Festival
Discover a New Neighborhood
- Hit the trifecta–candy (Hattie’s Sweet Shop), books (Annie Bloom’s), and toys (Thinker Toys)–in Multnomah Village
- Find some antique treasures in Sellwood, then take in the view of the Willamette from Sellwood Riverfront Park
- People watch on Hawthorne Street
- Attend one of the Alberta Street Last Thursdays
- Marvel at how much has changed on Division
- Imagine the warehouses of decades past on the cobblestoned streets of the Pearl
Go Shopping
- Stock up on gifts at a local craft fair
- Be amazed by the talent at Crafty Wonderland
- Visit your favorite local toy store
- Buy a piece of the old Sellwood Bridge at the kid-friendly Blue Kangaroo coffee shop
- Stock up on cheap recycled art supplies at SCRAP
- Make sure the kids don’t lick the salt blocks at The Meadow on Mississippi
- Sell — or buy — some gently used clothes and toys at a consignment sale
- Wander the aisles at Uwajimaya or FuBonn (don’t forget the bubble tea)
- Go on a scavenger hunt at the Portland Farmers Market
- Browse and shop from local artisans at Art in the Pearl
- Window shop on trendy third
- Get a parent-child manicure or pedicure at Zenana Spa
- Fill a bag with candy at Rocket Fizz candy shop
- Go to a farmers market outside your neighborhood
- Explore lots of fun weekly themed summer events at Club Bridgeport
- Shop on a budget, then check out the kids Adventure Club at Columbia Gorge Outlets
Eat Your Way Through Town
- Pack your basket for a picnic
- See what all the fuss is about at Voodoo Donuts
- Better try Blue Star too, just to compare
- And Pip’s while you’re at it
- Grab a slice of pizza
- Sip a coffee while your kids play at Pied Piper Cafe
- Make a pitstop at Cacao for some sinful drinking chocolate
- Bake a pie with fresh ingredients
- Check out a kid-friendly brew fest. They exist! Look for one with a kids’ tent
- Go hog wild at the annual Chocolate Festival
- Stand in line (it’s worth it) for brunch at Tin Shed
- Cook with your kids at a local cooking class
- Eat all the watermelon and crawfish you can at the Tualatin Crawfish Festival
- Speed up dinner by ordering at the counter
- Choose a chocolate (in under five minutes) at Moonstruck Chocolate
- Play with the dinosaurs–and eat a burrito while you’re there–at Laughing Planet
- Go hog wild at Slappy Cakes
- Fill your bowls from the cereal bar at Papaccino’s coffee in Woodstock
- Enjoy the kids’ happy hour at Yakuza Lounge (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 5-6)
- Take a tour of Bob’s Red Mill
- Take a tour of the Creo chocolate factory
- Bring your little dumpling for some dim sum on 82nd Avenue
- Treat yourself to California Toast and a mocha while the kids play at Roseway Cafe
- Grab a slice and take in a kid-friendly show at Mississippi Pizza
- Embrace the food court at Pine Street Market
- Come for the yummy German food, stay for the playspace at Zoiglhaus
- Grab a scoop at Cloud City
- And at Salt & Straw
- And a swirl of soft serve at Eb & Bean
- Actually may as well check out all these ice cream parlors and find your favorite.
- Buy a bite-sized cupcake at Toadstool Cupcakes
- Dine on a budget at one of these kids-eat-free restaurants
- Grab some kid-friendly food for the kids, and a beer for you at the Oregon Public House–the world’s first non-profit pub
- Eat lunch while the kids craft at Hopworks Brewery’s monthly Tot Tuesday
- Enjoy the view while grabbing a bite to eat at the top of Big Pink
- Grab a slice of pie at Pacific Pie Co.
- Why not fill up on tacos at Por Que No?
- Get a grilled cheese from the Grilled Cheese Grill food cart on Alder
- Have a meal without worry at an allergy-friendly, kid-friendly restaurant
Frolic at a Farm
- See who can pick (and eat) the most blueberries
- Taste summer with the strawberries at Sauvie Island Farm
- Find your favorite barnyard animal at Sauvie Island
- Visit the bees at Zenger Farm
- Learn about the food cycle at the annual Pollination Celebration at the Sauvie Island Center in June
- Wander through the Alpenrose Dairy, checking out their model railroad and old timey storefronts. And don’t forget the ice cream!
- Head to Kruger Farm this summer for a concert and evening picnic
Commune with the Animals
- Look for frogs at the Tadpole Pond in Oaks Bottom
- Check in on the kittens at the Oregon Humane Society
- See the swifts at Chapman Elementary (Don’t forget your cardboard!)
- Visit the birds at the Audubon Society
- Spot a horse at Tryon Creek
- Look for turtles at Laurelhurst Park’s pond
- Feed the goats at Draper Girls Country Farm in Hood River
- Want to stay closer to home? There’s another one at the Portland Homestead Supply Company in Sellwood
- Or of course, go goat crazy visiting the Belmont goats at their new location
- Find your closest neighborhood chicken
- Read to a dog at Green Bean Books.
- Catch Rojo the Llama around town and get a llama kiss (at Green Bean once a month)
- Giddy up at the Paul Rodeo
Welcome Fall
- Lose your way in a corn maze
- Get just a little scared at a haunted house
- Watch people in giant pumpkins float by at Tualatin’s pumpkin regatta
- Find the perfect pumpkin at a pumpkin patch
- Scale a hay pyramid
- Pick enough apples for applesauce
- Get spooked by the fantastic Halloween displays at the Davis Graveyard in Milwaukie
- Rock the Monster March in Sellwood
- Partake in the three Bs—Beer, BBQ, and Berries—at the Fall Festival at French Prairie Gardens in October
Celebrate the Holidays
- Get your picture taken with Santa
- See the lights at Peacock Lane
- Watch the Christmas ships
- Check out the light installations at the Portland Winter Light Festival on the Eastbank Esplanade
- Pick up a Christmas tree at one of your neighborhood lots
- Oooh at the annual tree lighting in Pioneer Square
- Don’t miss Zoo Lights–it’s your chance to see the zoo illuminated by over a million lights
Stay Up Late
- Go stargazing at an OMSI Star Party
- Roast marshmallows on a camping trip
- See the sunset at Mock Crest Park on the Skidmore Bluffs–and do some people watching too
- Cross the Tilikum Bridge, all lit up, at night
- Take a break – have a date night!
- Gallery hop during First Thursdays in the Pearl
- Take in the uniquely Portland sights during Last Thursday on Alberta
- Watch the 4th of July Fireworks from Oaks Park
- Visit the Jade District night market for food, dancing, music, and culture
Get Outta Town
- Scavenge for huckleberries along the Crosstown Trail at Mt Hood
- Pose beneath the waterfall at Multnomah Falls
- Take the train to Seattle to visit the aquarium
- Head to Tillamook to see how cheese is made
- Check out wine country with your kids
- Eat your way through Hood River’s fruit loop
- Go whale watching along the Oregon Coast
- Follow your nose to the Willamette Valley Lavender Festival in Newberg.
- Take a road trip to Salem for the Oregon Ag Fest, to get up close and personal with where local foods, flora and fauna come from
- Introduce yourself to your state representatives in Salem
- Walk the tunnel of sharks at the Oregon Aquarium in Newport
- Get up close to some fish at Bonneville Hatchery and Dam
- Watch spawning salmon at the Tillamook Forest Center
- Feel lucky to live here after driving through gorges and cliffs on 84 toward Hood River
Give Back
- Sign up for the PDX Parent Cares weekend of family service
- Sort through your closets, bedrooms and toy piles and find things to donate to the Goodwill or another worthy organization
- Take part in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
- Serve a meal to the homeless with Potluck in the Park
- Package food with the Oregon Food Bank
- Plant a tree with Friends of Trees
- Package clothes for children in need with Northwest Children’s Outreach
- Make a card for the elderly and give it to Meals on Wheels People for delivery
- Sort and inspect donations with With Love, a non-profit supporting foster children and their foster families
- Remove invasive English ivy with Solve
- Help get a garden ready for planting nutritious fruits and veggies with Growing Gardens
- Grab a garbage bag and some gloves and pick up some trash around your neighborhood
- Give thanks. What a wonderful city we live in!
Ali Wilkinson is one of the founders of PDX Kids Calendar, and a lawyer, writer and podcaster. She loves exploring the Pacific Northwest, especially when the explorations lead outdoors, to music or to ice cream.
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