Day Long Itinerary for Family Fun in Foster Powell

Welcome to Foster Powell — aka FoPo — a burgeoning and creative area in Southeast Portland that follows Foster Road from where it begins at the intersection of Powell and 51st out to SE 72nd Ave. This neighborhood is chock full of fun for the family, from tasty kid-approved eats, to play spaces, to happy hour pizza. The best part? Take public transit, or park your car along Foster Road and you are set to explore the ‘hood, all on foot! Read on for top spots in the area. Pro tip: The following places are open daily unless otherwise noted.

Stop No. 1: Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels

Start your day smack in the center of the neighborhood at Henry Higgins Boiled Bagels, a classic family favorite for a fast and filling breakfast. Pro tip: It can get pretty busy on the weekends, so either go mid-week or early if you don’t want to wait too long. Alternatively, head to Pieper’s Café next door for a pastry and coffee.

Stop No. 2: Hammer and Jacks

If you have a younger one, Hammer and Jacks (closed Tuesdays) is heaven on earth. This neighborhood toy store is owned by a local mom who knows what kids need, and that’s a safe place to run wild! Her shop has a cute and colorful 750-square-foot playroom in the back that hosts birthday parties, baby play groups with the Literacy Lady, Red Yarn concerts, and for $5, general access to explore on regular rotation. Older kids will have fun exploring the curated store chock full of unique items. So, sit back with your coffee from Henry Higgins and sip in relative peace.

Stop No. 3: Red Castle Games

Keep heading south to 72nd and Powell to Red Castle Games, a local game store that features both classic and new card and board games, as well as hundreds of puzzles. In addition to a small café, should you need to top up on the caffeine, there are two table-top play spaces where you’ll often find a rousing Dungeons and Dragon campaign, or one of the regularly scheduled Magic the Gathering battles. Don’t know how to play? Newbies are always welcome! Pro tip: Borrow a new game to try at home for three days for only $5, from their impressive library of over 200 options. 

Stop No. 4: Pizza!

Head directly next door and grab the hard-to-beat happy hour special from Pizzeria Otto. From 11 am-5 pm every day, you can score a chewy, hand tossed wood fired margarita pizza for only $9. If you need something more classic than this Neapolitan pizza, head up the road to Atlas Pizza where you can find cheesy pizza by the slice, garlic knots (arguably the city’s best!), and pinball machines. 

Stop No. 5: St. Francis Ice Cream

The perfect ending to the perfect FoPo calls for dessert. Head back up Foster Road, and hopefully in the direction of your parked car, for ice cream. We recommend St. Francis Ice Cream, a relative newcomer to Foster Road, courtesy of Thunderbird Bar owners. With about ten dairy and five vegan options on rotation, kids will enjoy sweet flavor combinations like caramel Oreo. Adults will find it hard to resist options like white chocolate orange. 

Bonus dessert options include: Woman-owned Yoonique Tea offers a range of sweet drinks from iced matcha to fresh mango frappaccinos to brown sugar Boba tea. An Xuyen Bakery (closed Mondays) has incredibly affordable Pan Asian treats including macarons and tarts.  

Bonus Stop No. 1: FoPo Street Art

As you explore Foster Powell, you’ll likely notice colorful murals spanning the walls of businesses. Have an impromptu street art scavenger hunt as you explore the neighborhood and head from place to place. From SE 63rd to 69th Avenues, you’ll find various styles of impressive and vibrant creative expression. If your kids are like ours, they will appreciate the gorgeous murals and color-soaked walls. 

Bonus Stop No. 2: Creston Park

While technically outside of the FoPo boundaries, Creston Park, is a Southeast Portlander fave. If you have the time, and energy, head to the park to run off that sugar rush. This park has it all. A small walking loop, an off-leash dog park, and massive Giant Sequoias all surround a revamped playground with a sliding hill, climbing hexagon, some balancing and twirling elements, and of course, swings.