Things to do with kids in Portland

Things to do with kids in Portland

1. SeeSoutheast

   Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

   A display and test garden was initiated in 1950 that includes more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, and companion plants. Beginning in early spring and continuing into summer, the gardens provide a magnificent display of color, giving visitors the opportunity to view many varieties rarely seen in the Pacific Northwest. During the fall, many companion trees add dramatic coloring. Spring-fed Crystal Springs Lake surrounds much of the garden, attracting many species of birds and waterfowl.

   Summer: 6AM-10PM daily, winter: 6AM-6PM daily·$4 in the summer months (free for children under 12); free for all in the winter

2. SeeNorthwest

   Lan Su Chinese Garden

   formerly the Portland Classical Chinese Garden

   A beautiful urban retreat in the heart of Chinatown with a pond, a teahouse, pavilions, and lots of gardens. If you are on a budget, you can peek in through the ornate open windows and see much of the gardens without paying admission.

   Summer: 10AM-6:30PM daily; winter: 10AM-4:30PM daily·$16 adults, $15 seniors/students, $13 youth (6-18), children 5 and under free

3. DrinkSoutheast

   Laurelhurst Theater

   Cinema serving beer, wine and food. Children are allowed to shows before 5:30PM; after that it's 21+ only.

   $4 general admission, $3 seniors, $2 children

4. DrinkNortheast

   Laurelwood Public House & Brewery

   For the quintessential Portland brewpub experience. Enjoy beer crafted by award-winning Brewmaster Christian Ettinger along with excellent food in a family-friendly setting. The garlic fries are not to be missed, desserts are huge and appealing, and the Laurelwood Spinach Salad is the best salad in Portland. Very child-friendly, so be aware of unsupervised toddlers darting around between the tables. Entrees are creative and of high quality.

   Mon-Thu 11AM-10PM, Fri 11AM–11PM, Sat 10AM–11PM, Sun 10AM–10PM

5. DoSoutheast

   Oaks Park

   Opened in 1905 and one of the oldest historic "trolley parks" in the country. It has a wooden carousel constructed in 1912, along with a couple dozen more contemporary rides including one roller coaster "Adrenaline Peak", and many kid's and family rides. It also has a popular roller skating rink, with a pipe organ played during a couple skating sessions each week. This also serves as the fairgrounds for the Multnomah County Fair since 1997, during the last weekend of May.

6. SeeSouthwest

   Oregon Maritime Center and Museum

   Located on the Portland, a steam sternwheeler tug boat moored in the river, the museum contains numerous ship models, maritime artifacts and memorabilia, while tours are offered of the ship.

   Wed Fri-Sat 11AM-4PM, closed Sun-Tue Thu·$7 adults, $5 seniors, $4 students, $3 youth, children under 6/military free

7. SeeSoutheast

   Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

   OMSI

   OMSI is great for kids, with hundreds of hands-on activities with a particular emphasis on technology and earth sciences; you can spend a full rainy day here and not get bored. Moored in the river just outside is the USS Blueback, an old navy submarine which is open for tours (separate ticket required). There's also a planetarium and an IMAX theater which requires separate admission, but you can view the IMAX projector in operation without paying for the movie ticket.

   Summer: 9:30AM-7PM daily; winter: Tue-Sun 9:30AM-5:30PM·$22.50 adults, $15.50 youth (3-13), $20.50 seniors (parking $5/ 2 hrs., $8/all day; IMAX theater, planetarium, and submarine tickets require separate admission)

8. SeeSouthwest

   Oregon Zoo

   A good-sized zoo with Pacific Northwest animals, a primate house, and an Africa area, as well as a large Asian Elephant exhibit and breeding area, which is noteworthy among zoos.

   Winter 9:30AM-4PM daily; summer 9AM-6PM daily. Grounds remain open one hour after close·$17.95 adults, $15.95 seniors/military, $12.95 children, aged 2 and under free (discount for public transit users)

9. SeeNorthwest

   Pittock Mansion

   A stunning Victorian mansion in the hills of west Portland, dating back nearly a century now and preserved just as it looked then. The mansion also contains beautiful artworks and furniture collected by the original owners.

   Feb-Jun, Sep-Dec 11AM-4PM daily; Jul-Aug 10AM-5PM daily; grounds open 5AM-9PM daily·$8.50 adults; $7.50 seniors above 65; $5.50 youth 6-18; free for children under 6

10. SeeSouthwest

    Portland Aerial Tram

    An aerial tram which connects the South Waterfront neighborhood to the Oregon Health Sciences University campus on a hill to the west. The tram is sleek and offers an excellent view of Downtown and the surrounding area, with splendid views of the mountains on a clear day. The joint-venture project is part of Portland's public transit system.

    Trams depart every 6 minutes Mon-Fri 5:30AM-9:30PM, Sat 9AM-5PM, Sun Jun-Sep 1PM-5PM·Roundtrip $8, children 6 and under free

11. SeeSouthwest

    Portland Art Museum

    Has several outstanding collections and is regularly updated by moving exhibits. It is an expansive museum where one could easily spend an entire afternoon. The Whitsell Auditorium in the basement of the museum is where the Northwest Film Center hosts film screenings.

    Sun noon-5PM, Mon-Tue closed, Wed-Sat 10AM-5PM·$25 adults, $22 seniors/students, children 17 and under free, members free; free on the 4th Friday of every month 5PM-8PM

12. Do

    Portland Timbers FC

    The Portland Timbers are Portland's Major League Soccer team. Their most ardent supporters are known as the Timbers Army who sit at the north end of the stadium singing and chanting through the entire match. Visitors are both encouraged and welcomed to join by buying a general admission ticket and lining up hours before the game to get the best seats (if you so choose). If you'd prefer to watch the game and enjoy the energy of the Army from a distance (perhaps if traveling with young children), seating in assigned areas is also available.

13. SeeNortheast

    The Grotto Gardens

    National Sanctuary of our Sorrowful Mother

    A tranquil and spiritual sanctuary which hosts reflection ponds, secluded gardens, and shrines on the top of a basalt cliff. The best time to visit is during the holiday season when the grotto is illuminated with lights. The Grotto also makes for a very romantic destination for a special night out.

    Grounds open at 9AM; closing time varies from 3:30PM in the winter to 8:30PM in the summer; consult website for precise dates/times. Gift shop open 9AM-5PM daily (to 10PM during holiday season)·Lower level free. Upper level token sold at gift shop: $7 general, $6 senior/military, $4 children 6-12, children under 6 free. Upper level tokens sold up to 1 hr before closing

14. SeeSouthwest

    Tom McCall Waterfront Park

    This wide expanse of green lawns along the downtown Portland waterfront is a scenic slice of park land, with views over the Willamette River and of the skyline. At one point, this narrow stretch of land was a four-lane freeway, but growing environmental awareness led to the city replacing the freeway with this park. Along the waterfront there are a number of fountains, memorials, and gardens, including the Salmon Street Springs, a large fountain at the Salmon Street entrance that's popular with kids during the summer; the Battleship Oregon Memorial, the old mast of the USS Oregon battleship between Oak and Pine Streets; and the Japanese American Memorial Garden at the north end of the park has monuments telling the story of people of Japanese descent in the US, including the WWII internment camps. The park is also home to many festivals throughout the year, including a Cinco de Mayo celebration, the Waterfront Blues Fest, and the carnival-like Rose Festival.

    5AM-midnight·Free

15. SeeSouthwest

    Washington Park

    Washington Park is a classic urban park, sprawling over about 140 acres, with many trails that take you between the stands of trees, around the hills and through the canyons - a park so large it can be easy to get lost without a map. In addition to the many attractions listed below, it also contains memorials for the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Holocaust, and the Lewis and Clark expedition, and has beautiful vistas of Portland and Mount Hood. The MAX red and blue lines can take you to the park; the station is located at the south end of the park, outside the World Forestry Center and the Oregon Zoo entrance.

    5AM-10PM daily·Free (some enclosed attractions have separate ticketing). Parking $2/hr, $8/all day

16. SeeSouthwest

    World Forestry Center Discovery Museum

    Built like a giant log cabin, this museum is devoted to the science and cultural impact of Pacific Northwest forests.

    10AM-4PM daily·$10 adults, $9 seniors (62+), $6 youth (3-17), children 2 and under free

17. Eat Not mapped

    Nicholas Restaurant

    Great value Lebanese food, family owned and operated where everything is made from scratch. Two locations.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Portland (CC BY-SA 4.0).