Traveling to Portland?
Pack Light. Travel Happy.™ Rent baby gear in Portland.Wonderful and welcoming Portland, Oregon provides a variety of family-friendly activities unique to the Pacific Northwest. Northwest Oregon’s abundant rainfall often pushes events indoors, but that doesn’t stop the millions of annual visitors. There are a plethora of family activities in Portland to sink your traveling spirit into whether they take you indoors or out!
This isn’t your typical city guide of the most common things to do with kids. If you’re looking for the most popular family activities in Portland, you’ll want to head elsewhere!
We’re uncovering the best and most unique places visitors need to go. Get in on the local action to find out what they love to see and do.
1. Harper’s Playground
A first of its kind, Harper’s Playground is just the beginning of a planned series of inclusive playgrounds in and around Portland. State-of-the-art playground equipment at the park allows kids of all abilities to slide, spin, and swing.
The park is frequented by able-bodied children and children with special needs alike. The kiddos like to mingle in the sand area and play together in the water feature. The park’s inspiration is a little girl named Harper, who naturally, loves playgrounds. Born with a rare disease that affects her ability to walk, Harper’s parents felt moved to provide an all-inclusive play space vital to childhood learning and playing.
2. John’s Incredible Pizza Co.
This is one of those family activities in Portland that serves up food along with hours of fun! Hit up John’s Pizza in Beaverton (on the west side of Portland)! It’s likely your kids will never want to leave. Although food, water, shelter, and oxygen are human necessities for all ages, we all know that childhood necessities include pizza, redemption games, rides, glow golf, bumper cars, and laser tag! John’s has it all!
Diners can pick a spot in the themed dining room depending on the mood. Sit in the “Fusion” area for a sensory explosion, or the outer-spaced themed “FUNology” area. For a quieter experience, dine in the Cabin Fever room which is great for sensory kids. The sports junkie will head straight for the “Hall of Fame” area filled with large-screen TVs.
Kids of all ages will spend hours (and all your quarters) playing the 100-plus redemption games. They’ll also have fun riding the Twister, zooming on the bumper cars, and strategically navigating the Lazer Maze. Refuel at the end of the day with a delicious cheeseburger pizza.
3. International Rose Test Garden
A blast of color and fragrance is just the ticket for your visit to Rose City. Take a guided tour through Portland’s International Rose Test Garden at Washington Park. This rose-filled spectacular showcases more than 10,000 roses. Overlooking downtown, the garden offers breathtaking views of Mount Hood.
The best time to visit and see the roses in all their blooming glory is May through September. However, the garden is open year-round and admission is free!
The trained volunteers are all rose experts and enthusiasts. They’ll happily help you navigate the 4.5-acre park and explain the differences among the 650 different varieties of roses.
Take the free Rose Garden shuttle, and keep your phone charged for the ultimate photo op! What’s cuter than little ones stopping to smell the roses?!
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4. A Children’s Place
Good luck tearing your children away from this iconic bookstore. Kids are sure to get lost in their own imaginations with the thousands of books available. You’ll want to grab a coffee on your way and make yourself comfortable once you get there. It’s likely you’ll be there a while as the kiddos browse for their new favorite story.
The cozy, welcoming, privately-owned bookstore is a Portland treasure discovered by new fans every day and frequented by longtime locals who now bring their own children to develop a love of reading.
Special events are common and give readers opportunities to meet the authors behind some of their favorite books. This family activity in Portland is a must-do!
5. Kennedy School Theater
McMenamins is known for preserving old buildings and creating inviting hot spots for dining and concerts. Kennedy School Theater was once an elementary school that has been converted into an iconic landmark and in our opinion, one of the best family activities in Portland. It has been outfitted with restaurants, breweries, outdoor spaces for weddings and events, and a hotel. Yes, the old classrooms are now hotel rooms!
Its theater, which resides in the school’s former auditorium is as welcoming as the rest of the establishment. Tickets for adults are only $4 for a flick, while kids watch for $2. Bring your colicky newborn to the Crybaby matinees, designed for moms who still like to leave the house (or hotel) in spite of inconsolable babies.
All abilities can enjoy a film at Kennedy School which provides closed caption for those that are hearing impaired, with amplifying headphones optional. In addition, those who are vision-impaired can reserve a device that will describe the scenery and action in the movie.
6. Oaks Park Roller Rink
Anchored by an enormous, vintage Wurlitzer pipe organ, Oaks Park Roller Rink is one of the few remaining roller skating rinks in the state. Don’t worry about your lack of skating skills. Sign up for lessons, or wing it on your own! There is plenty of roller skating elbow room to keep you from taking out other skaters if you fall. The young will enjoy the vintage feel of an old-school activity while the more senior skaters will be taken back to their childhood days before rollerblades and wheelies ruled the land.
7. Keller Fountain Park — Downtown
Originally named Auditorium Forecourt, this 0.92-acre park beckons families with its eye-catching and dazzling water fountain. 13,000 gallons of water per minute cascade through its terraces and platforms, suggesting the Northwest’s abundant waterfalls. The concrete fountain became an instant city landmark and an internationally acclaimed open space. It is a perfect family activity in Portland for a visit during the hot summer months.
Keller Fountain Park evokes the gorgeous waterfalls and cliffs of the nearby Columbia River Gorge. As you visit this fountain, your kiddos will have the chance to wade in the waterfall’s shallow basins or splash into the bottom pools. This majestic fountain is an ideal and refreshing urban escape for youngsters ages 3 and above.
8. World Forestry Center — Southwest Hills
This nonprofit educational institution near the Oregon Zoo is a Portland favorite with its interactive exhibits. Searching for more educational attractions for kids during your visit? Spend some time exploring the World Forestry Center with your kids.
Through presentations and hands-on exhibits, this museum teaches kids about the science, preservation and importance of trees in human lives. It houses fantastic attractions, such as the virtual jeep and train rides. You’ll want to be sure to visit “Peggy”, located on the World Forestry Center’s campus. “Peggy” is a beautiful 42-ton Lima Shay-geared locomotive that has hauled an estimated one billion feet of logs in her lifetime.
The colorful and thoughtful exhibits include information about tree planting, wildlife, the benefits of wood, outdoor recreation, and forest careers. You’ll want to allow one to two hours for your visit and as one of our favorite family activities in Portland, it’s suitable for all ages.
9. Portland Saturday Market — Downtown
Every Saturday from March through Christmas Eve the Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood transforms into an amazing family activity in Portland filled with thriving arts and crafts in an open-air marketplace setting.
Most of the neighborhood has come to think of Portland Saturday Market (PSM) as a business like any other. But it certainly was not always that way, and some surprising elements still lie at the core of this unusual non-profit operation.
Nationally recognized as the largest continuously operating open-air arts and crafts market in the country, PSM is proud to provide a marketplace for local small businesses creating handmade arts, crafts and foods from the Pacific Northwest. With rows of wooden toys, fresh food and handcrafted clothes, this market will give you the retail therapy you badly need.
The market also has live music and street performers that will entertain your little shoppers. Not to mention, the market offers free kiddie activities on the first Sunday of the month, including science fairs and puppet shows.
10. Washington Park — Southwest Hills
Washington Park is one of Oregon’s top tourist destinations and one of the best family activities in Portland. At 410 acres, it is home to the Hoyt Arboretum, Portland Japanese Garden, World Forestry Center, Oregon Zoo, the International Rose Test Garden, an archery range, playgrounds, tennis courts, and 15+ miles of trails.
With over 130 acres of gardens and lawns, this park will give moms and dads a refreshing urban break. Picnic tables are located throughout the park and can be reserved for large parties through Portland Parks & Recreation.
There are several free memorials you can visit throughout the Park, including the Oregon Holocaust Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Memorial, and the Sacajawea Memorial. It includes other kiddie attractions such as a large playground and fountains. Washington Park has countless sights and attractions for teens, adults and children of all ages. An easy place to deem a perfect family activity in Portland!
11. Laurelhurst Park
Portland has tons of green space to relax in and enjoy. Laurelhurst Park was designed by the same team that designed Central Park in New York. It has a laid-back atmosphere and is popular with locals and visitors alike. There’s a duck pond, bike paths, and an off-leash dog area if you happen to be traveling with your furry friends.
12. Indulge at the Food Trucks
One of the most important elements of the Portland food scene is its food trucks. The food trucks are a huge part of the local culture, and you can find pretty much every cuisine and every price point too. There are over 500 food trucks in the city, and they’re usually gathered in small pods so you can sample a few different ones without having to go far. This works especially well with families because you can find something for everyone…even picky little eaters!
13. Voodoo Donuts: Portland
A brief wait in a fast-moving line ends in a reward of a sweet treat at Voodoo Donuts! Visit the 24/7 Portland staple for one (or one dozen) of its signature donuts. The hipster bakeshop doesn’t serve standard, run-of-the-mill donuts. Serious thought is put into each creation, yet the price is right.
Each delicious donut costs just a buck or two so you can get a dozen for less than 20 bucks! Take real money, that’s right…the paper stuff! They only accept cash. Portland locals send visitors straight to Voodoo for a donut experience unlike any other. Remember your stop forever with a Voodoo Donuts souvenir t-shirt or stickers for the kids.
Unforgettable memories are sure to be made with these family activities in Portland. If your upcoming travel plans are taking you to the pacific northwest, let us know what you love most about these off-the-beaten-path activities!
If you need a stroller or baby carrier to get around these places with ease, check out the Portland area QPs!
Traveling to Portland?
Pack Light. Travel Happy.™ Rent baby gear in Portland.
Angela is a hardworking wife and mother. She is a radio personality and a BabyQuip Quality Provider. She lives with her husband, Scott who also works in radio. Their five children are Lincoln, Sunny, Anthem, Braddock and Loxley. She lives in Lebanon, Oregon.
I have to visit this city sometime. I hear so many good things about it and have never been.