The largest city in the state of Oregon, Portland is a hip, unique, and “weird” city, well known for many things. The arts and culture scene, impressive outdoors, coffee, craft beer, food trucks culture, and progressive views are only some of them.
If you want to get a good feel for the city, you need a couple of days to discover what it offers, but you can also see and do a lot in Portland in a shorter amount of time.
So if you only have one day in the city, here’s how to spend a day in Portland, Oregon:
Fuel your morning with coffee and doughnuts
Start the day with the right amount of energy: Coffee and doughnuts. And because doughnuts are one of the things Portlanders are proud of, you will find many unique spots to have a good doughnut in Portland. But the most famous one is VooDoo Doughnuts, with 2 Portland locations.
They have crazy-shaped donuts – like the iconic VooDoo Doughnuts, but they also offer regular doughnuts. Portland Cream and Raspberry Romeo were my favorites.
Location: 22SW 3rd Av and 1501 NE Davis St
Open: 24 hours
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Walk along the river and see the smallest park in the world.
After breakfast, you can walk along the river and see the smallest park in the world. Mill Ends Park is a 24 inches diameter circle in the middle of a busy intersection with only one small tree.
Location: 56 SW Taylor St, Portland
Read more: HOW TO SPEND A FEW DAYS IN BEAUTIFUL PORTO
Visit the Oregon Historical Society
If you find yourself in Portland for only one day, you want to visit a museum, and you love history, then the Oregon Historical Society is the place you should go to! Permanent and temporary exhibitions on three floors will tell you the story of the places, people, and events that shaped the history of Oregon and America.
Two other bonus points: the museum has a research library with free public access, and the gift shop has a good selection of souvenirs!
Location: 1200 SW Park Ave, Portland
Open: Thursday – Saturday: 10AM – 5PM; Sunday: 12 – 5PM
Go to a Farmers Market
After discovering more about Oregon history, you can grab a healthy bite at one of the city’s Farmers Market. We visited Portland on a Thursday, so we went to Portland Farmers Market, located in South Park Blocks, right across from the Oregon Historical Society.
If you visit Portland on a Saturday, head to Portland Saturday Market, the largest arts and crafts fair in the United States.
Find out more here: portlandfarmersmarket.org.
Eat lunch from a food truck
At noon, head downtown and visit Pioneer Courthouse Square, also known as “Portland’s living room.” Here you can have lunch from one of the many food trucks. I loved the Free Range against the Machine Sandwich from Fried Egg I’m in Love!
Location: 701 SW 6th Ave, Portland
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Do some shopping in one of the many made-in-Portland shops
Read more: FUN AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PORTLAND OREGON
You can actively rest after lunch by doing some souvenirs/gifts shopping in one of the many of Portland’s small shops. You will find a large array of locally crafted products, so buying gifts for you or your loved ones back home won’t be difficult to do in Portland. I loved that!
Smell the roses at Rose International Test Garden
Rose International Test Garden is the oldest public rose garden in the United States, founded in 1917, and features more than 10.000 roses! The Garden is located in Washington Park, one of the most beautiful parks in Portland. If you have time, you can also visit the Japanese Garden (within the same location).
Extra tip: If you travel with kids, after visiting the Garden, walk the hill on the left, and you will find a beautiful playground tucked in the urban forest!
Location: 400 SW Kingston Ave, Portland
Open: 5AM – 10PM
Visit the largest independent bookstore – Powell Books
Powell’s City of Books is the world’s largest new and used bookstore! If you are a book lover, take plenty of time to discover all the 10 rooms filled with books! I spent almost 2 hours here, but I still felt it wasn’t enough!
Location: 1005 W Burnside St, Portland
Open: 10 AM – 9 PM
Have dinner and a craft beer
Lastly, enjoy dinner in one of the many restaurants and breweries you will find throughout the city after a long day. Pearl District is one of the best areas to find an excellent place to eat. And don’t be afraid to try cray craft beer flavors – Vanilla Popsicle and Bubblegum were my favorites!
Have you been to Portland? What were your favorites things to do in one day? You can leave a comment below
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