Itinerary · Portland · United States
One day in Portland
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Portland, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 4. Day 1: Powell's City of Books and Pearl District galleries and First Thursday. Base yourself in Downtown.
Key facts
- Days
- 1
- Sights covered
- 4
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- Downtown
- Book ahead
- Portland Japanese Garden
Day by day
Day 1: Powell's City of Books and Pearl District galleries and First Thursday
Powell's City of Books, Pearl District galleries and First Thursday, International Rose Test Garden and Portland Japanese Garden, then Central Eastside in the evening.
Morning
Powell's City of Books
Pick up a free store map at the entrance; it is easy to lose an hour in a single room. Allow 1–2 hours.
Late morning
Pearl District galleries and First Thursday
Combine an evening gallery walk with dinner nearby and a browse at Powell's. Allow 2 hours.
Lunch
Lunch: Food cart meals
Cart pods in Southeast, North Portland and downtown; carts come and go, so check what is open on the day.
Afternoon
International Rose Test Garden
Visit from late May to September for blooms; June is peak. Allow 1 hour.
Late afternoon
Portland Japanese Garden
Go early on a weekday, or in October when the maples turn red. Allow 1.5–2 hours.
Evening
Central Eastside
Warehouse bars, distillery tasting rooms and cocktail lounges near the river.
Before you go
- Portland Japanese Garden: Timed tickets online are recommended on weekends and in autumn foliage season.
If it rains
- Swap in Lan Su Chinese Garden (Downtown): Stop at the teahouse in the two-storey tower for tea and dumplings overlooking the lake.
- Swap in Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) (Central Eastside and Lloyd): Book the submarine tour on arrival; times are limited.
Where to stay for this itinerary
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and shopping
Downtown
Hotels, Pioneer Courthouse Square and the riverfront park
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 6–7 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.7 hours in December to 15.7 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.
Getting between stops: Tram. TriMet's MAX light rail runs five lines, including the Red Line from the airport through downtown to Washington Park and Beaverton; the Portland Streetcar loops through downtown, the Pearl and the Central Eastside.
More or fewer days
Questions travellers ask
+Is one day enough in Portland?
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 4. How many days Portland needs.
+What should I book before visiting Portland?
Portland Japanese Garden.