Solo travel · Portland · United States
Solo travel in Portland
How to enjoy Portland at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Portland is a relaxed city for solo travel: bookshops, coffee, breweries and cart pods with communal tables make it easy to fill a day alone, and transit and bikes cover the core. Many solo travellers base themselves in Hawthorne and Belmont.
Key facts
- Base
- Hawthorne and Belmont
- Getting around
- Tram
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Language
- English
Solo travel tips
- Communal seating at food-cart pods and brewpubs makes it easy to start conversations.
- BIKETOWN e-bikes are a good way to explore the east-side neighbourhoods on your own.
- Join a free walking tour or a food-cart tour on your first day to get oriented.
- Some downtown and Old Town blocks have visible homelessness and drug use; stick to busier streets at night.
- For the Gorge without a car, look for seasonal shuttle services or guided tours.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for budget, food lovers and solo travellers
Hawthorne and Belmont
Hawthorne Boulevard and Belmont Street run east from the river through inner Southeast Portland, lined with vintage and second-hand shops, the Bagdad Theater, bars and food-cart pods. Mount Tabor, a park on an extinct volcanic cinder cone, is at the eastern end.
- Good
- Local feel and good-value food; Lots of independent shops; Frequent buses downtown
- Watch out
- Mostly rentals rather than hotels; A bus or bike ride from the main sights
- Nearby
- Mount Tabor Park, Laurelhurst Park, Division Street
Great on your own
Garden · Washington Park
International Rose Test Garden
Visit from late May to September for blooms; June is peak.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Couples
- Views
- Nature
Garden · Washington Park
Portland Japanese Garden
Go early on a weekday, or in October when the maples turn red.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Nature
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Architecture
Garden · Downtown
Lan Su Chinese Garden
Stop at the teahouse in the two-storey tower for tea and dumplings overlooking the lake.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- Couples
- Nature
- Rainy day
Historic site · Northwest and Nob Hill
Pittock Mansion
The grounds and viewpoint are free; you can hike up from Lower Macleay Park on Forest Park's trails.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Architecture
Market · Downtown
Portland Saturday Market
Despite the name it runs on Sundays too; check the season dates before planning around it.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Art
Waterfront · Downtown
Tom McCall Waterfront Park and Eastbank Esplanade
Walk or cycle the loop at sunset, crossing on the Tilikum Crossing for the best view of the city.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Views
- Active
Meeting people
- Food-cart pod crawl — Pick a large pod and try several carts in one meal, then move to another pod across the river; many have beer taps and covered seating.
- Brewery hopping — The Central Eastside, Southeast and North Portland have clusters of breweries within walking or biking distance; many offer tasting flights.
- Central Eastside — Warehouse bars, distillery tasting rooms and cocktail lounges near the river.
- Mississippi and Williams — Brewpubs, live-music venues and late-night food.
Sensible precautions
Car break-ins are common, including at trailheads in the Gorge, so leave nothing visible in parked cars. Parts of downtown and Old Town have visible homelessness and drug use; stay on busier streets at night.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Staying connected
- US SIM cards and eSIMs are easy to buy; free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, libraries and at the airport.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Portland good for solo travellers?
Portland is a relaxed city for solo travel: bookshops, coffee, breweries and cart pods with communal tables make it easy to fill a day alone, and transit and bikes cover the core.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Portland?
Hawthorne and Belmont: Vintage shops, food carts and old theatres in inner Southeast.