I remember the first time I heard about Portland – the place with all the food trucks. As a food lover, I went on a trip to Portland 5 years ago and going back again this year, I can definitely say Portland has maintained it’s goal of staying weird. Not only does it have amazing food trucks but this city has its own unique charm, laidback lifestyle and abundance of food around every corner. Now that I have ventured around the city and ate beyond my stomach’s capacity, here is my perfect weekend/48 hours in Portland!
Day 1
Check In – Accomodation
Portland has so many great places to stay whether that is inner city or on the outskirts. With only 48 hours to explore this city, I would highly suggest staying inner city OR staying further away from downtown with a car to help get you get around. I stayed at both the downtown Marriott locations (City Center & Waterfront) and found that both were great locations to walk to all the sights! I personally enjoyed the City Center location much more and found that it was easier to walk to all the sights from this hotel.
Breakfast at Fried Egg I’m in Love / Bing Mi
If you get into the city early, I highly recommend getting breakfast at these 2 amazing food trucks! For more food eats, I have a post all about my top recommended places in Portland!
Mills End Park
Portland is known for its slogan “Keep Portland Weird” and this park definitely lives up to the mantra! When you’re looking for this park, keep your eyes peeled because you might miss it! Originally this was meant to be a light post but instead it became the smallest registered park in the world and they say it’s the park for all the leprechauns in the city.
Historic White Stag Sign
The original and classic sign of Portland is easily viewable as you cross or drive by the Burnside bridge to Portland city center. It’s a great place for photos in the day and at night when it’s all lit up.
Chinatown
Chinatown is always familiar but different everywhere you go, and i love checking out what each chinatown has to offer! As chinatown is right in downtown and so close to Voodoo Donuts, this place is worth a quick walk around. If you’re into souvenirs and local Portland buys, check out the store Hello Portland!
Stumptown Coffee
There is probably a coffee shop on each street and while they are probably all delicious, Stumptown will be the most searched and popular coffee bar around. It originated in Portland but have since expanded across the USA.
Powell’s Books
Did you really go to Portland if you didn’t check out Powells? This bookstore is MASSIVE and has something for everyone. Not only can you get lost wandering the various isles of books, but there are knick knacks on every level and a coffee shop!
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Not everyone will have the opportunity or time to attend a concert at this hall, but it is worth the walk by as it arguably has the most famous Portland sign outside.
Note: Best time for a photo is earlier in the morning after the rush (~9-10am there was very few cars on the road).
Ira Keller Fountain
The Ira Keller Fountain is extremely picturesque with the multi levels and unique design of the water fountain. It is worth a quick stop and if you plan on staying at the Marriott Waterfront or around that location, it is a 5 min walk away!
Day 2
Exploring Portland’s nature
Portland has AMAZING nature that really shouldn’t be missed. With 48 hours in Portland, spend 1 day exploring outside of the city. Grab a car, fill up on gas and get ready to sightsee the masses of green and millions of waterfalls Oregon has to offer!
Pittock Mansion
Pittock Mansion has amazing French Renaissance architecture and on a clear day, offers spectacular views of Portland. However, it was rather gloomy when we went so we weren’t fortunate enough to see the city views as clearly as we would hope. Nonetheless, the Mansion is close by and worth paying a visit.
Multnomah Falls
Something I did not know until this trip is that Oregon has 238 waterfalls! There is no shortage of waterfalls and you will see many on your trip here. Multnomah Falls is the closest to Portland and is a 40 min drive from city center. This waterfall is absolutely stunning and worth the venture out of the city! There are also a couple additional waterfalls you’ll come across while getting to this one and they are also worth a stop.
There you have it! the perfect itinerary for 48 hours in amazing Portland! Have you been to this weird city and what was your favorite place, food, thing to see?
