Portland in 7 days

Craft beer, food carts and forest trails inside the city limits. Best time to visit: June-September. Average daily budget: $120 to $300 USD.

Day 1, Land & wander

Base: Pearl District, Converted warehouses, galleries and Powell's City of Books, the block-sized bookstore.

Morning: Powell's City of Books. Lose an hour in the largest independent bookstore on Earth, colour-coded by room.

Afternoon: Explore Pearl District, Converted warehouses, galleries and Powell's City of Books, the block-sized bookstore.

Evening: Food cart pod crawl. Graze through a pod of 20-plus carts covering everything from Thai to Viking soul food.

Eat: A whole meal assembled from three different food carts for under $15

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Alberta Arts District, Northeast strip of murals, cafés and galleries with a monthly street fair.

Morning: Forest Park or Washington Park. Hike ferny forest trails, then add the Japanese Garden or the International Rose Test Garden.

Afternoon: Explore Alberta Arts District, Northeast strip of murals, cafés and galleries with a monthly street fair.

Evening: Columbia River Gorge day trip. Drive the Historic Highway past Multnomah Falls and a string of roadside waterfalls.

Eat: Voodoo Doughnut's bacon maple bar, if only to say you did

Day 3, Food & markets

Base: Division Street, Southeast food row packed with restaurants, bars and the best food cart pods.

Morning: The Witches Castle trailhead in Forest Park at dusk, mossy ruins and all. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Division Street, Southeast food row packed with restaurants, bars and the best food cart pods.

Evening: Kennedy School, a brewery and soaking pool inside a converted elementary school. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Farm-to-table Pacific Northwest dinner on Division Street

Day 4, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Hawthorne, Vintage shops, record stores and a laid-back bohemian main street.

Morning: Saturday Market under the Burnside Bridge, running since 1974. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Hawthorne, Vintage shops, record stores and a laid-back bohemian main street.

Evening: The Stark's Vacuum Museum, exactly as strange as it sounds. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: A flight at one of 70-plus breweries, starting with an IPA

Day 5, Day trip

Base: Northwest 23rd, Boutique shopping street under the West Hills, good for a rainy afternoon.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Northwest 23rd, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Northwest 23rd, Boutique shopping street under the West Hills, good for a rainy afternoon.

Evening: Dinner at A whole meal assembled from three different food carts for under $15, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Northwest 23rd.

Eat: A whole meal assembled from three different food carts for under $15

Day 6, Hidden gems

Base: Pearl District, Converted warehouses, galleries and Powell's City of Books, the block-sized bookstore.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Pearl District, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Pearl District, Converted warehouses, galleries and Powell's City of Books, the block-sized bookstore.

Evening: Dinner at Voodoo Doughnut's bacon maple bar, if only to say you did, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Pearl District.

Eat: Voodoo Doughnut's bacon maple bar, if only to say you did

Day 7, Slow finish

Base: Alberta Arts District, Northeast strip of murals, cafés and galleries with a monthly street fair.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Alberta Arts District, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Alberta Arts District, Northeast strip of murals, cafés and galleries with a monthly street fair.

Evening: Dinner at Farm-to-table Pacific Northwest dinner on Division Street, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Alberta Arts District.

Eat: Farm-to-table Pacific Northwest dinner on Division Street

Hidden gems

The Witches Castle trailhead in Forest Park at dusk, mossy ruins and all
Kennedy School, a brewery and soaking pool inside a converted elementary school
Saturday Market under the Burnside Bridge, running since 1974
The Stark's Vacuum Museum, exactly as strange as it sounds

Getting around

The MAX light rail links the airport to downtown in 40 minutes for $2.80. The central city is flat and bike-friendly, with Biketown share bikes everywhere. Streetcars and buses fill the gaps. You only need a car for the Gorge, Mount Hood or the coast; rent one for the day rather than the whole trip.

Safety

Portland is generally safe, but parts of downtown and Old Town have visible homelessness and property crime, so lock cars and don't leave anything visible inside. Stick to lit, busier streets at night. The real hazards are outdoors: wet trails, cold river water and changeable Gorge weather. Carry a rain layer whatever the forecast says.

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