things to do in pdx

Christmas Light Displays

December 1, 2022 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

Yay! the holidays, the time of year where it is even more acceptable to snuggle up in a comfy pair of pajamas for the whole day. If you are feeling a bit sick of your house and you want to get out to see some beautiful twinkling lights, this year we have some great ideas for you! (You can decide if you want to take those comfy pajamas off or not). In no particular order, here are some great christmas light displays around Portland!

Zoo Lights

Now – Jan 5th

Oregon Zoo
4001 SW Canyon rd

5pm – 9pm advance tickets required.

$19-$24 for the walking experience
$65 for drive-thru
*members receive a 20% discount

Buy Tickets

Winter Wonderland

Now – Dec. 31st

Portland International Raceway
1940 N victory Blvd

Mon – Thurs 5-10pm
Fri – Sun 4:30-11pm
advance tickets required. *wait times can be 50 min during peak days/times*

$43+ per car depending on the day

Buy Tickets

Christmas Ships

Dec. 4th – Dec. 22nd

around downtown and north portland along the rivers

Varying days and times depending on the river, check the Willamette schedule and the Columbia schedule for specific times

$FREE

Festival of Lights

Now – Dec 30th

The Grotto
8840 NE Skidmore

5pm – 9:30pm

$14 advance tickets
$18 for at the gate tickets

Buy Tickets

Peacock Lane

Dec 15th – Dec 31st

Peacock Lane
Between Belmont and Stark St.

6pm – 11pm

Walk or Drive is available every night

$Free

Holidays at The Belle

Weekends, starting December 3rd

The Victorian Belle Mansion
1441 N McClellan st

4 pm – 10 pm

$5 – $20 depending on the event

Buy Tickets

Christmas at the Campground

Nov 25th – Dec 31st

Corner of SE Duke and SE 52nd ave.

Dusk Til Dawn
*grounds are closed but lights can be seen from the public streets*

$Free

The Holiday Express

Now – Dec 18th

Rail Heritage Center
2250 SE Water Ave

Rides are every 90 minutes, tickets must be purchased in advance as they sell out.

$28 adult
$23 child *2 and under are free*
$92 family
Buy Tickets

Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments!

Christmas Tree Farms

November 22, 2022 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

Ah the holidays, the time of year when we can all eat too much food, drink too many drinks, and decorate our houses with little twinkling lights. Regardless of how you celebrate, one of the high points of the holidays is having the smell of fresh pine take over your home. Luckily, we have tons of great tree farms right here in the Portland Metro area! Here are a list of some of our favorites!

Furrow Farms

Opens Black Friday
Trees $11 a foot
Hours: Monday – Friday 10-5
- Saturday – Sunday 9-5

25877 NW West Union Rd.
Hillsboro, OR. 97124

503-647-5288
online: furrowfarm.com

Thornton’s Treeland

Opens Black Friday
Tree pricing as marked
COUPON
Hours: Monday – Friday 10-5
- Saturday – Sunday 9-5

7617 NE 119th St
Vancouver, WA 9866

360-573-8733
online: http://www.thorntonstreeland.com

Helvetia Christmas Tree Farm

Opens Black Friday, weekends only
U-Cut Trees $70 (first weekend only)
Pre-cut $60 (through December 4th)
9 a.m. â€“ 4 p.m.
12814 NW Bishop Rd
Hillsboro, OR 97124
503-334-0905
Online:Â https://www.helvetia-christmas-tree-farm.com

Christmas Mountain Choose and Cut

Opens on Black Friday – December 11th
Trees $10-$18 a foot
Reservation required – Tickets
Hours: Monday – Friday 10-4:30
- Saturday – Sunday 9-4:30

25470 NW Dixie Mountain Rd.
Scappoose, OR 97056

503-621-3169

online: www.christmasmountaintrees.com

Lee Farms

Open Now – Dec 23rd
Trees $10-$24 a foot
Hours: Tuesday – Friday noon-4
- Saturday – Sunday 9-4

21975 SW 65th Ave
Tualatin OR 97062

(503) 638-1869

online: www.leefarmsoregon.com/christmas-trees

Sauvie Island Farms

Open Black Friday Weekend ONLY
Trees $50
Hours: 9am-5pm

19818 NW Sauvie Island Rd
Portland, OR 97231

503-621-3988

online: http://www.sauvieislandfarms.com/

Loch Lolly Christmas Forest

Opens Black Friday – December 12th
Tree pricing varies
Hours: 9-5 daily

28366 NW Dorland Rd
North Plains, Oregon 97133

503-647-2619

online: http://www.lochlollychristmasforest.com

Washougal River Christmas Trees

Open Black Friday – Dec. 23rd
Trees $49.95
Hours: 9-5 Daily

39336 NE Washougal River rd
Washougal, WA 98671

360-837-3591
online: http://washougalriverchristmastrees.com

Quail Creek Ranch

Open Weekends
Trees $20+
Hours: Friday – Sunday 9-5

9949 NW Kaiser Road
Portland, OR 97231

503-629-5464
online: http://www.qcrxtrees.com/

Enjoy the smell of fresh cut pine in your home this year! We certainly will, and happy holidays to you and your family!

September Events

August 31, 2022 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

Can you believe we have made it to the final stretch of summer? Us Either! We do hope that September stays warm, especially for these great events! There are quite a few fun and free things to choose from this month. Here are our top picks!

First Thursday

Stroll through the art galleries in the pearl for an evening of art, music, and wine! Parking is difficult so public transit is recommended

The Pearl District

Free

September 1st
5pm – 10pm though gallery hours vary.

Art in the Pearl

Fine Arts and Craft Festival celebrates 26 years of bringing art to the community. The distinctly artist-run event has long been a favorite in Portland, and itâ€™s the perfect Labor Day destination to gather and celebrate the end of summer.
Northwest Park Blocks

Free

MORE INFO

September 3rd-5th, 10am – 6pm

Rose City Comic Con

While its primary focus is on comics, comic creators and the creative process, Rose City Comic Con also provides its attendees access to gaming, sci-fi, cosplay, anime, fantasy and everything in between. Its goal is to provide you with a rewarding, fun, family-friendly event experience.
Oregon Convention Center

starting at $45 – TICKETS

MORE INFO

September 9th: 1pm – 8pm
September 10th: 10am – 7pm
September 11th: 10am – 5pm

Chapman Swift Watch

Join the community for one of Portland’s favorite events. Every year as many as 16,000 birds swarm the old smoke stack at chapman elementary as the migrate from Canada to South America.

Chapman Elementary School

Free

MORE INFO

Evenings in September

Dahlia Festival

Stroll through almost 40 acres and a beautiful display garden of stunning dahlias featuring over 370 varieties.Â You can take home a bouquet, order flowers for spring plantings, or just enjoy the food carts and live music.
Swan Island Dahlias

MORE INFO

Open everyday except Wednesday
9am-5:30pm

Dragon Boat Festival

Enjoy Portland’s annual Dragon Boat Festival, featuring dragon boat racing along with food vendors, a beer garden and more.Â The event features as many as 96 dragon boat teams from all over the world who race in Taiwan-style dragon boats.Â
Tom McCall Waterfront Park – (riverplace Marina)
*Free*
MORE INFO
September 10th – 11th

Grand Prix of Portland

Every fall since 2018, Portland International Raceway has hosted the celebrated open-wheel racing. Held from 1984â€“2007 under various names, the race is back atÂ Portland International RacewayÂ as the only Verizon IndyCar Series race in the Pacific Northwest
Portland International Raceway
Starting at $70 – TICKETS
MORE INFO
September 2nd-4th

We hope to see you at some of these awesome events!

Looking for something else to do? Check out our best of lists!

August Events

August 1, 2022 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

Can you believe we are already nearing the end of summer? Us Either! We do hope though that this lovely warm weather continues through September. We have some fantastic events for you this month and we hope to see you out there enjoying the city!

Pickathon

The three-day festival on 80 acres just outside PortlandÂ attracts a range of indie, rock and rap artists as well as the bluegrass troupes that gave the event its name. You can camp with a weekend pass, or just do a day pass!
Pendarvis Farm – Happy Valley

Weekend passes from $390 and day passes from $170

TICKETS

MORE INFO

August 4th – 7th

Vanport Jazz Festival

The Vanport Jazz Festival honors the city of Vanport and the voices that formed Portland’s jazz community.
Colwood Golf Center

starting at $60 – TICKETS

MORE INFO

August 5th: 6pm – 9pm
August 6th: 12pm – 9pm

First Thursday in The Pearl

Stroll through the art galleries in the pearl for an evening of art, music, and wine! Parking is difficult so public transit is recommended

The Pearl District

Free Event

August 4th
5pm – 10pm though gallery hours vary.

Bridge Pedal

Join your friends and neighbors for the one opportunity each year to bike or walk on Portlandâ€™s car-free streets and bridges. Bridge Pedal is one of the largest community bike rides in the world!!

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Starting at $35 – TICKETS

MORE INFO

August 14th

Hip Hop Week

Portland Hip Hop WeekÂ isÂ a celebration of Hip Hop culture in the city of Portland. Enjoy great performances from Portland artists and performers whoÂ have contributed to Portland’s Hip Hop scene.
Multiple Locations

Pricing varies per event – TICKETS

MORE INFO

August 20th – 26th
times vary

Adult Soap Box Derby

Put down your video game controllers and step away from your Mario Kart. The best way to race isnâ€™t on a screen, itâ€™s down an extinct cinder cone volcano in Southeast Portland. This event is so much fun, its a Portland MUST!
Mt. Tabor Park
*Free*
MORE INFO
August 20th

Hood to Coast

Hood to CoastÂ is the worldâ€™s largest running relay race, stretching 200 miles from the top of Mount Hood to the Pacific Ocean in Seaside.
Timberline – Seaside
Tickets sell out months in advance, but you can watch along the way!
August 26th

We hope to see you at some of these awesome events!

Looking for something else to do? Check out our best of lists!

July Events

June 27, 2022 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

Happy Summer! Festival season continues and we are so excited about some of the things coming up! Beer, movies, music, e can’t wait to see you at some of these great events.

Blues Festival

This music festival is one of the longest running and helps to showcase both local talent and national celebrities. With beautiful views of the willamette and a firework show, this festival is not to be missed!
Waterfront Park

$35+ TICKETS

MORE INFO

July 1st – July 4th 9am – 6pm daily

Craft Beer Festival

This brewfest is unique in that all the participants are brewed and created within the city limits of Portland!
The Fields Park

$30 TICKETS

MORE INFO
July 1st – July 3rd 12pm -10pm

First Thursday in The Pearl

Stroll through the art galleries in the pearl for an evening of art, music, and wine! Parking is difficult so public transit is recommended
The Pearl District
Free Event
July 7th 5pm – 10pm though gallery hours vary.

The Big Float

This year is the very last big float (at least hosted by the current organizers) so if you want to get in a floaty and ride across the willamette now is your chance!
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
$10-$15 TICKETS
MORE INFO
July 10th 11am-6:30pm

Cathedral Park Jazz Fest

This annual summer favorite is a prime showcase of Portlandâ€™s homegrown talent, natural beauty and neighborly charm.
Cathedral Park

*Free*

MORE INFO

July 15th – July 17th times vary

Cinema Unbound

A Portland tradition of watching a film under the stars but make it a little extra, with thematic and experiential surprises galore.
OMSI
$20-$75
GET TICKETS HERE
July 7th- July 31st

Fuji to Hood Beer Fest

Fuji to Hood is a beer and food festival between 40 like-minded breweries, cideries, and distilleries in the shadow of Oregon’s Mt. Hood and Japan’s Mt. Fuji.
The Bindery Annex
$30-$40 TICKETS
MORE INFO
July 16th

Oregon Brewers Festival

While we may have many beer festivals, none truly compare to this one. with over 80 different breweries, there are so many beers to choose from and its a must attend event.
Waterfront Park

$10 for a mug $2 per token

MORE INFO HERE

July 28th -30th

World Naked Bike Ride

This is one of the truly loved Portland traditions. Thousands of people bike around portland naked to protest our dependency on oil.
Secret Location TBD

*Free*

MORE INFO HERE

July 30th

Montavilla Street Fair

Stroll down Stark Street and enjoy district businesses, a farmerâ€™s market and family-friendly entertainment and activities.Â
SE Stark st in Montavilla

*Free*

MORE INFO HERE

July 31st 10am-5pm

We hope to see you at some of these awesome events!

Looking for something else to do? Check out our best of lists!

Steeplejack Brewery

November 29, 2021 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

Portland has a ton of breweries, some amazing, some mediocre, so when a new one opens up, everyone gets very excited! The most striking thing about Steeplejack is it’s location. The brewery is on the corner of 24th and NE Broadway in a 110 year old church. The owners kept the stunning architecture that you find in churches, from soaring wooden beams to bright stained glass. The space is really warm and inviting and makes you want to hang out for hours.

Steeplejack is aiming to please and has something on their menu that anyone can enjoy. I wanted to try as many things as possible, so I opted to do the taster sized pours. I tried the Witbier, Travers, Amelia (A smoked beer), and Fletcher. The smoked beer wasn’t for me, but others at the table loved it! The other beers were smooth, true to their style and really delivered on flavor.

They also have a full menu, and kids menu, that you can order from. We only popped in for a quick drink, but after looking it over, we will definitely be going back! You can find things like burgers and sweet potato fries, or tacos and avocado toast. They also have a killer looking brunch menu if that is more your speed.

I know we will be going back again and again to see what these awesome brewers are putting together!

Hammer & Stitch Brewing

January 31, 2021 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

This week we ventured to Slab Town to check out one of Portland newest breweries. Hammer and Stitch opened October 10th with 5 standard beers. The brewery has since added 4 more creations to their collection. The goal of this brewery is to keep it simple, and just make good quality beer. The name Hammer and Stitch is an homage to makers of all sorts, but specifically the late mother and father of some of the partners behind the company. Their mother was an apparel designer and seamstress and their father was an architect and builder. This pairing is what makes up the logo for the brewery.

The team behind the beer is one of the things that makes this brewery so special. Ben Dobler, who has been making beer in Portland for the past 27 years, brought his skills and expertise to Hammer and Stitch. He isn’t alone in the brew house however. Head Brewer Cam Murphy has been working with beer for several years. These two have worked at many breweries on their way to Hammer and Stitch, those include at places like Widmer, Mt. Tabor Brewing, Laurelwood Brewing and Von Ebert.

The beers here are all easy drinking and don’t weight you down like so many other beers can. We couldn’t try everything on tap, but we certainly tried. The IPA is hop-forward with piney aromas balanced by citrus notes. The Lager is crisp, clean, and just slightly hoppy in the finish. The Amber has a little bit of everything in it, caramel and chocolate malt flavors with woody floral aromas. The Porter is warm and toasty with chocolate malts but is still incredibly smooth and light in the finish. The Cozy is a Russian Imperial Stout that has bold coffee and chocolate aromas which hit your senses immediately, but it finishes with hoppy, woody, and floral notes. If you’re looking for a fruity finish the Berry Cozy is the same Russian Imperial Stout but they added raspberry puree to it.

Are you feeling thirst for a beer yet? you can get more information about the brewery and their beers Here. If you didn’t quite find what you were looking for you can check out some of our other Hot spot Here