Whether you’re a lifelong Portlander longing to embrace your inner tourist, or you have a limited amount of time in the Bridge City, here are 15+ tours guaranteed to show you the sights you want to see.
Note: Price estimates are based on individual adult rates available at the time of publishing. Check each company’s website to see current pricing.
Float on
Portland River Cruises | $40+ per person
Hop aboard the Portland Spirit to see the city from the vantage point of the Willamette River. Bring your appetite for a brunch, lunch, or dinner cruise, take in the views on a sightseeing voyage, or chart a course for Multnomah Falls on a high-speed jetboat to look for Bigfoot.
Willamette Jetboat Excursions | $15.95-$69.95 per person | May-September
This tour company gives passengers an up-close and personal experience on the river, with the promise of catching more than a little spray from the deck of a speedy jet boat. Tour routes range from 30-minute spins up and down Portland’s waterfront to three-hour lunch tours to the Columbia River — complimentary splashes included.
BrewBarge | $49+ per person
Drink beer, paddle, and take in the sights on a public or private tour. Both options can accommodate up to 14 passengers at a time, all of whom must be at least 21 years old. It’s BYOB, so bring your favorite brew and come ready to help propel the group along the water.
Portland is consistently ranked as one of the top bike-friendly cities in the country.
Photo via the city of Portland
Bike tours
Cycle Portland | $49-$99 per person
Pedal your way along Portland’s car-free waterfront paths, cross the city’s iconic bridges, and explore unique neighborhoods — all by bike. Choose from three guided options: Essential Portland is perfect for first-time visitors, sip your way through a shortlist of craft brewers on the Brews Cruise, or experience the city’s culinary delights on the Foodie Field Trip.
Around Portland Tours | $38-$95 per person
Choose your bike adventure with tours showcasing the city’s food carts, doughnuts and coffee shops, street art, and cannabis culture. Or drive, bike, and hike on a sojourn into the Columbia River Gorge with lessons on local mythology.
Portland By Cycle | Free
Clever name aside, these guided tours offered by the City of Portland provide fun opportunities to explore local neighborhoods while offering tips on savvy and safe cycling, basic bike maintenance, and how to travel by bike year-round. All rides are loops with printable online maps and virtual previews.
Eat and drink
Forktown Food Tours | $115 per person
Taste your way through Portland’s unique culinary landscapes, which vary dramatically from neighborhood to neighborhood. Stick to classic flavors you know you’ll enjoy in downtown Portland, or branch out with eclectic and global cuisines along Northeast Mississippi Avenue and Southeast Division Street.
Portland By Mouth | $75-$99 per person
One of the best ways to get to know a city is through its food scene. Sample the drinks and bites that make neighborhoods like Kerns, Buckman, and Hawthorne so beloved by foodies, while taking time to admire murals, architecture, and history along the way.
Portland Brewery Trail Bike Tour | $79 per person
We opted not to file this one under bike tours simply because the easy-going biking that’s involved is just a means to a thirst-quenching end. The focus of this journey is on several of the microbreweries and brewpubs that have given Portland its “Beervana” nickname.
We all but guarantee you’ll find a mural you’ve never seen each time you explore Southeast Portland.
Photo by @maniac7362
Art is all around
Portland Street Art Loop Hike | Free
Lace up your walking shoes for this 3.5-mile self-guided tour considered “easy” and family-friendly. The loop route will take you through inner Southeast Portland’s high density of street art, passing 50+ works, some of which change from year to year. Pro tip: Try this tour on a Sunday when traffic is at its lightest.
Get ghosted
Portland Ghosts | $16-$35 per person
Steel yourself and quiet your nerves for a journey through the darker side of Portland’s past. You’ll visit “haunted” hotspots, hear stories of ghost sightings dating back decades, and get familiar with paranormal enthusiasts’ top tool: an EMF meter.
A Night with Ghosts | $40 per person
Plunge into Portland’s paranormal past as you investigate several local ghost stories collected from residents, business owners, medical journals, books, and news reports. Over the course of three stops, guests will seek out the ghost of a boy, a poltergeist playmate, and the “Lady Over the Bar.”
The Waterfall Trolley travels between downtown Troutdale and Multnomah Falls.
Photo by David Beagle via @waterfalltrolley
Gorge yourself
Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Half Day Tour | $79 per person
Embark from downtown Portland on a four-hour trip traveling along the Historic Columbia River Highway and the Sandy River. Stops include Crown Point Vista House and some of Oregon’s most iconic waterfalls, including Multnomah Falls.
Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls & Mt. Hood Full Day Tour | $139 per person
Spend eight hours exploring the unparalleled natural beauty that stretches east of Portland, from the Windsurfing Capital of the World and Oregon’s Fruit Loop to Timberline Lodge and the planet’s second-most-climbed mountain.
Waterfall Trolley | $15-$29 per person
Eliminate the headache of finding parking at some of the most popular waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge by taking this open-air tour bus. You’ll get a narrated tour along the way and can hop on or off at any of the route’s 10 stops for some sightseeing or a hike.
Columbia River Gorge Waterfall & Wildflower Walking Tours | $100-$130 per person
Spend a half or full day drinking in the sights and sounds of one of the featured waterfall tours, such as Punchbowl, Elowah, or Bridal Veil falls. Depending on the time of year, opt for a trip to Catherine Creek or Rowena Crest Overlook for an unforgettable journey among rolling hills carpeted in native blooms.
