This is a comprehensive itinerary for a 4-day weekend in Portland, Oregon! This itinerary is budget friendly, it hits all the must-see spots with a limited amount of time, and is adjustable.

This Guide Includes:
📍Timed itinerary for 4 full days in Portland, Oregon
📍Restaurant Suggestions for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
📍Lodging Suggestions
📍Transportation Information
📍Weather Information
📍Interactive GPS Map

A Weekend in Portland, OR: 4-Day Itinerary

Take the first day to explore Portland! Grab yourself a Voodoo Doughnut, stroll down Waterfront Park, and get a picture in front of the Portland Old Town sign!

This itinerary is designed for the use of a rental car.

Portland, OR, USA

Day 4: Portland Parks & Bookstore Shopping

PDX airport offers a variety of rental cars from a variety of rental companies. I personally used Enterprise. I created an account and booked everything directly from their website. I specified the type of car wanted, add-ons, as well as pick-up of and drop-off location (PDX airport). To pick up your car, follow signs to Rental Car Center from baggage claim. To drop-off your car, follow signs on the lower roadway for Rental Car Return.

After breakfast, head out to the Tillamook Creamery. The drive from downtown Portland is about an hour and a half. The scenery is gorgeous but be aware of some twisty roads! The Tillamook Creamery is free to tour, and there are even free cheese samples! After checking out the gift shop, you can grab a bite to eat there or even grab a cone of Tillamook Ice Cream!

After checking out Cannon Beach and getting those beach photos, walk over to Pelican Brewing for dinner before hitting the road back to Portland. This was by far my favorite meal of the entire trip. The burgers here were to die for!

When you're finished at Tillamook, drive along the coast to Cannon Beach and check out Haystack Rock. Haystack rock is one of Oregon's most recognizable landmarks and features in The Goonies. It is quite the sight! The drive to Cannon Beach from the Tillamook Creamery is about an hour.

Just down the street from Powell's Bookstore is a cute little souvenir shop called Hello From Portland.

After exploring Old Town, head into Downtown Portland and check out their Art Museum. Admission is $25 and they have multiple exhibitions for you to explore!

While in Old Town, go check out the Lan Su Chinese Garden. It is a beautiful slice of heaven in the city area. Admission is $14, and they have free guided tours at select times. Be aware that this area is heavily populated with homelessness - so, be watchful if walking there.

After spending the morning and afternoon at these beautiful parks, head into the city to check out Powell's City of Books. This bookstore is the largest used and new bookstore in the world! It takes up an entire block and houses about one million books. There are nine color-coded rooms to explore - you could literally spend all day here!

Start your day off by exploring the Portland Japanese Garden. Admission is $22, and you're free to wander around and take your time. It is so beautiful and peaceful. 

After exploring the Japanese Garden, wander down to Washington Park and check out the Rose Garden! It's free to wander, and when in season, absolutely beautiful.

Today, head out to Columbia River Gorge. Drive the Historic Columbia River Highway, and hike to the top of Multnomah Falls. Follow I84 and take Exit 28 driving along the Historic Highway until you arrive at the falls. You can park off of Exit 31, or at Exit 28 and take the Sasquatch Shuttle to the falls. Parking is available, but limited. A timed permit is required during peak season (summer months). The Multnomah Falls hike is 2.4 miles, uphill, and takes about 1hr 30min to complete.

Multnomah Falls Timed Use Permit

If you love hikes, and you have time, you can also check out the Oneonta Trailhead (for Middle Oneonta & Triple Falls) or the Horsetail Falls Trailhead (for Horsetail & Ponytail Falls). These trailheads are also located along the Historic Columbia River Highway. This hike is 6.4 miles and takes an average of 3hr 30min to complete.

After your hike and drive along the Historic Columbia River Highway, follow I84 to Hood River for lunch. We stopped by Riverside - an Italian restaurant right along the riverfront. Not only was the view stunning, the food was delightful. 

Laurel House Airbnb

While in Portland, our group decided to stay at an Airbnb. We stayed at the Laurel House, and it was absolutely wonderful. It can house up to six guests, and is a lovely little house. This Airbnb is located in Northeast Portland, and the drive to downtown is about 20 minutes.

Below are a few budget friendly options in the heart of Portland.

FlyPDX - Rental Cars

Portland does have public transportation you can utilize as well. They have Buses, the Max Light Rail, and the WES Commuter Rail. However, if you plan to do day trips out of the city (like how this itinerary is planned), I highly recommend a rental car.

A Weekend in Portland, OR: 4-Day Itinerary

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