We recently asked for some recommendations for things to do in Denver with a pup, as part of our new occasional series asking for your top tips on pooch-friendly places.
Next up on the list is Portland, Oregon!
Whether it’s a cosy café that welcomes furry friends, a scenic trail suitable for all experience levels, or a local event where pups are part of the fun, we want to hear about your favourites.
Share your recommendations for places, activities, or tips for navigating Portland with your pet by your side.
We can’t wait to see what you suggest - and stay tuned for more opportunities to share recommendations for other locations!
I’ve done a few sits in Portland. First was with a small pup in the Hollywood neighborhood during covid. So not a lot open. But there were many, many coffee shops and cafes in the neighborhood for sitting with the pup outdoors. And I did a later sit with a pup - lots of dog parks, although the pup I was sitting wasn’t too keen on other dogs… Rhododendron Garden and Rose Garden are great - you can take dogs on leads to both, but you can’t take the dog on public transportation unless in a carrier so you’d need a car or use Lyft/Uber pet unless you are in the neighborhood.
And, not for dogs, but the Zymoglyphic Museum is a must see, but only the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month. The Zymoglyphic Museum
There’s better public transit in the region than in most U.S. cities. (Nothing as great as in many other countries, though.)
The Max — light rail — has an airport station, so you can get to downtown Portland and other areas. Just be careful, because there can be sketchy riders, especially because there’s a free ride zone downtown. No need to be paranoid. Just stay contextually aware, because like in various U.S. cities, some people have drug and/or mental illness problems. MAX Light Rail Service
Portland has the best food truck culture in the U.S. You can search online for lots of reviews, recommendations and social media references. Food trucks allow many people to offer different cuisines and treats with lower overhead, so there’s greater experimentation and entrepreneurship. Plus, if you’re sitting outdoors, you can bring pets.
This is an adorably cute mother and son team whose food truck and restaurant reviews I enjoy for the Portland area:
Portland also is within reasonable driving distance to beaches, forests, skiing, wineries and much more. And it’s about three hours driving wise from the Seattle area, depending on traffic.
Generally Portland is very dog-friendly, and the best time to take advantage is June through mid-October, being the most dry part of the year.
Many, many places have outdoor seating and allow dogs, if you like to go to brewpubs, coffeehouses, restaurants. Check out Elephant’s on NW 22nd, and Lucky Lab (several locations), but a quick search online will give you a long list.
Portland is hilly with many parks and trails. There are lots of free dog parks where the dogs can socialize (and you can too!). A couple of our favorite trails are Lower Macleay Park Trail and the Wildwood Trail in Forest Park, which is huge.
Check out:
Washington Park (and Hoyt Arboretum)
Forest Park
Mount Tabor Park
Tryon Creek State Park
Powell Butte Nature Park
Council Crest Park
Marquam Trail Nature Loop
Eastbank Esplanade (urban “hike”)
And if you want to travel a bit outside of Portland, there are so many great places! Just to name a few:
Cannon Beach
Hood River (Multnomah Falls and others along the way)
Silverton (Silver Falls State Park)
Newberg - lots of dog-friendly wineries in Oregon
Sauvie Island
Mount Hood
I just finished a series’s of sits in Portland. I love this city as it has a variety of neighborhoods and districts thst boost quaint cafes, great restaurants, and amazing places to walk. The most recent district i was in was the Hollywood district known for the Hollywood theater modeled after "old Hollywood " other notable attractions are the Portland art museum which is currently showifn Paul McCartneys photographs, an amazing exhibit. There’s also movies madness anther awesome activity. Portland is renown for it’s food trucks and quriky charm as well. Powell books is anther Portland spot to Check out. Probably the best selection of books to be found anywhere. In addition to the Hollywood District I also had a sit in the Hawthorne district which is a really fun neighborhood to explore as well. Outside of the city there is a plethora of day trips to take advantage of. Starting eith Multnomah Falls which is an incredible waterfall with numeorus hiking trails a must do, or head out to the coast the day. My faves are Astoria on the Columbia River resembling a mini San Francisco, theb Cannon Beach Oregons answer to Carmel by the sea snd Manzanita, a lovely little beach hamlet minute’s away from Cannon beach. I also highly recommend Autumn in Portland, who needs New England because the autumn colors in Portland were outstanding.
Stumbled across this awards announcement and am pasting here, because I LOVE cheese and maybe others do, too:
You can visit the Tillamook cheese factory (about 1.5 hours from Portland) and be right near the Oregon coast as well.
Dogs are not welcome on the self-guided tour, but it takes only maybe 20 minutes, unless there’s a crowd. Or you can skip the tour and just pop in and buy cheese, cheese, cheese. (Many varieties you can’t get at the supermarket.) They also make and sell many flavors of ice cream.
The factory store / visitor center is nice and they serve light food as well, which you could eat outside (or at the beach) with your sit dog. There’s a dining hall inside the visitor center. Tillamook Creamery: Plan your visit - Tillamook
About two hours by car from Portland is Astoria, a charming, historical coastal city.
My husband and I have taken our dog there on road trips, timed with say a weekend farmer’s market in the summertime. One of the unique things to do is have lunch or beer at a local brewery where you can see sea lions through a glass floor. They swim onto platforms under the restaurant / brewery. You can hear the sea lions as you pull into the parking lot.
If you have time and are in the right part of the airport, they also have a storefront there, where you can get flights or other tastings. Or maybe pick up a bottle or two for gifts or yourself.
Speaking of the airport, it’s repeatedly won awards for its employees and their customer service.
For folks who enjoy afternoon tea, the Portland area has a unique tea room — steampunk themed. It’s in Beaverton, which is next to Portland and is also home to the world headquarters of Nike. The tea treats are delicious there, more so than some fancier and well-known tea rooms I’ve visited. (I’m a huge fan of afternoon tea and often have it while traveling.)
They have something like 1,200 kinds of whiskeys and delicious food. It’s a membership bar, but if you’re visiting from out of town, there’s a one-time pass you can buy, so you can then make a reservation.
Oh, something worth noting for foreigners who might not know: The U.S. has two well-known cities named Portland — they’re on opposite sides of the country. Portland, Oregon, which this thread is about, is in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.
The other Portland is in the state of Maine, in the U.S. Northeast, with the state bumping against Canada. It’s also a lovely place to visit, though that Portland is smaller and its winter weather is much harsher. Tons of snow.
If you google for Portland info, make sure you’ve got the right city.
Update: Buoy Brewing had a structural collapse in June 2022, and the location with the sea lions is still closed. They have a new location, so you can still enjoy their beer and food, but the window in the floor to view the sea lions is gone.
