Portland Holidays
The City of Roses, coffee and community
The largest city in the state of Oregon, forward-thinking Portland is known for its diverse culture and commitment to sustainability, alongside breweries, food carts and hipster vibes. A unique destination surrounded by natural beauty, it’s vibrant, welcoming and wonderfully multicultural - you won’t want to miss it.
Luxury Holidays in Portland
Coffee-lovers, book worms, craft beer fans and cyclists - you’re going to love it here. Although anyone would be hard pushed not to feel at home in this innovative, quirky, accessible city. An eclectic melting pot of arts, food, drink and culture with easy access to the nature of its beautiful surroundings.
5 reasons to visit Portland
- Food carts - These static street food style carts are dotted all over the city. Arranged in pods of at least five but up to 30 - food carts are a unique part of the food scene in Portland. Offering the opportunity to try cuisine from all over the world in one place, they reflect the multitude of cultures in the city
- Multicultural communities - this vibrant city is home to a diverse mix of cultures. From Japanese American to Native American and Hispanic, the rich history of the Pacific Northwest is showcased through its unique arts, culture and experiences.
- Enviable public transport - this is a progressive city that prioritises accessibility. Not only can you easily cycle or walk everywhere, but with a light rail system, the Portland street cars, a comprehensive bus network and an aerial tram it’s simple to make your way around.
- Craft ‘Beervana’ - home to over 75 micro breweries, Portland is the capital city of craft beer. With multiple festivals throughout the year, along with brewery tours, tap rooms, bottle shops and bike friendly beer bars - you can try IPA’s, ales, stouts, and lagers of every style.
- Family fun - from indoor skate parks and climbing centres to huge outdoor playgrounds and bike parks, museums, the Oregon Zoo and kid-friendly breweries, there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained.
Portland Facts
- There’s no sales tax in the state of Oregon so you can save 5-10% on everything you buy here.
- Nicknamed the City of Roses, Portland’s public parks and paths are lined with colourful rose bushes
- The city is divided into quadrants, with the east and west separated by the Willamette River
- Fans still flock to visit the house on the outskirts of the city used as a filming location for the Twilight Saga films
Portland Weather
A city of four distinct seasons. Portland is a year-round destination with a mild climate. Summer days are warm, dry and sunny with highs of 28C and lighter evenings that last through until September. As the Autumn arrives temperatures start to cool off and the city experiences more rainy days, although showers are often short lived. Layers are essential whatever time of year you’re visiting.
Holidays we think you'll like
Top Pick Hotels
Hotel Lucia
Hotel Lucia, a historic gem in downtown Portland, beautifully blends comfort and history, featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs, heartfelt hospitality, and proximity to city attractions.
Kimpton Hotel Vintage
Kimpton Hotel Vintage Portland offers a unique design, family-friendly amenities, and a prime location close to Downtown Portland's top attractions.
Sentinel Hotel Portland
Ideally located in downtown Portland, the Sentinel Hotel Portland blends the vibrant essence of the area with seamless service and comfort.
The Nines Portland
The Nines Hotel Portland, situated in the heart of downtown, is a historic gem with Tiffany blue decor, elegant accommodations, and excellent dining options.
Things to do in Portland
International Rose Test Garden
Featuring more than 10,000 rose bushes, both the scent and sight of this peaceful spot in Washington Park draws thousands of visitors every year. Having started life as a safe haven for hybrid European roses during WW1, it’s continued to be a testing ground for new roses and is the oldest public rose garden in the US. With stunning views across the city and over 610 varieties of rose including miniature, climbing and shrubs, the garden is at its best when in bloom from late May to early October, but is open every day of the year and is free to visit.
Washington Park
Escape to this 410-acre woodland park, just two miles outside downtown Portland, and find yourself a world away from the city’s buzz. Walk the wooded trails of the Hoyt Arboretum, and wonder at the fascinating forest-focused exhibits at the Discovery Museum. Visit the Portland Japanese Garden - with its traditional pond and teahouse set amongst cherry trees, maples and azaleas. Also home to Oregon Zoo - where over 3000 animals roam amongst a jungle of Oregon’s plants - the park is a must visit for every Portland visitor.
Powell's City of Books
Officially the world’s largest bookstore, and a Portland landmark, you’d be forgiven for losing yourself for hours amongst Powells’ ten different rooms set over three floors. In fact, you can pick up a map to guide you through the store that takes up a whole block in the city’s Pearl District. Uniquely housing over 1 million new and used books stacked together, it’s a great place to pick up a bargain, or to find special editions, visit book-signing events, buy gifts or (for serious book lovers) explore several thousand valuable books into the rare book room.
Multnomah Falls
A must-see, 30-miles to the east of the city, is Oregon’s tallest waterfall and most-visited site - Multnomah Falls. Watch in wonder as water fed by underground springs cascades down this two drop waterfall year round, sometimes even freezing in winter. Take in the view from the accessible lower level viewing area, take the paved foot trail up to Benson footbridge to cross the lower cascade and feel the spray on your face, or take the climb up the 239 metre ascent for spectacular bird’s eye views from the observation deck.
Portland Saturday Market
Despite its name, this 50-year old open air market in Waterfront Park runs on both a Saturday and Sunday in Portland’s historic Old Town. Selling handcrafted items from over 150 local artists and artisans, the market was originally set up by two women, both local artists, who wanted a place to sell their work directly to the customer. Fast forward to now and its community vibe, friendly atmosphere, range of vendors and great food make it the ideal place to spend a few hours browsing for a unique memento of your Portland holiday.