Things to Do in Vancouver

Run by a team of Portland fanatics and passionate cyclists, Pedal Bike Tours shares their enthusiasm for the city through entertaining and accessible tours. The routes take advantage of Portland’s extensive network of bike lanes to meander through downtown, along the Willamette River, and through lush Forest Park. Each guide’s expertise comes in handy on food tours and microbrewery tours, as riders stop for bites or pints and soak up info about each of their stops. A few tours take riders beyond Rose City limits, and include van trips to explore Oregon’s coast or wine country. Pedal Bike Tours keeps tours as safe and comfortable as possible by providing helmets, locks, and lights, as well as rain jackets and jousting lances if necessary.

Discover why one of the largest Argentine tango festivals in North America comes to PDX every year with today's deal: one dance class for two at Viscount Dance Studios for $12. Drop-in classes normally cost $14, making this deal better than a two-for-one—don't be shy about bringing a dance partner so you both can outdance your downstairs neighbors.Lance “The Baron” Hardtop: A former member of a top-secret military commando unit, The Baron officially “died” in 1993. After encountering a mysterious artifact in the jungle, Lance and his crew were hunted by an animal-like predator that some believe isn’t of this world. Lance now teaches Samba at Seven every Tuesday.Arturo “Camacho” Ortega: A one-time member of a classified government super-soldier program, Camacho survived a deadly jungle encounter with a predatory beast whose advanced weapons and invisibility cloak still seem not of this world. Camacho hung up his prototype chain guns and now teaches Line Dancing for Couples on Sunday evenings.Darren “Mouse” Mizewski: In a past life, Mouse was a government scientist for the OGA. Stranded with a group of mercenaries in the jungle, Mouse survived by realizing that whatever was tracking them was using an infrared spectrum not of this world. Driven insane by sights that scientists aren’t supposed to see, he gave up making weapons and now teaches Urban Step for The Catatonically Paralyzed.

For more than 35 years, the paint-your-own-ceramics studio has encouraged brush wielders of all skill levels to let their artistic instincts take over as they personalize premade bisqueware. A red façade and teal awning beckon passersby into the shop, where more than 1,000 ceramic figurines, ornaments, magnets, and vases wait to be brought to life with colorful brushstrokes, glitter, chalk, and jumpstarts from a car battery. Bricker Brac Ceramics’ expert instructors host classes, parties, and group events that guide unsure brush brandishers and foster creativity.

The team behind Kidz-Playz enhances children's gatherings with inflatable play structures whose springy, cushiony surfaces encourage hours of bounding and tumbling. By toting these portable playhouses to clients' homes, Kidz-Playz's staff continues a profession that predates agriculture—renting children's party supplies.

In ancient Greece, for example, mask makers visited parties to give kids their own drama masks, which displayed one of the two known human emotions at that time—happiness and defeat. Come the Middle Ages, parents hired clowns, court jesters, and recently usurped monarchs to entertain their offspring. But it wasn't until the late 20th century that party technology really evolved, giving children access to supplies such as hot-dog-flavored birthday cakes and the pinnacle of entertainment: the inflatable bounce house.

When Matt Antis was in college, he was introduced to the practice of parkour—an intensely physical sport focused on efficiently navigating obstacles such as walls, bars, and whatever else happens to be nearby. After college, Matt Antis headed off to train for the US Army, then served in Iraq. When he returned in 2010, he married his fiancée, Whitney—and a year later, he took over ownership of Revolution Parkour.

Now, Whitney, who's also a parkour enthusiast, manages the front desk as Matt and his team of instructors teach students the gravity-defying skills of parkour and free running. Within a gym drenched in reds, blues, and spots of graffiti-style artwork, they lead classes ranging from beginner parkour to Parkour Fit, which emphasizes endurance and speed with challenging courses. Students balance on beams, vault over small barriers, and swing across bars, building strength and coordination. The staff emphasizes safety, keeping a watchful eye on students, taking the time to teach proper technique, and positioning cushy pads and magic carpets to break falls.

The spacious rides of the BBB-accredited G-Limos accommodate an array of pavement-based needs, including business travel, city tours, and transportation to events and concerts. G-Limos' sports packages go so far as to hook clients up with tickets and limo transportation to local sporting events such as Portland Trail Blazers and Winterhawks games, while wine tours journey through Oregon’s renowned wine country. From newlyweds to birthday celebrants, G-Limos offers its passengers a sophisticated driving service for an assortment of special occasions, adding an instant memory maker to milestone anniversaries or classing up trips to the grocery store.