As a city known for rainy days and watersports, many of Portland’s best attractions are related to nature and the great outdoors. Grassy trails, blue river, well-manicured rose gardens, and more help keep the city colorful.

Some of the top things to do in the City of Roses include:

• The Portland Japanese Garden, the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan
• Wildwood Trail, a forested 30-mile trail in Portland’s biggest park
• World Forestry Center, a local education facility that also offers river rafting
• Sipping locally sourced coffee at the Coava Coffee Brew Bar
• Walking among more than 400 species of roses at the International Rose Test Gardens

Portland has been making headlines over the past few years. Explore the city yourself with a few of these popular recommendations.

Some of the best tourist attractions in Portland include:

• St. John’s Bridge, a steel suspension bridge spanning the Willamette River
• Pittock Mansion, a historic house museum in the French Renaissance museum style
• Hoyt Arboretum, a self-proclaimed museum of living trees
• Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge, a pair of stunning natural wonders
• The Pearl District, a fashionable neighborhood with trendy restaurants and kitschy boutiques

With a motto like “Keep Portland Weird,” it’s easy to find creative, new places to eat, drink, and shop. Be as spontaneous and weird as Portland’s best attractions and try something new today.

Some of the best daily activities in Portland include:

• Sipping an espresso from Courier Coffee
• Practicing iyengar yoga at the Portland Yoga Studio
• Trying the all-you-can-eat buffet from Dar Salem, a Indian restaurant near downtown
• Ordering a 16 oz. cocktail for $5 at Swift Lounge during “jolly hour”
• Shopping for fresh produce at one of six Portland Farmers Markets

Portland is home to several watering holes, comedy clubs, and live musical venues. But that’s not all — Portland’s walkable neighborhoods come alive when the sun goes down.

A few of the city’s top nighttime activities include:

• Listening to a live musical performance at the Wonder Ballroom
• Drinking fine wine while painting a picture at Bottle & Bottega Portland
• Shopping (at night!) for local art, jewelry, and food at the Portland Night Market
• Indulging in your inner child with classic arcade games at Ground Kontrol
• Dancing the night away at Holocene, a popular night club with two dance floors

Looking for family-friendly activities in the City of Roses? Portland offers everything from outdoor hikes to air conditioned museums.

A few of the best family-friendly spots the city include:

• Oak’s Amusement Park, which includes a year-round skating rink
• Voodoo Doughnuts, a local doughnut shop with a delicious Cpt. Crunch doughnut
• The Science Playground inside the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry
• The Oregon Zoo, home to more than 2,000 animals,
• The Portland Children’s Museum, one of the oldest museums of its kind in the country

Trying to escape the elements? As one of the rainiest cities in the country, Portland has plenty of fun places to stay dry.

Some of the city’s best indoor activities include:

• Getting lost in Powell’s City of Books
• Skydiving at iFLY Portland Indoor Skydiving
• Strolling through the Oregon History Museum
• Doing backflips at Get Air, a popular indoor trampoline gym
• Playing vintage video games and sipping a cold beer at Level Up Arcade

Portland is known for its well-maintained hiking trails and verdant parks. Everything from Washington Park to the Columbia River Gorge is full of life.

Some of the best outdoor activities in city include:

• The Portland Rose Festival, an annual event held each June
• Forest Park, which is the country’s largest urban forest reserve
• The Portland Saturday Market, the nation’s largest open-air arts and crafts market
• The Oregon Zoo’s Summer Concerts, featuring dozens live musical performances
• The Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts, which includes more than 120 different booths