Overview
Oregon City is a city of 37,000 people (2019) in the Portland Metropolitan Area. The seat of suburban Clackamas County, it is best known as being the end of the Oregon Trail. Several tourist attractions in the city commemorate this history.
7 sights · 1 things to do · 1 places to eat · 8 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Oregon City
John McLoughlin House
John McLoughlin was the head of the British Hudson's Bay Company in the Oregon Country. His house has been preserved as a museum of the fur trade and settlement of Oregon. Free tours at 15 min past the hour.
Willamette Falls
Natural horseshoe-shaped waterfall, 2nd largest by volume in the United States after Niagara Falls. A former paper mill overlooking the falls is being redeveloped. As of 2017, the best views of the falls are from a publi…
Oregon City Elevator
Only municipal elevator in the United States. Observation deck has a view of city and the Willamette River. If you want a souvenir, ask the elevator operator (yes, it has one) for a "lifetime pass".
Museum of the Oregon Territory
Francis Ermatinger House
End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
Located at the actual end of the Oregon Trail, the museum features costumed historical interpreters.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 82°F; winter lows dip to about 36°F. Wettest: Dec and Nov. (climate data from nearby Portland)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- PDX Portland International Airport, Portland — 16 mi away (major hub). Directions
- SLE Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field, Salem — 36 mi away. Directions
TriMet has buses connecting Portland's city center to Oregon City. Bus 33 goes along the east side of the Willamette River (while it does cross the Hawthorne Bridge, it mostly has views of car dealerships) and bus 35 goes along the west side (lots of trees).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning John McLoughlin House, Stevens-Crawford Heritage House, Francis Ermatinger House
- Lunch Mi Famiglia Wood Oven Pizzeria
- Afternoon Oregon City Elevator, Museum of the Oregon Territory
- Evening Nebbiolo Wine Bar and Market
Day 2
- Morning End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
- Evening McMenamins Oregon City
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Although Portland is the main attraction in modern-day Oregon, those making the trek from the Midwest to Oregon along the Oregon Trail in the 1840s and 1850s came to their journey's end in Oregon City, near a camp called Abernethy Green. It was here that newly arrived settlers would camp while filing their land claims.
- Dr. John McLoughlin founded Oregon City in 1829 as an outpost of the Hudson's Bay Company to take advantage of the power provided by nearby Willamette Falls. It became the capital of the Oregon Territory for its early years (1848 to 1851), and at the time competed with nearby Portland for influence.
Today, its downtown area retains the historic character thanks to preservation of the historic houses and buildings.
Visitor information
Get in
By bus
TriMet has buses connecting Portland's city center to Oregon City. Bus 33 goes along the east side of the Willamette River (while it does cross the Hawthorne Bridge, it mostly has views of car dealerships) and bus 35 goes along the west side (lots of trees).
By car
I-205 runs through Oregon City. From PDX airport, take 205 south to Oregon City. 205 also branches off of I-5.
- SW Macadam connects Oregon City into SW Portland through West Linn and Lake Oswego. It begins as SE 7th and crosses over the Willamette River from Oregon City on the Oregon City Bridge to West Linn and becomes SW Macadam on the other side.
- SE McCloughlin goes from Oregon City into SE Portland through Gladstone and Milwaukie. In Portland SE McCloughlin becomes Grand Ave going north and Martin Luther King Blvd for the southbound traffic (a block west) from Grand Ave.
- Cascade Highway
By train
- Route stopping in Oregon City:
- Amtrak Cascades operates between Vancouver, BC and Eugene via Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, Edmonds, Seattle, Tukwila, Tacoma, Lacey (Olympia), Centralia, Kelso (Longview), and Vancouver, WA, Portland, Oregon City, Salem, Albany. There are two round trips daily along the portion between Vancouver and Seattle, four round trips daily along the portion between Seattle and Portland, and two round trips daily along the portion between Portland and Eugene. No train departures travel the whole length of the route. Additional service between Vancouver and Seattle, and between Portland to Eugene are provided on the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach.
See
See Willamette Falls
Natural horseshoe-shaped waterfall, 2nd largest by volume in the United States after Niagara Falls. A former paper mill overlooking the falls is being redeveloped. As of 2017, the best views of the falls are from a public viewpoint below the Museum of the Oregon Territory, or by taking the Municipal Elevator to the McLoughlin Promenade.
Do
Buy
Eat
Drink
Drink The Highland Stillhouse
Scottish pub with an impressive whiskey list and good views of the Willamette River.
Drink Oregon City Brewing Company
More than 40 beers on tap, a few are their own. Light snacks are available but you can bring your own food or order in. All vinyl on the stereo.
Drink The Growler Run
More than 20 rotating taps of craft beer, specializing in local Northwest beers. Wine, hard cider, and kombucha are also offered. TVs, shuffle board and board games. No food. Dog-friendly.
Drink Midway Historic Public House
Good place to play pool. Bar food.
Drink McMenamins Oregon City
A church turned pub. Patio overlooks the Willamette River.
Drink Nebbiolo Wine Bar and Market
Italian food made with local ingredients.
Drink The Oregon City Ice House
Sports bar.
Sleep
Nearby
Gladstone
City / town · 9 listings · 2 mi away
Lake Oswego
City / town · 16 listings · 5 mi away
Milwaukie
City / town · 9 listings · 6 mi away
Wilsonville
City / town · 14 listings · 9 mi away
Tualatin
City / town · 7 listings · 10 mi away
Tigard
City / town · 29 listings · 10 mi away
Aurora
City / town · 4 listings · 11 mi away
Portland
City / town · 66 listings · 12 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.