Overview
Southwest Portland comprises the part of the city south of Burnside and west of the river, including the downtown core and Washington Park.
19 sights · 9 things to do · 16 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 24 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Southwest
Oregon Historical Society
Lots of artifacts and exhibits on the history of the state.
Portland Aerial Tram
An aerial tram which connects the South Waterfront neighborhood to the Oregon Health Sciences University campus on a hill to the west. The tram is sleek and offers an excellent view of Downtown and the surrounding area, …
Portland Art Museum
Has several outstanding collections and is regularly updated by moving exhibits. It is an expansive museum where one could easily spend an entire afternoon. The Whitsell Auditorium in the basement of the museum is where …
Portlandia
Looming over the west entrance of the Portland Building is the second-largest hammered-copper statue in the U.S. (after the Statue of Liberty); a classical sculpture of a woman bearing a trident, crouching over the entry…
Oregon Maritime Center and Museum
Located on the Portland, a steam sternwheeler tug boat moored in the river, the museum contains numerous ship models, maritime artifacts and memorabilia, while tours are offered of the ship.
Mill Ends Park
The "smallest park in the world", a title backed up by the Guinness Book of Records, Mill Ends was created satirically for the purpose of being "a leprechaun colony and racetrack for snails." It is in the median of SW Na…
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 — 6 mi away (major hub). Directions
- SLE Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field, Salem — 45 mi away. Directions
Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $72–$150 a night (typical $138), from 6 listed prices.
- Typical meal: about $11 per person at listed restaurants.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$100, mid-range ~$200, comfortable ~$270.
Options are grouped as Budget, Mid-range, Splurge in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Oregon Historical Society, Portland Art Museum, Portlandia
- Lunch Higgins
- Afternoon Glowing Greens PDX, Pioneer Courthouse Square
- Dinner Southpark Seafood Grill & Wine Bar
- Evening Stumptown Coffee Roasters
Day 2
- Morning Portland Aerial Tram, Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Mill Ends Park
- Lunch Luc Lac
- Afternoon Portland Rose Festival, Oregon Maritime Center and Museum
- Dinner McCormick and Schmick's
Day 3
- Morning Washington Park, World Forestry Center Discovery Museum, Oregon Zoo
- Lunch Hot Lips Pizza
- Afternoon Hoyt Arboretum, Portland Japanese Garden
- Dinner Jake's Famous Crawfish
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
Downtown Portland is the heart of the city, centered around Pioneer Square and home to modern commercial towers, new condominiums, and converted lofts, along with several museums and urban parks of interest to tourists, including Tom McCall Waterfront Park along the river. To the immediate south of Downtown is the campus of Portland State University and South Waterfront, an urban revitalization area at the southern end of the streetcar line with newly built glass residential towers. Also south of Downtown is Marquam Hill, where OHSU and several hospitals are located. West of Downtown is Washington Park, a large park with the Zoo, Forestry Center, and other museums and memorials. Neighborhoods farther to the Southwest include Burlingame, Multnomah and Hillsdale.
See
See Portland Aerial Tram
An aerial tram which connects the South Waterfront neighborhood to the Oregon Health Sciences University campus on a hill to the west. The tram is sleek and offers an excellent view of Downtown and the surrounding area, with splendid views of the mountains on a clear day. The joint-venture project is part of Portland's public transit system.
See Portland Art Museum
Has several outstanding collections and is regularly updated by moving exhibits. It is an expansive museum where one could easily spend an entire afternoon. The Whitsell Auditorium in the basement of the museum is where the Northwest Film Center hosts film screenings.
See Portlandia
Looming over the west entrance of the Portland Building is the second-largest hammered-copper statue in the U.S. (after the Statue of Liberty); a classical sculpture of a woman bearing a trident, crouching over the entryway and reaching down to welcome visitors. For its sheer size, it's surprisingly easy to miss - keep your eyes peeled for Michael Graves' historic postmodern building painted in red, blue, and tan.
Parks and gardens
See Mill Ends Park
The "smallest park in the world", a title backed up by the Guinness Book of Records, Mill Ends was created satirically for the purpose of being "a leprechaun colony and racetrack for snails." It is in the median of SW Naito, and consists of nothing more than a single small tree in the crosswalk on the north side of the intersection.
See Pioneer Courthouse Square
This is the central courtyard of downtown Portland, a big gathering spot that's popular with tourists and locals alike. Notable features of the park are a cascading waterfall fountain, chess boards, and the Weather Machine, a machine that predicts the weather every day at noon. Many other sculptures and art elements surround the square, including Kvinneakt, the bronze statue of a nude woman that's otherwise known as the "Expose Yourself to Art" statue after a popular poster featuring a flasher (former Mayor Bud Clark) facing this work. An annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony takes place here the Friday evening after Thanksgiving to ring in the holiday day season and get everyone attending into the holiday cheer.
See Tom McCall Waterfront Park
This wide expanse of green lawns along the downtown Portland waterfront is a scenic slice of park land, with views over the Willamette River and of the skyline. At one point, this narrow stretch of land was a four-lane freeway, but growing environmental awareness led to the city replacing the freeway with this park. Along the waterfront there are a number of fountains, memorials, and gardens, including the Salmon Street Springs, a large fountain at the Salmon Street entrance that's popular with kids during the summer; the Battleship Oregon Memorial, the old mast of the USS Oregon battleship between Oak and Pine Streets; and the Japanese American Memorial Garden at the north end of the park has monuments telling the story of people of Japanese descent in the US, including the WWII internment camps. The park is also home to many festivals throughout the year, including a Cinco de Mayo celebration, the Waterfront Blues Fest, and the carnival-like Rose Festival.
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Washington Park
See Washington Park
Washington Park is a classic urban park, sprawling over about 140 acres, with many trails that take you between the stands of trees, around the hills and through the canyons - a park so large it can be easy to get lost without a map. In addition to the many attractions listed below, it also contains memorials for the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Holocaust, and the Lewis and Clark expedition, and has beautiful vistas of Portland and Mount Hood. The MAX red and blue lines can take you to the park; the station is located at the south end of the park, outside the World Forestry Center and the Oregon Zoo entrance.
See International Rose Test Gardens
The largest rose test garden in U.S., perched on a hill overlooking Downtown Portland, with thousands of roses planted in every possible way: rows, bushes and vines. Best to come between May and July, when it gets fragrant as everything's in bloom. Volunteer gardeners offer free guided tours at 1PM during the summer months.
Do
Do Portland Rose Festival
This wonderful festival, held in early June, is Portland's largest event. The Portland waterfront is turned into a carnival for a couple of weeks, starting with Fleet Week as military ships moor alongside Waterfront Park and culminating with a bunch of festivities on the second weekend, including the centerpiece of the festival, the Grand Floral Parade held on the last Saturday. Other events include flower shows, other parades, fireworks, and dragon boat races.
Sports
Do Portland Timbers
Portland's Major League Soccer team, the Timbers, play at Providence Park (formerly PGE Park and JELD-WEN Field) and are known for their strong local support. Games against the Seattle Sounders are especially heated, though fan conflict is almost always verbal. Getting tickets can be tricky, as the stadium is rather small—even after an expansion project completed during the 2019 MLS season, it still holds only a bit more than 25,000.
Do Portland Thorns FC
Portland's newest top-level professional team, the Thorns (which are owned and operated by the Timbers) are charter members of the National Women's Soccer League, which began play in April 2013. The NWSL season runs from April to late September, with playoffs in October. While not quite as popular as the Timbers, they routinely draw well over 10,000 and occasionally sell out; before the 2022 arrival of the Southern California teams Angel City FC (Los Angeles) and San Diego Wave FC in the NWSL, the Thorns were the biggest crowd draw in American women's sports.
Do Portland State Vikings
Sports teams representing Portland State University, the city's largest institution of higher learning. The Vikings field 15 NCAA Division I teams in all (6 men's and 9 women's), mainly in the Big Sky Conference. As with all other Big Sky schools, Vikings football plays in the second-tier FCS. Football and basketball are typically the highest-profile sports. The main indoor venue is Viking Pavilion, home to both basketball teams and women's volleyball. However, the football team doesn't play on campus, instead using Hillsboro Stadium in the suburb of that name.
Music
Do Crystal Ballroom
Crystal Ballroom often referred to as "The Crystal" is one of the nicest venues in town. The Ballroom is large in size and has great art and period light fixtures. This is a clean, well maintained venue. The Crystal has a bar inside with upstairs balcony seating for 21+. The main floor is standing room only which makes the show much more intense. The floor gives under the weight of the crowd and can "bounce" if the crowd decides to jump in unison (to bring on an encore, for example). According to the Crystal's website, at the time of its construction, the Crystal's mechanical dance floor (now fully restored to proper working order) was said to be unique on the Pacific Coast. Today, it may be the only one left in the United States.
Learn
Place Lewis & Clark College
The other small liberal arts college with a beautiful campus. For information about upcoming events and lectures, check the campus events calendar. The library hosts the Roger D. Wendlick collection of Lewis and Clark Expedition literature.
Place Oregon Health & Science University
Arguably the most prestigious research institution and teaching hospital in Oregon. They offer post graduate studies in medicine, nursing, dentistry and pharmacy. The Marquam Hill site is shared with the VA Hospital, Dornebecher Children's Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House looking like a fortress from a distance. Riding the aerial tram from the South Waterfront campus to the Marquam Hill campus at the top is a common weekend activity for families. OHSU is the largest employer in Oregon.
Place OHSU Marquam Hill
Place OHSU South Waterfront
Place Portland State University
The largest university in Oregon, with nearly 30,000 students. The campus is well integrated in to the southern end of downtown, and is populated a generally older student body (under half of the students are between the ages of 18 and 22). PSU offers degree programs across a wide range of majors.
Buy
Shop Downtown
Just about any street in Downtown Portland has some neat shops, restaurants, food carts and coffee houses; particularly around Pioneer Square and Broadway.
Shop Compound
In the Old Town district, this Asian inspired version of Urban Outfitters is truly a funky place to get some t-shirts, bags, sneakers, comic books, vinyl toys, artwork, and more. Friendly staff. Upstairs is an amazing free gallery, with works available for purchase from cutting edge artists. Prints available too since the originals are quite pricey.
Eat
Budget
Eat Voodoo Doughnut
The original location of the donut shop featured in many Travel Channel segments and New York Times articles. Visit to take a bakers' dozen of eclectic and sometimes irreverent donut flavors home in a pink box, or even host your wedding!
Eat Pine Street Market
A casual and open food hall located inside an historic Portland building, with nine restaurants serving different food styles inside.
Eat Fat City Cafe
Local favorite, serves excellent breakfasts. The French toast is recommended.
Eat Laughing Planet
Another easy and less-expensive option. They have a number of vegetarian & vegan dishes available as well as a small outside dining area when the weather is nice.
Eat The Old Spaghetti Factory
Although not the original location, this is the flagship location and headquarters of the nationally known Portland-based spaghetti chain, with views of the Willamette riverfront. Lovers of their mizithra cheese spaghetti will want to make a pilgrimage here.
Eat The Original Pancake House
This is the flagship location of the well-known American pancake restaurant chain, and it is in fact in a house. Many of the familiar favorites (apple pancakes and Dutch Babies) are available. Cash only.
Mid-range
Eat Huber’s
Portland’s oldest restaurant, open since 1879, this place is known for its turkey dinners and Spanish coffees, poured right at your table.
Eat Luc Lac
A counter-service Vietnamese restaurant with a mildly upscale veneer known for their pho (beef noodle soup), also serving rice and noodle bowls and sandwiches all made with fresh ingredients.
Eat Pizzicato
Excellent thin-crust pizza; try the faux-Italian options.
Eat Hot Lips Pizza
Another place with excellent thin-crust pizza. Get any of the surprisingly good veggie pizza toppings, like artichoke.
Eat Salvador Molly's
Caribbean and South American cuisine with a pirate twist. Try the Great Balls of Fire (a habanero cheese fritter); if you eat 5 you will get your photo on the wall of fame.
Splurge
Eat Higgins
Opening in 1994, Higgins is Oregon's original farm-to-table restaurant. One of the premier places to get a true "taste of Oregon" serving an unapologetically local-focused menu.
Eat Portland City Grill
This expensive, lavish restaurant has been made into one of the most romantic spots in Portland. If you are lucky enough to get a table or smart to reserve a table next to a window, you can enjoy your meal overlooking the great city of Portland. The menu offers only the finest selection of steak and seafood and you get as good as you pay. Lunch, however, is not as expensive and offers the same wonderful view and good food. Happy Hour is even cheaper (4:30-6:30PM) for the same good food, but much more crowded than lunchtime.
Eat Jake's Famous Crawfish
A Portland institution and birthplace of the McCormick and Schmick's chain, this is considered one of the finest seafood restaurants around. This is the place you take someone you want to impress, although with extremely limited vegetarian options.
Eat McCormick and Schmick's
Has now expanded across the US, but "way back when" it was just a Portland seafood restaurant. They still serve fresh seafood, too, and it's excellent almost any way they prepare it.
Eat Southpark Seafood Grill & Wine Bar
The food is excellent Mediterranean-Italian fare with a regional seafood twist.
Drink
Drink Stumptown Coffee Roasters
One of the most celebrated and appreciated local coffee roasters in a city known for good coffee, Stumptown is credited for having beans that taste as fresh as a good home roast. Frequent customers include a quirky assortment of hipsters, yuppies, artists and the like. Many other coffee shops around town sell exclusively Stumptown coffee, and beans can be purchased whole at any of the five locations, as well as more gourmet grocery stores such as Wild Oats and Whole Foods.
Sleep
Budget
For cheap accommodation, head north or east.
Stay Hospitality Inn
Mid-range
Splurge
Stay The Nines Hotel
A grand boutique 4-star hotel located in the upper floors of historic Meier Frank Plaza building in a central part of the downtown core. The basement and the first five floors are being redeveloped into office and retail spaces while the Nines occupy the 6th through the 15th floors. The hotel is accessed from SW Morrison at 525 while the office building (floors 1-5) are accessed nearer to 6th Ave at 555. Retail spaces (Muji) are accessed from 5th Ave (621 SW 5th).
Get in and around
Coming by train or bus to Portland, you'll likely end up at the Union Station or Greyhound terminal in northwestern Portland, a few blocks north of the border to southwest Portland (as defined in this travel guide). From Vancouver (Washington) there are commuter buses going to Downtown Portland and Marquam Hill in the morning and back in the afternoon, at other times you have to change in Northeast Portland at Parkrose or Delta Park.
See Portland (Oregon)#Get around for getting in from elsewhere in the city.
Downtown is just south of Chinatown, Old town and the Pearl District, and except for the Marquam Bridge (where the I-5 crosses), bridges across Willamette River have sidewalks so you can walk in from nearby parts of Eastside. Streetcars provide access from the southern parts of the northwest and Central Eastside. The bridges from Southwest to Southeast Portland are the Burnside Bridge, Morrison Bridge, Hawthorne Bridge, Marquam Bridge (I-5), Tilkum Crossing, Ross Island Bridge (US-26) and Sellwood Bridge. The Tilkum Crossing is not open to cars, only to pedestrians, bikes and streetcars.
All MAX lines come in from different parts the Eastside: the Orange Line from the Southeast near the Willamette River, Yellow Line from the Expo Center and North Portland, Red Line from the Airport, Blue Line from Gresham, Green Line from Clackamas Town Center, the three latter from locations along Banfield Freeway. The Blue and Red Lines continue west from Southwest Portland into Beaverton; the Blue goes all the way to Hillsboro. The blue and red lines take you to Washington Park, and the Orange line to locations south of downtown.
The Blue and Red Lines stop at 1st and Oak, Morrison and Yamhill at 3rd, 6th and 10th, Providence Park at 18th & Morrison and Goose Hollow at 18th and Jefferson. Yellow and eastbound Green Line trains stop on 6th at College, Montgomery, Madison, Morrison and Pine. Orange and westbound Green Line trains stop on 5th at Oak, Morrison, Jefferson, Mill and Jackson. Orange Line trains in both directions also stop at 3rd & Lincoln and Moody & Porter.
Locations further southwest can be reached by bus (network map).
The three major freeways in Southwest Portland are I-5, which runs all the way up and down the Western United States, I-405, a loop around Downtown that connects with I-5 south of downtown, and US-26, which runs from Downtown through Washington Park and then to Cedar Hills and points west. Major streets in Southwest Portland include Barbur Boulevard, Terwilliger Boulevard and the Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy.
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