What to do in Portland, OR with kids

 

Portland, OR is one of the most family friendly cities I’ve ever been to, and I am so happy I get to call it home.  Over the past four and a half years I gathered a bunch of great information as a Portland parent and now  I want to share it with you!

And if you are looking to move here, come read my post about why Portland, OR is perfect for families here.

 

1- So many great outdoor options!

 

 

 

We are incredibly lucky to have so much nature around us here in the Pacific Northwest. But is all of it kid friendly? Not really. Not all nature is made equal when it comes to bringing your kids with you, some of the trails around here are absolutely breath taking but not safe or interesting enough to keep the kids engaged.  So here are my top picks for families:

• Forest Park ( Witch’s Castle trail) – having something awesome waiting at the end of the trail is always a great way to keep kids engaged. This fun hike at this beautiful Forest right in the middle of the city will have your kids asking to come back over and over
• PSU Farmers Market – on Saturdays you can take your kids for a lovely stroll around the park, eat something delicious and there’s even a playground they can burn off some steam at
• Council Crest Park – this park is super fun for kids because it offers views of five mountains around Portland as well as easy trails the kids will love to explore
• Playgrounds – we sure have some epic playgrounds around here, try Wallace Park for a break when you’re walking around the NW district and Westmoreland Park for some epic Natural Playground structures

 

 

2- Eating is always fun

 

 

For the grown ups…haha, not always for the kids. But here are some of the places my kid has enjoyed eating at since he was little.

• Grassa – delicious pasta dishes for the grown ups and kids. Their locations usually offer outdoor seating also, which is great
• Slappy Cakes – your kids can make their own pancakes here, what can be more fun than that
• Breweries – most Portland breweries tend to be super family friendly with outdoor seating, great kid’s menu and a lot of them even have play areas
• Food Trucks are a Portland staple. They offer fresh air, plenty of space for running around and a diversity of foods for the kids to choose from

 

3- Hide from the rain with some indoor fun

 

 

The fact is, it rains a lot in Portland, OR. Like, A LOT. So you have to be prepared with some indoor play places options to keep the kids busy in the rainy season.

• Circuit Bouldering Gym – a lot of fun can be had here. They have three different locations in the Portland Metro Area and they all have a children’s section. Since it’s bouldering no equipment is required, just show up and have some fun
• Recreation Centers – Portland is home to some of the most amazing recreation centers I’ve ever seen.  A lot of them have open gym times when you can come in and pay sports with your kids as well as indoor pools that you can enjoy all year long
• Libraries- again, I had never seen the library as a place to hang out until I moved here. The libraries here are incredibly well stocked and offer regular events and activities for kids and adults

 

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