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72 Hours in Portland Oregon, 3 Day Itinerary

Sherianne Higgins·
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3 Days in Portland Oregon, Itinerary for First-Timers

It is difficult to determine how to best use 72 hours in Portland Oregon, there are so many fun things to see, do, and eat. This 3-day itinerary is jam-packed with must-see sites and top attractions, including, the Saturday Market, Powell City of Books, Pittock Mansion, International Rose Test Garden, Alberta Arts District, VooDoo Donut, Stumptown Coffee, and more. Looking for more options? Check these additional things to do in Portland Oregon to supplement this itinerary. Have more time? Add a day trip to the coast. It is possible to travel the world with limited PTO, here’s a day-by-day guide to visit Portland Oregon in 3 days. Enjoy your time out of the office!

READ Day Trip to Columbia River Gorge, Oregon’s Waterfall Highway

READ Two-Week Pacific Northwest Road Trip Itinerary: Northern California and Oregon

Pittock Mansion Viewpoint Portland Oregon
Pittock Mansion Viewpoint

Arrival Evening: Portland Brewery Hopping

Grab your rental car and check into your hotel. Spend the evening brewery hopping and find out why Portland has been nicknamed Beervana. Don’t stay out too late, you only have 72 hours in Portland Oregon and tomorrow will be a full day of exploring.

Day One: Columbia River Gorge and Hood River

8 am Grab a breakfast sandwich from Fried Egg I’m in Love and make your way to the Columbia River Gorge

10 am Spend the morning on the scenic Columbia River Gorge exploring the many waterfalls

Noon Have lunch with a view at Thunder Island Brewing Co

1:30 pm Browse the stores in Hood Rivers Old Town

4:30 pm Brewery hop the Gorge Beer Trail in Hood River before returning to Portland (MAP)

Apple Valley Country Store
Apple Valley Country Store

Day Two: Hood River Fruit Loop

8 am Enjoy breakfast at Petite Provence or Boulangerie Patisserie in the Alberta Arts District

10 am Spend the day exploring the Hood River Fruit Loop: pick your own fruit, buy local honey, taste hard fruit ciders, buy souvenir jam, dried fruit snacks, and granola

Not to Miss Highlights:

Hood River Lavender Farm for lavender essential oil

The Old Trunk Treats and Tiques for ice cream

Apple Valley Country Store and Bakery for a turnover or huckleberry milkshake

End the day with a glass of wine and a view at Cathedral Ridge Winery

Saturday Market Portland Oregon
Saturday Market

Day Three: Alberta Arts District and Saturday Market

8 am Enjoy breakfast at Pine Street Biscuits and explore the street art in the Alberta Arts District

10 am Head downtown and grab a coffee from Stumptown. Browse the Saturday Market and Powell Books. Stand in line for a VooDoo donut, it’s worth the wait

Noon Grab a slice of pizza at Sizzle Pie

1:30 pm Wander through the International Rose Garden in the City of Roses

3 pm Tour the Pittock Mansion and photograph the city from the viewpoint

Take the last flight home

Be sure to check the Portland Oregon Office of Tourism website for upcoming festivals, special events, and what’s happening during your stay.

Bookmark and Pin 72 Hours in Portland Oregon

My Favorite Booking Resources

  • Discover Cars Search, compare and save on car rentals.
  • Trainline Explore effortlessly by train and bus.
  • Booking.com Search Booking.com to find the perfect property.
  • Hostelworld Hostelworld has great inexpensive options.
  • Get Your Guide Don’t chance it, the best attractions sell out.
  • Tiqets Get your tickets now, relax when you arrive.
  • Big Bus Tours Hop-on Hop-off at all the iconic landmarks.
  • Go City Card Save up to 50% on attractions, tours and activities.
  • Welcome Pickups Airport and port transfers.
  • Visitors Coverage Pick the right travel insurance for you.
  • Use code SAVE10 to pick up a travel guide from Lonely Planet to browse on the plane.
  • Shop my Amazon travel essentials and have them delivered to your home. 

Have a great vacation!

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11 Responses

  1. What a great way to spend a short visit to Portland. Thank you for sharing this very detailed itinerary. Super helpful for first time visitors like me. Thank you for the tips and your recommendation regarding the must-have travel apps as well.

  2. I think you planned this intinery just for me! Kicking off your weekend with a microbrewery, heading to a gorge for exploring and visiting Fruit Loop market and wineries. Sounds like a great destination for a quick weekend getaway.

  3. There’s plenty of things to do in this itinerary. It’s packed with noteworthy spots and a great overview of what Portland has to offer. A stop at the Hood River lavender Farm is something I won’t miss and also standing in line for a Voodoo donut at the Saturday market is one thing I will do.

  4. I have never been to Portland Oregon. But I would love to visit it someday. I definitely will visit the Lavendar farms and also would do the fruit loop. The place has so much to offer and I think I may stay there for more than 3 days when I visit it.

  5. It’s such a perfect plan. I would love to stay back for another night maybe. The activities are all so adventurous. Love to do some shopping in Saturday Market without fail.

  6. Portland is one of my favorite cities in the US. It’s been a long time since I last visited it, so it gave me great pleasure to revisit the area through your post. I don’t remember much about the Alberta Arts District. It looks like a very lively place.

  7. Portland, Oregon…a place I’ve driven through and by many times, but haven’t explored the city itself yet. I had family outside of Portland for many years when I was a child in Gresham, and I’ve also visited the waterfall at Multnomah. I’d love to explore more of the Columbia River Gorge, too. Someday, I’ll return and discover more of the Portland area.

  8. Portland Oregano seems to be quite a beautiful destination with so much to do. I guess if i had only 3 days in this place, I would be totally at a loss to choose the places I intend to visit. But yes, I would love to visit the Lavender Farm and the waterfalls on Columbia Gorge. Its great that you shared an itinerary. It would help us plan the trip.

  9. This sounds like a great 3 day itinerary to visit Portland. I love the idea of doing the Fruit Loop! Especially with wine stops along the way. A great mix of things to see on a 3 day stop. I won’t shortchange Portland the next time we are in the area.

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