20 Best Things to Do in Portland in the Winter

Winter in Portland is charming and cozy. For about twelve seconds. Then I start getting bored out of my mind. Although temperatures are usually mild, the short daylight hours and pervasive damp chill mean that getting out requires a combination of waterproof layers and creativity. Here are some fun things to do in and around Portland during the winter, in no particular order. I’ve limited the suggestions for eating and drinking since I’m sure you’ve already thought of that. I sure have. Hang in there. We’ll get through this together.

1. Stock up on books at Powell’s

Powell’s Books Portland — *Powell’s Books*

Every Portland winter survival strategy should involve a comically large collection of books. With several levels filling a city block, Powell’s Books keeps up with the demand for cozy reading night material no matter how long the gloom lasts. It has, give or take, one million new and used books in nine color-coded rooms. Whether it’s a bestseller or a niche interest, Powell’s probably has it. Norse mythology, astrophysics, origami, graphic novels, dog psychology, sign language, Moby Dick, history of Southern Oregon beer? Yes. Feel encouraged to get weirdly obsessed with a new thing this winter.

2. Visit a teahouse

While coffee is a necessity with the same life-sustaining properties as food, water, and shelter, tea is more about the experience. Winter afternoons are never cozier than in Portland’s teahouses. The best two are the Umami Cafe in the Portland Japanese Garden and Yun Shui in the Lan Su Chinese Garden. Since you need to pay for garden admission to visit, they’re a commitment. It’s worth it once in a while as a treat but not a regular stop. Here are some great places to visit on a whim:

The Behind the Museum Cafe has flavorful Japanese teas and snacks across the street from the Portland Art Museum.
The Hazel Room serves a full breakfast menu in an old Victorian house.
The Victorian Belle hosts holiday high teas in December.
Portal Tea Company has over 100 teas in its two Portland locations. The one in Sellwood operates out of a train caboose.

3. Relax in a soaking pool

When the damp cold feels like it has entered your bones, Portland’s soaking pools are the solution. I’ve tested the limits of their warming powers, and they’ve never let me down. Here are some great spots to check out:

The Kennedy School’s soaking pool is in a plant-filled courtyard. The vibe is social and family-friendly. Come to hang out. At $10 for a soak, it’s a steal. It’s also the only soaking pool that allows drinks from the bar.
Everett House and Common Ground are Portland’s community soaking pools. The spaces feel like spas, meditative rather than social. The pools are lovely at both and more economical than most options in the city. Heads up, they are clothing-optional spaces, including the showers and dressing rooms. Swimsuits are allowed, but most people don’t wear them.
Knot Springs is a spendier option with more bells and whistles than the community pools. It has a couple of warm pools, a sauna, a steam room, and a cold pool. Towels, sandals, and tea are included with admission. Swimsuits are required here.
Santé is an opulent (and pricey) underground spa with a soaking pool, cold plunge pool, steam room, and UV light room. Towels, robes, sandals, and shower supplies are included with admission. Swimsuits are required.

4. DIY crafts and candle-making

*Candle making at the Candle Creation Bar*

Speaking as someone with the crafting ability of a sea slug, Portland’s DIY spaces make the process easy. I leave with a unique and respectable creation even if I shouldn’t, perhaps, quit my day job. If you have any skill or experience whatsoever in making things, the results can only be better. My favorite way to visit is with a group of friends on a day when the weather is dreadful. Here are some cool places to try:

Perfect for winter nights, the Candle Creation Bar has workshops on candle making and beauty product blending. More than just a way to pass the time, the classes combine practical how-to instructions with introspective reflections.
The DIY Bar has a menu of products you can create, from macrame plant hangers to leather wallets. You’ll get the materials you need to make your project, along with clear instructions. Which is how I have a coaster with my cat’s portrait on it.
If, unlike me, you actually know what you’re doing, check out SCRAP. You can find donated materials for reuse at a fraction of the retail price.

5. Pop-up markets and night markets

Portland has a ton of pop-up holiday markets in winter featuring local makers and vendors. Some cast a wide net to cover all gift staples, from artisanal salsa to handcrafted jewelry. Others are more niche, like the Oregon Potters Holiday Sale, the Nordic Christmas Market, or Geek the Halls, billed as Portland’s nerdy craft fair. The most deranged of them is the Krampus Night Market, where the stouthearted can have their pictures taken with Krampus before finishing their holiday shopping. Besides the once-a-year holiday pop-ups, check out the last Portland Night Market of the year and the Portland Saturday Market through December before its seasonal hiatus.

6. See immersive art

Ball pit Hopscotch — *Ball pit at Hopscotch*

Portland has two awesome immersive art spaces that feel like huge indoor playgrounds for all ages. Hopscotch opened a few years ago and still sells out regularly. This sprawling experiential art space has rooms of exhibits designed to engage the senses, from the quantum trampoline to the virtual spray paint wall. You enter through the trippy neon-lit bar, where you can order a delightfully foolish cocktail to bring with you as you explore. Think garnishes of rainbow-colored rock candy.

Fathom is Portland’s newest immersive art space. You’ll wander an undersea world as you solve a puzzle by finding clues hidden within the exhibits. Highlights include a giant mechanical whale, a walk-through angler fish, and a psychedelic clamshell bed. All ages are welcome during the day. Visit in the evenings for adults-only hours.

7. Go ice skating

Downtown Portland is hosting a pop-up ice rink again this winter from Nov 16th, 2024 - Jan 5th, 2025, a yearly trend I’m hoping will continue. The large rink is open to the air but covered to keep the rain off. Tickets for a 2-hour skate are $20 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under, which includes skate rental. A concession area with snacks and non-alcoholic drinks is just outside the rink. The ice rink is quite nice, but honestly, the snack area is a little sad. It’s under the bridge, and the decorations don’t overcome the highway underpass vibe. I’d stop in one of the restaurants or cafes downtown instead after your skate.

Besides the downtown pop-up rink, these are Portland’s other ice skating spots:

The Lloyd Center Ice Rink has been a Portland icon for decades. The mall isn’t much these days, but the rink is still in good shape. Around the holidays, a giant tree decorates the center of the ice.
OMSI is hosting a temporary synthetic ice rink from Nov 23, 2024 - Jan 1, 2025. This polymer rink is designed to simulate the gliding potential of ice.

8. See the king tides at the Oregon Coast

While summer is the best season for tidepools on the Oregon Coast, winter brings the big waves. The year’s highest tides, informally called king tides, happen several times throughout the winter. They draw flocks of visitors to the coast, especially to the sea wall at Depoe Bay. If you’re up for a day trip from Portland, the king tides are the best times to marvel at the power of the ocean. Make sure to stay off the beaches during the king tides. The waves are unpredictable and cover more of the shoreline than usual. By finding higher ground, you can stay safe while watching the drama unfold.

Learn more about watching the king tides on the Oregon Coast.

9. Take a wine-tasting tour of the Willamette Valley

Oregon wine country in winter is all about drinking great wine in cozy tasting rooms. When the rain makes patios a grim affair, head inside to sit by a fireplace and watch the fog settle on the vine-covered hills. One of the advantages of gloomy winters is world-class pinot noir. Consider it consolation for your abysmal vitamin D level. Only about an hour away from Portland, the Willamette Valley is an easy day trip. You might want to try a wine-tasting tour to skip the driving. Many local companies offer door-to-door service from Portland to the Willamette Valley, with stops at several wineries.

10. Visit the Portland Art Museum

When you feel like you can’t stand one more round of board games, the exhibits at the Portland Art Museum offer an escape to worlds across centuries and continents. As you wander, you’ll move from rooms with 2,000-year-old Chinese ceramics to European Impressionist paintings to works of contemporary artists from the Pacific Northwest. All are a balm to the color-starved eye. Pissarro’s sun-drenched landscapes are never more appealing than after weeks without a glimpse of the sun.

11. Go whale watching

While you might see whales any time of year on the Oregon Coast, the odds improve significantly during gray whale migrations. The winter migration happens from mid-December to mid-January. During these few weeks, over 20,000 whales will pass by the state as they move from their feeding grounds in Alaska to the warmer waters of Mexico. At the end of December, volunteers at sites along the Oregon Coast help visitors spot whales. The closest sites to Portland are Fort Stevens State Park, the Neahkahnie Mountain Overlook, and Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint. If you’re up for driving a little farther, the Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center is a dedicated observatory with staff and binoculars to help with the search.

Learn more about whale watching on the Oregon Coast.

12. Celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Chinese Garden

The Lan Su Chinese Garden is one of the prettiest and most relaxing garden spaces in Portland. After the greenery fades, winter brings a few seasonal highlights. The first is the Chrysanthemum Festival in November. Late-blooming chrysanthemums fill the garden after the summer blossoms are gone for the year, symbolizing longevity and endurance. Later in the season, Lan Su celebrates the Lunar New Year with lion dances, lantern viewing evenings, and cultural demonstrations like silk weaving and calligraphy. Throughout the winter, the teahouse at Lan Su is a treat when you can hear the sound of rain on the roof.

13. Have detention at the Kennedy School

The Kennedy School in Northeast Portland is a delightful oddity. Once an elementary school, it’s now a hotel with at least as much entertainment value for adults as kids. Grab a drink at one of the bars, like the tiny cocktail bar called Detention, then start exploring. Among the highlights are the movie theater, soaking pool, restaurant, and brewery. It’s worth taking your time as you wander. Some of the old schoolhouse features are charming, like the original windows and blackboards. Others are just bizarre. Think unsettling paintings of children with body proportions not found in nature.

14. See live music

*The George Colligan Quartet plays at The 1905*

January is Portland Music Month, with over 100 shows happening around the city over 31 days. Among the month’s musical events are the Portland Folk Festival and the Portland Old-Time Music Gathering. Then, in February, the city hosts the two-week Portland Jazz Festival. Performances range from big-name artists at the Moda Center (like Erykah Badu in 2025) to up-and-coming and under-the-radar groups at Portland’s many small music venues. Check out the 1905, a romantic jazz club with intimate two-person tables facing the stage, or the speakeasy-style Jack London Revue in a sleek underground space.

15. Go skiing or snowshoeing on Mt Hood

Only a little over an hour from Portland, Mt Hood feels worlds away. On the drive up the mountain, you’ll leave the rain behind and enter the snow-covered conifer forests surrounding Mt Hood’s imposing white peak. Winter sports on the mountain are best from around December through April, whether it’s skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, or snowshoeing. Make sure to carry tire chains or use snow tires when you visit. Or, take the Mt Hood Express shuttle bus to Timberline Lodge.

Here are a few great beginner snowshoeing trips:

16. Visit Portland’s weird museums

When OMSI and the Portland Art Museum sound too predictable, Portland has a wealth of strange and offbeat museums to fill a winter afternoon. They make a fun scavenger hunt if you’re as allergic to being at home as I am. See the wall of historical vacuums at Stark’s Vacuums. Admire the jumping spiders at the Portland Insectarium. Catch a show at the Portland Puppet Museum.

For the full list of suggestions, check out my guide to the weird museums of Portland.

17. Try a new exercise

Portland’s winters can make it hard to find the motivation to exercise outside. I find the trifecta of the cold, the dark, and the rain especially discouraging. Checking out a new indoor gym or exercise class makes it easier to stay active. Here are some cool spots to try:

Portland’s indoor climbing gyms are my favorite. It’s a great workout, and time flies by while you’re there. Check out the Circuit, the Portland Rock Gym, and Movement.
For something I bet you haven’t tried before, Afterglow Aerial Arts has classes in aerial silks and trapeze.
The People’s Yoga has some of Portland’s more affordable drop-in yoga classes and a mission to be inclusive toward all bodies.
Pulse PDX has cardio dance classes made to feel like fun rather than work.
Prism Moves is a welcoming gym that aims to make people feel comfortable while they work out.

18. Holiday lights and the Portland Winter Light Festival

Portland winters mean early nightfalls and months of long, dark evenings. Even in the middle of the day, thick cloud cover makes the city feel like a land of perpetual twilight. Light festivals can be a welcome break from the darkness, starting with the holiday light events at the end of the year. Expect crowds wherever you go. Think overflow parking lots and shuttle buses. Going earlier in December can help make the trip less overwhelming. Here’s where to find the best displays:

Peacock Lane is a residential street in Portland famous for its holiday lights. Visiting is free. Just walk or drive down the block.
The Festival of Lights at the Grotto has choral singing, puppet shows, donuts, hot chocolate, and light displays everywhere you look.
Portland International Raceway hosts a large drive-through light show. Proceeds go to Sunshine Division, a local organization devoted to fighting hunger.
Zoo Lights is the holiday light event at the Oregon Zoo, with many animal-shaped displays.

Later in the season, Portland hosts the Winter Light Festival. This free outdoor event in February brings light-based immersive art to sites around the city.

19. Cut your own Christmas tree

For $5, you can get a permit to cut a tree from the Mt Hood National Forest. There are a few guidelines, like that the tree can’t be too large or right next to a road. Once you read through them, it’s easy to find a tree. The atmosphere is the best part of the process. The forests around Mt Hood are stunning in winter, and everyone there is so happy to be getting their trees. Some families bring thermoses, snacks, and a warm blanket for a picnic in the snow. You can get a Christmas tree permit from recreation.gov. Make sure to have it with you when you go.

20. Go for a winter hike

Portland winters have many good hiking days, especially if you have gear for unexpected showers. My favorite hikes to tackle in the winter are the popular trails that are too busy to enjoy in summer. Waterfall hikes are never better than when rain fills the rivers and streams. Seasonal waterfalls appear on many trails in the Columbia Gorge. The main event waterfalls look the most powerful and impressive in late winter and early spring. Best of all, even the most crowded trails will be lightly trafficked on a chilly winter day.

Check out my suggestions for snow-free winter hikes near Portland.