The all-season and forever-vibrant Portland in Pacific Northwest is Oregon’s largest city. It is widely touted as a West Coast hub, attracting a fair bit of tourist footfall. From top-end shopping avenues to a lively downtown scene, there’s plenty to explore here. You can head to Powell’s City of Books to purchase reading materials or visit Oregon Museum of Science and Industry with your kids. While it may rain in Portland a bit more than in other parts of the country, that doesn’t dampen anyone’s spirits as there are several indoor activities for entertainment. The easily accessible TriMet public transit system adds to the appeal. You can buy a Hop card and use the light rail, streetcar or bus service to move around conveniently. Listed are some of the activities that you can enjoy regardless of the weather. Scroll over for the best things to do indoors in Portland, Oregon.
1. iFLY Indoor Skydiving (from USD 89.0)
With iFLY Indoor Skydiving, everyone can fly or at least experience flying in a simulated environment. This adrenaline-pumping experience involves visitors on short training and lets them use the available gear. Then, you are placed inside a flight chamber for the magic to begin. This vertical wind tunnel allows you to become airborne and free-fall due to its strong airflow. A skilled instructor will assist you through this 75-minute thrilling experience, and you’ll even return home with an experience certificate.
Portland Indoor Skydiving Experience with 2 Flights & Personalized Certificate
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
2. Freakybuttrue Peculiarium
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Posted by Peculiarium on Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Step into the one-of-a-kind Freakybuttrue Peculiarium that opened in Portland in 1967. Your pets are also permitted entry here. Alien autopsy, a bathtub filled with plastic guts and the insides of a zombie’s brain – these are only a few of the many oddities you’ll discover here.
This interactive gallery and museum features aliens, myths and legends and a haunted dollhouse, to name a few. Plus, there are unusual books, art, toys and other kinds of weird displays. Guests can even access many picture-worthy spots here, so don’t forget to click away.
Freakybuttrue Peculiarium
Address: 2234 NW Thurman St, Portland, OR 97210, United States
Website: Freakybuttrue Peculiarium
Opening hours: Thu - Tue: 11am - 7pm (closed on Wed)
Price: from 7 USD (on Tuesdays) to 10 USD (the rest of the week)
3. Woodblock Chocolate Manufactory
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
As if the chocolate experience, the milkshakes, the pudding, the cookies, the cake, the coffee, the bubbles, and the...
Posted by Woodblock Chocolate on Friday, August 16, 2019
Woodblock Chocolate Manufactory brings author Roald Dahl’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to mind. This family-run chocolate manufacturing factory presents a slice of bean-to-bar craft chocolate-making for its visitors. You can follow the inviting aroma of the roasting cacao beans to their front door and look at the process on display.
They even sell bars of fine chocolate, so you easily buy some as souvenir gifts. Consider amping up your experience by heading to Brooks Wine PDX on-site and trying one of their top-notch wine and chocolate pairings.
Woodblock Chocolate Manufactory
Address: 1715 NE 17th Ave, Portland, OR 97212, United States
Website: Woodblock Chocolate Manufactory
Opening hours: Wed - Thu: 11am - 4pm; Fri: 11am - 7pm; Sat: 12pm - 7pm; Sun: 12pm - 5pm (closed on Mon & Tue)
You might be interested in these Airbnbs!
4. Portland Art Museum
Art enthusiasts must not miss a visit to Portland Art Museum. It is the oldest art museum in Pacific Northwest and brings together a prestigious collection for its patrons. From Japanese screen prints to contemporary American art pieces, this museum has it all here. Even the temporary exhibitions are pretty incredible. However, it is the Indigenous American gallery that takes the cake. It showcases more than 3,500 artefacts from 200 different tribes. Additionally, you can head outdoors to check out the sculpture garden, which is truly a sight to behold.
The museum is vast in size, so it might be best to plan ahead. You can download a gallery map, available online, and figure out which collections you would like to see first.
Portland Art Museum
Address: 1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205, United States
Website: Portland Art Museum
Opening hours: Wed - Sun: 10am - 5pm (closed on Mon & Tue)
Price: from 22 to 25 USD (children from 17 years below and school groups tours are free of charge)
5. Escape Games PDX
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Group activities strengthen relationships with co-workers, family & friends. #teamwork #morale #familyfun #relationships #communication
Posted by Escape Games PDX on Friday, July 22, 2016
If you enjoy experiences that challenge your mind and teamwork skills, head to Escape Games PDX. In 60 minutes, you have to look for clues and solve puzzles to escape the room successfully. You can opt for the spooky Tales from the Attic, action-packed Prison Heist or thrilling Film Noir: The Dark Rose among six live escape games. Else, consider heading for the box or online games such as OHNO: Zombies and Amnesia.
Escape Games PDX
Address: 2636 NW 26th Ave #2, Portland, OR 97210, United States
Website: Escape Games PDX
Opening hours: 11:30am - 10pm (daily)
Price: from 20 to 37.50 USD
6. The Circuit Bouldering Gym
The Circuit Bouldering Gym doesn’t offer an average workout and gym experience. It is one of the largest bouldering gyms in the world, offering a power-packed rock climbing experience to visitors of all experience levels and age groups.
While the outlet in southwest Portland is the original bouldering gym that opened in 2005, the second location in northeast followed in 2010. Both of these facilities offer more than 225 climbing routes that you can scale. Additionally, both gyms feature a training area to burn off some calories. A dedicated kids’ zone is also available to keep the young visitors busy.
The Circuit Bouldering Gym
Address: Southwest, 6050 S Macadam Ave, Portland, OR, United States and Northeast, 410 NE 17th Ave, Portland, OR, Unites States
Website: The Circuit Bouldering Gym
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 10am - 11pm; Sat - Sun: 9am - 9pm (Southwest branch); Mon, Wed, Fri: 10am - 11pm; Tue, Thu: 7am - 11pm; Sat - Sun: 9am - 11pm (Northeast branch)
Price: from 20 to 180 USD
7. Creative Culture
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Who’s ready for some upcoming workshops? We have been working on our calendar and excited to release some new classes...
Posted by Creative Culture Portland on Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Let your creative, do-it-yourself juices flow at Creative Culture. This family-friendly art studio offers self-guided pottery, crafts and gardening projects for visitors across skill levels and age groups. You will need to purchase the basic kit items, such as plants and pots for gardening projects, and all other materials will be made available to you at the studio. The tool wall is provisioned with a wide selection of design products that you can choose from.
Along with working on your project, you can sip on some delicious gourmet milkshakes to fuel up your spirit.
Creative Culture
Address: 1452 NE 28th Ave, Portland, OR 97232, United States
Website: Creative Culture
Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 10am - 9pm; Sun: 12pm - 5pm (closed on Mon)
Price: from 10 USD
8. World Forestry Center
World Forestry Center brings together the best of entertainment and education. It is in Washington Park and delves into the importance of forests and the practice of sustainable forestry. The vintage locomotive Peggy the Train is another attraction that you can climb aboard and explore here. It is suggested to take about two hours to tour through World Forestry Center fully.
The facility’s two-storey Discovery Museum is a huge hit among tree lovers. It presents some insightful habitat- and climate change-related interactive exhibits. To add a bit of fun to your visit, consider heading to Animals in the Forest exhibit and try naming all the animals you can spot there. Else, you can try your hand at operating the Timberjack Harvester simulator. Additionally, you can watch an informative documentary film in Forests of the World theatre.
World Forestry Center
Address: 4033 SW Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221, United States
Website: World Forestry Center
Opening hours: Wed - Sun: 11am - 4pm (closed on Mon & Tue)
Price: 5 USD
9. The Academy Theater
The Academy Theater opened its doors in Portland in 1948 and was restored to its former glory in 2006. Today, you can head here for a fun movie-watching experience and choose from a range of classic and family-friendly movies as well as afternoon matinee shows. Additionally, the vintage photographs from the theatre’s original opening night placed in the lobby are worth checking out.
Alongside movie-watching, you can relish a range of top-notch gourmet items such as sushi and flatbread pizzas. Beverages include a selection of regional beers and wines that you can sip on.
The Academy Theater
Address: 7818 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97215, United States
Website: The Academy Theater
Price: from 6 to 9 USD
10. Helium Comedy Club
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
THANK YOU to everyone who came out for our first LOT LAUGHS of the season + checked out Sean Jordan & Katie Nguyen! We'...
Posted by Helium Comedy Club - Portland on Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Draw some laughs at Helium Comedy Club. This 275-seat theatre hosts local and national stand-up comedy performances that will leave you gagging for more. Open mic nights, trivia quizzes and several other gigs add to the fun. Plus, you can nosh on an array of appetizing dishes and desserts with a side of heady cocktails.
Helium Comedy Club
Address: 1510 SE 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97214, United States
Website: Helium Comedy Club
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: schedules vary per day (closed on Mon)
Enjoy indoor activities in Portland, Oregon
Portland’s liveliness comes from its multi-faceted attractions. These include outdoor recreation activities and an equally vast array of indoor entertainment. Whether travelling solo, as friends or with family, you will have plenty of activity options here. Plan your next getaway to this destination and be prepared to return home with great memories by trying out these best things to do indoors in Portland, Oregon.
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