About Portland

With over 2 million residents in the metro area, Portland is the largest city in the state of Oregon. It’s found on Oregon’s northwestern border, where the Columbia and Willamette rivers meet. Portland is known for its artist and maker communities, culinary offerings, ease of access to the beauty of the PNW, and its focus on sustainability. The weather in Portland ranges from freezing in the winter to warm in the summer, but can be cloudy or rainy all year round.

When it comes to dietary restrictions and/or gluten free restaurants in Portland, I found the city to be one of the easiest I’ve visited. Although there are plenty of options for those with dietary restrictions, there’s also plenty to do in Portland that has nothing to do with food at all. Portland is absolutely a city in which you can find nature, gentle movement, and calm.

We visited in early spring and the weather was perfect – a bit chilly and mostly overcast, which is the environment in which I feel my best. As far as movement, there are plenty of ways to find gentle movement in and around Portland. The city is walkable and bicycle friendly, and there are a wide variety of trails in and around the area.

Neighborhoods

The city of Portland consists of six overall areas: North, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast and Southwest, and over 90 recognized neighborhoods are found within them. Travel Portland offers a great neighborhood guide, which you can find here.

Where to Stay in Portland, Oregon

• Portland van stays: we read conflicting accounts on the ease and legality of stealth camping within Portland city limits. I had several work meetings while there, so I was eager to avoid the dreaded knock and get decent rest. As a result, we found free, quiet parking at the Cracker Barrel in Beaverton, which is just outside of Portland. It was an easy drive to everywhere in the city and we stayed several nights without issue.
• Portland rentals: if you have food restrictions/preferences and want your own kitchen, there are plenty of places to stay on Airbnb or VRBO. As the ethical ramifications of sites like Airbnb and VRBO become more clear, we personally seek to meet our need for a kitchen while also reducing our impact on the cities we visit. Whenever possible, we try to stay in rentals owned directly by local residents. It seems as if many hosts in the Portland area have converted the garages or basements of their own homes into separate rental spaces. These are exactly the types of units we try to find. When we decided we wanted a quick break from vanlife, we found this little gem of a tiny house (although technically it was in Camas, WA – a quick drive over the river from Portland). It was an easy, affordable stay with free, off-street van parking (extra points for free parking!).
• Portland hotels: we didn’t end up staying in any hotels in the Portland area, but would have opted for one of the many options in either Downtown or Northwest Portland.

Where to Eat Gluten Free in Portland, Oregon

As far as cities go, Portland has the best and most extensive gluten free options that I’ve found in my travels thus far. It was SO easy to eat in this city, and the food was SO good. Here’s where we went and what we ate:

Where to Find Culture in Portland, Oregon

Portland has a huge variety of arts and cultural offerings. We were there for several days and barely had time to scratch the surface of what the city has to offer. Here are just a couple of options, but find more about what’s going on in town here.

• Street Art:
  • Street art in Portland is everywhere and there are all sorts of ways to explore it. Guided tours, bicycle tours, self guided tours – you name it. The Portland Street Art Alliance is one of several organizations in the city with resources to help tourists and locals alike gain access. They offer three different downloadable maps, one of which we used to explore the Alberta Arts District.
  • Check them out here
• Portland Art Museum:
  • The Portland Art Museum is one of the oldest museums in the US, and the oldest in the PNW. The museum offers a large permanent collection as well as rotating exhibits. Tickets are good for the entire day and cost $25 for adults, children are free.
  • Check them out here

Where to Find Nature Near Portland, Oregon

It’s the Pacific Northwest, so nature is easy to come by!

• Cannon Beach:
  • Less than two hours away, Cannon Beach is an easy day trip from Portland. Alternately, you could turn the journey into a several day trip and spend some time going up and down the Oregon coast exploring the beautiful scenery and nearby towns of Tillamook, Seaside, or Astoria. Cannon Beach itself is wide, sandy, and the home of the very recognizable Haystack Rock.
  • Learn more about Cannon Beach here

• Multnomah Falls:
  • Less than 30 minutes outside of Portland, Multnomah Falls seems like an entirely different world. At over 600 feet in height, the falls are visible without hiking and present year-round. You can get a better view of the falls on a 2.4 mile moderate hike.
  • Learn more about Multnomah Falls here

Free To Do in Portland, Oregon

There are SO many fun, free things to do in this city! Here’s just a few:

• The Rose Garden:
  • Open daily with free admission, the Portland International Rose Test Garden is a unique, beautiful little place that serves as a testing ground for new varieties of roses. Over 600 varieties of roses can be found in the garden, all maintained by volunteers. The best viewing months are May through September, but we were there in the off season and it was still a beautiful, quiet place to spend a morning. It’s located next to the Portland Japanese Garden if you want to continue your walk in nature, but the Japanese Garden is a ticketed experience.
  • Learn more about the Portland International Rose Test Garden here
• Powell’s City of Books:
  • We visited the original (Burnside) location, which has 10 massive rooms of both new and used books. Our recommendation: head to a help desk and ask for a map to help you find your way. Even with a map and a plan, we spent hours here and barely explored a fraction of the store. Of course, it’s free to wander around the shop but we ended up spending a ton of money here!
  • Check them out here
• Farmers Market:
  • Despite the massive amount of gluten free eating, we did also cook in our van and Airbnb. This called for a trip to the farmers market, and Portland has ample options. We visited the PSU market on a Saturday morning. They had plenty to offer – produce, baked goods, gluten free and vegan options, music, and a few delicious gluten-full food carts that Joe got to sample.
  • For more info and a list on all of the farmers markets in Portland, click here

Clickable Quick Guide to Portland, Oregon

If you want to download a free PDF of just the highlights of this post, click below! You’ll find all of the above links in one handy dandy spot!

We hope you find the perfect balance of food, nature, and relaxation in Portland. If you have your own tips, feel free to share them in the comments!