Portland is bursting into bloom and with COVID restrictions lightening families are bursting out of their front doors eager to celebrate the arrival of Spring. This time of year special to locals. It fills the city with much-needed color and a multitude of fun activities are available to parents with kids of all ages. Get outside with the whole family this spring! Breathe the fresh air, go for a hike, take a bike ride, plant a garden…but don’t stop there! Read on for inspiration on your next spring adventure!
- Jump on a bike! There are tons of awesome bike paths for families with riders of all sizes to explore. Here are some of our favorites!
- Volunteer to help Friends of Trees plant new trees. Fill up the water bottles, roll up your sleeves, and get your hands dirty. Be prepared to learn a lot about all the different kinds of Portland trees.
- Visit the Audubon Society. Birding families may enjoy learning about native birds in this beautiful Sanctuary.
- If you have an hour or two to spare load up all the kids and head to Forest Park for a lusciously green family hike.
- Hit one of our amazing local parks! There's more than you can fit in in one season.
- Too rainy to hike? No problem. Take the family bowling instead. Portland’s bowling alleys are slowly opening pack up. Check out these alleys (always check to find out about their COVID rules) and then knock out a few pins.
- Go on a spring break getaway. Load the kids into the car and explore Oregon. Not sure where to start with your planning? Check out these locations.
- Take an urban walk. If you are needing an extra big dose of spring head on over to Laurelhurst Park. Lap the perimeter of the park, visit with the baby ducks (just remember not to feed them), and head over to the play structure!
- Bloom baby bloom! Check out some incredible displays of flowers in this beautiful rose city. If you don't want to travel far take a walk around your neighborhood. Greet strangers, touch trees, be silly, and stop to smell the flowers!
- Dance among the tulips at the Woodburn Tulip Festival. From March 19th until May 2nd at Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm you can enjoy the annual Tulip Festival! There will be hay rides, trains, slides, delicious food, and plenty of photo opportunities for the whole family. Tulips of every color and size are scattered throughout the farm. It’s basically a dream come true.
- It’s officially Farmer’s Market season! You could easily spend an entire Saturday morning wandering the Portland State University Farmer’s Market. Nibble on fruits and veggies, buy flowers for the kitchen table, and enjoy the local live music.
- Not sure what to do over a long weekend? We suggest visiting the Oregon Coast. Head to Depoe Bay. It will be whale watching season and you’ll definitely want to catch sight of a magnificent whale tail!
- Did you know that Hoyt Arboretum covers over 189 acres and about 6,000 trees!? Stop by the visitor center first and grab a free kids’ map that is full of exciting challenges and activities that you can do together on one of the many hiking trails!
- Go for a hike. These easy trails are fun for even your youngest little hikers.
- Try fishing. Spring is the perfect time for kids to try to reel in their first catch. Check these local fishing spots out for your family experience.!
- Spring sunsets are the best in Portland. Have a picnic and watch the sun go down here.
- Hike our very own dormant volcano of Tabor. Bring the dogs and let them play in the off-leash area then soak in the views of downtown.
- Splish, Splash. Browse this list and make your way through all your favorite Portland Indoor Pools!
- Wander around The Portland Nursery and let everyone pick a small plant or pack of seeds. Then go home and spend time nurturing this new growth.
- Need new kid clothes? Go shopping at these consignment stores. Get all of the clothes you need at an affordable price at these shops that carry new and gently used items.
- Go on a PNW road trip. We've got some awesome options for you all rounded up here.
- Cozy up with your kids and listen to a local podcast. There are tons being created by and for local families.
- Sip some ramen! The kids ramen bowls at Boke Bowl are rich, flavorful, and reasonably priced!
- Take a drive to the gorgeous coastal town of Manzanita! We recommend keeping an eye out on the weather and picking the first sunny windy day to go fly a kite!
- Take the kids to Omsi! That's right! It has reopened and there are plenty of awesome exhibits to check out.
- Visit the Children’s section at Powell’s Bookstore. Make a special trip to the downtown flagship store, grab a coffee for you and hot chocolate for the littles, and sit in the children’s section reading books!
- Make a play date and host a craft day! Get inspiration for your next project here.
- Get science-y at home! Try one of these awesome at-home projects with your kiddos.
- Stay in and get cooking. Check out these child friendly crock pot recipes, get out the aprons, ingredients, and cooking materials and let this meal become a family affair.
—Annette Benedetti
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