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5 Fun Things to Do When It Rains in Portland
When you travel to Portland, Oregon, you can expect to find lots of enjoyable outdoor activities in the city. But what do you do when you’re met with unexpected rains during your travels?
Allow us to provide you with some options!
Dip in Hot Pools
Portland has a couple of hot springs where you may want to spend the day when it is raining. Nothing beats relaxing in a bubbling hot natural spring and soaking yourself in a hot pool during such cold weather.
If you want to get more adventurous, there are a lot of other hot springs around Portland, several of which are close to the city’s central business districts. You can even schedule a full weekend trip if you like – well, once the rainy season stops.
Plus, using a hot tub in the rain gives your muscles a soothing experience. Even better if you have someone special to share the moment with you!
In light of this, let’s explore a few locations for the top hot springs close to Portland.
Top Hot Pools To See in Portland
| Hot Pool | Address | What to Expect |
| Crystal Crane Hot Springs | 59315 OR-78, Burns, OR 97720 (5-hour 20-minute drive from Portland, Oregon) | – Offers a range of rustic overnight accommodations along with day-use relaxation in their hot spring. – Private soaking tubs are available – You can enjoy bird watching at the same time. – Stay for a night for as low as $80. |
| Bigelow Hot Springs | Blue River, OR 97413. | – Hot pools can cater to groups of 3 or 4 people. – Best season to visit falls. – No fee. |
| Hillockburn Spring | Sandy, OR 97055 (1-hour drive from Portland, Oregon) | – Natural spring – Also best for hiking. – A wilderness permit is required to access the place. – No fee. |
| Wilhoit Mineral Springs | 150 Beavercreek Road, Oregon City, OR 97045 (1-hour drive from Portland, Oregon) | – Two options for hot springs: soda spring and sulfurous spring. – Camping is also available for as low as $5. |
| Bagby Hot Springs | Sandy, OR 97055 (a 40-minute drive from Portland, Oregon) | – Walking a 1.4-mile-long trail through the national forest to access the area. – After soaking in the natural hot spring, you can camp through Bagby Campground. |
Visit Galleries and Museums
One thing that Portland is known for is its rich art scene. Stopping by at art galleries or museums is one thing you can do, rain or shine.
Whether your fun day of outdoor activities is interrupted by a sudden downpour, or you just want to keep yourself busy on a rainy afternoon, visiting museums and galleries is another option.
Visiting museums and galleries can turn your rainy day into an adventure. You can learn a lot about their art scene while being in just one of those places.
Here are some galleries and museums that you might want to add to your bucket list.
Best Galleries and Museums in Portland
| Gallery/Museum | Address | What to Expect |
| Blue Sky Gallery | 122 NW 8th Ave, Portland, OR | – No entry fee. – Services include art exhibits, art events, and tours. – Providing educational programs. – You can buy an art piece. |
| Oregon Historical Society Museum | 200 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR | – Sizeable collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, etc. from Oregon. – No admission fee to access their library. – Home for the famous Portland Penny. |
| The Lunder Room | 419 NW 9th Ave, Portland, OR | – Contemporary arts. – A private museum. – Souvenir store is available. |
| Bullseye Gallery | 3610 SE 21st Avenue Portland, OR | – Showcase glass art (contemporary kiln-glass art). – Offers kilnforming class |
| Elizabeth Leach Gallery | 417 NW 9th Avenue Portland, OR | – Showcase a plethora of contemporary media. – Does art exhibits seasonally. |
Take a Trip to the Local Brews
If you’re a brew lover then spending a rainy day while indulging yourself with beer is the dreamiest dream of all.
While you are in Portland, you must know that it is a must to visit some local breweries. In fact, Portland has the most breweries in the world (58 in the city limits and 84 in the metro area).
By the way, most local breweries also offer behind-the-scenes tours, so you can spend a rainy afternoon learning all about beer while sipping a pint or two. So why not enjoy the day with a beer or two with your friends or family?
Don’t forget to bring your buddies along while you visit these brew places in Portland.
Must-Visit Breweries in Portland
| Local Brew | Address | What to Expect |
| Cascade Brewing Barrel House | 939 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR | – Sour, barrel-aged beers. – Cozy environment with windowed-garage doors, tables with barrel bases, and off-white walls. – Best to have their signature sours with an imported meat-and-cheese platter. |
| Great Notion Brewing | 2204 NE Alberta St #101, Portland, OR | – Offers some of the best fruit sours and farmhouse ales around the city. – Killer fried chicken sandwiches are their best seller asides from beers. – Sip beers at picnic tables covered by umbrellas. |
| Ecliptic Brewing | 825 N Cook St, Portland, OR | – The menu includes Northwestern beers, fun fruit ales, and bright, vivid IPAs. – Cocktail options are also available. – Drink beer in a well-renovated garage space in the city. |
| Wayfinder Beer | 304 SE 2nd Ave, Portland, OR | – Plenty of ales on the menu. – Cocktails. – Serves snacks (nachos, burgers, etc.) and full dinner. |
| Baerlic Brewing Co. | 2239 SE 11th Ave, Portland, OR | – Their menu has a super-dry IPA, a Northwest-style pilsner, an imperial stout, or a classic pale ale. – More like a cafe than your basic brewery. – Delight yourself with light wood furniture and a bright, modern vibe. |
Hit the Cinemas
A broken water heater might just be your sign to just grab your coat and hit the cinemas. When it’s raining cats and dogs outside, there’s nothing better to do than get lost in some action movies or be scared if you are more into horror films.
Enjoying yourself with some comedy films is a way to lighten the mood that is brought on by the bad weather. Or really, just pick up any movie you’d like to see on the big screen (although shows really vary depending on the showing dates.
If you’re in Portland, try to check out the cinemas for the second run of a movie. It’s actually a thing in the city, and you will definitely miss half of your life if you do not go for it.
The following cinemas below feature various types of films that you can indulge in. Take on what some of them offer so you’ll know where to go to enjoy your kind of entertainment.
Top Cinemas in Portland
| Cinema | Address | What to Expect |
| The Hollywood Theater | 4122 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR | – Screens the best in cult, classic, and independent film year-round. – Hosts a number of festivals, including the Portland EcoFilm Festival, Portland Black Film Festival, Northwest Animation Festival. – Serves kombucha and beer, ice cream, etc. |
| Studio One Theaters | 3945 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR | – Multiplex theater, restaurant and live entertainment venue. – Seven (7) penthouse theaters. – Has restaurants and +21 bar service, |
| CineMagic Theater | 2021 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, OR | – One-screen cinema. – Features a mix of contemporary releases, second-run films, and classics—everything from foreign films to mainstream Hollywood. – 1950s-style restrooms |
| Living Room Theaters | 341 SW Tenth Avenue, Portland, OR | – Six-screens cinema with 40 to 60 seats. – A full menu and beverages are available in their cafe and bar. – Live music is performed in the lounge on Friday and Saturday evenings. |
| Roseway Theater | 7229 NE Sandy Boulevard, Portland, OR | – One-screen cinema; 400+ seats including a small balcony. – Good choice for 3D movies. |
Have a Nice Brunch
Bunch is ideal, especially when you wake up late in the morning because of the cozy feeling of the rain. It gives you the best of both worlds – if you are feeling breakfast, lunch, or both.
On top of that, it’s the perfect excuse to indulge in almost anything while combining your sweet and savory flavor choices. You might even fancy a new coffee flavor or a unique delicacy.
Going out for brunch in Portland is a thing. Actually, locals in Portland love drinking mimosas on rainy weekend mornings at the trendiest brunch venues in the city.
Don’t let the rain stop you from tasting the finest cuisine Portland has to offer. Get out and live the way the locals do!
Need a suggestion? The following are the brunch spots you can visit while wandering around the city.
Popular Brunch Spots in Portland
| Brunch Spots | Address | What to Expect |
| Olympia Provisions | 107 SE Washington St, Portland, OR | – Offers quality charcuterie and European-style meats – Portland’s street foods are available to order. – Salad options. |
| Radar Restaurant | 3951 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR | – Minimalist style of environment. – Best brunch dishes are Smoked Fish Hash, Cinnamon & Sugar Fried Bread, Smoked Pork Shoulder, and Croque Madame. – Cocktails are available. |
| Canard | 734 E Burnside St, Portland, OR | – Contemporary French restaurant. – Outdoor patio dining. – Best sellers include Smoked Salmon Dip, Chicory Salad, Duck Stack Pancakes, and Foie Gras Dumplings. |
| Redwood | 7915 SE Stark St, Portland, OR | – New American cuisine. – Easygoing and warm atmosphere with decorated dining area or covered outdoor patio. – Menu frequently rotates. |
| Off The Griddle | 6526 SE Foster Rd, Portland, OR | – Specializes in vegetarian and vegan brunch dishes. – Also offer gluten-free options. |
Rain or shine – the find doesn’t cease in Portland. For other suggestions of fun things to do in the city, check our catalog of informative articles on our site.
