Portland may be weird, but that actually works in your favor if you’re hoping to go on a date in the city. We have all the usual romantic things to do here as well as some more uncommon ones!

We created a list of romantic things to do in Portland that different types of couples can enjoy. There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re the sporty couple, the artsy couple, adventurous couple, or something else!  

1. Grabbing lattes at The Dragonfly Coffee House

Asking someone you like to grab coffee with you is a fairly common date. However, we also added our own Portlander twist to it by adding a coffee shop that will make you feel like home. 

If you’re new in the city, but have been here for a couple of days now, you’ve probably already noticed that we’re a friendly bunch. The Dragonfly Coffee House shows how hospitable we can be. 

This coffee shop is the type where the baristas remember your name. Even after just a few times of going here, you’ll already feel like you’re part of the community. 

We recommend going here for your date if you want a relaxing place where you can just chill and have a nice conversation. There’s not much noise, so you won’t get easily distracted and you’ll be able to hear yourselves very clearly. 

You can even bring a book with you if you want to have a little book date… or you can just get a cup of coffee to take with you while you walk to your next destination. 

2. Trying out unique ice cream flavors at Salt & Straw 

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Want something that’s at once a throwback to old-school romantic dates while also offering up something new? Well then, we recommend trying out Salt and Straw. 

It’s a pretty famous ice cream shop, so you probably heard of it already. If you haven’t tried it yet, you’re really missing out, especially if you have a sweet tooth. 

Their ice cream flavors attract a lot of curious customers because there are several weird ones. And by weird we mean they combine two different flavors that just don’t seem to have any business working well together. 

Surprisingly, they always do! Really – we’re often astonished by the oddities we taste here, which have included things like strawberries put together with honey balsamic vinegar and black pepper! 

Ultimately, we know it depends on your tastebuds, but we haven’t tried anything we didn’t like at this shop, so we say it’s worth trying it out. At the very least, you and your date will have an experience worth talking about afterwards!

And if you’re wondering what makes this romantic, just remember that there’s romance in trying weird or fun things together! Different people find romance in different ways – why can’t it be in sharing an ice cream cone?

3. Trying fine dining at Le Pigeon

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Fine dining is another date staple. Fortunately for couples, there are a lot of good fine-dining spots in our city – though for this particular recommendation, we’re singling out Le Pigeon.

The first reason to go with Le Pigeon is that it’s French, so it’s guaranteed to be a romantic dining experience. The French, after all, are experts at anything to do with love!

Just be warned that the atmosphere isn’t too private, as far as dining goes. The tables are pretty close together and there are almost always plenty of people. 

Despite that, it honestly didn’t ruin the romantic feel of dining here, as far as we were concerned. Some couples would probably be busy looking into each other’s eyes anyway to even pay attention to the other diners! 

Anyway, we recommend this for couples who are celebrating something special. It could be an anniversary, a job promotion, or the simple fact that you two are very much in love! 

4. Doing something exciting at Escape Games PDX

We know what you’re thinking. Puzzle games like this are probably not the most romantic thing in the world for most people. 

But for others, they’re genuinely thrilling. If you’re the type of couple who bonds over puzzles and board games, for instance, playing escape games is most likely up your alley in terms of bonding activities. 

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That’s why we recommend this the most for couples who like playing games or being competitive. They have nice variety here too, so you can easily find a theme you’ll enjoy: you can pick 6 different rooms that you have to escape from in an hour. 

Just rest assured that there are no scary consequences if you’re not able to escape. You just won’t have bragging rights, unfortunately. 

5. Having fun at Oaks Amusement Park

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Oaks Amusement Park can be a pretty romantic place for a lot of people, believe it or not. That’s because it offers a lot of activities to suit different couples’ speeds.

Try the roller skating rink here if you want something easy-going and old-school, for instance. It’s pretty well-maintained, clean, and most of the people who go here are actually couples or families.

If one of you isn’t skilled at roller skating, the other one could even teach them the ropes! And if both of you are beginners, it may even be more fun and exciting. 

You get to watch each other fall and tumble and laugh at each other’s mistakes. It will definitely improve how comfortable you are with each other.  

There are also other attractions in the park such as mini golf, games, and escape rooms. And of course, they have plenty of rides to try out if you’re both the type to also seek some high-octane fun! 

For the thrill seekers, we recommend these particular rides:

• AtmosFEAR is a pendulum-like ride that’s basically people with motion sickness’ worst nightmare. However, it’s perfect for people who like extreme rides!

• Adrenaline Peak is their roller coaster ride that would take you to three heart-dropping inversions. 

• Tree Top Drop takes you 45 ft. above air and drops you over and over again. 

6. Going on a dinner cruise with Portland Spirit

Having dinner while on a cruise? That’s two romantic activities in one! 

With this dinner cruise, you and your date will see the sparkling lights of the city at night – and from one of the most intimate settings there is in Portland. 

There’s good food, live piano music, and a great atmosphere. Moreover, you and your date will sit across from each other with warm, romantic candlelight between you two.  

See why we had to recommend it? It has everything you can ever ask for on a dinner date and is probably the textbook definition of a romantic activity. 

The cruise will go on for 2 ½ hours with a three-course dinner, all while the views of Milwaukie Waterfront and downtown Portland are right outside the window for your viewing pleasure. 

This is perfect for partners who enjoy spending their downtime fancily or for couples who just want to do something extra special for the night. 

7. Trying something spooky with Portland Ghost Tour

Don’t worry, this is the weirdest one of this list. Don’t say we didn’t warn you though, because this is Portland we’re talking about – a list of romantic things to do in this city isn’t complete without someone lifting an eyebrow. 

Anyway, Portland Ghost Tour is the romantic thing to do in our city if you and your date have an interest in the supernatural and night-time thrills. The tour will take you to the haunted spots in downtown Portland starting at the Lan Su Chinese Garden, where you’ll meet up with your guide. 

You won’t be able to go inside the haunted spots, however. Still, some places are accessible in the morning so you and your date can decide to go there some time – which works out for us because that way, another date is ensured! 

Anyway, we found the guides to be fun and informative, so the tour isn’t really spooky. We think people who are easily afraid of the paranormal would still have a fun time on this tour. 

Moreover, you’re going to travel in groups so plenty of people equals no ghosts, right? At least that’s how it is in most movies. We do hope that’s how it is in real life! 

8. Playing classic arcade games with Ground Kontrol

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Want to do something with your date that will bring on childhood nostalgia? What could be more nostalgic than playing the games you used to as a kid? 

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Several games you can play here are Street Fighter, Star Wars, Dance Dance Revolution, Rambo, and Pac-man. Trust us when we say there’s a lot more! 

They even serve light food and alcoholic drinks, so expect to be here with your date for hours. Whether you and your date are still getting to know each other or have known each other for a long time, this could still be quite enjoyable. 

We especially recommend this for gamer couples for obvious reasons. But of course, other couples who just want to do a fun activity with each other would be able to enjoy this. 

9. Hiking at Tryon Creek State Natural Area

Tryon Creek State Natural Area has a total of 8 miles of hiking trails, so you can say this is for the more active couple. 

And, since there are a lot of flora and fauna to appreciate the area, we recommend this to anyone who’s curious about nature. This could even be for the spiritual couples who like doing grounding meditations out in the wild! 

Anyway, this forest is 658 acres, so there’s a lot of room for exploration. If you’re interested in guided hikes, Tyron Creek also hosts them all throughout the year. 

By the way, if you and your date prefer to bike, the forest also has a 3-mile bicycle path that you can both try. 

10. Signing up for a pottery class at Radius Art Studio

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If you’ve ever seen the movie “Ghost”, you know that doing crafty things with your date can be another romantic activity to consider. This is why we added signing up for a pottery class to the list. 

Not only is this a good bonding activity, but it may also become a shared hobby that you can further bond on in the future. Trust us, we were pretty astonished by how much we ourselves liked it when we tried the class!

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And if you’re worried about your pottery skills, don’t fret. You don’t have to be an expert to be able to succeed in the pottery class, as complete beginners are guided by an instructor who will teach the basics. 

After the class, you and your partner will have the option to keep the final product. Do note that you can only collect it a month after the date of your workshop. 

Plus, here’s a fun idea: how about exchanging ceramics together with your date so that you both have a souvenir of each other and the memento of a great time? 

We hope that this list gives you ideas on romantic and fun activities you can do with your partner in our city. Do you have any suggestions on what else to add? Let us know!