Travel: Portland with Kids

Portland with Kids

Lindsey Meyer-Harley

5 must-see spots in this family-friendly Portland.

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I moved my family to Portland from New York City last Summer and while adjusting to life outside New York hasn’t always been easy, we are falling for Oregon pretty hard. It’s a family-friendly city – think kid’s menus at most restaurants, plenty of parks with play structures for big and little kids, the biggest bookstore in the world (with a stellar kids section and storytime), and a slower pace than a bigger city, sometimes just what parents need.

If you’re headed to Portland with your little ones for a weekend, I’ve got you covered. From the best places to grab breakfast, to where to go when it’s nap time, here’s 5 spots around town you can’t miss.

Saint Honore Bakery

Sip your cappuccino and nibble croissants at this lovely cafe/bakery that looks, feels and tastes just like old world France.

Portland Art Museum

Strap baby in your snuggly baby wrap and head to the Portland Art Museum at nap time. It’s the perfect place to spend a few hours — bight and airy and full of gorgeous art to enjoy.

Oregon Coast

Ok, so this isn’t exactly in Portland, but worth the drive, even for a day trip. Stay at this gorgeous Airbnb in Manzanita and spend the day strolling the beach and taking in the gorgeous forest-meets-ocean scenery.

Tin Shed Cafe

The Tin Shed Cafe’s house roasted chicken sandwich makes me weak in the knees, and their kid’s menu features biscuit sammies and mini burgers served on english muffins. They’re also super dog-friendly, which for my kids is always exciting — they play with all the dogs while my husband Kevin and I sip an extra cup of coffee.

Grasshopper

I fell in love with this shop when we came out to Portland a year before moving, I wanted to pack up the entire shop in my suitcase. They have a fantastic curated selection of toys and activities for many ages. My daughter Juliette literally wants to live there!

Follow Lindsay’s adventures in Portland on her Instagram!