Top Portland Art & Culture - page 4

Whether it's the stories of human trafficking described as the Shanghai Tunnels, the origin of the vampire tales in Twilight, or the crafty madam with the floating brothel, from fiery deaths to watery graves, we explore it all. The city of Portland Oregon was built on an ancient crossroads; known as a place to step into alternate worlds. What visit to the city would be complete without lifting the veil, for at least a minute, between the living and the spirit worlds? Weaving in historical tales with what fiction authors and filmmakers (including Twilight author Stephenie Meyer) with local ties have written about this place, we tell the stories of darkness, death and the liminal space that comes beyond. Our 1.5 mile (2.5 km) walking tour along the waterfront will include luminous views of the city lights along the river, encounters with our local corporeal spirits (the crows!), and plenty of recommendations to extend your gothic experience to restaurants, cafes and bars nearby.

This tour goes above and beyond your average city tour. Accompanied by an expert local guide who has deep insight into the history and culture of each district, this tour of Portland allows guests to stop at iconic Portland destinations and venture off the beaten path to discover exciting hidden gems of the city.

Taking this 1.5 mile (2.4 km) walk through the heart of downtown Portland with a local, experienced guide offers an exploration into the city's rich tapestry of history, culture, and innovation. Portland, noted for its quirk and progressive ideals, unfolds its stories through a series of iconic landmarks, bustling public squares, and artistic expressions that color its streets. Your guide will reveal Portland's past through the emerging landscape. Depending on your guide, your path may vary. Peak Tours is licensed and insured, local and family-owned, reliable and knowledgeable. We'd love to show you around!

Enjoy an immersive way to explore the beauty of the Oregon Coast—and check off many scenic highlights in just one day—on this small-group hiking tour. Departing in the morning from Portland, travel to Cannon Beach, and learn insider facts about its history from your guide. Have time to hike and explore at multiple coastal highlights, including Haystack Rock, Tillamook State Forest, and more, before returning to the city.

Learn about Portland's history as you explore the city with a guide on this small-group tour. You'll meet your guide downtown and head up to the historic Pittock Mansion to take in the views. You'll then continue to the International Rose Test Gardens in Washington Park before heading back downtown to check out the cityscape and sample donuts.

With more breweries than any other city in the US, Portland is a beer drinker’s dream. It can be hard to decide where to start, so this craft brewery tour takes you to a handful of the best on the city’s East Side, a neighborhood known for its innovation but off the radar of many tourists. Challenge your taste buds and find your new favorite brew, from West Coast IPAs to seasonal lagers and barrel-aged beers.

Beneath Portland's vibrant streets lies a darker story. Join The Dark Below and explore the city's most chilling legends, notorious crimes, and haunted landmarks. Journey through historic Old Town and Chinatown as your guide uncovers tales of Shanghaiing, underground tunnels, tragic deaths, unsolved mysteries, and the restless spirits said to linger where Portland's darkest history unfolded. Visit iconic locations including the Shanghai Tunnel district, Old Town Pizza & Brewing, the Roseland Theater, Kells Irish Pub, and the waterfront where kidnapped sailors were once forced aboard ships bound for distant ports. Along the way, discover stories of vice, disappearances, and paranormal encounters that helped shape Portland's haunted reputation. Combining authentic local history, true crime, and ghost lore, The Dark Below offers an unforgettable journey into the shadows of one of the Pacific Northwest's most haunted cities. Guests must be at least 16 years old to participate.

Explore the stunning landscapes of the Columbia River Gorge on this 4-hour private tour from Portland. Be captivated by the beauty of five majestic waterfalls, including the towering Multnomah Falls, Oregon's tallest at 620 feet. Enjoy panoramic views from the historic Vista House at Crown Point and relax at Rooster Rock State Park. This small-group experience, limited to six guests, ensures a personalized adventure with an English/Mandarin bilingual driver-guide. Optional add-on visits to The Grotto add an extra layer of tranquility to your journey. Visit five iconic waterfalls: Latourell, Wahkeena, and Multnomah Falls Enjoy door-to-door private transport with a local guide Experience breathtaking views from the Vista House Family-friendly with child seats available upon request. Please note: This tour is not wheelchair accessible. The itinerary involves walking paths and stairs at some waterfall viewpoints, requiring a moderate level of physical fitness.

Enjoy superb views of the Portland riverfront on a 90-minute sailing cruise along the Willamette. Set out from Portland on a small-group tour up the river, stopping to view Portland's floating homes as well as uninhabited Ross Island. Savor the surrounding scenery―including placid Holgate Channel and the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge―as you go. Bring your own snacks, refreshments and spirits to satisfy both hunger and thirst throughout.

There’s nothing better than exploring Astoria at your own pace, with a flexible itinerary tailored to your preferences. Step back in time and immerse yourself in the rich history of Astoria, Oregon's oldest American settlement. From its roots as a vital port city to its iconic landmarks, Astoria offers a perfect blend of history, natural beauty, and coastal charm. Discover its significant role in American exploration and maritime history, and enjoy breathtaking views of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. This full-day tour takes you through the highlights of Astoria, offering a memorable journey through Oregon’s coastal heritage.

This is Portland’s elevated sushi night out: a small-group, omakase-style progressive dinner across three top sushi spots downtown. Instead of tiny samples, you’ll sit down at each stop for chef-selected dishes—crafted to highlight different styles, cuts, and techniques—so you leave genuinely full and seriously impressed. Over 2–3 hours, you’ll enjoy a curated progression that can include nigiri, sashimi, specialty rolls, and seasonal plates (selection varies by night). Your guide keeps it fun and approachable while explaining what you’re eating, how to spot quality, and how to order with confidence the next time you’re at a sushi bar. All food is included, and group size is capped so the experience stays personal and high-touch. —and if you have dietary needs (gluten-free or vegan), message us after booking so we can plan your best possible menu. Why this is worth it: you’re getting a guided, chef-curated sushi progression at three restaurants in one night—without the guesswork.

Portland is home to a buzzing array of neighborhoods, historical highlights, and natural attractions—and this private, half-day tour makes for a seamless introduction. Pick between morning and afternoon tour times and hop aboard your luxury, air-conditioned vehicle. You’ll visit the International Rose Test Garden and Pittock Mansion, and will drive past landmarks like the Oregon Zoo, Portland Art Museum, and more as you explore the city’s neighborhoods.

Delve into the fascinating history of Portland with the outdoor escape room game, 'Feuding Founders - The Choices That Made a City.' This self-guided experience invites participants to navigate through the city, solving puzzles that reveal the tensions and compromises of its founding days. As you explore real streets and landmarks, the app guides you to uncover clues that bring the story of Portland's early settlers to life. This immersive adventure transforms the city into a captivating outdoor escape room. Escaped Escape Rooms are a new kind of adventure that breaks free from four walls. Instead of being locked in a room, your surroundings become the game. Guided by your phone, your team explores real landmarks, uncovering virtual clues and solving puzzles that connect directly to the world around you. It’s part treasure hunt, part walking tour, and part mystery thriller.

Escape Portland for full-day of hiking and exploring stunning waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge! Admire spectacular viewpoints from the Portland Women’s Forum State and Crown Point Vista House, and then visit the Gorge’s signature falls including Bridal Veil, Horsetail and, of course, Multnomah Falls.

Combine hiking and bicycling on this small-group tour of the Columbia River Gorge, ideal for active travelers. After a minivan ride from Portland to the Gorge, you'll hop on your bike and start exploring, stopping at the Vista House, Bridal Veil Falls, and Multnomah Falls along the way. You'll also visit Latourell Falls, where you'll take a hike al long a 2.1-mile loop trail up to the lower falls.

Argo is a mobile platform that transforms cities into interactive quest spaces. Imagine walking through your own neighborhood, or visiting a new city, and uncovering hidden stories, puzzles, and art, all woven together into playful narratives.

From fiery deaths to watery graves: In this 1.5 mile cemetery walking tour, we weave what we know of the peoples who lived here for millennia with verifiable stories of recent centuries. We can only guess, based on our psychics’ readings and eerie coincidences we have observed, where people here before us feared to walk and canoe at night. As a wise person wrote, every story ends as a ghost story. Our ghosts are legion. We now call it Oregon; “ourigan” was ancestral home to hundreds of thousands. They have left a darkness here, expressed with stories from the earliest days of our written history to modern times. Starting with early disasters, we will tell ghost stories we have collected, from fiery deaths to those in the waters of nearby river; from self-inflicted to deaths brought by the state or a rich man’s guilt. Our route takes us through the inner eastside, where more of Portland’s disasters have happened than any other part of the city & where many early settlers are buried.

Experience highlights of the Portland area on this full-day sightseeing tour, including the blossoming food cart culture, diverse neighborhoods, Pioneer Courthouse Square, and the unspoiled beauty of the Columbia River Gorge. Immerse yourself in a guided tour of Portland’s fascinating history and quirky contemporary culture. Explore with a small group or upgrade for a private tour.

Tour delivered via the Ranger Tales iOS app — Apple iPhone required. Android version coming soon. Unlike other audio tours that make you tap to start each stop, Ranger Tales plays automatically via GPS the moment you arrive. Your voucher unlocks the tour permanently — use it any day, as many times as you want. Plus hidden bonus stories along the route.

Let’s Roam is the #1 app-led scavenger hunt company. Walk to all the best landmarks and hidden gems, answering trivia questions and solving challenges. Work with your team or compete against them, as you learn new facts and create memorable experiences. Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts are great as an everyday activity, or for bachelorette parties, birthday parties, corporate team building events and more! Each player chooses an interactive role, with challenges varying by person.

Overlapping the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, and straddling the Oregon & Washington border, are the Columbia Gorge and Columbia Valley American Viticultural Areas (AVA). The Columbia Gorge AVA is the lovechild of the Columbia Valley and Willamette Valley AVAs. The Columbia Valley AVA is the largest AVA in the Pacific Northwest, and known for big reds with a bright mouthfeel. Come see the natural beauty of the Columbia Basin and Columbia Gorge through wine tasting. Your guide will teach you about the natural history, cultural history, and wine background of the area. Lunch is included; wine is not.

This experience combines the antioxidant-rich benefits of vinotherapy with a results-driven Caudalie Vinosource Hydra Facial. Guests begin with a wine-infused soak to relax the body and prep the skin, followed by a targeted facial designed to deeply hydrate, soothe, and restore radiance—delivering both indulgent relaxation and visible, glowing results. As the only wine spa in the USA, this is a truly one-of-a-kind experience you won’t find anywhere else.

This day isn’t just about sipping wine — it’s about celebrating the amazing women in your life and creating unforgettable moments together! Whether it’s a birthday bash, a bachelorette blowout, your annual girls’ getaway, or Tuesday (we don’t judge)—let us kickstart your adventure through Oregon’s stunning Willamette Valley with the perfect blend of bubbles, bonding, and boutique fun. The Wine Experience: Instead of rushing through wine tastings, we slow it down and deep dive into two unforgettable wine adventures. You might find yourself chatting with a vineyard owner, sampling pours at one of the area’s incredible women-owned wineries, or soaking up the energy at one of the valley’s most upbeat, offbeat, and Instagram-worthy spots. The Couture Experience: After the wine, the celebration continues! You and your crew will be whisked away to one of your exclusive private experiences — glass in hand, laughter flowing, and memories in the making.

Explore Portland's vibrant nightlife on a two-hour guided bike tour, where laughter and good vibes flow alongside refreshing drinks. The Classic Crawl takes you through the city's coolest neighborhoods and stops at three local bars, showcasing everything from neon-lit dives to quirky favorites. Perfect for groups looking to celebrate special occasions or simply enjoy a fun night out, this tour features onboard music and group photos to capture the memories. Come ready to pedal and dress up for the occasion—costumes are encouraged. - A private tour means no compromises! This unique experience is for you and the friendly, familiar faces you bring along. - Two-hour guided bike tour through Portland's neighborhoods. - Visit three unique bars and enjoy a lively atmosphere. - Group photos and music provided for a memorable experience. - Minimum group size of 6 and maximum of 15 riders.