Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise
Badge of Excellence
Portland, USA
- 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Hop aboard the Portland Spirit for a trip along the Willamette River with this sightseeing tour of Portland. Your captain will ferry you under some of the city's famous bridges and waterfront sights, and you'll have plenty of chances to take photos of the city right from the water. You'll also have the option to buy snacks and drinks from the onboard bistro.
- Explore Portland by boat
- The captain will provide narration along the way
- Get great photo angles from the Willamette River
- Snacks and drinks are available for purchase
What's Included
- 1.5-hour cruise on the Willamette River
- Historical narration plays on all levels of the vessel
- OPTIONAL: Bring headphones for your phone & listen to narration via our app (instruction on board)
- No food/drink included (food & drinks can be purchased on board)
- Souvenir boarding photo$20.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 1010 SW Naito Pkwy, Portland, OR 97204, USA
Please note: A member of the Portland Spirit customer service team will contact you if there are any changes to your boarding location.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.3:30 pm
Itinerary
Hawthorne Bridge (Pass By)
Marquam Bridge (Pass By)
OMSI (Pass By)
Tilikum Crossing (Pass By)
Ross Island Bridge (Pass By)
Oaks Amusement Park (Pass By)
Sellwood Bridge (Pass By)
Sellwood Riverfront Park (Pass By)
Waverley Country Club (Pass By)
Tom McCall Waterfront Park (Pass By)
Morrison Bridge (Pass By)
Burnside Bridge (Pass By)
Oregon Convention Center (Pass By)
Moda Center (Pass By)
Steel Bridge (Pass By)
Portland Oregon Sign (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a NON Smoking Vessel
- Gluten Free options available
- Vegan options available
- Wheelchairs are able to come aboard the enclosed lower deck — please notify us when booking. Stairs are required to venture to the upper decks.
- Boarding photo required as part of our safety & security plan
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 400 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
CHARITY_J
This boat tour is relaxing. You sit and drift slowly down the water. You see bridges, an old cement factory, speed boats, houseboats, beautiful lake-front homes, sail boats, jet skis, marinas, docks, coves and more. This is not a super entertaining boat ride. It’s to relax and enjoy the scenery!! So glad I went! Totally worth the money and time!
Reviews
4.4
based on 128 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Janet_S, Aug 2026
Our guide Adam made this such a fun informative trip with his love of Portland.
We saw the major sites,several,neighborhoods and quirky sites too! Hotel pick up was right on time and left us off at our next adventure!
kholoud_a, Aug 2026
I really enjoyed and learned a lot from the information I had yesterday the atmosphere is beautiful such a relaxing day
Anna_T, Aug 2026
Very leisurely and informative, weather was beautiful for a cruise down the river. Bridge history was interesting.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for joining us for a Happy Hour Cruise! We're so glad you enjoyed the relaxing pace, beautiful weather and informative narration, especially the fascinating history of Portland's bridges. We hope to welcome you aboard again soon!
Tammy_R, Aug 2026
We were looking to do something affordable for our anniversary. We arrived and the photographer took a picture of us in front of the boat . Picture cost 20.00 you can purchase . Food and drinks were affordable. The ride was relaxing and informative. Everything went well enjoyed looking the beautiful view.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for choosing to celebrate your anniversary with us! We're so glad you enjoyed the relaxing cruise, beautiful views and informative narration, and that you found it to be an affordable way to celebrate together. We hope to welcome you both aboard again in the future!
Robert_H, Aug 2026
First time on Portland Spirit and it was great.I would recommend to any first time adventure you'll love it.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for joining us for your first Portland Spirit experience! We're so glad you had a great time and enjoyed the cruise. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope this is the first of many adventures with us!
Jillyn_O, Aug 2026
So much fun! My bestie from out of town and I did the tour and really enjoyed it! The food was delish, staff were friendly, and the ride was smooth and informative!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We're so glad you and your bestie had such a fun time exploring Portland from the river! It's wonderful to hear you enjoyed the delicious food, friendly crew, smooth ride and informative narration. We hope you'll both join us again the next time you're in town!
David_L, Aug 2026
Board as early as possible to get a good seat or get shade on the upper deck for day cruises.
Very mellow vibe.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for cruising with us! We're glad you enjoyed the mellow atmosphere and views from the river. For guests who want to be among the first to board, we do offer Priority Boarding when booking directly through our website (www.portlandspirit.com), which includes early boarding and a complimentary drink of your choice. We hope to welcome you back aboard soon to experience another of our many cruise options!
Marc_J, Aug 2026
Beautiful views. Goes under many bridges. Narrator provides historical context of the bridges and sites on shore.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for joining us, Marc! We're so glad you enjoyed the beautiful views and learning more about Portland's bridges and waterfront through our narration. We appreciate you cruising with us for Happy Hour and hope to welcome you aboard again in the future!
Caron_K, Jul 2026
Narrator gave us good information. Unfortunately, a small child didn't want to be there and cried A LOT!!! So we missed some of it. Beautiful day! Great Sunday afternoon activity.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for joining us on our Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We're glad you enjoyed the narration, beautiful weather, and found it to be a great Sunday afternoon activity. We're sorry you missed portions of the narration due to another guest's little one having a difficult time, but we appreciate your understanding. We hope you'll have the opportunity to cruise with us again!
Eboni_R, Jul 2026
You will learn a lot about the origins of the city of Portland. It’s an opportunity to learn and sightsee at the same time. It’s fun for the family.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for cruising with us! We're happy you enjoyed learning about Portland's history while taking in the sights from the river. We're so glad you found it to be a fun experience for the whole family. We hope to see you aboard again soon!
Hannah_C, Jul 2026
The boat ride was ok to say the least. Older looking /style decor and boat. Could barely hear the narration inside on the lower level. Me and my partner walked upstairs to get drinks for our group of 6. (In case the responder asks , I booked a group of 4 and group of 2 - July 22nd at 3:30pm). We Waited in line and noticed the bartender was a little rude the the guest in front of us but as soon as we walked up no smile, no greeting, nothing, and it was the bar manager, I believe Devyn, (she had facial piercings so that’s how to recognize her). I told her our order for 6 drinks, 5 alcoholic and 1 soda. And rolls her eyes, starts making the drink and goes “so you want how many gin and tonic?” I tell her 2 again and she only makes one, and my pink Lemonade drink, angrily throwing the ice into the cup, and just acting ugly. I’m already mad but I didn’t want to get thrown off the boat because nothing was said to make her mad or to get the type of behavior she had towards us, but she’s nice to all the white guests…maybe something about race I don’t know. But towards the end she goes “so 2 pink lemonades and I say no. 1 pink lemonade 2 gin and tonic, and she just says is the person over 21 and I tell her yes , like go walk downstairs and look for yourself , and some man was behind her and luckily said “yes they are “ and she continued making the drink. But what a terrible way to start off the cruise . Then prints out the receipts and puts them on the table with all our drinks, she gets the next persons order behind me, but is talking over me because I haven’t left yet,needless to say I wrote $0.00 for a tip, and we grabbed our drinks and walked away. And as we are, she grabs both of those receipts , crumbles them up and throws them in the trash in front of me. Very unprofessional behavior, disgusting to say the least, very lucky I didn’t want to get kicked off the boat.. but even my partner and his father said she was awful. So that set us in a mood but then about 15 minutes or so after my boyfriend goes up and orders us 2 spicy chicken bites, 1 birria taquito, and 1 fry. He came back and said she still had an attitude and even noticed it with the people that were in front of him, very impatient. He comes back down and we wait 5-15 minutes and some young girl walks over to our table and says “we ran out of fries” (yet they still are serving other tables and how do they restock after we get off, I personally don’t think they they ran out..) , but at this point he just tells her to cancel the order to get a refund because this crew does not deserve any more money from us , and from looking at the reviews it would’ve been gross food anyways 🤷🏻♀️. Then a while after the photographer that took our picture before we got on the boat, walked up to our table and said with a straight face “here’s your picture do you want to buy it?” , like you are working for us and should be giving good customer service, and greeting us with a smile, and I don’t care if it’s your first day on the job or we are your last group of the day, that’s unacceptable. And how do you expect to get a tip, or good attitude back when these kids and bar manager act all rude and ugly? We are very nice and friendly people but when you act this way , don’t expect us to still act friendly back. I would never even leave a review but these people deserve a bad one. Even when walking off the boat, the lady that checked us in (olderish lady with glasses and curly hair in a ponytail) was also standing by the door saying bye to everyone and holding the door as they got off, and my partner just says to her “can I get some help, for the refund,”and her smile drops and she just says “yup I already did” , not even “oh yes! I did that upstairs, you’ll receive it back in your account in this many days, sorry about that! Or anything! She didn’t say anything to me either but that’s fine I was done with them and just wanted to get off. All in all, if they respond , don’t give me an excuse to why you guys acted that way, just check your attitude when talking to customers, and if you don’t like working with people … don’t work there, plain and simple. But Everyone I tell about this ride isn’t going to be a good review, so just be better.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear about your experience, as this is absolutely not the impression we want any guest to leave with after cruising with us.
We take comments like yours very seriously. As soon as we became aware of your review, we shared it with our entire management team and our General Manager. We have already begun speaking with each of the team members mentioned so we can better understand what happened that afternoon. While we strive to provide warm, attentive service to every guest, it is clear from your experience that we fell short that day.
Customer service is something we take great pride in. In fact, it is the compliment we receive most often in our guest reviews, which makes it especially disappointing to read that you felt unwelcome. Regardless of how busy a shift may be or what challenges may be happening behind the scenes, our guests deserve to be greeted with professionalism, patience and kindness.
Our General Manager, Mindy Caldwell, has already reached out and left you a voicemail because we would genuinely appreciate the opportunity to speak with you personally, learn more about your experience, and see if there is a way we can make things right. If you're willing, please give her a call at 503-943-9132 or email her directly at Mindy@portlandspirit.com. We would truly welcome the opportunity to earn back your trust.
Thank you again for bringing your concerns to our attention.
Katherine_C, Jul 2026
Leisure
Informative, if other passengers don't drown out the commentary with their personal conversations.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for joining us on our Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We're glad you enjoyed the informative narration. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the noise level. While we can't always control conversations among guests, we'll share your comments with our crew and continue looking for ways to make the narration as enjoyable as possible for everyone. We hope to welcome you aboard again soon!
Timothy_H, Jul 2026
We took this cruise with our son and his girlfriend. This a great way to see Portland, and a lot less expensive than I would have expected.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for joining us on our Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We're delighted you and your family enjoyed seeing Portland from the river. It's wonderful to hear you found it to be a great value, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We hope to welcome you all back aboard again soon!
Candee_O, Jul 2026
The narration was informative. Good food service. The only real negative on the Crystal Dolphin vessel was limited outdoor upper deck comfortable seating and none of the space was covered.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for cruising with us and for sharing your feedback. We're glad you enjoyed the narration and food service. We also appreciate your comments about the outdoor seating on the Crystal Dolphin. We'll share your feedback with our team as we continue evaluating the guest experience and look for possible shading options. Thank you again, and we hope to see you aboard in the future!
Jennifer_B, Jul 2026
Nice trip through the river and bridges.
Good narrative and scenic views along the way. We would recommend it.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for joining us on our Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We're so glad you enjoyed the scenic views, bridge narration, and relaxing cruise along the Willamette River. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you aboard again soon!
Kristine_D, Jul 2026
Well organized. Sit upstairs, but get up there early to snag a seat. Great comatary on the river played over speakers. Bring a hat if sunny.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for joining us on our Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We're delighted you enjoyed the narration, organization, and family-friendly experience. We also appreciate your helpful tips for future guests about arriving early for an upper deck seat and bringing a hat on sunny days. We hope to welcome you aboard again soon!
Deborah_F, Jul 2026
Minimal seating prior to departure. Too many people, minimal seating outside. No fans to circulate the inside air. Only food available was minimal and over priced for what you received. Spider cobwebs were everywhere, signs of lack of cleaning. You couldn't hear the moderator over all the people talking. Overall an unpleasant experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're sorry to hear your cruise did not meet expectations. We appreciate your comments regarding seating, food offerings, and narration volume. We'll share your feedback with our team as we continue looking for ways to improve the guest experience. Regarding the cobwebs, because we're operating on the river, they can appear quickly on our outdoor decks. Our crew clears them on a regular schedule, but we appreciate you bringing this to our attention so we can ensure they're addressed promptly. We appreciate your feedback and wish you all the best in your future travels.
Melissa_I, Jul 2026
Nice, simple cruise. As someone who grew up in the area but hasn’t seen the city from the water in years, it was a good way to reconnect. My elderly father worked in downtown for decades and also enjoyed the stroll down memory lane. The crew were warm and welcoming. Their assistance in bringing my father up the ramp with a wheelchair made his participation much easier.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for joining us on our Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We're honored that we could be part of such a meaningful trip down memory lane for you and your father. It's wonderful to hear he was able to comfortably enjoy the experience with a little assistance from our crew. Thank you for your kind words about our team's warm hospitality. We hope to welcome you both aboard again for another relaxing cruise on the Willamette River.
Teresa_B, Jul 2026
The boat was lovely and well staffed, I brought
my own water, and found a place in the shade for the trip. I should have worn a hat, so I got a little bit burned on my shoulders and forehead. Sunglasses are recommended. Everyone was friendly and courteous. Cocktails and food are extra, but not sure about the pricing, though the food I saw coming out on deck looked fresh and attractive. Perfect for a solo traveler 60+
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for joining us on our Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We're so glad you enjoyed the beautiful views, friendly crew and relaxing atmosphere. We also appreciate your helpful tips for future guests about bringing sunglasses and enjoying the shade on sunny days. Thank you for cruising with us, and we hope to welcome you aboard again in the future!
Manuel_G, Jun 2026
I was aggressively yelled at by whoever you hired as a photographer for my Happy Hour Sightseeing tour on Saturday June 20th, 2026 3:30. This was utterly disrespectful and no way to treat a customer for what is supposed to be a premium experience. Your employees should treat your guests with respect not embarrass them in front of all the other passengers. This was completely unacceptable and ruined what should have otherwise been a good experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We also appreciate you taking the time to speak with us directly. We have also addressed this situation with the photographer in question and discussed alternative approaches to communicating our photo policy to ensure guests feel welcomed and respected. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.
jorge_i, Jun 2026
Fun, informational quick trip down river. Spacious boat cabin, not much deck space so get there early if you want a seat in top observation deck.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for cruising with us! We're delighted you enjoyed the informative narration and relaxing trip on the river. We also appreciate your helpful tip for future guests about arriving early to snag a seat on the observation deck. We also sell a priority boarding upgrade on our website (portlandspirit.com) that allows you to board first and comes with a drink ticket! We hope to welcome you aboard again in the future.
Liz_T, Jun 2026
Great experience!! Perfect accommodations and very nice staff. Would be a great date night, though we just did it for fun!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for joining us on our Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We're so glad you had a great experience and enjoyed our crew and accommodations. Whether it's a date night or just a fun outing, we appreciate you choosing to cruise with us and hope to welcome you aboard again soon!
Tammy_G, Jun 2026
The Happy Hour cruise INCLUDES children. Buyer Beware! We thought because it was a happy hour cruise there would be no children and we were hoping more for a fun adult cruise with great music and a great happy hour venue.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for joining us and for sharing your feedback. We're sorry the experience wasn't exactly what you expected. Our Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise is family-friendly, and while many adults enjoy it for date nights or relaxing with friends, children are welcome aboard as well. We appreciate your comments and will continue looking for ways to better communicate that in our cruise descriptions.
Mary_R, Apr 2026
It was a fun and relaxing way to see the Willamette River and learn a little about the region. We had a lovely sunny day and cocktails, perfect.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for joining us on the Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We’re so glad you had a relaxing time enjoying the Willamette River on a sunny day with cocktails in hand. We appreciate you cruising with us and hope to welcome you back aboard again soon.
Gretta_G, Sep 2025
This was a great way to see the bridges and the city. The staff is amazing! Truly enjoyed this experience ❤️
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for joining us on one of the last Happy Hour cruises of the season, and for your wonderful review! We’re so glad you enjoyed seeing Portland from the water and had a great experience with our crew. We hope to welcome you aboard again in the future. ❤️
Tracy_H, Sep 2025
Great guided tour on the water. Good food and drinks and very friendly crew. Loved this tour. No issues.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for joining our Happy Hour Cruise on the Portland Spirit! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the guided tour, food and drinks, and our friendly crew. We appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back soon!
RODNEY_F, Sep 2025
Excellent staff and service. Really enjoyed the narration of sites and history of the Willamette River.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for cruising with us on a Portland Spirit Happy Hour Cruise! We’re so glad you enjoyed the narration and learning about the history and sights along the Willamette River. We appreciate your kind words about our staff and service, and hope to welcome you back on board soon!
Kassandra_D, Sep 2025
We attended the happy hour. I went with my disabled mother who uses a walker. Everyone was super friendly and accommodating. The scariest part was the steep ramp to get down to the boat but everyone was super helpful. The narration was great and we learned about all the bridges and some city landmarks. The chicken nachos order was huge and delicious with plenty of cheese. And we ordered a pink zinger with the souvenir cup. Zinger was delicious but the cup is kinda plain and flimsy, nothing special. Service was super friendly. Everything was clean and the ac was nice and cool. They even have a cute gift shop on board. Absolutely loved the experience overall and would definitely love to come back again. We also love that it is family owned and operated.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for joining us on our Happy Hour Cruise! We’re very happy to hear you and your mother enjoyed the narration, food, drinks and attentive service. We appreciate your kind words about our crew and our family-owned operation. They take great pride in getting people safely down the ramp, especially this time of year when the river is t its lowest point. We’ll take your feedback on the souvenir cup into consideration as we review other options in the future. We truly appreciate this feedback and hope to welcome you back for another outing on the river soon!
Anonymous, Sep 2025
Very nice experience, friendly staff! The captain assisted with our friend who was wheel chair bound.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for sharing your experience on the Portland Spirit Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the outing and that our captain and crew could provide extra assistance for your friend. We’re happy to make sure all guests feel comfortable and cared for.
Swathi_H, Sep 2025
Very beautiful and relaxing sight seeing boat tour. Was a new experience for me seeing Portland from the river. Well worth the money!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for joining us on the Portland Spirit Happy Hour Sightseeing cruise! We’re so glad you enjoyed seeing Portland from the river and found the experience beautiful and relaxing. It’s wonderful to hear it was worth your time and money — we hope to welcome you back for another cruise soon!
From $41.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise
128
1 hour 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$41.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
Attractions in Portland, USA
- Oneonta Gorge Tours & Tickets
- Hoyt Arboretum Tours & Tickets
- Forest Park Tours & Tickets
- International Rose Test Garden Tours & Tickets
- Portland Japanese Garden Tours & Tickets
- Portland Pearl District Tours & Tickets
- Wahkeena Falls Tours & Tickets
- Vista House Tours & Tickets
- Multnomah Falls Tours & Tickets
- Historic Columbia River Highway Tours & Tickets
- Pittock Mansion Tours & Tickets
- Pioneer Square Tours & Tickets
- Portland Art Museum Tours & Tickets
- Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) Tours & Tickets
- Lan Su Chinese Garden Tours & Tickets
- Latourell Falls Tours & Tickets
- Portland Steel Bridge Tours & Tickets
- Alphabet District Tours & Tickets