Free Things to Do in Portland, Oregon: 12 Real Picks

At a glance

• Where: All twelve picks sit inside Portland, Oregon city limits
• Hours: Parks typically open about 5am; hours vary by site, so check each official page before you go
• Cost: No admission fee is listed for any of the twelve picks; parking can cost money at some
• Not free: Portland Japanese Garden and Lan Su Chinese Garden charge admission

Portland, Oregon has plenty of free things to do, and most of the headline ones are parks: Forest Park, the International Rose Test Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, Tom McCall Waterfront Park and Pioneer Courthouse Square all list no admission fee. Two famous gardens, Portland Japanese Garden and Lan Su Chinese Garden, are not free. Every pick below is inside Portland city limits.

Which famous Portland gardens are actually free?

The city’s two public rose gardens and its big forest are free to enter, while the two gated gardens are not. Here is the honest split, from each official site.

• Forest Park: free. The City of Portland page lists no admission fee and says parking is free.
• International Rose Test Garden: the City of Portland page lists no entry fee and no free-day rules. Parking nearby is pay-to-park. Guided group tours carry a nominal fee.
• Portland Japanese Garden: not free. The official visit page lists an adult ticket at $22.50 and mentions no free days. Tours are free with admission.
• Lan Su Chinese Garden: not free. Adults (19-61) are $18, seniors and students with ID are $17, youth (6-18) are $15, and children 5 and under are free. Cardholders of EBT or WIC can pay $5 in person, and members enter free.

Prices change, so check Portland Japanese Garden and Lan Su Chinese Garden before you go. Neither official page lists a general free day, so we do not promise one.

How we chose

Every pick is inside Portland city limits, was confirmed open on an official page, and has no admission fee listed there. Where an official page says nothing about cost, we say so plainly instead of guessing. Parking, food and tours are separate costs.

What are the best free things to do in Portland?

The twelve picks below run from a 5,200-acre forest to a circle of dirt two feet wide.

1. Forest Park (Northwest Portland)

Forest Park is a 5,200-acre forest of more than 80 miles of trails inside Portland, and the City of Portland lists no admission fee. Hours are typically 5am to 10pm. A simple start is the Lower Macleay Trailhead at 2960 NW Upshur St, which the city lists as a trailhead address. The 30-mile Wildwood Trail runs through the park. Wear shoes that can handle mud.

2. International Rose Test Garden (Washington Park)

The International Rose Test Garden at 400 SW Kingston Ave is typically open 5am to 10pm, and the official page lists no entry fee. It is closed from 5am to 10am every other Wednesday from May through August. From Memorial Day through Labor Day the city lists a daily 1pm tour that meets at the Rose Garden Store; guided group tours carry a nominal fee. Bring change or the Parking Kitty app, since parking is paid.

3. Hoyt Arboretum (Washington Park)

Hoyt Arboretum at 4000 SW Fairview Blvd says on its own site that it is open year-round, free of charge, to everyone. The Visitor Center is typically open 10am to 4pm daily. The Visitor Center offers a free trail map, and trails sometimes close for work, so look at the official site before you plan a route.

4. Mill Ends Park (Downtown)

Mill Ends Park sits in a median on SW Naito Parkway at SW Taylor Street and is a circle about two feet across holding one tree. Guinness has recognized it as the world’s smallest park since 1971, and it measures 452 square inches. It is a ten-second stop, and a good photo. The park has no hours because it is a street median.

5. Benson Bubblers (Downtown)

The Benson Bubblers are downtown drinking fountains that run free, all day, with Portland tap water. Simon Benson donated $10,000 in 1912 for the first 20 bronze fountains. The City of Portland now maintains 52 four-bowl Benson Bubblers plus 74 one-bowl variations. The Portland Water Bureau says it sometimes turns them off in cold snaps or high wind.

6. Pioneer Courthouse Square (Downtown)

Pioneer Courthouse Square is the open-air brick plaza the city calls Portland’s Living Room, and the official site lists no admission. It sits in the heart of Downtown Portland, and its brick steps are the place to sit and people-watch between other stops.See the Downtown area page for what is nearby.

7. Tom McCall Waterfront Park (Downtown)

Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park runs along the Willamette River on Naito Parkway between S Harrison St and NW Glisan St, typically open 5am to midnight, and the city page lists no fee. Look for the Battleship Oregon Memorial. A time capsule sealed there on July 4, 1976 is set to open on July 5, 2076.

8. Tanner Springs Park (Pearl District)

Tanner Springs Park at NW 10th Ave and Marshall St is typically open 5am to 10pm, and the city page lists no fee. Its Artwall is made of 368 railroad tracks set on end with 99 pieces of fused glass, a nod to the wetland that once covered the area. More in the Pearl District guide.

9. Peninsula Park Rose Garden (North Portland)

Peninsula Park Rose Garden, at N Albina St and Ainsworth St, is typically open 5am to midnight and lists no fee. The octagonal bandstand overlooking the garden was designated a Portland Historic Landmark in 1973, and the city calls it the last of its kind in Portland. It is the quieter rose option when Washington Park is crowded.

10. Ladd Circle Park and Rose Gardens (Ladd’s Addition)

Ladd Circle Park and Rose Gardens sits at the center of Ladd’s Addition, near SE 16th Ave and Harrison St, with four diamond-shaped rose gardens. The City of Portland lists no fee. The streets around it run on a diagonal grid that confuses most first-time drivers, so walk or bike in. More in the Ladd’s Addition guide.

11. Mt. Tabor Park (Southeast Portland)

Mt. Tabor Park, at the main entrance at SE 60th Ave and Salmon St, is a 176-acre park on an extinct volcanic cinder cone, typically open 5am to 11:59pm. The city says vehicles are typically allowed 5am to 10pm, and none on Wednesdays. The city page lists no fee. It was named the first Urban Quiet Park in the US in 2023. See the Mt. Tabor area page.

12. Laurelhurst Park (Laurelhurst)

Laurelhurst Park, at SE César E. Chávez Blvd and Stark St, is typically open 5am to 10:30pm and lists no fee. The city bought about 30 acres in 1911, including the spring-fed pond. For years that pond hosted the Rose Festival Queen’s Coronation. See the Laurelhurst area page.

Save this: a free day in Portland

This route links the downtown picks on foot, then adds the rose gardens. Start early, since parks typically open around 5am.

1. Morning, Downtown: drink from a Benson Bubbler, then find Mill Ends Park on SW Naito Parkway at SW Taylor Street.
2. Late morning: walk the river along Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
3. Midday: sit in Pioneer Courthouse Square.
4. Afternoon, Washington Park: see the International Rose Test Garden, then walk next door to Hoyt Arboretum. Parking at the Rose Test Garden is paid, so ride transit if you can.
5. Sunset: finish at Mt. Tabor Park or Laurelhurst Park on the east side.

For more to do while you are here, see events in Portland.

Are there free things to do in Portland when it rains?

Most free Portland picks are outdoors, and the forest, Hoyt Arboretum and the downtown plazas are still worth a walk in light rain. Check the Portland weather page first. Skip trails after heavy rain, when Forest Park gets muddy.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is the International Rose Test Garden in Portland free?

The City of Portland’s official page lists no entry fee for the International Rose Test Garden. Parking nearby is paid, and guided group tours carry a nominal fee.

Is the Portland Japanese Garden free?

No. The official site lists an adult ticket at $22.50 at last check, and mentions no free days. Tours are free with admission.

Is Lan Su Chinese Garden free?

No. Adult admission is $18 at last check, with lower prices for seniors, students and youth, and free entry for children 5 and under and for members. EBT or WIC cardholders pay $5 in person.

Is Forest Park free to visit?

Yes. The City of Portland lists no admission fee for Forest Park and says parking is free. Park hours are typically 5am to 10pm.

What is the world’s smallest park, and where is it in Portland?

Mill Ends Park, in a median on SW Naito Parkway at SW Taylor Street in Downtown Portland, is recognized by Guinness as the world’s smallest park. It measures 452 square inches and holds one tree.