10 Best Portland Nightlife

The best Portland nightlife is characterized by the city’s nickname: Beertown, USA. The city proudly boasts more breweries than any other city in the world and is home to the largest craft beer industry in the United States. It’s surrounded by incredible wine valleys too. So, it’s no wonder that people heading here are looking to have a pretty good time.

From happy hours and movie theaters to ghost tours and biking pub crawls, the people of Portland know how to turn any activity into an excuse to enjoy some of the finest drinks around. To help plan your trip, we’ve come up with some of the most unique nightlife experiences you can have in Portland.

1. Distillery Row

A unique spirit-drinking experience

Good for: Food, Nightlife

For a truly unique experience sampling the best spirits in town, make the journey by pedicab along Portland’s famous Distillery Row. It’s not a physical row as such, but there are 12 independent distilleries dotted across the city. You can stop by each one and try new and exciting flavored spirit varieties.

Those embarking on the Distillery Row adventure have the opportunity to sample a selection of 80 unique spirits, but it’s up to you to decide just how many you can manage. To make the experience all the more fun, there’s a special passport to get stamped for each distillery you visit.

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2. Bridge City Brew Trail

A self-guided tour of the best breweries in town

Good for: Food, Nightlife, Adventure

Trendy Northwest Portland is where you’ll find some of the city’s oldest and most popular breweries, providing the setting for the famous Bridge City Brew Trail. This awesome, self-guided tour allows you to spend as little or as long as you like exploring the Pearl District and sampling many a tasty craft beer as you go.

The entire tour can be undertaken on foot, using a special smartphone app as your guide. Each brewery offers something unique, be it complimentary pints, sample trays, a take-home growler, or discounted merchandise.

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3. Trolley Pub

“The most Portland thing you could ever do”

Good for: Nightlife, Adventure, Unusual

For the ultimate pub crawl around Portland’s craft beer scene, gather your friends and experience an unforgettable ride on the Trolley Pub. This incredibly fun and unique tour will see you using your own pedal power to ride through the city on a bar on wheels, stopping at a selection of great pubs along the way.

Choose your party bike squad and book a cruise through their website. You’ll need a minimum of 6 pedalers to power the Trolley Pub. Arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled departure for important safety guidelines. Once you’re ready, pop open a drink and let the good times roll as you enjoy the trolley vibes.

Location: 737 SE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97214, USA

Phone: +1 971-288-0228

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4. Haunted pub tour

Discovering the old town’s dark past

Good for: Nightlife, Unusual

See a darker side of Portland on a haunted pub tour of the city’s Historic Old Town District. As if the blend of history and hauntings wasn’t enough, the tour also gives you the chance to sample 6 different craft beers in 2 haunted pubs.

Of course, the district is a lot less scary these days, but a knowledgeable expert will guide you on this fascinating 2.5-hour walking tour, regaling you with stories of Portland’s baddies, goodies, and ghoulies as you go.

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5. Live music

The perfect beer accompaniment

Good for: Nightlife, Couples

Live music is part and parcel of Portland’s nightlife scene, so you’ll have no trouble finding some top-class entertainment. Whether you’re looking for some mellow jazz at a trendy cocktail bar, some authentic rock ‘n’ roll music at a traditional saloon bar, or some high-energy bands to take you partying into the night, you can experience a different live music venue for every day of the week and more.

For an intimate live music experience, head to the famous Mississippi Studios, a renovated church in the heart of the Historic Mississippi District. The Aladdin Theater is another must-see music venue and the Crystal Ballroom is the place to be to show off all your best dance moves.

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6. Happy hour on a rooftop

Portland’s favorite time of the day

Good for: Couples, Nightlife, Photo

Happy hour on a rooftop transforms an ordinary evening into a memorable experience. And if there’s one thing that Portland loves more than beer and wine itself, it’s a celebratory happy hour to enjoy drinking it all together. What better place to experience this than at a rooftop bar as the sun begins to fade?

Sip sake and unique cocktails at the popular Departure or soak up the unrivaled 360-degree views from the top of Revolution Hall’s Roof Deck. Hey, if you’re there for a few days, why not try a different one each night?

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7. Pearl District

The trendiest neighborhood in town

Good for: Nightlife, Couples

Portland’s swanky Pearl District is home to some of the best bars in the city, making it the obvious area of choice to bar-hop with friends. By day, people flock here to browse fancy art galleries, unique stores, and independent fashion boutiques. By night, the area comes to life, boasting excellent fine-dining options and high-end drinking establishments.

Located in the heart of downtown, there’s no better place to experience the vibrant Portland nightlife. Try some creative cocktails in the Teardrop Lounge, taste wine like it’s never tasted before at The Old Portland Wine Bar, and grab a freshly-brewed beer at Deschutes Brewery.

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8. Academy Theater

Sipping a cold beer while watching a movie

Good for: Couples, Food, Nightlife

Catching a movie in Portland has transformed into a unique and enjoyable experience, with many movie theaters now serving beer, including the esteemed Academy Theater. While a trip to the movies might not typically top your list of travel activities, the combination of great beer and delicious food might just change your mind.

The Academy Theater stands out with its impressive selection of 10 beers on tap, showcasing local breweries. This inviting venue pairs carefully curated films with the perfect brew, creating an evening to remember. To top it off, you can savor mouthwatering pizza from the neighboring Flying Pie Pizzeria, making your movie night an all-around delightful experience.

Location: 7818 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97215,USA

Phone: +1 503-252-0500

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9. Willamette Valley

Tasting the perfect pinot noir

Good for: Food, Couples, Luxury

Just a short drive south of Portland is the beautiful Willamette Valley, boasting more than 500 independent wineries and over 700 vineyards. Home to a huge variety of different wines, it’s the pinot noir that the valley is most famous for, accounting for nearly 3 quarters of the overall wine produced here.

When visiting Portland, it’s only right that you should take the time to explore the Willamette Valley. Luckily for you, there are plenty of companies that offer guided tours and tastings at some of the top wineries. And best of all, they operate out of the city, with return travel included, so you get to take full advantage of all the excellent wine. It’s a “wine-wine” situation.

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10. Entertainment District

Portland’s nightlife hub

Good for: Nightlife, Couples

In the heart of Portland’s Old Town Chinatown neighborhood is the vibrant and fun-filled Entertainment District, bursting with cocktail bars, live music, and late-night DJ sets. Whether you’ve been out sampling wine in the valleys, checking out a local brewery or 2, or just visiting some of the more laid-back bars that Portland has to offer, the Entertainment District is the place to end your night with a bang.

See the dueling pianos at The Barrel Room, rock out at Dixie Tavern, end the night at the frivolous Darcelle XV, then grab a famous Voodoo donut on the way back to your hotel.

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This article includes opinions of the Go Guides editorial team. Hotels.com compensates authors for their writing appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.