How to Have a Perfect Summer Night in Portland

Summer in Portland is a magical time, but with so much going on, how do you choose what to do? Here are some of our favorite summer night activities in Portland.

🛥️ Have an Adventure

A sunset picnic on the Skidmore Bluffs is about as quintessentially summer as you can get. There are plenty of nearby spots where you can pick up provisions, though City Cast Portland executive producer John Notarianni recommends you strap a pizza from Lovely’s Fifty Fifty to the back of your bike — if you dare.

And it’s not summer without spending time on the water, so take a sunset ride on the Portland Spirit. The food and wine are phenomenal, and you can’t beat the views. Bonus points if you gather a few friends and splurge on a private rental.

🍹 Go for Drinks

Hit up the Portland staple Teardrop Lounge. It’s arguably responsible for the vest-and-mustache mixologist trend of yesteryear, but the cocktails are immaculate. Abigail Hall inside the Woodlark Hotel also serves good drinks. Plus, it tends to be quiet, so it’s like your own secret hideaway.

Avert your eyes if you were born in the 1900s, because we’re heading to The Coffin Club at midnight (when the cover is cheaper) for summer debauchery, by which I mean good drinks, goth vibes, and tarot readings.

And word on the street is that there’s a new speakeasy above Bar Bar, just ask the door guy about it. 😉

😋 Grab a Snack

Since James Beard himself was from Portland, let’s start with an elevated dinner at Kann — Chef Gregory Gourdet has won the James Beard award three times, and for good reason. The entire menu is gluten-free, which bodes well for those of us who don’t like being bloated when it’s a million degrees outside.

And if your evening adventure goes late and your stomach is rumbling, My Father’s Place is serving diner classics until 2:30 a.m. It’s the perfect way to cap off a summer outing.

😎 Low-Key Shenanigans

For a more chill night — or if your ID doesn’t quite get you into certain places — City Cast Portland listener Sophia recommends a walk or bike ride (make sure you have good lights) to a street fair, and maybe some shopping at Cloud City Flea or the thrift shops in Hawthorne.