☀️ Is Portland the best summer city?

Best Local Bike Outings

Summer in Portland means getting outside. And you don’t even have to go to the coast or the Columbia Gorge to enjoy summer. We have some suggestions for the best local bike trips to enjoy the warm, sunny weather in town (and just beyond). [City Cast Portland]

Explore Sidewalk Joy

You’ve probably heard of little free libraries. Portland has plenty of those, but also something even quirkier — sidewalk displays that offer free exchanges for Croc charms, crafting supplies, and rubber duckies, not to mention miniature art displays. There’s even an official map of all this sidewalk joy, so take a bike ride or a walk and explore this city fun. [City Cast Portland]

Is Portland the Best for Summer?

City Cast podcast hosts from around the country came together for a high-stakes showdown, competing to do justice to their city’s summer offerings: Which city is the best for a summer weekend trip? From naked bike rides to ‘the country’s best farmers market,’ pickle festivals to Elvis impersonators driving pink convertibles, our hosts are bringing the best of the best of what their city has to offer. And yes, we do pick a winner. [City Cast Portland]

While our 13 City Cast cities (Austin, Boise, Chicago, D.C., Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, and Salt Lake) duked it out in our most recent podcast episode, debating which of our cities is the best for a long weekend trip, we wanted to give you the chance to find the city that best suits your summer vibe.

Would you rather eat at a kitschy Mexican restaurant with a 30-foot waterfall and cliff divers — or explore a pickle-themed festival spread across two scenic bridges? Do you want to embark on a naked bike ride (which doubles as a protest) or kayak down a historic river? The choice is yours!