Choose a sunny afternoon to explore the Pearl district with its funky shops, great food, and kid friendly fun. Start the day by picking up a picnic lunch (or plan to dine in one of the many kid friendly restaurants), do a little shopping, and then let your kids run wild in the Jamison Square wading pool.
Address 102 NW 9th Ave., Portland, OR 97209 Map, Tel 503-827-0910 Call, Hours Weekdays 6am-6pm; Sat 7am-5pm; Sun 8am-2pm Website
Known as the best bread bakery in Portland, and I have to say that I agree. Not only are the fresh breads delicious, but they also have excellent pastry and takaway sandwiches. On a recent trip we picked up Peanut Butter and Jelly for my son, yougurt for my daughter, and chevre, prosciutto, and fig jam sandwiches for the grownups. The convenient location makes it a great place to pick up a picnic lunch. more
Address 307 NW 10th Ave, Portland OR 97209 Map, Tel 503-222-4404 Call, Hours Mon-Sat 10am-8pm; Sun 12n-6pm Website
This cupcake bakery sells delicious filled cupcakes (and mini-cupcakes) to take away. The menu changes monthly to keep things interesting, and there is a different selection each day of the week. Some recent choices included a Mimosa Cupcake: an orange yogurt cake filled with orange champagne pastry cream and iced with champagne buttercream and Downtown Cupcake Brown: devil's food cake filled with chocolate ganache and topped with fudge icing. If the bakers are in the kitchen (and they usually are) they are very accommodating about letting you choose your own flavor combinations. more
Address 809 NW 11th Avenue, Portland, OR Map, Tel 503.478.7674 Call, Tip Sells swim diapers for use in the wading pool Website
Posh Baby sells adorable clothing (much of it designed by the owner) for babies, toddlers and mommas. We loved their fashionable burp cloths when our kids were little (because burp cloths are really mom's accessory, not baby's), and we're hooked on their comfortable and cool looking scrub pants. more
Address 1031 NW 11th Ave., Portland, OR 97209 Map, Tel (503) 222-2646 Call, Hours Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 11am-5pm Website
This upscale toystore has a great selection of toys from upscale toy-makers and European companies like Haba, Selecta, and Plan Toys. There's also, (as you might expect) a great selection of frog stuffed animals! more
Address 810 NW 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97255 Map, Hours 5am to midnight, Notes Swim diapers available at Posh Baby Website
This fantastic public wading pool is fed by a waterfall that can be climbed even by early walkers. We've spent hours here, romping in the water and having the kind of loud, giggly fun that brings back fond memories of my own summer vacations as a child. more
Address 721 NW 9th Ave # 150 Portland, OR 97209 Map, Tel (503) 595-2342 Call, Hours Sun-Th 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm Website
With a location close to Jamison Park, this is a great place to stop in for a bite after splashing in the wading pool. Pizza is served by the slice, or you can order a whole pie. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. more
Address 555 NW 12th Ave Portland, OR 97209 Map, Tel 503-228-6161 Call, Hours Bar opens at 4pm, dinner service begins at 5pm. Open 7 Days, Notes Outdoor seating available during summer Website
This Latino restaurant has creative and delicious food for adults, and great choices for kids. We love the Crispy Coconut Prawns and the Roasted Butternut Squash Enchiladas. Kids choices include tacos, quesidillas, and coconut jasmine rice with beans (my son's favorite). For babies, you can ask for an order of red quinoa. The atmosphere is upscale, but Oba is loud enough that kids are not a problem. Highchairs available. more
Busses, MAX (the lightrail system) and the Portland streetcar make up Portland's excellent public transit system. It's easy to get to most popular destinations from downtown, and it will save you from packing everyone in and out of the car, navigating, and finding parking at each site. more