Portland is a quirky, artsy town that you could spend all day taking photos. Even while we were putting this list together, we found so many random spots we loved on the way to certain murals. Keep in mind many of the murals are constantly changing and since Portland is a rapidly growing city, we’ve seen new buildings develop right in front of them. We’ll try to update them as we see them come and go, but if you notice something that’s changed, let us know! If you’re looking for fun spots to take photos, we’ve narrowed down our favorites to the top 25.
P.S. The words “ig spots” or “popular” probably makes most Portlanders cringe.
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Last Updated: August 10, 2019
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25 MOST POPULAR INSTAGRAM SPOTS IN PORTLAND OR
1125 SE Division St Suite 103, 97202, map
One of our friends introduced us to this banana mural down the street from her house, which was once illegal graffiti and Portland’s oldest mural dating back to 1984. Today it’s a beloved landmark!
SW Taylor St & SW Naito Pkwy, 97204, map
I’m not sure who exactly does the gardening and takes care of this park, but it has seen a lot of changes over time. Sometimes you’ll find different trees or little figurines.
8. Voodoo Doughnut
1501 NE Davis St, 97232, map
A good spot for photos but not so much for the donuts. Trust us, we used to live in the apartment next door to this one.
9. Historic Portland White Stag Sign
31 NW Naito Pkwy, 97209, map
Photo Tip: We like taking the photo down Burnside Bridge with a longer lens.
15. Ira Keller Fountain Park
SW 3rd Ave & Clay St, 97201, map
Take a photo in front of an urban waterfall or head out to the Columbia River Gorge for some real ones.
21. Keep Your Chin Up by Blaine Fontana + Zach Yarrington + Jun Inoue
2127 NE Alberta St, 97211, map
22. Flamingos at Pie Spot
521 NE 24th Ave, 97232, map
This one was a fun mural we stumbled upon while looking for the mural across the parking lot. I ended up liking this one way more. Plus, it wasn’t obstructed with trash bins.
400 SW Kingston Ave, 97205, map
If you’re going to visit Rose City, you should take the time to smell the roses. The peak season is generally in June.
25 MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE PLACES IN PORTLAND OR
More Instagram SPots in Portland
- Pip’s Original Doughnuts & Chai (4759 NE Fremont St, 97213)
- Menagerie (2880 SE Division St, 97202)
- Coco Donuts (33 N Skidmore St, 97217)
- Hoyt Arboretum (4000 SW Fairview Blvd, 97221)
- Portland Japanese Garden (611 SW Kingston Ave, 97205)
- Lan Su Chinese Garden (239 NW Everett St, 97209)
- Mt Tabor Park (SE Salmon St, 97215)
- Portland Art Museum (1219 SW Park Ave, 97205)
- Latourell Falls (Historic Columbia River Hwy, Corbett, 97019) – closest waterfall
- Solabee Flowers & Botanicals (801 N Killingsworth St, 97217)
- Pistils Nursery (3811 North Mississippi Avenue, Suite 1, 97227)
More Murals in Portland
- Sailing Toad vs Bear of the Sea by Pablo Garcia (2715 NE Alberta St, 97211)
- The Lost Cause by Jon Stommel (3158 E Burnside St, 97214)
- Questions for Humans by BotJoy (1006 SE Salmon St, 97214)
- Cherry Sprout Produce Mural (722 N Sumner St, 97217)
- Giant Beetles by Thomas Jackson (1930 NE Oregon St, 97232)
- Bird Leg and Donuts by Joram Roukes (312 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97214)
- Hey Girl by Alexander Barrett (2329 NE Glisan St, 97232) – sometimes obstructed by a large trash bin
- Skating Dog by Pablo Garcia (2739 NE Alberta St, 97211)
- The Community Cycling Center Mural by Robin Corbo (1700 NE Alberta St, 97211)
- The Journey Itself is Home by Josh Doll (3308 SE 50th Ave, 97206)
- Prints by Michael Salter (419 SE Pine St, 97214) – the one with the cat
- Native + Portland by Yatika Fields (830 SE 3rd Ave, 97214)
No Longer around
- Tron Trees and Colorful Creatures – Brendan Monroe and Souther Salazar – building developed right in front.
- World Naked Bike Ride Mural by BMD (SE 8th and Division Place along the Tilikum bike trail) – the mural is still there but the building is being sold and there is a fence that goes around it that makes it hard to take photos.
- Archangel by Kamea Hadar and MEGGS (1340 SE 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97214) – there’s a fence that cuts through a third of it.
Essential Tips
What to Pack for Portland Oregon
Best Places to Stay in Portland
All the accommodations below have Tripadvisor’s Certificate of Excellence
- The Sentinel, Downtown (luxury)
- Kimpton RiverPlace Hotel, downtown (luxury) – pet friendly!
- Hotel Eastlund, NE Portland (mid-range)
- The Heathman Hotel, Downtown (mid-range)
- The Society Hotel, Old Town (budget)
Anything we missed? Where are your favorite spots to take photos in Portland?
SEE MORE PHOTOGRAPHY SPOTS
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“Discovery consists not of seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes” – M. Proust
Esther + Jacob
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Portland Oregon.
portlandgirl
17 Jun 2018Where did you to get the photo of the Portland/White stag sign?
Esther JuLee
17 Jun 2018It’s taken from Burnside Bridge. You can’t miss it when you’re walking across.
Mady
16 May 2018This sooooo helpful! Glad found you guys while browsing today. Will be in Oregon a/ my spouse and few good friends in less than 2weeks! Can’t wait to see Portland.
Esther JuLee
31 Jul 2018Hope you had a wonderful time, Mady! :) So glad we could help!
Ac
5 May 2018This was so amazing and helpful. Thank you for putting this together.
Esther JuLee
7 May 2018:) You’re so welcome.
Tiffany
5 Jan 2018I have wanted to find more spots so thank you for adding to my list!!! You inspired me to actually make my own for once so when my clients ask me where to go I can just send it to them!
Ruan
29 Oct 2017Swimming whale mural is covered, it can be taken off the list.
Esther JuLee
1 Nov 2017Thanks for letting us know! Do you mean the Swimming Elephant?
Jess
20 Sep 2018It’s not covered, really. There are just food carts in the formerly empty lot now.
Melissa
14 May 2017I’m heading to PDX in a few weeks, and can’t wait to use your Google map to find some of these spots. Thanks for putting this together! It’s brilliant.
Esther JuLee
14 May 2017So happy to hear you found this helpful! :) Hope you have a wonderful Portland trip!