Portland is one of the most family-friendly cities on the West Coast, and it won't necessarily drain your wallet — if you know where the money actually goes. Most families are surprised to find that the city has a ton of free options alongside the paid ones. Here's an honest breakdown of what you'll spend, listing by listing.
Free Activities in Portland
Portland has more free family activities than most cities its size. These cost exactly $0 to enter.
Parks and outdoor spaces: - Oro the Friendly Forest Giant — $0. A giant whimsical wood-carved forest creature in Butternut Creek Park in Hillsboro. Free to visit, 30 minutes to an hour. - Hidden Creek Park West — $0. Open green space with climbing structures. Bring your own snacks. - Gabriel Park — $0. A sprawling 90-acre SW Portland park with playground, sports courts, and room to roam for 1–3 hours. - Gabriel Park Playground — $0. Solid playground equipment for 1–2 hours in Southwest Portland. - Faubion Playground — $0. Well-loved Northeast Portland neighborhood playground. - Rose Garden Children's Park — $0 for the playground. Budget $10–15 for Washington Park parking if you drive, or take the MAX for free. - Washington Park Playground — $0 for the playground. $2/hour parking or free via MAX. - Washington Park — The park itself is free. Oregon Zoo admission inside runs ~$60–70 for a family of 4. Stick to the free sections (Rose Garden, arboretum, hiking trails) and spend $0. - Harper's Playground — $0. One of Portland's best all-abilities playgrounds in the Arbor Lodge neighborhood. - Pirate Park — $0. Pirate ship-themed playground in the Bethany area of NW Portland. - Couch Park — $0. Well-maintained playground in the Pearl District. - Spring Garden Park — $0. Neighborhood park in SW Portland. - Spring Garden Playground — $0. Community playground in SW Portland. - Altamont Park — $0. Free parking too. - Westmoreland Park — $0 entry, free street parking. Has a duck pond kids can walk right up to. - Cook Family Park — $0. Community park in Tigard. - Luuwit View Park — $0. NE Portland park with views of Mt. St. Helens on clear days. - Gateway Discovery Playground — $0. Free public playground in NE Portland's Gateway neighborhood.
Free indoor options: - St Johns Swapnplay — Free or donation-based. Nonprofit community play space in St. Johns — one of the only fully free indoor play options in Portland. The swap component lets you trade outgrown kids' items.
Budget Picks (Under $50 for a Family of 4)
These are the sweet spot — real indoor play experiences that don't cost a lot.
- City Play for Kids — $25–$40. ~$8–12 per child, adults typically free. A 5.0-rated indoor play venue near Vancouver/Fisher's Landing with 287 reviews — that's one of the strongest rating combinations in the whole Portland metro. Weekend hours end at 1PM, so plan a morning arrival.
- Play and Ponder — $25–$40. ~$10–12 per child, adults typically free. 4.9 rating makes it a community favorite. Saturday sessions fill up fast — book early.
- The Wiggle Room — $25–$40. ~$8–12 per child. Runs scheduled open play sessions; check the calendar before going.
- Happy Play — $30–$45. ~$8–12 per child, adults typically free. North Plains location means less crowded than Portland venues. Open 7 days a week.
- DiG PDX - Oregon's Largest Indoor Sandbox — $35–$50. ~$8–12 per child, adults often free. Book time slots online — walk-in spots sell out on rainy season weekends.
- Funtastic Arcade — $30–$60 depending on how much your kids spend at the machines. Credit-based arcade at Columbia Gorge Premium Outlets in Troutdale. Open until 9PM daily.
- Ocean Plays Indoor Playground — $30–$45. ~$8–12 per child, adults typically free. Hillsboro location; Saturday hours are limited (1–4PM so plan accordingly).
- Animal Rides Happy Rides — $15–$30. Coin-operated animal rides at Lloyd Center, $1–3 per ride. Bring coins or small bills.
Mid-Range Activities ($50–$100 for a Family of 4)
- SoGrow House — $50–$80. This Pearl District venue has a perfect 5.0 Google rating — an extremely rare score. Multi-use kids' venue with party, play, and club programming. Check the website for current session and membership pricing.
- Kids Empire Gresham — $50–$70 plus $15–20 for snacks and food. Kids' admission ~$12–16 each, adults often free. Full-service indoor play park in Gresham with a 4.8 rating.
- LEKA Playland — $45–$65. ~$10–15 per child. Tigard location blending children's museum elements with indoor play. Check for family packages on the website.
- PlayDate PDX — $40–$55 plus $10–15 for cafe purchases. ~$10–14 per child, adults often free or discounted. Has an onsite cafe for parents who need caffeine.
- Liggle Land — $45–$65 plus ~$5–10 per kid for arcade tokens. Indoor playground with arcade games in Tigard. Budget the token money separately — it goes fast.
- Sky Zone Trampoline Park Gresham — $60–$100. Timed sessions ~$15–25 per person per hour. Grip socks required (~$3–4 if you don't have them from a previous visit). Weekday visits are cheaper and less crowded.
- The Monkey King Play House — $35–$55. ~$8–12 per child, adults typically free. SE Portland's Centennial area. The 3.9 rating suggests some inconsistency — call ahead before making the trip.
Splurge-Worthy Experiences (Over $100)
These cost more, but they deliver experiences your kids won't get anywhere else.
- Tree to Tree Adventure Park — $100–$160. Tickets run ~$25–40 per person depending on difficulty level and age. Aerial adventure park in Gaston with zip lines and rope courses — a 4.9 Google rating for a reason. The drive takes you through Oregon wine country. Minimum height and weight requirements apply; check before you go and book online in advance since walk-in availability is limited on weekends.
- K1 Speed - Indoor Go Karts — $100–$150. Races run ~$25–35 per person per race heat. Electric go-karts hitting 45 mph on the adult track. This is the activity that produces genuine bragging rights. Minimum height requirements apply (~48–58 inches depending on kart type). Buy race packages online for better value.
Money-Saving Tips in Portland
- Take the MAX to Washington Park. Parking is $2/hour or $10/day. The MAX light rail connects directly to the Washington Park station. You can spend 3+ hours in the free sections without touching the paid attractions.
- Indoor play venues are cheaper on weekdays. Sky Zone, LEKA, and most paid venues price lower Monday–Thursday. If you can visit mid-week, you'll save $5–10 per kid and deal with shorter lines.
- Book Tree to Tree in advance. It sells out on weekends. Don't drive 45 minutes to Gaston without a reservation.
- DiG PDX books up on rainy days. Portland's indoor sandbox fills fast when it rains — which is often. Book your slot online if there's any chance of wet weather.
- City Play for Kids closes at 1PM on weekends. Arrive early or you'll miss the session.
- Pearl District parking adds up fast. SoGrow House is in the Pearl — factor $15–20 for parking, or walk from the MAX.
- Grip socks at Sky Zone are reusable. Keep them in your bag and skip the $3–4 fee on return visits.
- Westmoreland Park's duck pond is free. Bring stale bread and your kids will spend an hour there. No planning required, no money spent.
What a Typical Family Spends
Budget day: - Morning at Washington Park free sections — $0 - St Johns Swapnplay in the afternoon — free - Packed lunch — $0 - Total: $0–$15 (parking if you drive)
Typical day (one paid indoor activity + food): - Kids Empire Gresham admission — $50–70 - Snacks onsite — $15–20 - Total: $65–$90
Splurge day: - Tree to Tree Adventure Park — $100–160 - Lunch on the way back — $40–60 - Total: $140–$220
A family of 4 can have a genuinely great Portland day for $30–40 if they plan around free parks and one budget indoor activity. The city rewards families who pack a lunch, take the MAX when possible, and book paid experiences online in advance.