Portland: Bike Tour of Art, Bridges & Neighborhoods

Summary

Ride Portland’s bridges, poetry sidewalks & favorite rose gardens

You’ll ride through Portland’s neighborhoods with a local guide, cross two bridges including Tilikum Crossing, pause at rose gardens and murals, and taste doughnuts or ice cream along the way. Expect poetry under your wheels and riverside views you’ll remember long after you’ve washed off the road dust.

What’s the experience like?

Someone’s already holding out a helmet before I’ve even finished locking my phone—“You’ll want this,” she says, grinning. The shop smells like chain oil and coffee. We’re barely out the door in Southeast Portland before our guide (her name’s Sarah) points out a mural I’d have missed if I blinked. She knows every shortcut through these leafy streets; at one point we zigzagged into Ladd’s Addition and it felt like pedaling inside a maze, lined with roses that honestly did smell stronger than any florist’s back home. I kept lagging behind to sniff them—couldn’t help it.

We coasted along Clinton Street, dodging a guy walking his dog who gave us a peace sign (very Portland). There was this old streetcar stop where Sarah told us about the neighborhood movie theater—apparently it screens cult films when it’s open, which made me wish I lived closer. The art started sneaking up on us after that: words stamped into concrete, colors splashed across walls by someone called Fin DAC (I took way too many photos). Crossing the Tilikum Bridge was my favorite part—there’s this little counter that ticks off every cyclist crossing, so we all cheered when ours went up by one. Wind in my face, river below, city humming somewhere just out of reach.

After the bridge we rolled past the South Waterfront and heard about the aerial tram (looks like a silver bullet floating over the skyline). We stopped for doughnuts—Blue Star was closed but Sarah knew another spot—and I got sugar all over my handlebars. There’s this tiny beach called Poet’s Beach where kids’ poems are carved into rocks; I read one about salmon and had to laugh because it rhymed “river” with “forever.” We finished along the Willamette River and through Tom McCall Waterfront Park. By then my legs were jelly but I didn’t really want it to end. You can see so much more of Portland from a bike—I still think about those roses sometimes, you know?

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Bike tour through Portland neighborhoods

• Fit bike and helmet at shop
• Ride through Southeast Portland neighborhoods
• Visit Hawthorne District food cart pods
• Explore Ladd's Addition rose garden
• Stop at Clinton Street greenway and streetcar stop
• Ride along Orange line MAX art path
• Cross Tilikum Crossing bridge
• Pass South Waterfront and Aerial Tram
• Stop at doughnut or ice cream shop
• Visit South Waterfront Greenway
• Explore Poet's Beach and poetry
• Ride past 1980s housing and retail development
• Ride through Tom McCall Waterfront Park
• Ride under Hawthorne Bridge

Top questions

How long is the Portland bike tour?

The standard ride covers 7-11 miles and lasts several hours; there’s also an easier 2-hour option covering 5-8 miles.

Are bikes and helmets provided on this tour?

Yes, bikes and helmets are included for everyone joining the tour.

Does this bike tour include stops for food?

Yes, you’ll stop for doughnuts or ice cream depending on what’s open during your ride.

What neighborhoods does the bike tour visit?

You’ll ride through inner Southeast Portland including Ladd's Addition, Hawthorne District, Clinton Street greenway, South Waterfront, and downtown areas.

Is this Portland bike tour suitable for beginners?

The route is mostly easy riding with little hills; suitable for most fitness levels.

Will we cross any bridges during the bike tour?

You’ll cross at least two bridges including Tilikum Crossing and another back toward the shop.

Where does the bike tour start in Portland?

The meeting point is Around Portland Tours’ shop at 833 SE Main Street #121.

What’s included

Your day includes use of a bicycle and helmet plus bottled water to keep you going as you pedal through neighborhoods and across bridges—with plenty of stops for stories, snacks like doughnuts or ice cream if Blue Star is closed, poetry readings on riverside paths, and time to wander public art before looping back to where you started.