Portland bridge tour by boat: 10 bridges and city lights

You pass under nine bridges in a single afternoon, then linger to watch them light up at night.

A 90-minute pontoon boat tour of Portland's Willamette River passes under 10 bridges and circles 4 islands, with a local guide providing live commentary. The boat departs near the Sellwood Bridge, cruises past Oaks Amusement Park and the oldest yacht club on the west coast, then threads through Ross Island before moving under the Hawthorne, Morrison, Burnside and Steel bridges. The tour finishes downtown. Evening departures linger to catch the city lights reflecting off the water.

Step-by-step itinerary

Pontoon boat tour past bridges and islands

• Depart near Sellwood Bridge
• Cruise past Oaks Amusement Park
• Pass oldest yacht club
• Travel down east side of islands
• Go through Ross Island
• Pass Tillicum Crossing and Marquam Bridge
• Pass Hawthorne, Morrison, Burnside, Steel bridges
• View Golden Gate and Fremont bridges
• Cruise through Downtown Portland
• Return to dock via west side channel

The experience

The tour starts at the dock in sight of the Sellwood Bridge, the oldest fixed bridge over the Willamette River. From there, the pontoon moves downriver past Oaks Amusement Park (the oldest continuously operating amusement park on the west coast), and the floating home community anchored near the oldest yacht club on the west coast. The boat then circles the east side of East, HardTack and Ross Islands before threading through Ross Island itself, giving you a different angle on the water than you'd get from the bridges above.

The route then passes under Lighted Tillicum Crossing, Marquam, Hawthorne, Morrison, Burnside and Steel bridges in sequence. As you move through each one, the guide points out the Golden Gate Red Broadway bridge and the grand arches of the Fremont Bridge. The tour finishes with a cruise through Downtown and up the west side channel past Toe Island before returning to the dock. On evening departures, the boat lingers so you can watch the same bridges and downtown skyline glow as the light fades.

The pontoon is an open boat in good weather and fully enclosed on cool or rainy days, so the tour runs year-round. A local guide provides live commentary throughout, and the boat holds groups of all sizes, making it easy to bring kids or visiting friends along.

What’s included

• Local guide providing live commentary.
• National Park fees.
• tour escort and host.
• port pickup and drop-off.
• live English-language narration throughout the cruise.

Options for this experience

3 options

Tour of City Lights and the BridgeGuide in English · Available from 3 Jun 2027

River Cruise of 90 MinutesGuide in English · Available from 20 May 2027Lasts 1 hour 30 minutes, giving time to cruise upriver to the most expensive zip code in Oregon, traveling both up and down the river.

Christmas ShipsGuide in English · Available from 9 Dec · 18:30Christmas ships light show lasting 1 hour 30 minutes, following the Christmas ships.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 18:30Last departure this season: 31 Oct

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (1 to 9 years)

GroupUp to 6

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Scovare Yachts. Inc

Is this one for you?Book the evening departure if you want to see the same bridges and downtown skyline twice, once in daylight and again lit up at night. The daytime tour works better if you're new to Portland and want the guide's full attention on the landmarks and islands. The evening version trades some detail for the visual payoff of the city after dark.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 9 years).

How many bridges does the boat actually pass under on this tour?

The tour passes under 10 bridges: Lighted Tillicum Crossing, Marquam, Hawthorne, Morrison, Burnside, Steel, Fremont, Golden Gate Red Broadway, and two others as the route circles the islands and returns downtown.

What's the oldest thing you see on this tour?

Oaks Amusement Park, which has been operating continuously since the late 1800s, is the oldest amusement park on the west coast. The yacht club you pass is also the oldest on the west coast and now sits in the middle of Oregon's most expensive floating home community.

Does the tour work if the weather turns bad?

Yes. The pontoon boat has a fully enclosed cabin for cool or rainy weather, so the tour operates in all conditions. The operator recommends dressing appropriately for the season.

Is there a difference between the daytime and evening tours?

The route is similar both times, but the evening tour lingers after dark so you can watch the city lights and the bridges illuminated as the sun sets.