Willamette River Lunch Cruise: Portland Bridges & Food
Eat lunch while the boat carries you under Portland's most famous bridges
A two-hour lunch cruise on the Willamette River in Portland pairs a fresh-prepared Northwest entrée with a guided float past seven bridges, the Steel Bridge's one-of-a-kind double-deck lift, and landmarks like the USS Blueback submarine and Oaks Amusement Park. You board at 11 am and cruise from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm with a reserved table, live piano music, and historical narration available on the outer decks. Gluten-free and vegan options are available. Beverages and additional courses are available for purchase.
Step-by-step itinerary
Willamette River 2-hour lunch cruise
- Board the boat at 11 am
- Cruise under Hawthorne Bridge
- Pass under Marquam Bridge
- Cruise by OMSI and USS Blueback
- Pass Tilikum Crossing bridge
- Pass under Ross Island Bridge
- Pass under Sellwood Bridge
- Cruise by dog-friendly park
- Pass Oaks Amusement Park
- Cruise by Waverley Country Club
- Pass Waverly Heights Basalt rocks
- Cruise under Morrison Bridge
- Cruise under Burnside Bridge
- View Portland Oregon "White Stag" sign
- Pass Rose Quarter campus
- Pass Steel Bridge
- Pass Oregon Convention Center
- Cruise by Tom McCall Waterfront Park
- End cruise at 1:30 pm
The experience
The boat leaves the dock at 11 am and you're cruising by 11:30, which means you eat while moving through the city instead of sitting in a restaurant. The Willamette River route passes under the Hawthorne Bridge, built in 1910 and still the oldest vertical lift bridge in operation in America, then the Marquam Bridge and Interstate 5, before drifting past OMSI and the USS Blueback submarine. You'll see the Tilikum Crossing, Portland's newest bridge from 2015, which lights up with 178 LED fixtures that shift color and speed based on water temperature and river flow.
The Steel Bridge is the centerpiece. It's the world's only double-deck bridge with independent lifts, and the boat passes directly under both levels. From there the route continues south under the Ross Island Bridge, designed by Gustav Lindenthal, the engineer who built bridges over the Hudson River, and the Sellwood Bridge, which carries about 30,000 vehicles a day and replaced a two-lane crossing that stood for over 90 years. You'll cruise by Oaks Amusement Park, the oldest continuously operating one in the country, opened in 1905, and Waverley Country Club, established in 1896 and believed by many to be where the Masters green jacket tradition began.
The Morrison Bridge and Burnside Bridge bookend the downtown stretch. The Burnside Bridge has Italian Renaissance-style towers and was designed by Joseph Straus, who also designed the Golden Gate Bridge. From the boat you can see the famous Portland Oregon sign, also called the White Stag sign, on the port side. The route also passes Tom McCall Waterfront Park's 36 acres and the Rose Quarter, home to the Moda Center where the Portland Trailblazers play. Your reserved table comes with live piano music, and historical narration is available on the outer decks if you bring headphones for your phone.
What’s included
- Fresh-prepared Northwest entrée with your choice of main course.
- reserved table seating with window seating not guaranteed.
- live piano music throughout the cruise.
- historical narration available on the outer decks with headphones for your phone.
- gluten-free and vegan entrée options.
Information
Lasts 2h, runs Monday to Saturday at 11:30, from US$ 88 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.
Prices and times updated 3 days ago
Operated by Portland Spirit Cruises & Events
Is this one for you?Two hours fits neatly into a lunch break or an afternoon without consuming your whole day in Portland. The reserved table and live music mean you're not rushing through a meal. You eat while the boat moves, so the bridges and landmarks become your view instead of something you have to plan separately.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 12 years); Infant (under 1).
What bridges does the Willamette River cruise pass under?
The cruise passes under seven bridges: the Hawthorne Bridge, built in 1910 as the oldest vertical lift bridge still in operation; the Marquam Bridge; the Tilikum Crossing with its color-changing LED lights; the Ross Island Bridge, designed by Gustav Lindenthal; the Sellwood Bridge, Oregon's busiest two-lane crossing; the Morrison Bridge; and the Steel Bridge, the world's only double-deck bridge with independent lifts.
Is there a guide on the Willamette River lunch cruise?
Historical narration is available on the outer decks. You can listen with headphones connected to your cell phone. Live piano music plays throughout the cruise.
What food is included in the lunch cruise?
A fresh-prepared Northwest entrée is included with your reserved table seating. Gluten-free and vegan options are available. Salads, appetizers, desserts, and beverages are available for purchase.
What time does the Willamette River cruise depart and how long does it take?
Boarding is at 11 am and the cruise runs from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, a total of two hours on the water.
What landmarks does the cruise pass besides the bridges?
The route passes the USS Blueback submarine at OMSI, Oaks Amusement Park (opened in 1905), Waverley Country Club (established in 1896), the Rose Quarter with the Moda Center, and Tom McCall Waterfront Park's 36-acre open space.
Willamette River Lunch Cruise: Portland Bridges & Food
2h · EN
from US$ 88 per person