Once you’ve enjoyed all the street food, arcades, and delicious food Portland has to offer you may want to see some pretty waterfalls near Portland and the beautiful nature surrounding the city!
Well, luckily we found one of the best day trips leaving right from downtown Portland which will show you all the beauty Oregon has to offer outside of PDX to the famous Multnomah Falls!
Disclosure: This post has been created in collaboration with Wildwood Adventure Tours. Thank you again for having us!
If you’re staying downtown or even in the burbs then the pick-up spot for Wildwood Adventure Tours is perfect. It’s right downtown next to Director Park.
The tour guide will most likely be on the lookout for you and will track you down before you even find the vehicle!
Here’s The Best Guided Waterfall Tour From Portland
By the time we got to Portland, we’d been driving so much (all the way down from Alberta through Montana, Washington, and now Oregon, so once we got into Portland we just wanted to find a tour where we could sit back, relax, and just enjoy the wonderful views and waterfalls of course.
That’s where Wildwood Adventure’s waterfall tour really stood out! And the Gorge Waterfall tour was exactly what we wanted to do. Everybody’s interested in seeing something different but if you’re interested in waterfalls, scenic drives, and the Columbia River Gorge this is the tour you want to get on. Otherwise, they have a bunch of other options on their website as well.
Which company is the best for a day trip from downtown Portland, Oregon?
Before getting to Portland we did our research and really wanted to do a day trip that would take us out to the Columbia River Gorge and show us a bit of what the Portland area had to offer.
We had also seen some really pretty Instagram pictures of Oregon waterfalls and knew we wanted to stop by and see some of them!
We ended up finding Wildwood Adventures. They have great reviews and from those we could see they have amazing customer service, so we decided to partner up with them!
They told us exactly where to park downtown and how to find the meeting point. Luckily, it was very easy to find since there’s a Starbucks right next to the pickup spot.
Once the Portland Waterfall Tour started it was exactly what we were looking for and we couldn’t be happier. The van was very big and had A/C pumping the whole time.
This was perfect since the trip took place in the middle of summer and it was HOT outside.
Our guide was also super informative! It was very interesting to hear about the history of the scenic highway along with all the other fascinating stops! These stops will be mentioned below so keep reading 😉
Where does the trip start
The trip starts from right downtown Portland. If you need help with parking your car or public transport then Wildwood Adventure Tours will definitely help you out with that as well.
What does the trip entail
1. Transportation
All you have to do is get yourself downtown and Wildwood Adventures cover the rest. They have great big shuttle vans with lots of room, water, and plenty of A/C if needed! They will stop at a bunch of waterfalls near Portland.
2. Tour Guide
Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable about the area. He would also be very flexible with every place we stopped at and if we needed more time or less time at every spot he would make sure we got it. He allowed us to help pick out a few spots.
We dropped by a tiny post office but since none of us wanted to stop, we continued en route and got to see another waterfall instead. For the drive back to Portland our guide had some fun and interesting stories to share about the history of Oregon and local legends!
3. Columbia River Gorge
The scenic drive will take you along the marvelous Columbia River Gorge which you’ll only be able to see if you go explore outside of Portland.
The views of the mountains and the hills are breathtaking but it is also very eye-opening to see the devastation of the fire that took place in 2017 that shut down the highway for 10 days.
4. Historic Columbia River Highway
It is the first planned scenic highway in the United States and the first paved road in the North West. The highway that takes you along the Sandy River was built in the 1920s to have the classic Model T cars go and drive up the historic highway.
5. Crown Point Vista House
This will be one of the iconic spots to take pictures on the tour since you’ll be over 700 feet above the Columbia River Gorge. You’ll have 180-degree views of the gorge along with the marvelous Vista House which is absolutely worth exploring. Go check out how nice the bathrooms are (they’re worth 2.2 million dollars) 😉
6. Waterfalls
There are three different and remarkably stunning waterfalls that you’ll get to see on the trip. Latourell Falls, Multnomah Falls, and if you’re lucky enough you will have time to see Horsetail Falls as well.
We don’t want to share any more info about the waterfalls. We want you to be the judge of which one is your favorite and why. We’d love to know in the comments below! The one below is actually our favorite Columbia River Gorge waterfall you’ll see on the tour. Let us know if you get a chance to see it too and if you remember the name! =)
7. Bonneville Fish Hatchery
It is the largest fish Hatchery in Oregon and home to Herman a 70-year-old, ten feet long, and 450 pound Sturgeon.
It’s an interesting part of the tour to see how a fish hatchery works and the actual amount of fish that are there along with the different stages and processes.
Leave no trace
When you go hiking (and do other outdoor adventure activities), always remember to follow the 7 principles of leaving no trace.
This means:
- Plan ahead and prepare.
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
- Dispose of waste properly.
- Leave what you find.
- Minimize campfire impacts.
- Respect wildlife.
- Be considerate of others.
Other related questions about waterfall tours from Portland
Is Multnomah Falls worth visiting?
Multnomah Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls and attractions to visit near Portland. Located along the Columbia River Gorge this famous waterfall is one of Oregons icons and one of the most beautiful waterfalls you’ll see in Oregon, the home of waterfalls.
What is the best time to visit Multnomah Falls?
Even though you can visit any time of year Spring is the best time to visit Multnomah Falls. The Spring runoff creates a powerful waterfall and really brings Multnomah Falls to life.
On top of the beautiful waterfall in Spring you will also find less tourists to be hiking up to the falls at this time of year.
You may also like…
- Latourell Falls – Gorgeous Waterfall Hike near Portland
- Tamanawas Falls – Easy Waterfall Hike in Mt Hood
- Ramona Falls – Mt Hood Waterfall Hike
- Garfield Peak – The Best Day Hike in Crater Lake, Oregon
- Top 10 Oregon Waterfall Hikes
Recap of doing a guided waterfall tour from Portland
We hope you’re going to enjoy your time exploring the gorge along with the many beautiful waterfalls and landmarks along the way. Hopefully, you get to take some stunning pictures like we got and get to enjoy the beautiful nature that Oregon has to share with the world.
If you end up picking another tour by Wildwood Adventure Tours please let us know as we’d love to hear your feedback on their other tours!
Enjoy chasing waterfalls in Oregon and check back for more amazing waterfalls near Portland!
Have fun!
You two always find the prettiest places and best waterfalls!
This looks fantastic! I mean, I already want to explore Portland for the food, but hiking and chasing waterfalls would make it into a dream destination. Wildwood Adventure Tours sounds like a fab way to explore too.
Yes, there are SO many things to do in and around Portland. No wonder everyone wants to move there! The waterfalls were definitely one of our favorite things to see there 🙂
– Jo
What a great guide! I would love to visit this area and see all of the beautiful waterfalls. Pinning for future reference.
Thank you Lauren! Portland is definitely worth a visit! Make sure you have more than just a few days so you have a chance to see it all! 5-7 days is ideal I’d say 🙂
– Dom