Planning a girls’ weekend getaway? Even as locals, you can explore Portland’s best destinations, attractions, and activities with the excitement of newcomers. To plan your staycation, you’ll need to decide how you’ll get around, where you’ll stay, and what you’ll do.

Start planning with our recommendations below:

Getting Around Town

Though Portland is a walkable city, having a vehicle will make it much easier to get around. If your group is small, you can take a personal vehicle or use rideshare apps like Uber or Lyft. For larger groups of fifteen women or more, though, booking a minibus will help you move around more efficiently. Everyone can ride together, and you’ll have more time to socialize, especially if your trip is limited to a weekend. 

Your dedicated driver can transport you to and from your home or hotel to restaurants, attractions, and activities so you won’t have to worry about navigating or parking. You can even enjoy adult beverages on board your minibus without having to appoint someone to be your designated driver. 

To find safe and reliable charter buses, call local companies like Portland Charter Bus Company, National Charter Bus Portland, and Champion Charter Bus Portland to get an estimate.

Where to Stay

If you don’t have the space to host everyone at your house, try finding a fun Airbnb that’s big enough and has the amenities you need. Prefer a more traditional accommodation? Here are some fun choices:

1.   The Ace Hotel

Located in downtown Portland, this funky and chic hotel will leave you feeling cozy and at home.

2. Hotel Eastlund

If you’re drawn to modern design and the 1960s vibe, you’ll love this 4-star hotel.

3. Hotel Rose

For kitschy decor, a delicious coffee and cake breakfast, and access to bright yellow bicycles, book the Rose Hotel on the Willamette River.

What to Do

1. Pistils Nursery

Walk among the plants and hand-crafted goods at Pistils Nursery, where you can pick out an assortment of their miniature succulents and cacti to build your own terrarium. You’ll have a fun, low-maintenance mini garden to bring home as a souvenir!

2. Saturday Market

For even more hand-crafted goods, head to Saturday Market in Old Town. After browsing local vendors’ booths for crafts, jewelry, clothing, and art, enjoy the market’s live entertainment and exotic foods.

3. Salt and Straw

If you’re craving something sweet, you have to try Salt and Straw, a small-batch ice creamery that sources its ingredients from local farms. Try their strange--but delicious--flavors, like Freckled Chocolate Zucchini Bread and Strawberry Honey Balsamic with Black Pepper.

4. Blooming Moon Wellness Spa

It’s time to get pampered. Book an appointment at Blooming Moon Wellness Spa for award-winning massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, and waxing. They provide organic skin care and spa treatments and a warm and inviting atmosphere.

5. The People’s Yoga

After a relaxing afternoon at the spa, ride to The People’s Yoga for a down-to-earth approach to yoga instruction. They offer more than 50 classes each week for beginners all the way to advanced yogis, so you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.

6. Powell’s Books

Powell’s Books isn’t just a massive independent bookstore. It’s a bucket list items for literary enthusiasts everywhere. Even if you don’t have the attention span for a new novel, you’ll find books of all lengths, styles, and genres at the world’s largest used bookstore.

7. Mother’s Bistro

What girls’ getaway weekend is complete without brunch? Cozy up to Mother’s Bistro and Bar for hearty comfort food and cocktails that hit the spot. If you’re traveling with a minibus full of your closest girlfriends, call the restaurant ahead to make sure everyone has a seat in this chic eatery.

8. Stumptown Coffee

Portland has hundreds of quirky coffee shops, but few rival Stumptown’s in-house blends. It’s the one that locals and tourists alike keep coming back to. They frequently host free coffee tasting events at their headquarters location on Southeast Salmon Street, so check out their website to sign up!

9. International Rose Test Garden

Experience the City of Roses in a garden of 10,000 rose bushes. At the International Rose Test Garden, you can walk among 650 beautiful varieties of flowers, each with their own unique scent.

10. Rose City Rollers

Head to The Hangar at Oaks Amusement Park to watch the Rose City Rollers dominate on the track. If you’ve never seen a roller derby bout, we can’t think of a better first impression.

Dani Henion is a freelance travel and transportation writer.