Cheap Date Ideas in Portland

Climb to the top of Mount Tabor Park near twilight and wait for sunset from the benches among the big trees. The Southeast Portland park sits on a dormant volcano, and on clear days the higher points look out toward downtown, the West Hills and Mt. Hood. The park is open from 5am to 11:59pm, with motor vehicles kept out all day Wednesday.

Wander the themed rooms at Powell's City of Books, a full downtown block of shelves, and trade favorites as you learn each other's taste in books. Browsing for hours is encouraged, while evening author readings take place in the Pearl Room. If you want a coffee afterward, Courier Coffee is a short walk away.

Take the Wildwood Trail to Witch's Castle for a photo stop in Forest Park, more than 5,000 acres of woods beside the center city. The park has over 80 miles of trails, and the Wildwood Trail alone runs 30 miles. Parking at the trailhead is limited, while TriMet lines 26, 15 and 77 serve the Lower Macleay trailhead.

Browse handmade arts and crafts together at Portland Saturday Market in Old Town, where local makers fill the open-air stalls on Saturdays this season. Food carts and street performers give you more to stop for along the way, and the market has been running since 1974.

Walk the ridge-top trails at Hoyt Arboretum, 190 acres in Washington Park with 12 miles of paths just minutes from downtown. October is when the fall color peaks, and free trail maps wait in the courtyard. The grounds are open daily from 5am to 10pm. Parking is paid, but the Washington Park shuttle and MAX serve the visitor center.

Take a low-key walk through the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park, home to more than 10,000 rose bushes and over 610 varieties. The roses bloom from late May through October, and the garden is open from 5am to 10pm. Parking in Washington Park is paid, though the seasonal park shuttle runs a loop.

Follow the paved 1.5-mile Eastbank Esplanade along the river with a coffee in hand, passing sculptures, public art and the USS Blueback while downtown stays in view across the water. If you want to keep walking after dark, continue south to Tilikum Crossing Bridge for nighttime photos.

Plan a first-Thursday museum date at the Portland Art Museum, where admission is free from 10am to 7pm on the first Thursday of each month. The museum sits downtown by the South Park Blocks, and the Pearl District gives you nearby galleries and wine afterward. It is the oldest art museum on the West Coast.

Make an inexpensive night of McMenamins Kennedy School, a converted elementary school in Northeast Portland's Concordia neighborhood. You can soak together in the pool, watch a film from a plush armchair or couch at the Kennedy School Theater, or pair both with dinner at the restaurant. Several small bars and a brewery are also inside the building.

Watch the sunset from Council Crest Park, 1,073 feet up at one of Portland's highest public points. On clear days, five Cascade peaks come into view, which draws plenty of people up at sunrise and sunset. From April through October, the road gate closes to cars from 9pm to 5am.