The Local Insider Tip For How Tourists Can Experience The Best Of Portland On A Tight Budget

In the northwest corner of Oregon is a must-visit place where you can experience the city life and the serenity of the outdoors all in one place. Portland is home to a lush park that's the largest urban forest in the U.S. and has a lot to offer tourists. Those on a tight budget will also appreciate that the state has no sales tax, which may entice visitors to do some extra shopping. If you're planning a trip there, you'll still have the other costs, such as hotel accommodations and a flight that will get you to Portland International Airport (PDX). 

However, once you arrive, it's easy to save money on transportation — and any local will tell you that Portland is very bicycle-friendly. They have a bike festival that lasts all summer, which has a variety of events — including a naked bike ride. It's a cyclist's dream spot, but even leisurely riders can use a bike as an economical way to get around town.

On Reddit, u/GivinItAllThat shared a local insider tip for those considering a ride through the city: "For your safety and others' sanities, try to use the plethora of bike routes that crisscross the city as much as possible. You're certainly legally allowed to use major arterials but there's almost always a bike-friendly option within a block or two."  The city boasts more than 400 miles of bikeways, so it's not too hard to find a place to safely ride. 

You'll find several places where you can rent a bike in the city – Everybody's Bike Rentals, Kerr Bikes, and evo Portland are a few options. Cycle Portland is another popular rental company, and this Google reviewer shared, "Rented bikes for the family for a short ride along the waterfront and we were super impressed with the range and quality of bicycles available. Got two mountain bikes sized right for the kiddos, an e-bike for the wife and a simple ride for myself and we were off. Staff is friendly, knowledgeable and prices are reasonable."

While it's not too pricey to rent a bike, free is always better, right? Several hotels in Portland offer complimentary bike rentals to guests. Hotel Lucia, The Heathman Hotel, Kimpton River Place Hotel, and Sentinel Hotel all include bike rentals as part of their amenity fee.  The Hotel Zags actually has an entire Gear Shed with lots of toys you can use, including bikes and skateboards, and even cameras. 

If you're not used to riding on city streets or are unfamiliar with Portland, you may want to consider joining one of the Portland by Cycle rides or classes. This program, hosted by the Portland Bureau of Transportation, is designed to help you feel comfortable navigating Portland's bikeways. Even better, it's totally free, too. 

Portland has plenty of things to explore by bike, including the green spaces in South Portland — the city's newest quadrant, which is a chic urban waterfront. You can also ride a historic carousel for free at one of the oldest amusement parks in the country. The carousel at Oaks Park is on the National Historic Register and has been around for more than 100 years. While there are other activities at the park that aren't free, there's never a charge for anyone who wants to hop on the carousel. 

Portland is also one of America's favorite cities for art lovers, and each October, the city hosts its Portland Open Studios event that allows you to visit the personal studios of local artists. It's a unique chance to get a peek behind the scenes into the creative workspace of the area's talented artists — whether that be a formal studio, their shed, or possibly even their living room. There are around 100 participating artists, and you can pop by their studios for free.

A ride through Portland will also grant you the opportunity to take in all of the interesting street art. The Pearl District and the Alberta and Belmont neighborhoods give two-wheeled art enthusiasts a way to see an array of murals on a free, self-guided tour. Around Portland Tours also offers excursions through the city led by an expert and includes bike rental. At the time of writing, it was $39 for a 2-hour tour.