17 Best Sights in Southeast, Portland

This expansive 681-acre tract of mostly industrial and commercial buildings was largely ignored by all but local workers until shops, galleries, and restaurants began opening in the neighborhood's handsome, high-ceilinged buildings beginning in the 1990s. These days, it's a legitimately hot neighborhood for shopping, craft-spirits and wine-tasting, and coffeehouse-hopping by day, and dining and bar-going at night. The neighborhood lies just across the Willamette River from Downtown—it extends along the riverfront from the Burnside Bridge south to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) and Division Street, extending east about a dozen blocks to S.E. 12th Avenue. If you're coming by car, street parking is becoming tougher with all the new development but still possible to find, especially on quieter side streets.

Back in the early 1970s, Division Street (aka "Southeast Division") was earmarked for condemnation as part of a proposed—and thankfully never built—freeway that would have connected Downtown to Mt. Hood. For many years, this street sat forlornly, just a long stretch of modest buildings and empty lots. These days, Southeast Division—no longer threatened with condemnation—is one of the hottest restaurant rows on the West Coast, and sleek three- and four-story contemporary condos and apartments are popping up like dandelions. If culinary tourism is your thing, head to the 10 blocks of Southeast Division from about 26th to 39th Avenues. The main draw here is mostly food-and-drink related, and you'll also find a growing number of noteworthy restaurants and bars extending all the way to 12th Avenue to the west, and 50th Avenue to the east. You may hear some locals refer to the western end of the neighborhood as "Division/Clinton" referring to Clinton Street, a block south of Division, which has a clutch of great eateries and beautiful early- to mid-20th-century bungalows and houses, mostly from 27th to 20th Avenues.

Based in a large garagelike space in Southeast Portland's trendy Buckman neighborhood, ENSO is the creation of young and talented winemaker Ryan Sharp, who sources grapes from Washington, California, and Oregon to produce superb wines that are quickly earning notice in the national wine press. Notable varietals include Petite Sirah, Malbec, Dry Riesling, and the especially popular L'American blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Mourvedre. The high-ceilinged, industrial-chic tasting room—with exposed air ducts, a timber-beam ceiling, and a wall of windows (open on warm days)—has become one of the neighborhood's favorite wine bars, serving local Olympic Provisions charcuterie, Woodblock chocolates, Steve's Cheese Bar cheeses, and Little T Baker breads, plus local microbrews and a few wines, mostly from other Portland producers.

Stretching from the foot of Mt. Tabor to S.E. 12th Avenue (where you'll find a terrific little food-cart pod), with some blocks far livelier than others, this eclectic commercial thoroughfare was at the forefront of Portland's hippie and LGBTQ+ scenes in the 1960s and 1970s. As the rest of Portland's East Side has become more urbane and popular among hipsters, young families, students, and the so-called creative class over the years, Hawthorne has retained an arty, homegrown flavor. An influx of trendy eateries and retailers opening alongside the still-colorful and decidedly low-frills thrift shops and old-school taverns and cafés makes for a hodgepodge of styles and personalities—you could easily spend an afternoon popping in and out of boutiques, and then stay for happy hour at a local nightspot or even later for dinner.

A playground on top of a volcano cinder cone? Yup, that's here. The cinders, or glassy rock fragments, unearthed in this 190-acre park's construction were used to surface the respite's roads; the ones leading to the very top are closed to cars, but popular with cyclists. They're also popular with cruisers—each August there's an old-fashioned soapbox derby. Picnic tables and tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts make Mt. Tabor Park a popular spot for outdoor recreation, but plenty of quiet, shaded trails and wide-open grassy lawns with panoramic views of the Downtown skyline appeal to sunbathers, hikers, and nature lovers. The whole park is closed to cars on Wednesday.

Hundreds of engaging exhibits draw families to this outstanding interactive science museum, which also contains the Empirical Theater (featuring Portland's biggest screen), and the Northwest's largest planetarium. The many permanent and touring exhibits are loaded with enough hands-on play for kids to fill a whole day exploring robotics, ecology, rockets, animation, and outer space. Moored in the Willamette River as part of the museum is a 240-foot submarine, the USS Blueback, which can be toured for an extra charge. OMSI also offers some very cool event programming for adults, including the hugely popular monthly OMSI After Dark nights, where "science nerds" can enjoy food, drink, and science fun, and the twice-monthly OMSI Science Pub nights, where local and national experts lecture on a wide range of topics in the museum's Empirical Theater.

Set along Division Street's white-hot restaurant row, this growing collective houses 11 small wineries and has quickly become the city's leading incubator for vino entrepreneurs. The spacious facility includes a large, light-filled tasting bar with glass roll-up doors (offering a peek at the vinification process) and a main wall and bench seating made from old wine barrels. The tasting bar is also a wine bar, so you can sample the artisanal wines produced on-site, or order a flight, glass, or bottle (to go or to enjoy on-site) as well as tasty small plates from an extensive menu. Although Oregon is chiefly known for Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay, the wineries at the collective produce a richly varied assortment of varietals, including a racy Sauvignon Blanc from Pampleau, a supple Gamay Noir from Division Wine Making, and a peppery Cabernet Franc from Willful Wines.

For much of the year, this nearly 10-acre retreat near Reed College is frequented mainly by bird-watchers and those who want a restful stroll. But starting in April, thousands of rhododendron bushes and azaleas burst into flower, attracting visitors in larger numbers. The peak blooming season for these woody shrubs is May; by late June the show is over.

Unusually, you need to knock to gain admission to this toy museum (it's open regularly only on Thursdays and Fridays, but you can visit other times by appointment). Once inside, there are oodles of antique toys—from cars and trains to dolls and teddy bears—and banks. It's a quiet place, obviously the beloved compilation of a dedicated collector, namely Frank Kidd. There are some more recent die-cast items, but the toys range mostly from 1869 to 1939; be aware that these older toys can be shockingly racist as was customary during that time period and would never be produced today. Keep in mind that younger kids may not find the museum atmosphere especially kid-friendly; it's better suited to older kids and vintage-toy enthusiasts.

Manicured lawns, stately trees, and a wildfowl pond make this 31-acre southeast Portland park a favorite urban hangout since 1912. Laurelhurst, one of the city's most beautiful neighborhoods, surrounds the park. It was the first city park to be named on the National Register of Historic Places.

One of the top spirits makers in Southeast Portland's Distillery Row, New Deal has become nationally regarded for its eponymous vodka, which also comes in several flavored varieties, including Hot Monkey Pepper and Mud Puddle Bitter Chocolate. Visitors to the tasting room can sample limited releases and seasonal products as well as other New Deal standards, like aromatic gin and coffee liqueur made with beans from nearby Water Avenue Coffee.

There's a small-town charm to this park that has bumper cars, thrill rides, miniature golf, and roller-skating. A 360-degree-loop roller coaster and other high-velocity, gravity-defying contraptions border the midway, along with a carousel and Ferris wheel. The wooden skating rink, built in 1905, is the oldest continuously operating one in the United States, and it features a working Wurlitzer organ. To help protect it from Willamette River flooding, the rink floats on airtight iron barrels. There are outdoor concerts in summer.

Train-history buffs aren't the only ones who'll appreciate the three steam-driven locomotives on display here. The center, which runs mostly on donations, also plays host to diesel locomotives, historic passenger cars, and other nuggets of train days gone by. The ORHC offers hugely popular, family-oriented "Holiday Express" excursions on weekends between Thanksgiving and mid-December, departing from the station at Oaks Amusement Park.

The pleasant, historic neighborhood that begins east of the Sellwood Bridge was once a separate town. Annexed by Portland in the 1890s, it retains a modest charm, with stores and restaurants along 13th Avenue carrying an interesting mix of goods and edibles. Just north is the Westmoreland neighborhood, another cluster of mostly indie retail and dining centered around the intersection of S.E. Milwaukee Avenue and S.E. Bybee Boulevard.

A stroll along this 1½-mile pedestrian and cycling path across from Downtown is one of the best ways to experience the Willamette River and Portland's bridges close-up. Built in 2001, the esplanade runs along the east bank of the Willamette River between the Hawthorne and Steele bridges, and features a 1,200-foot walkway that floats atop the river, a boat dock, and public art. Pedestrian crossings on both bridges link the esplanade to Tom McCall Waterfront Park, making a 3-mile loop.

One of the stalwarts of Distillery Row, this highly respected outfit (formerly known as House Spirits) opened in 2004 and now occupies this spacious 14,000-square-foot facility. It's earned international acclaim for its Westward American Single Malt Whiskey, made with locally sourced barley. In the cozy tasting room, you can also browse a fine selection of barware, books, and other booze-related gifts. Tours are offered every afternoon, but weekends are busy, so best to reserve a spot in advance. There's an additional tasting room at Portland International Airport and a bottle shop in Nob Hill. If you plan to check out a few of the spots on Distillery Row, be sure to order a Distillery Row Passport (www.distilleryrowpdx.com) or download the app, which gives credit toward tastings and tours and discounts at a number of restaurants, hotels, and shops around the city.