Tours/Portland/Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise
Viator · group up to 400 pax

Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise

4.4(128)Portland1 hour
VIATOR4.3(111)TRIPADVISOR4.6(17)

Description

Take in the sights of Portland, Oregon from a different perspective. Cruise through the heart of Portland on the Willamette River. Enjoy a narration of the sights available on all the decks. A happy hour menu and full bar is available for purchase during the cruise.

Tour Options

Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise

Itinerary

Pass by

Pass by the Hawthorne Bridge that joins Hawthorne Boulevard and Madison Street. This truss bridge is the oldest vertical-lift bridge operating in the United States and the oldest highway bridge in Portland.

Pass by

Pass by the Marquam Bridge which is the busiest bridge in Oregon. It is a double-deck, steel-truss cantilever bridge carrying Interstate 5 traffic.

Pass by

Cruise by OMSI and see the USS Blueback, a barbel class submarine in the United States Navy.

Pass by

Cruise under this cable-stayed bridge known as the Bridge of the People.

Pass by

Cruise under the Ross Island Bridge that connects Arthur Street to Powell Boulevard. This is a cantilever truss bridge that spans the Willamette River.

Pass by

Cruise by the oldest continually operating amusement park in the country. Oaks Amusement Park opened in May 1905 and is just 3.5 miles south of Downtown Portland.

Pass by

Cruise under the Sellwood Bridge. This is a deck arch bridge that spans the Willamette River.

Pass by

Cruise by this riverfront part covering about 7.6 acres in southeast Portland.

Pass by

Cruise by Waverley Country Club, one of the first golf clubs in the west, established in 1896. Fifty years before the construction of Waverley Country Club on the current site, its history can be traced back to Henderson Luelling, known as the Johnny Appleseed of the West. It is believed by many that the presentation of the green jacket at the Masters started at Waverley.

Pass by

Cruise by much of Tom McCall Waterfront Park which has 36 acres of open space and is host to a variety of events throughout the year.

Pass by

Cruise under the Morrison Bridge, named after a Scottish immigrant, John L. Morrison, who built the first home on Morrison Street.

Pass by

Cruise under the Burnside Bridge, distinctive for its Italian Renaissance-style towers and was made famous by its architect Joseph Straus, who was also the architect for the famed Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Pass by

The Oregon Convention Center is easy to recognize from the water due to its two blue-green glass spires.

Pass by

The Rose Quarter campus includes the Veterans Memorial Coliseum and Moda Center. The Moda Center has a seating capacity of nearly 20,000 for NBA basketball games and is the current home of the Portland Trailblazers.

Pass by

The Steel Bridge is quite remarkable for all its design characteristics. It is the world's only double deck bridge with independent lifts.

Pass by

The Burnside Bridge is a great spot to view the "Portland Oregon" sign also known as the "White Stag" sign, which we’ll pass on the port side of the vessel.

Highlights

1.5-hour cruise on the Willamette River
OPTIONAL: Bring headphones for your phone & listen to narration via our app (instruction on board)
Historical narration plays on all levels of the vessel

What's included

Included
1.5-hour cruise on the Willamette River
OPTIONAL: Bring headphones for your phone & listen to narration via our app (instruction on board)
Historical narration plays on all levels of the vessel
Not included
No food/drink included (food & drinks can be purchased on board)
Souvenir boarding photo

Traveller Ratings

4.4
128 reviews
5
81
4
25
3
14
2
3
1
5

Important Information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • This is a NON Smoking Vessel
  • Gluten Free options available
  • Vegan options available
  • Wheelchairs are able to come aboard the enclosed lower deck — please notify us when booking. Stairs are required to venture to the upper decks.
  • Boarding photo required as part of our safety & security plan

Reviews(128)

J
Janet_S
August 18, 2026
Keep Portland weird & fun!

Our guide Adam made this such a fun informative trip with his love of Portland. We saw the major sites,several,neighborhoods and quirky sites too! Hotel pick up was right on time and left us off at our next adventure!

K
kholoud_a
August 18, 2026
Awesome

I really enjoyed and learned a lot from the information I had yesterday the atmosphere is beautiful such a relaxing day

A
Anna_T
August 16, 2026
Serene experience

Very leisurely and informative, weather was beautiful for a cruise down the river. Bridge history was interesting.

Operator response

Thank you for joining us for a Happy Hour Cruise! We're so glad you enjoyed the relaxing pace, beautiful weather and informative narration, especially the fascinating history of Portland's bridges. We hope to welcome you aboard again soon!

T
Tammy_R
August 13, 2026
Nice

We were looking to do something affordable for our anniversary. We arrived and the photographer took a picture of us in front of the boat . Picture cost 20.00 you can purchase . Food and drinks were affordable. The ride was relaxing and informative. Everything went well enjoyed looking the beautiful view.

Operator response

Thank you for choosing to celebrate your anniversary with us! We're so glad you enjoyed the relaxing cruise, beautiful views and informative narration, and that you found it to be an affordable way to celebrate together. We hope to welcome you both aboard again in the future!

R
Robert_H
August 11, 2026
Pleasure

First time on Portland Spirit and it was great.I would recommend to any first time adventure you'll love it.

Operator response

Thank you for joining us for your first Portland Spirit experience! We're so glad you had a great time and enjoyed the cruise. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope this is the first of many adventures with us!

C
carolinemQ2976BD
August 9, 2026
Fun happy hour!

Crew was great… had fun, was very relaxing, drinks were great!

Operator response

Thank you for the great review! We're so glad you had a relaxing Happy Hour cruise, and loved the drinks and service from our crew. We appreciate you joining us and hope to see you aboard again soon!

J
Jillyn_O
August 9, 2026
So much fun! My bestie...

So much fun! My bestie from out of town and I did the tour and really enjoyed it! The food was delish, staff were friendly, and the ride was smooth and informative!

Operator response

We're so glad you and your bestie had such a fun time exploring Portland from the river! It's wonderful to hear you enjoyed the delicious food, friendly crew, smooth ride and informative narration. We hope you'll both join us again the next time you're in town!

D
David_L
August 8, 2026
Portland from the river.

Board as early as possible to get a good seat or get shade on the upper deck for day cruises. Very mellow vibe.

Operator response

Thank you for cruising with us! We're glad you enjoyed the mellow atmosphere and views from the river. For guests who want to be among the first to board, we do offer Priority Boarding when booking directly through our website (www.portlandspirit.com), which includes early boarding and a complimentary drink of your choice. We hope to welcome you back aboard soon to experience another of our many cruise options!

M
Marc_J
August 5, 2026
River Cruise With Great Views

Beautiful views. Goes under many bridges. Narrator provides historical context of the bridges and sites on shore.

Operator response

Thank you for joining us, Marc! We're so glad you enjoyed the beautiful views and learning more about Portland's bridges and waterfront through our narration. We appreciate you cruising with us for Happy Hour and hope to welcome you aboard again in the future!

C
Caron_K
July 28, 2026
Narrator gave us good...

Narrator gave us good information. Unfortunately, a small child didn't want to be there and cried A LOT!!! So we missed some of it. Beautiful day! Great Sunday afternoon activity.

Operator response

Thank you for joining us on our Happy Hour Sightseeing Cruise! We're glad you enjoyed the narration, beautiful weather, and found it to be a great Sunday afternoon activity. We're sorry you missed portions of the narration due to another guest's little one having a difficult time, but we appreciate your understanding. We hope you'll have the opportunity to cruise with us again!

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