CITY WALK
Books, Brews,
and One Surprise
Llama
Trail at a Glance
TIME
2-3 hrs
With shopping & dining
DIFFICULTY
Easy
Paved sidewalks
DISTANCE
1.5 miles
Approximate
ELEVATION
Minimal
Mostly flat
Quick Trail Notes
Location
Downtown Portland and Pearl District, Oregon.
Fully paved sidewalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps.
Facilities
Public restrooms at Pioneer Courthouse Square, Powell’s City of Books, and Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House.
Water Availability
Public drinking fountains and water bottle fill-stations.
Cell Service
Excellent, 5G coverage throughout the route.
Seasonal Closures
Open year-round; rainy weather common late fall through spring.
Parking
Use the Parking Kitty App
Dogs
Allowed on leash; select patios welcome dogs.
Maps
Free to walk; parking fees may apply; budget for shopping and brewery.
What to Bring
Rain jacket, comfortable walking shoes, reusable water bottle, a shopping tote, and enough free time to become thoroughly lost inside Powell’s City of Books.
Read Along the Route
Bring along Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon by Chuck Palahniuk, a quirky blend of memoir and city guide that reveals Portland’s hidden landmarks, unusual traditions, and wonderfully eccentric spirit.
Mark your place as you wander Portland.
Save or print this Downtown Portland and Pearl District walking bookmark before you go. Follow the three-stop checklist on a 1.5-mile route from Pioneer Courthouse Square to Powell’s City of Books and Deschutes Brewery. Along the way, record the books you could not leave behind and a memorable line discovered on the shelves. The reverse pairs the walk with Chuck Palahniuk’s Fugitives and Refugees, while QR codes connect you to Portland’s Central City map and a Portland reading list. Use the bookmark as a compact route companion during the walk—and as a keepsake for your next read.
Portland is one of those cities that is best explored on foot.
Around every corner, there seems to be something that makes you want to slow down whether it be a beautiful old building, an independent shop, a lively public square, or, as we discovered, a llama casually walking down the street.
We began our walk at Pioneer Courthouse Square, right in the heart of downtown at 701 SW 6th Avenue. Known as Portland’s “living room,” the square truly feels like a shared gathering place. Its curved brick steps wrap around an open plaza where food carts, street musicians, coffee drinkers, and commuters all come and go.
After watching the activity for a few minutes, we headed north through downtown toward West Burnside. The route is flat and easy, but there is enough happening along the way that it never feels like simply walking from one stop to another.
Gradually, the modern storefronts and office buildings gave way to the older brick warehouses of the Pearl District. Once home to railyards and manufacturing, the neighborhood is now filled with galleries, boutiques, cafés, and restaurants. Even with all the changes, its industrial past is still visible in the broad streets, old loading bays, heavy timber beams, and weathered brick façades.
We took our time along SW Broadway and the surrounding blocks, stopping whenever something caught our attention. There was no real reason to hurry, and Portland seemed to keep giving us excuses not to.
Eventually, we crossed Burnside and reached the stop we had been looking forward to most: Powell’s City of Books at 1005 W Burnside Street.
It is difficult to appreciate the size of Powell’s until you step inside. The store occupies an entire city block, and its color-coded rooms are packed with shelves of new and used books. We told ourselves we would browse for only a little while, but that plan quickly disappeared.
More than an hour later, we were still wandering from room to room and finding books we suddenly could not imagine leaving behind. Before long, we had a small stack in our hands and were trying to work out how much space was left in our luggage.
One of our favorite parts of the store was the Rare Book Room. Tucked away from the busy main floors, this quiet, wood-paneled room feels like a hidden library. Its collection includes signed first editions, antiquarian books, fine bindings, collectible literature, and out-of-print treasures. You do not need to be shopping for a rare book to enjoy it. The peaceful atmosphere alone makes it worth seeking out, especially after navigating the colorful maze of shelves downstairs.
When we finally stepped outside, carrying more books than we had planned, we met Cesar.
Cesar was a llama strolling through downtown Portland with his human companion as though there were nothing unusual about it. Perhaps, in Portland, there wasn’t. We stopped to say hello, and although the encounter lasted only a few minutes, it became one of our favorite moments of the day. Somehow, walking out of the world’s largest independent bookstore and immediately meeting a llama felt completely appropriate. Keep Portland weird, indeed.
From Powell’s, we continued north along NW 10th Avenue and then turned toward NW 11th Avenue. The final stretch took only about three minutes, although it would be easy to make the walk longer by exploring more of the Pearl District along NW Davis, Everett, or 13th Avenue.
Our last stop was Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House at 210 NW 11th Avenue. Located in a historic former auto-body building, the pub felt warm, casual, and welcoming. It’s the sort of place where you are happy to sit down after an afternoon of wandering.
We ordered a light lunch, rested our feet, and looked through the books we had bought at Powell’s. With its Northwest-inspired food and selection of Deschutes beers, the brewery was a relaxed and satisfying place to end the walk.
The entire route is approximately 1 to 1.5 miles, depending on how much you explore along the way. The walking itself takes about 25 to 35 minutes, but you will want to allow several hours for browsing, eating, and unexpected detours.
Looking back, what we loved most was how naturally the day unfolded. There was no single grand attraction that defined the walk. Instead, Portland revealed itself through a series of small moments: the bustle of Pioneer Courthouse Square, the brick warehouses of the Pearl, an hour happily lost inside Powell’s, lunch in a converted garage, and a chance meeting with a llama named Cesar.
It was easy, unexpected, and delightfully Portland: the kind of day that reminds us why we love exploring a city on foot.
“Stories you won’t find in any official Portland history book.”
Chuck Palahniuk, Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon
THOUGHTFULLY RESEARCHED
Written by Jacqueline Miller, founder of Adventurous Ambles. Through firsthand travel, original photography, and detailed route research, Jacqueline creates walking guides, hiking resources, destination reading lists, and travel inspiration for curious travelers. Unless otherwise noted, all content and photography on Adventurous Ambles are original works protected by copyright.
KEEP WANDERING
More Adventurous Ambles in Portland
DESTINATION GUIDE
READING LIST
HIKING GUIDE