PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Believe it or not, spring break is just around the corner for kids in Oregon and Washington.
For most Portland-area schools, spring break 2023 is March 27-31 and for most Southwest Washington districts, it’s April 3-7.
While some families plan to use the time to travel away from where they live, there are plenty of things to do locally for families who stay put while their kids are off school.
Having fun also doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank. Below is a list of things to do with kids in Portland and the surrounding area, both things that are free and things that cost money.
Go to the library
Several Multnomah County Library buildings are closed right now due to construction. If your nearby library is closed, perhaps take some time on spring break to visit one you’ve never been to before. Your kids might enjoy exploring new shelves and checking out things they can’t find at their neighborhood library. You could even travel to another county to see their libraries.
Cost: Free
East Portland Indoor Pool
Your kids can have fun playing on a water slide or lounging in a lazy river without going to a fancy amusement park. The East Portland Indoor Pool has water slides, a lazy river, a lap pool and a hot tub. The leisure pool has zero depth entry, meaning a sloped entrance from land to water, which makes it wheelchair accessible. In Portland, families can also visit the Matt Dishman Indoor Pool, the Mt. Scott Indoor Pool, and the Southwest Indoor Pool.
Cost: Drop-in admission is $4 for kids ages 3-12, $5 for teens ages 13-17, $6 for adults 18-59 and $5 for seniors 60+. Portland Parks also offers 20-visit passes, monthly passes and discounts.
Imagination Station at Columbia Park
At Columbia Park in Troutdale, there’s an elaborate outdoor play area for children to enjoy. It’s called Imagination Station. The playground includes swings, slides, tunnels, a merry-go-round, a balancing rope bridge and more. There’s also a picnic area in the park.
Cost: Free
Dizzy Castle
If it’s raining outside and outdoor play is not a great option, head to Vancouver to Dizzy Castle, an indoor playground. It’s the largest indoor playground and party center in the Northwest with more than 13,000 square feet of play space for kids to explore. The venue includes an indoor castle, a 70-foot pirate ship, a snake pit and slides. The structure is designed so adults can interact with the kids.
Location: 11606 NE 66th St. Vancouver
Cost: Children ages 3-12 $13.95, Toddlers 2 and younger $6.95, Infants under 1 are free, Adults are free
OMSI
If you have kids who enjoy learning outside the classroom, take them to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, or OMSI. The museum aims to inspire curiosity through engaging science learning experiences. Kids can enjoy hands-on exhibits, labs where they can practice science and playgrounds where they can burn off energy. There are planetarium shows, submarine tours and the current featured exhibit is Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes.
Location: 1945 SE Water Ave. Portland
Cost: Admission for adults is $16, for youth $11 and seniors $13. Tickets for the submarine and special films or exhibits are not included in admission.
Oaks Park
Whether your kids enjoy roller skating or thrill-seeking, Oaks Park in Portland has quite a bit to offer. The amusement park has rides that open March 25, including the Adrenaline Peak rollercoaster, the carousel, the Ferris wheel and go karts. The mini golf course also reopens March 25. Roller skating is open year-round.
Location: 7805 SE Oaks Park Way Portland
Cost: Pricing varies depending on the activity. For more information, visit OaksPark.com.
Lloyd Center Ice Rink
Sure, it might be spring break, but that doesn’t mean winter activities like ice skating can’t be fun. Public skating is open Monday-Sunday and the rink has skates for people to rent.
Location: 953 Lloyd Ctr. Portland
Cost: Kids ages 4-5 or adults over 50 pay $14 for admission and a skate rental is included. For everyone else, general admission is $17 and a skate rental is $5. Cheap Skate is held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and costs $15.
DEFY Beaverton indoor trampoline park
If you have kids who are constantly bouncing off the walls, why not take them to a place where they can literally bounce off the walls? At DEFY trampoline park in Beaverton, kids can not only bounce on floor trampolines, but also wall trampolines and ramps. The space includes foam pits, a zip line, basketball hoops and more.
Location: 10750 SW Denney Rd. Beaverton
Cost: An all-day pass costs $29.99 on weekdays, $34.99 on weekends. For kids 4 and under it’s $23.99 on a weekday and $27.99 on weekends. DEFY also offers 90-minute passes.
Bullwinkle’s
Travel south of Portland and visit Bullwinkle’s, an amusement park, miniature golf course, and bowling alley all in one place. The family fun center also includes a laser tag arena, bumper boats and an arcade.
Location: 29111 SW Town Center Loop W, Wilsonville
Cost: Prices vary depending on the activity. For more information, visit Bullwinkles.com.
Visit the Belmont Goats
The Belmont Goats recently moved to a new location at University Park in North Portland. Visitors are always welcome to say hello to the goats through the fence, but those hoping to enter the enclosure to interact with them will need to do so during visiting hours on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Masks are preferred for visitors over the age of 5.
Location: 6631 N. Syracuse St. Portland – visitors are encouraged to park on N. Macrum Ave.
Cost: Free, but donations welcome