The Pearl District occupies a roughly 25-block area of northwest Portland bounded by Burnside Street to the south, the Broadway Bridge approach to the north, NW 15th Avenue to the west, and NW Park Avenue to the east. Once a rail yard and warehouse district, it redeveloped through the 1990s and 2000s into one of Portland’s densest concentrations of galleries, restaurants, breweries, and converted loft buildings. The streetcar line running along NW 10th and 11th Avenues makes it one of the most transit-accessible neighborhoods in the city.
What is the Pearl District known for?
The Pearl District is best known for Powell’s City of Books on NW Burnside and 10th Avenue, one of the largest independent bookstores in the world occupying an entire city block, and for First Thursday, a free monthly evening art walk held the first Thursday of each month when galleries along NW 13th Avenue and surrounding streets open simultaneously with extended hours. The neighborhood also carries a strong reputation for upscale loft living, craft beer, and farm-to-table dining.
- Powell’s City of Books, NW Burnside at 10th Avenue
- First Thursday monthly gallery walk, NW 13th Avenue corridor
- Jamison Square Park with its interactive wading fountain
- Tanner Springs Park, a reclaimed wetland green space
Best things to do in the Pearl District
The single most rewarding way to spend time in the Pearl District is to combine a deep browse inside Powell’s Books with a self-guided walk north along NW 13th Avenue past the concentration of contemporary art galleries, pausing at Jamison Square and Tanner Springs Park before finishing with a pint at one of the neighborhood brewpubs such as Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House on NW Burnside.
- Browse Powell’s Books rare and used rooms for hours
- Attend First Thursday art walk on the first Thursday evening of any month
- Wade or picnic at Jamison Square Park on NW 10th Avenue
- Visit Tanner Springs Park to see the reclaimed wetland and steel-rail art wall
- Sample beers at Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House on NW Burnside
Where to eat in the Pearl District
The Pearl District holds a dense cluster of well-regarded restaurants ranging from upscale Pacific Northwest cuisine to casual lunch spots, concentrated primarily along NW 13th Avenue, NW Glisan Street, and NW Burnside Street. Bluehour on NW 13th Avenue has long been a neighborhood anchor for upscale dining, while Paley’s Place sits just at the neighborhood’s western edge on NW 21st Avenue for classic French-influenced Oregon cooking.
- Bluehour, NW 13th Avenue — upscale Pacific Northwest and Mediterranean
- Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House, NW Burnside — Oregon craft beer and pub food
- Pearl Bakery, NW 13th Avenue — artisan breads and breakfast pastries
- Barista coffee, NW 13th Avenue — specialty coffee roaster with a Pearl location
Where to walk in the Pearl District
The most rewarding Pearl District walking route starts at Powell’s Books on NW Burnside and 10th, heads north along NW 11th or 13th Avenue through the gallery corridor, passes through Jamison Square Park at NW 10th and Johnson, then continues north to Tanner Springs Park at NW 10th and Marshall before looping back south along the Portland Streetcar alignment on NW 10th Avenue.
- NW 13th Avenue gallery corridor between Burnside and Marshall Streets
- The Park Blocks extension into the South Park Blocks via NW Park Avenue
- Jamison Square to Tanner Springs Park linear green connection
How to get to the Pearl District
The Portland Streetcar A and B Loop lines run through the Pearl District on NW 10th and 11th Avenues with stops at Lovejoy, Johnson, Northrup, and other cross streets, connecting directly to downtown Portland, the Central Eastside, and Portland State University. TriMet bus routes on Burnside Street and NW Lovejoy Street also serve the neighborhood, and the Broadway Bridge provides bicycle and pedestrian access from the Lloyd District across the Willamette River.
- Portland Streetcar A/B Loop, NW 10th and 11th Avenue stops
- TriMet buses on W Burnside and NW Lovejoy Street
- Broadway Bridge bicycle and pedestrian lanes from NE Portland
- Paid parking garages on NW 13th Avenue and surface lots off Glisan
Best time to visit the Pearl District
The Pearl District rewards visitors year-round given its indoor anchors, but the ideal months are May through October when outdoor seating fills the restaurant patios along NW 13th Avenue, Jamison Square’s fountain draws families and picnickers, and First Thursday evenings are warm enough for comfortable gallery-hopping on foot. December brings holiday window displays along the main commercial corridors and Powell’s annual busy season for book buyers.
