Portland in September
Great time to visit
September might be Portland's best-kept secret. Summer weather sticks around but tourist hordes start thinning out, giving you the best of both worlds.
Weather
September gives you summer weather with smaller crowds. Days stay warm and sunny while evenings cool down nicely. The first hints of fall appear, but rain mostly holds off until month's end.
23°C high11°C low5 rain days
Crowds & Cost
high crowds
~$175/day average
Events & Festivals
- •Portland Food and Wine Festival
- •Art in the Pearl
September Tips
- •Best weather-to-crowd ratio of the year - locals know this secret
- •Perfect time for wine country day trips to Willamette Valley
- •Pack light layers - temperature swings between day and night get more dramatic
All Months
June through October offers Portland's best weather, with July and August bringing actual sunshine and temperatures in the 80s. This is peak tourist season - hotel prices jump 30% and popular restaurants book weeks ahead.
September might be Portland's perfect month. Summer crowds thin out, but the weather stays warm and dry. The fall beer festival season kicks off, and you can still eat at food carts without standing in rain.
May and October work if you don't mind occasional showers. Spring brings cherry blossoms to Tom McCall Waterfront Park, while fall colors paint the Columbia River Gorge. Hotel rates drop significantly.
Winter in Portland means rain. Not dramatic storms, just steady drizzle from November through March. But this is when locals reclaim their city. Coffee shops stay cozy, breweries pour seasonal stouts, and you'll have Powell's Books mostly to yourself.
Avoid February unless you love gray skies and 45-degree days. Even locals get grumpy during the deepest part of Portland's rainy season.
Portland Scores
Solo
9/10
Couples
7/10
Families
8/10
Adventure
7/10
Budget
7/10
Luxury
6/10
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