Portland Beaches

You will find many excellent reasons to locate a beach in Portland, OR. Hanging out in the sun, splashing in the water, and creating memories with your family and friends to name a few.

Finding a beautiful swimming beach in Portland with plenty of room for activities on the beach isn’t hard. If you need some help with finding a fantastic beach near you, you can locate one using our collection. Begin, by entering a zip code in the displayed search box below.

Beaches Near Portland

Most beaches in Portland, OR will be accessible for everyone, however many are closed to the public. Be sure to check their website to find out if it is possible to visit the beach without any restrictions. Fairly often, beaches will only remain open for certain months of the calendar year or during certain times throughout the day.

Beaches may be temporarily closed due to water quality issues caused by temporary occurances such as elevated bacteria levels, pollution, or chemical spills. Review the website of the beach before you leave for the beach for water quality updates.

Rules of the Beach

While different beaches in Portland will use unique rules on how to attend their beach, you should expect to follow the following rules for any beach in Portland that you visit.

  • Even if the lifeguard is supervising the beach, know that you are swimming at risk to yourself.
  • Just about all beaches in Portland have a curfew except for certain holidays.
  • All container made of glass are prohibited on the beach.
  • Always listen to the lifeguard on duty. If the lifeguard ask you to stop doing something, then you must follow through.
  • Do not drop garbage on the ground – Pack out what you bring with you.
  • You must swim within the designated areas for beach goers.

Portland Beach Checklist

  1. Get out the sunlight. If you suspect that locating shade could be hard to come by, or if you think that there may not be too many shady spots around, pack your own shade! Use a beach umbrella, shaded tent, or some sort of equipment that blocks sunlight. It’s best to bring equipment that has enough air ventilation.
  2. Get there early. Arriving at the beach when it opens is the best way of avoiding people.
  3. Bring plenty of towels. Beach towels are a necessity for a good time at the beach. A good rule of thumb is an ocean beach or an area which experiences rip tides. Learn the indicators and learn what to do if you are stuck in a rip tide.
  4. Prepare for cold weather. It’s common knowledge that the weather in Portland often changes quite quickly. It’s especially necessary if you are wanting to go swimming, so pack plenty of warm clothes like a jacket, towels, windbreakers, and a hat.
  5. Will the beach have lifeguards? Many large Portland beaches staff a lifeguard supervising, however do not count on a lifeguard being in attendance. If you worry about yourself, little children or anyone else that you are swimming with, it’s a great idea to bring correctly sized life jackets for anoyone who need them, and also know that you are entering the water at your own risk.
  6. Don’t forget the sunscreen. Pack sunscreen that is waterproof if you’re thinking of going in the water. It should be re-applied whenever you leave the water to stay protected.
  7. Keep the insects away. If you plan on going to the beach in the morning or late in the day, there’s a decent chance that mosquitos, sand flies, beach hoppers and other annoying insects may cause a problem.