All of our walking tours are designed to take 90 minutes. Our NW and SE Portland walking tours are moderate, level walks for all abilities. The N Portland-St. Johns tour offerings have a steep grade. Use a restroom prior to arriving for our night tours. Wear comfortable walking shoes, bring a water bottle and dress for the weather. Tours are never cancelled for rain; ask us if you need to borrow gear/umbrella. All our online bookable tours are designed as loops with unique start points. The Nob Hill and Slabtown walking tours are often offered back to back so guests can have the opportunity to experience the upper-class and working-class sections of the NW Alphabet District neighborhood on the same day from architectural history to social justice efforts. We can be reached for booking questions by email slabtowntours@gmail.com or by leaving a message on our landline which is checked once daily 503-206-4676. Tour guides will text all booked guests prior to tour to assist day of tour communication.
NW History Tours Prices [Adults: $30/each] [Seniors: $18/each] [Youths: $10/each] [Tots: Free] Slabtown Ghost Tour Prices: [All Guests $40/each] St. Johns History, Foster History and Murder, Mayhem and Oddities of St. Johns [$20/adults thanks to our sponsors] 24 hours advance reservations are required for the first booking on any tour date. Book now on PeekPro, or call 503-206-4676. Prices and times are subject to change without notice.
We are Looking Forward to Meeting You
Our walking tours are 100% outside. The health and safety of our guests is our top priority. We have embraced the digital age from contactless booking, a digital waiver agreement and flexible rebooking via PeekPro. We strongly recommend using a restroom prior to arrival for our tours. Our owner is a tenacious, active, and passionate advocate for public restrooms. We accept expired gift cards.
Starting Points:
Slabtown walking tour starts outside of the Northwest Branch Library at 2300 NW Thurman Street.
Nob Hill & NW A Night With Ghosts walking tours start on the porch of Anna Bananas, 1214 NW 21st Avenue.
St Johns History tours start at Two Stroke Coffee Co., 8517 N Lombard St.
Our Murder, Mayhem & Oddities of St. Johns tours start at the SE Corner of N. Edison & N. Pittsburg. (Third Saturdays of the Month)
Foster Road History tours start at Kainos Coffee 5300 SE Foster Rd. (4th Saturdays of the Month)
Sincerely,
Tanya Lyn March PhD (Owner & Tour Guide)
VIDEO TOURS WITH TANYA MARCH AND OTHER PORTLAND EXPERTS
SLABTOWN TOUR
Slabtown gets its name from slab wood — the rounded, exterior parts of logs cut away to square off lumber — produced as a popular form of heating fuel in the early 1900s by lumber mills of the neighborhood. We share with you numerous historic images of lost buildings and take you past existing historic sites, including the oldest house on NW23rd, the former sites of the Vaughn Street Ballpark, historic streetcar rails, the entrance of the 1905 Lewis & Clark Fair, and the world's greatest log cabin. Slabtown is a traditional working class neighborhood that is rapidly changing. The neighborhood was once redlined and targeted for everything from am urban renewal area to a freeway.
Private tours can be scheduled for any time of day by email request with two weeks notice. 24-hour advanced reservations for individuals and gift card holder are encouraged.
More info >
NOB HILL - ALPHABET DISTRICT TOUR
Our expert guide will show you the highlights of Portland's Nob Hill. The walking tour route guests beside some of the grand merchant homes of the 1890s and apartments built for the post Lewis and Clark building boom. The tour loops back to the starting point along the "Trendy 23rd" Street Shopping district, highlighting the evolution of this early streetcar commercial corridor. Nob Hill was named after the San Francisco area, and has become one of Portland's trendiest shopping areas. The neighborhood is known for fabulous tax-free shopping, great coffee and amazing verity of food. Many restaurants have added healthy street seating.
This 90-minute tour is offered year-round, every Saturday at 9 a.m. Day-ahead reservations are encouraged.
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ST. JOHNS TOUR
St. Johns is a neighborhood with small town charm in Portland, Oregon, located in North Portland on the tip of the peninsula formed by the confluence of the Willamette River and the Columbia River. Many structures from the days when the neighborhood was an incorporated city are still standing. The community is known for its amazing bridge, Jazz Festival, annual parade, and eclectic mix of restaurants and small businesses. This walk has some steep grades, so bring comfortable shoes and a water bottle. The tour starts at Two Stroke Coffee Co. 8517 N. Lombard St., Portland, OR, 97203. This tour is offered on the Third Saturday of each month at 3 p.m., Thanksgiving & Christmas 2023. Thanks to a partnership with The St. Johns Boosters, Venture Portland, and Prosper Portland, the tours are offered at a reduced rate. If you are interested in this tour but are not in town on the Third Saturday of the month, please reach out to us. We are flexible and can add dates.
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A NIGHT WITH GHOSTS - OUR HAUNTED NORTHWEST HISTORY TOUR
Experience Portland's paranormal heritage as we investigate several local ghost narratives gathered from homeowners, alienists, and newspaper accounts. The tour stops at three locations where the spirits are known to be less than peaceful. This tour is offered year-round with nightly offerings in the Halloween Season, Friday the 13th and most Full Moons.
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Testimonials
So much fun! I love old houses and stories with intrigue, so this tour was perfect. We met our charismatic guide at the library to begin the tour. It was so neat to walk by a building and have her tell a story about a specific aspect of it which really brought history alive. I would highly recommend this to anybody interested in the history of Portland, beautiful architecture, and looking for a fun time.
M —
Berkeley, CA
Portland: One of the best ways to get to know the city is via walking tours. Put Slabtown Tours on your radar for when you have visiting friends or family or just want to get out and about and know a little more of the Portland story. Tanya is an amazing resource of knowledge...history and local lore that should be shared with every Portlander.
Carye Bye
Austin, TX
Tanya is the most knowledgeable person I know when it comes to historical buildings in Portland! Highlighting both flashy and gritty facts, her tours cover many eras. This is a can’t-miss if you like hearing the history behind the city you are enjoying. (And ask her about local museum displays — she points you to all the best ones!)
Nicole
Portland, OR
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6 days ago
As much as I’m happy that the Multnomah County Library (NW Branch) in Slabtown is moving to new digs I’ve loved the decade plus we have seated tours here. Before smartphones guests took advantage of the desk top computers to check mail now guests just adore the local history books that the staff keep on shelves behind the reference desk. We had some amazing teachers on the tour today love not being the only life long learner in the crowd. #slabtownpdx #localhistory #historynerd #travelportland