VERDICT: We gave 5 out of 5 tickets and here’s why!

This guide forms part of our complete USA Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across the United States.

This article is part of our 🚗 5-Day Pacific Northwest USA Road Trip series, exploring Washington and Oregon. Beginning at the Sumas border crossing in British Columbia, our 1,397-kilometre adventure takes us through historic coastal towns, spectacular beaches, iconic cities and one of America’s most famous volcanoes.. Read the complete itinerary here.

Day 1: Historic Bridges, Sea Lions & Astoria’s Waterfront ✅
Day 2: Haystack Rock, Puffins & Oregon’s Most Beautiful Beach ✅
Day 3: Shipwrecks, Cheese & Portland’s Weird Side ✅
Day 4: Volcanoes, Forests & The Mountain That Changed America ✅
Day 5: Small-Town Charm, Ferries & The Journey Home ✅

Wild flavours, pink boxes and Portland’s weirdest foodie experience

Voodoo Doughnut is one of Portland’s most iconic stops. It opened in Old Town in December 2003 & quickly became a cult bakery known for wild flavours, neon pink boxes & a heavy dose of Portland weird.

The founders dreamed it up while tubing the Sandy River, and they leaned into the city’s quirky vibe with a logo featuring Baron Samedi & the slogan “The Magic is in the Hole”.

The shop handcrafts 30+ artisanal flavours daily, with over 10 vegan options. Crowd favourites include the Bacon Maple Bar — a raised yeast doughnut with maple frosting & 2 pieces of bacon that’s been voted “America’s Greatest Doughnut” three years in a row!

Then there’s the raspberry-jelly Voodoo Doll doughnut (that’s what I got… so delish!) & other seasonal creations like Grape Ape or Mango Tango. Mr. MRT went for a Blueberry Cake doughnut, it was tasty too – enough that he said it was the best doughnut he’s ever had!

The original location in Old Town is open late, even until 3am on weekends, and also does Magic Roast coffee and are you ready for this?

Fully legal weddings under a giant “holy” doughnut!

Today Voodoo has 4 Oregon locations: 3 in Portland and 1 in Eugene. It’s cheap, colourful, and often has a line out the door(with security, no less)but it moves fast & feels like a Portland rite of passage.

If you’re on an Oregon Coast or Portland trip, the pink box is basically a souvenir you can eat, then take home their coffee beans.

Top 5 Most Unusual Things to See in Portland

1. Mill Ends Park

Officially the world’s smallest park, measuring just 61 cm (24 inches) across. It’s tiny, quirky and a true Portland icon.

2. Voodoo Doughnut

Where bacon belongs on doughnuts, weddings happen beneath a giant doughnut altar, and the famous pink box has become an Oregon souvenir.

3. The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium

Part museum, part oddities shop, featuring UFOs, Bigfoot, aliens, cryptids, bizarre artwork and interactive exhibits that perfectly capture Portland’s eccentric personality.

4. The Witch’s Castle

Hidden deep within Forest Park, these moss-covered stone ruins look like something from a fantasy novel and are one of Portland’s favourite urban legends.

5. The Portland Puppet Museum

One of the city’s strangest hidden gems, showcasing puppets from around the world, vintage marionettes and delightfully unusual performances.

Continue Exploring Portland and Oregon

Nearby Attractions

Checklist For Things to See in Portland

Powell’s City of Books The world’s largest independent bookstore covering an entire city block with over four million books spread across nine colour-coded rooms.
Voodoo Doughnut One of Portland’s most famous attractions, known worldwide for its quirky doughnuts, unusual flavours and long queues.
Mill Ends Park Officially recognized as the world’s smallest park, measuring just 61 cm (24 inches) across. It’s tiny, but surprisingly famous.
Washington Park Home to the International Rose Test Garden, Japanese Garden, Hoyt Arboretum and spectacular views across Portland and Mount Hood on clear days.
Portland Saturday Market (Weekends) The largest continuously operating outdoor arts and crafts market in the United States, featuring local artists, food vendors and live entertainment along the Willamette River.

Planning Your Trip?

Before you go, don’t forget to book the essentials:

With every trip, we offer feedback to travel companies along with honest views for you, the reader. We rate adventures on a scale of one to five tickets, judged on quality, service, memorability, and price. A perfect ‘Ticket Rating’ of a five-ticket score means the experience was flawless and we’d eagerly return. Your desire to go back is the ultimate measure of a trip’s worth. Exclusive to My Return Ticket.

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USA 5-Day Road Trip (Pacific Northwest)

USA Road Trip| Day 3: Voodoo Doughnut⎮America’s Most Famous Doughnut Shop