PORTLAND EVENTS FIELD GUIDE
Unplug with Your Teen: Cell-Free Saturdays — Oddities, Chocolate, and Conversation in Portland
A free, invitation-only weekend outing led by Damon and Heather that guides teens and parents on a screen-free visit to The Skeleton Key Odditorium, a free tasting at Creo Chocolate, and a stop at Paxton’s Gate.
Unplug with Your Teen: Cell-Free Saturdays — Oddities, Chocolate, and Conversation in Portland.
Cell-Free Saturdays is a winter series hosted by Damon and Heather from Peak Tours and Transit, LLC that offers invited local families a deliberately screen-free way to spend a Saturday afternoon together in Portland: a short, social sightseeing loop that pairs curiosity-soaked stops with time to reconnect without phones.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
A true screen-free outing for teens and parents
The core rule is simple: teens leave phones at home; parents keep phones tucked away and step out of sight to use them. The format is designed to encourage conversation and shared experience rather than photos or social feeds.
Visit The Skeleton Key Odditorium
One stop on the route is The Skeleton Key Odditorium; visitors pay admission at the door (tiered pricing applies by age category) and experience the collection as part of the unplugged outing.
Free chocolate tasting and a botanical curiosities stop
The itinerary includes a free tasting at Creo Chocolate and a visit to Paxton’s Gate, pairing a palate-based stop with a shop of odd and botanical curiosities.
What the day feels like
What the outing feels like
Expect a relaxed, three- to four-hour Saturday excursion run by local guides where small groups — primarily friends and family by invitation — move between three close-in Portland stops, share brief activities such as a chocolate tasting, and return to the meeting point by mid‑afternoon.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this outing suits — and who should sit this one out.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Outings are scheduled on selected winter Saturdays (examples listed include November 22 and 29, December 6, 13, and 20, with more dates in January and February) and run about 3 to 4 hours, generally between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
Meet at 4405 SE 70th Ave., Portland, OR 97206 for departure; transportation is provided from Foster Powell and nearby southeast Portland neighborhoods.
Teens are asked to leave phones at home; participants are encouraged to wear a watch if they have one. Feel free to bring snacks or a sack lunch; avoid messy or strong-smelling foods in the van. Water bottles and covered drinks are acceptable.
The outings are free to attend; donations for gas and parking are appreciated but not expected. Any entry tickets or activity fees (for example, Odditorium admission) are paid individually at the door.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is a Cell-Free Saturdays outing?
Each outing runs about 3 to 4 hours, generally between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
Where and when do we meet?
Meet at 4405 SE 70th Ave., Portland, OR 97206; specific outings are scheduled on selected Saturdays (examples include dates in November and December).
What is the phone policy?
Teens must leave their phones at home; parents may keep a phone tucked away but should step out of sight to use it. No photos, please.
Is there a cost to join?
The outings themselves are free; donations for gas and parking are appreciated but not expected. Any entry fees for stops are paid individually by each family.
Who runs Cell-Free Saturdays?
The outings are hosted by Damon and Heather of Peak Tours and Transit, LLC.
Are these open to anyone?
No—outings are by invitation only and organized primarily for friends and family; the hosts also request one adult per teen so adults do not outnumber teens.