H.W.
@Lucy F. : sadly, fareless square is no longer fareless. just fyi.
The bakery at Pazzo's Pazzoria is heavenly. Their pastries are very European, delicious but not overly-sweet. Get there early if you want to grab one of their to-die-for chocolate croissants, as they go fast. (I don't care for sweets, but I love this place.) The address for Pazzo's is 627 SW Washington; Pazzoria is just few doors down on the same block on Washington.
Breakfast at the Byways in the Pearl is great. 1212 NE Glisan Street. Great reviews and you won't be waiting as long as you might at Mother's Bistro (212 SW Stark Street)...which is also delicious, but be sure to make reservations at least a couple weeks in advance, or plan for an hour-plus wait.
There are food carts galore if you want to grab food on the go or take it to your room. Google "Portland Food Cart Pods Downtown"...there's an enormous variety.
The Portland Art Museum is pretty lovely. Worth a Google look to see if it's up your alley.
There may also be a few beer/brewers festivals going on. July is when we celebrate beer big time up here. If you or your husband are interested, you can check out events online at the Oregon Brewer's Guild site, oregonbeer.org. I'm a SNOB member and this is a fun month.
The Lan Su Chinese Garden is a beautiful oasis in Old Town. It occupies one city block and is one of my favorite places to visit. It's amazingly well laid out and there's always something beautiful around every corner. A lovely balance of bringing the interior into the exteriors and vice-versa. Love it.
In contrast, up in Washington Park (you can take a bus, or take the walk, about 40 minutes from downtown at most and very uphill) there are the Japanese Gardens, which has a lovely view of downtown Portland and offers several different types of traditional Japanese garden styles. The Rose Test Gardens are also up there, with the Oregon Zoo further away (also available by bus or MAX).
You are welcome to PM me if you have any other specific interests that you want to focus on. If you are looking for nightlife, check schedules online at either the Mercury or Willamette Week. These are two local papers that always feature music and other events.
Have fun!
ADDED: Oh, and there's Jake's for dinner if you want to spend a bit for a delicious seafood meal out. That's another one to make reservations for, but certainly worth it.