PORTLAND, OREGON IS.....10 THINGS

A.K.A. Bridge Town, Stump Town, Beervana, The Rose City, PDX, 

& "The Place Young People Come To Retire" 

My Third Weekly Feature on Portland, OR

A world traveler...that's me.  Well, I have traveled parts of the world - just not nearly as many parts as I had hoped.  A closer-to-home traveler....that's me too.  I love to take weekend trips with my son...to visit friends & family, to the coast, to the forest, to the mountains, to neighboring states, etc.  All over.  I'm not very good at sitting still. Always on the go or always planning to be on the go.  Then, after awhile I realize I've been away too long and it's time to come home.  Really, there's no feeling like it.  Coming home to familiar faces and surrounded by familiar objects that put me at ease.

I'm back, Portland.  It's good to be home.  There's so many things I missed about you....here's 10 that top my list:

PORTLAND, OREGON IS..........

1) A FOOD LOVERS DREAM!

Have I mentioned that Portland is food heaven to me?  I'm thinking that it might actually be a dangerous place for me to live, from a caloric perspective that is.  Portland is known for its craft beer, Pacific Northwest salmon, hazelnuts, fresh dairy, tantalizing Oregon wines, fresh produce, incredible restaurants with any cuisine you can imagine, and those wonderful food carts I talked about in my first Weekly Feature.

For more information on the great places you can indulge here, check out Portland Food & Drink.

2)  A POLITICALLY ACTIVE KIND OF PLACE

Freedom of expression.  It's a wonderful thing.  It seems to be a place where everyone has a voice and that is priceless.  I am not a supporter of all issues I have seen presented here, but I am a supporter of  the right to present them.  

Both Portland and Oregon lean a tad bit to the Democratic side with a large number or Oregonians identifying themselves as "liberal" which is listed as being part of a 2010 Gallup Poll.

Oregon's Congressional Delegation of two U.S. Senators and five Representatives is entirely Democratic with the exception of one U.S. Representative. 

3)   RAINY & WET AT TIMES (SHOCKING!)

All this beauty comes from somewhere...it's our plentiful water supply that falls from the sky on a frequent basis.  It's actually been fairly mild and not as rainy as I pictured since I moved here, but I realize that will surely change and I'm fine with it.

I regularly get asked with raised eyebrows how I like the weather here.  My answer, though not often believed, is that I like it just fine.  There are days when I'm convinced (and my son too) that the day should be called on account of rain.  Then, out of nowhere, it stops.  The sky fills with sun (although it is frequently short-lived) and everyone runs outside if they can to take advantage of the stunning scenery and endless possibilities of things to do here.    

4)   UNBELIEVABLY BEAUTIFUL

In addition to being a world traveler and a closer-to-home traveler, I am walker.  I love to walk everywhere - much to my son's dismay.  Most of the time, I have our very large puppy at my side who is eager to pull me into the next county every chance he gets.  When he stops to take a break, I stop too and look around.

It's then that I marvel at the incredible beauty that surrounds me everywhere I go.  I grew up in the desert, so I tend not to take even one fall leaf, one flower petal, or one blade of grass for granted.


Some of our favorite places to take in the scenery include Washington Park International Rose Test Garden (great city skyline view as well) and Oaks Bottom Park Wildlife Refuge.

5)  CULTURAL

Art museums, Broadway theater (Keller Auditorium), local theater and fantastic plays (Portland Center Stage), opera, symphonies, ballet and even Shakespeare in the Park.   All of this and more is available here in Portland.   Regularly there are also a number of festivals taking place....some of the most popular being the Portland Rose Festival, Feast Portland, and the Oregon Brew Fest. There is never a dull moment and you can always find wonderful things to do. 

6)  HISTORIC & ARCHITECTURAL 

Portland history begins with Lewis and Clark's Expedition in 1804 and continues with the name Portland being selected as a result of a coin toss in 1845.  Oregon became a state in the year 1859 and began to grow quickly from there.  Portland is one of the oldest cities on the West Coast and the largest city in Oregon.   Historical buildings dating back to 1882 such as The Old Church and Historic Union Station dating back to 1895 can be found in the city and beautiful architecture is everywhere.  Styles of Portland architecture can be viewed here on the Moving to Portland website

7)  WELCOMING & FRIENDLY

Portland folks have gone out of their way to welcome my son and I here.  I have found those we've been lucky enough to meet to be very accommodating and helpful in any way they can.  Realizing we are still relatively new to the area, they offer us insider tips on great places to dine, explore and visit.   

I have also found that this is a true community where people seem very connected to the place they call home. Volunteering is not only common, but refreshingly it is just the thing to do here.   I have found that this is an especially friendly town if you happen to be a dog, a pedestrian, or a bicyclist!  

8)  FULL OF PERSONALITY (SEE KEEP PORTLAND WEIRD)

I think you might have gotten the picture in my last Weekly Feature on this very topic, but with the help of a fellow classmate's suggestion, here's one more to help convince you!   The annual World Naked Bike Ride, right here in Portland, OR.  

So, now I will ask of you what I asked of my friend and classmate.....

Do you think those bikes are rentals?

9)  ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS & PROGRESSIVE

Portland is one of the greenest, environmentally conscious, and progressive cities I have seen.  Local and sustainable foods are highly valued as is recycling and the use of public transportation whenever possible.  The transportation system (TriMet) is readily available.  Additionally, it continues to expand making it accessible to a greater number of people.  It is one of the most bike-friendly and pedestrian-friendly places in the nation.   It's progressive mentality is illustrated here in two great articles (EcoHearth Article & Portland Monthly Article) I found on this topic.

10)  OUTDOORSY

With so many options available close by (skiing, hiking, camping, rock climbing, ) at Mt. Hood and the Columbia Gorge, it would be a shame not to take advantage of all around us.

Portland also has more than 10,000 acres of public parks, including Tom McCall Waterfront Park,so there's sure to be one close by for a picnic, bike riding, or an enjoyable walk.  Fantastically, it also has the largest number of dog parks in a city.


So no matter what you had in mind, there is plenty to do.  Even better, you can bring your pooch along (check out the website Portland Pooch  or Portland Recreation for a park to visit near you).    

For further reading and more ideas to fill your visit, check out Travel Portland.

See, I told you it's a great city!  That's not even the half of it.  It may not be for everyone, but it sure seems like it's for me.  I really have enjoyed these Weekly Features.   I hope you did too. 

Thanks!