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Could you live in Portland?
There will be a moment during your visit to Portland, Oregon when you'll have an epiphany. Maybe it won't happen during your blissful stroll through one the city's giant public parks, your nostrils fresh with the scent of pine trees and clean air. And it might not hit you during your $3 lunch at one of Portland's plentiful food carts, your taste buds humming to a savory, cheesy mac n' cheese made with locally produced Tillamook Cheddar. It might not even cross your mind as you get lost in aisles of Powell's, a temple of a bookstore that fills an entire city block. But at some point you'll be overwhelmed by how much you're enjoying yourself and start to wonder: could I live in Portland? Why am I not here already?
Portland is a place that seems as if it was created with travelers in mind. Everything about it, from the city's accessible size and convenient public transportation, to its killer food and beer culture, top-notch shopping and easy access to nature, is made to appeal to the visitor in ways that feel welcoming, inspiring and surprising. In a word: wonderful. Sure, as a visitor it's easy enough to glance over the city's problems: the unemployment rate is currently hovering above 10%, and for much of the year the city is shrouded in a gloomy, misty haze of rain. But these facts ultimately pale in comparison to the reasons why Portland is such a forward-thinking, livable destination.
Could you live in Portland? Or maybe you're just curious about making a visit? Keep reading below for our Portland tips.
Getting in, getting aroundPortland visitors will arrive at Portland International Airport (PDX), located about 45 minutes from the downtown city proper. Don't bother with a taxi - for just over $2, you can jump on the clean, speedy Light Rail to whisk you towards downtown. Public transport is a big win here: a one-day pass covering rides on all city light rail, bus and street car lines is just $4.75. Travelers who are renting/driving a car will find there's ample street parking, though the city does have occasional traffic gridlock (no place is without a few flaws, right?).
Orientation
Portland is bisected by the Willamette River, and most addresses and neighborhoods identified by their relationship to this body of water. On the West side of the River you'll find Portland's main commercial center. Just North of this (in the Northwest) is the Pearl District, a humming district of art galleries, shopping and killer cuisine. In the NW, the area along 23rd Avenue is also popular for shopping.
The East side of Portland is decidedly more low-key, but definitely worth a visit. In the Northeast you'll find plenty to check out on Mississippi Avenue. The happening Southeast is anchored by plenty of great dining and shopping along Hawthorne Boulevard.
What to do
With so much to see, eat, buy and explore in Portland, a better question for first-time visitors might be, what shouldn't you do?
- Have a brew - like beer? Welcome to Nirvana. Boasting one of the largest concentrations of microbreweries in the country, you'd be hard-pressed to come to Portland and not enjoy one of the town's outstanding, locally-crafted beers.Though you can't go wrong at most bars, spots like Deschutes, Henry's Tavern and Laurelwood get consistently high marks.
Eat out - not only is Portland a great town for beer, it's also a great town for outrageously fresh, delicious food. One of the greatest features of Portland is the city's many cheap food carts. Ditch that bland bag lunch and track down tasty fare with the locals, like Schnitzel sandwiches and tip-top Thai food at Nong's. At night, head to the SE for dinner at Pok Pok, one of Portland's best restaurants.- Parks - Portland's reputation for livability and beauty has a lot to do with the city's plentiful parkland. It's a great way to spend the day, enjoying a blissful trail hike, riding a bike or simply stopping to smell the roses. Check out Forest Park, one of the nation's largest urban parks. During the summer, stop by Portland's Rose Garden for thousands of the colorful flowers overlooking the city's downtown.
- Shop local - the diversity and quality of Portland's small-scale retail is unmatched. Visitors will be hard-pressed to track down a chain store and everywhere you look are creative, one-of-a-kind handmade goods. The mother of all bookstores is Powell's, a modern-day "Great Library" bursting with new and used tomes. Music lovers flock to stores like Mississippi Records in Portland's Northeast.
Filed under: North America, United States
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris G Oct 20th 2010 11:21AM
And just after you wonder if you could live in this city with its biking to work and public transport you are harassed yet again by a drugged out street kid who just stole a bike from in front of a store and took the time to stop and beg a dollar from you.
Portland is very soft on so called soft crime. Any extended time in the city and its environs will show this.
Jeremy Kressmann Oct 20th 2010 11:38AM
Hey Chris - thanks for your comment.
You make a good point - no place is perfect. But isn't the problem you're describing true of many cities? New York, San Francisco, any city in Europe...homelessness is an issue everywhere, not just Portland.
Chris G Oct 20th 2010 11:56AM
Jeremy. It really isnt like that in other American cities on the same level. Portland is an attractive place for those sort of events because they put their community resources into other areas instead of stuffing the jails with soft criminals. But it leads to it being more of an annoyance for those there.
Powells to me really went down hill when they closed their travel book store years ago. Sadly I only was able to visit it once before it closed. But if its out there I agree Powells is a place to find it.
PDX is an easy airport to use and if they'd just clean Union station it would be quite nice as well. So you have options in and out the city.
But no. For me, the kind of open annoyance of the drug kids and petty crime would preclude me from more than just visiting.
Ahi Kerp Oct 20th 2010 11:38AM
Having recently returned to Portland, I love this article. One thing worth noting, although perhaps it was just figurative writing, is that Portland isn't the capital. Salem is.
Jeremy Kressmann Oct 20th 2010 11:39AM
Haha, thanks Ahi. Yes, by "capital" I was speaking figuratively, not literally. Good catch though!
Grant Martin Oct 20th 2010 11:28AM
But could you find a job in Portland?
Nick Oct 20th 2010 11:42AM
Great question Grant. All the above attractions may work well from a tourist perspective, but for someone looking to move there, availability of jobs/self-employment opportunities is much more important. I'd love to know what kind of industry / businesses / trades are doing well in that region. thanks
elizabet Oct 20th 2010 1:45PM
Finding a job in Portland, it seems, depends on the area you are looking. For example, I have around 5 friends that are teachers and are either unemployed, underemployed or just over qualified for what they are currently doing.
My experience has been different. I'm a web designer and am having to turn down work––this area is growing and pretty healthy. I'm not sure if that includes all tech-related jobs or just design.
Tony Columbo Oct 20th 2010 12:48PM
The Question Is Portland Right for You??
Welcome to the Socialist City of Portland
Добро пожаловать в Социалиста Город Портленд
Recepción a la ciudad socialista de Portland
Portland has a decaying downtown and typical suburban sprawl. It is almost entirely white and there is a great deal of racism towards African-Americans, particularly on the police force. And it is almost totally in the hands of fossilized big business interests, as represented by the mayor’s office.
Housing
The median house price range in metro Portland is around $289,000. Rent, whatever the traffic will bare.
Employment
Portland has a longstanding highest unemployment rate of anyplace in the United States. It also has been continuously rated in the top 3 for worst cost of living: income ratios in the country. Forbes magazine said Portland was in a major economic hole, ranking the city as the 3rd most overpriced place to live in the entire country! According to the Forbes analysis, Portland has some of the highest costs of living, highest unemployment rates, and lowest job creation rates in America.
Transportation
It's about 25 miles from the western side of Portland to the eastern suburbs; it takes about 45 minutes for such a drive, only during non-rush hours, while driving fast as hell, changing lanes, and driving like a redneck NASCAR fan. If you drive like a normal person, during typical hours, it would take about an hour, best-case. City Planners have forgotten about roads, freeways and the bridges are falling down.
Speed limits
Traffic speed never averages 75-80 mph in greater Portland. Speed rates within a 20-mile radius of Portland typically run around 55-60 mph TOPS. Also, if you speed in a town like Beaverton, be ready to pay tickets. Photo radars are everywhere, and they are set to click at 20% over, i.e., if you are driving 50 in a 40, you will pay the fine. Drivers from out of state are the most inept I've seen anywhere, and have the single worst traffic fatality: population density ratio of anywhere in the country.
Public Transportation
As far as the TriMet/MAX/Streetcar goes, if you can put up with riding on a high-crime, modern drunk tourist transport, tuberculosis-infested smelly tuna can filled with illegal Mexicans starring 13-year old girls up and down, drug dealers, drug addicts, the homeless, unemployed, pedophiles, bank robbers, rapists, you get the idea, then by all means go for it. However, it will take you about: 55 minutes from downtown to west Hillsboro on Max alone, then you will have to scheme making your way to your final destination. That means employer provided shuttle, bike, run, skip, walk, bus, skateboard, roller skate, hitch hike, jump rope; you will be late for work sooner than later and loose your job. Plan on 2 ½ -3 hour commute each way weekdays, weekends are out of the question as service is cut. Warning, Max has not proved itself capable of running in the snow, protests and tends to shut down during an electrical storm and Max/Streetcar and bus service ends prior to the bars closing.
Weather
We have all the important seasons: Almost Winter (Winter), Still raining (Spring) Road construction (Summer), Deer & Elk season (Fall). Portland is one of the rainiest places you will ever live. People in Oregon don't tan in the summertime, they rust. It rains continuously and is overcast from Oct 1 - June 1. Today's forecast: showers followed by rain," and "Tomorrow's forecast: rain followed by showers.” It seldom downpours: it's only a continuous, mind-numbing slow trickle, hence why the rain totals are comparable to other places. The Pacific NW is considered to be rainforest, which of course means it's extremely wet. You cannot wait for a day with "showers and sun breaks.” The winters are extremely wet and can be depressing, never quite cold enough for snow, so it can easily seep into your clothes since wet. True Oregonians do not use umbrellas. Last year 120 people fell off their bicycles...and drowned.
Prices
Gas prices in OR have been in the top 2 highest nationwide for the last 20 years. The only state ranked higher in price is HI. The past year, there has been an unexplained shift in gas prices here, so that OR gas prices are well below nationwide average. Don't expect this trend to last. Therefore everything related to needing transportation, costs are passed on. Washington has self serve gas stations and gas in Oregon is cheaper. Who lied when they said self service gas is cheaper?
Nobody comes to Oregon for health reasons, why are you thinking of coming here?
"So, all in all, is Portland right for you? Only you can decide. The typical new Oregon resident is a fascist liberal who imposes his/her agenda on everyone under the guise of being helpful. Just so you understand, we know...
We recognize who you are after you do everything to sway and manipulate us native Oregonians into thinking a certain way, using false references and misinformation, you do not know how to pronounce Sacagawea, Sequim, Puyallup, Coquille, Siletz, Yachats, Issaquah, Oregon and Willamette and you don’t know the difference between Chinook, Coho, and Sockeye salmon. So, come visit us again and again, but for heaven's sake, don't come here to live. We don’t want you.
Joshua Nov 1st 2010 12:42PM
Are you still in PDX? Why?
Yoshi Oct 20th 2010 1:22PM
Chuck Palahniuk wrote a pretty interesting guidebook of sorts about Portland called "Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon" that already had me considering a visit. This article only helps the cause.
Joshua Nov 10th 2010 11:00AM
The problem with Portland's "homeless" population is that they are divided into 2 categories. Outright scam artists (yes I have seen a beggar get into his new Mercedes and drive happily away). These are people who pull in around $200 per day and don't pay a shred of taxes on it.
The other group is the young (16 - early 20s) drug addicted homeless population. Portland has the highest percentage of those in the country and they are responsible for massive amounts of property crime.
This problem is bad, really bad. I have lived in this city almost my entire life and it gets worse with each passing year while. Sadly most people put on their rose colored glasses and ignore the problem.
By the way you might also like to know that our public transportation system is considered a red zone by law enforcement... You want to follow the crime? Just stay on the light rail system, just be aware that your chances of being involved in a violent crime go up dramatically if you ride it.
Portland does have wonderful things about it ... The most microbreweries in the country, more coffee shops per capita than any other city in the country, 40 vineyards within an hours drive of the city, the beach is only a couple hours drive away, phenomenal food culture, and a population that is very laid back and friendly BUT if we continue to ignore the homeless problem and say "well it's like that in other cities" then I am afraid of what this place will be like in 10 years.
(by the way we also have the most strip clubs per capita than any other city in the country)
Incidentally other cities I have lived in include: Shanghai and Beijing (China), Tokyo and Osaka (Japan), Seoul (S. Korea), New York and Los Angeles .... And Portland I was very sad to notice is FAR worse when it comes to violent drugged out homeless people than any of these other places!
So do me a favor Portlanders. The next time you see a person sitting on the side of the road asking for some change kindly ignore them. When you give them money you are doing one of two things. Either feeding their drug addiction or giving money to a con artist. Either way you are doing a disservice to our city.
If you are really concerned then point them in the direction of the local homeless shelter. We have plenty of them.