Downtown/Central

Portland has always maintained a vibrant central core, where people not only work and play, but live. That is now more true than ever. The Pearl District is becoming like New York City’s Soho district. Creative happenings, galleries and shops, fine dining and dramatic condo residences. Downtown is a place where you can live and work in the middle of it all. It includes Portland State University, the Art Museum and Park Blocks, Pioneer Courthouse Square, concert halls, Powell’s Books and the hub of Portland’s nationally-recognized transit system with MAX and the Streetcar. Sometimes known as “Bridgetown”, Portland’s central district features most of the city’s eleven distinctive bridges that cross the Willamette River. Central Eastside transitions from an earlier industrial era to transformed lofts and new businesses and trendy music venues and clubs. The Portland Trailblazers play at the Rose Quarter which contains the Moda Center Arena, and the Portland Timbers play at Providence Park. Portland fans all come together at the heart of the city. Other interesting areas include Goose Hollow, Old Town, and Riverplace.

Northeast Portland

This region has truly come alive with development and new business in the last decade. It is made up of numerous unique and independent neighborhoods and retail trade areas. The Lloyd District initially put northeast Portland on the retail map and includes Oregon’s largest mall, Lloyd Center, and the Oregon Convention Center, which hosts 650,000 visitors per year.
NE Broadway features numerous boutiques and restaurants between 7th and 33rd Avenues. Just north of the Lloyd District is Fremont Street, and further east, Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood, which has numerous local boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Alberta Street is one of those Portland streets that has been transformed in the last ten years from a sort of grungy artist’s enclave to a vibrant street full of popular cafes, bars, clothing stores, salons, and galleries, now known as the Alberta Arts district. Once a month on the last Thursday evening of the month, the galleries stay open late (“Last Thursday”) and the cafes and bars are mobbed – a kind of street fair. This is Alberta’s more laid-back (and more fun) answer to the Pearl District’s “First Thursday” art crawl. Running south/north through NE Portland is MLK Boulevard, which has undergone extensive renovation in recent years and has several mixed-use projects in development. West of MLK is the Mississippi neighborhood, a hidden jewel in a previously ignored area. Mississippi has a definite youthful, almost counter-culture vibe to it. The area should only continue to thrive as more people discover it, old buildings are renovated, and new development continues. Other neighborhoods include Alameda, Concordia, Grant Park, Irvington, and Sabin.

Southeast Portland

This district is made up of several unique areas. Many of the inner-Southeast Portland neighborhoods feel like hip counterculture areas, and the Hawthorne District is probably the most well-known of all the areas in SE. Hawthorne still retains its counter-culture feel but has become increasingly gentrified in the last few years. Along with Hawthorne, Belmont and Division streets form one of Portland’s most active retail areas and an area that has attracted local, regional and national retailers. South of this area is Woodstock, which contains prestigious “Ivy-League-west” Reed College. Further south is a cluster of neighborhoods Eastmoreland, Sellwood and Westmoreland. These areas have traditionally been home to numerous local boutiques and restaurants serving area residents. Sellwood is a quiet neighborhood along the Willamette River south of downtown and slightly removed from it. Sellwood seems best known for its antique stores, though you might still like the peaceful feel of Sellwood, which has the same kinds of old classic homes you find in other Portland neighborhoods. Sellwood has a great reputation but isn’t quite as “hip” as some of the other areas – even though higher home prices might reflect that. Southeast contains two of Portland’s great neighborhoods, Laurelhurst and Mount Tabor, which also feature two of Portland’s best parks. The surrounding neighborhoods are highly desirable. There are a dozen Neighborhood vintage movie theaters scattered throughout SE.

Northwest Portland

This area has long been one of Portland’s most desired neighborhoods for many reasons. One obvious reason is that it is very close to downtown, so you can easily take a bus or train downtown, ride your bike, or even walk downtown. It is also convenient to several freeways if you are to commute anywhere. But Northwest is full of nice, well-maintained old houses as well a whole bunch of apartment buildings, condos, and an eclectic variety of retail businesses along NW 21st and 23rd Avenues. There are lot of trendy shopping spots especially along NW 23rd Avenue, but there is also the low-rent Escape from New York Pizza joint and a few dive bars in the same area. Many upscale restaurants adorn both of these heavily-walked streets along with the more working-class (and ubiquitous) McMenamin’s pubs. A Trader Joe’s grocery store lies between the two busy aves, and Cinema 21, Portland’s first-run art house movie theater is on NW 21st and Hoyt. The area has both charm and character. Lots of students live in the area, as Portland really has no university district. You’ll also find a mixture of middle class and upper-middle class folks living in some of the most expensive homes in the city. NW Portland has been given the official name the “Alphabet District” even though locals don’t use the name. It signifies that the streets in NW run alphabetically, starting with Burnside, Couch, Davis…up to Wilson Street. The area specifically around NW 23rd Ave is technically called Nob Hill but again, few locals use this terminology. Large employers such as Good Samaritan Hospital keep the Northwest area active during the daylight hours as the combination of boutiques, restaurants and retailers help drive the nighttime activity. Further west, this broad area includes gigantic Forest Park with hundreds of accessible trails. Vintage houses-with-a-view can be found in the Northwest Heights, Hillside and Arlington Heights neighborhoods. Nearly-rural Skyline boulevard traverses the top of the hills. Further west, the communities of Cedar Mill, Oak Hills and Bethany offer a quieter environment with easy access to the city.

Southwest Portland

The area south of downtown is comprised of numerous established neighborhoods. John’s Landing is an interesting retail area adjacent to the Willamette River and surrounded by dense neighborhoods and service-oriented retail. Marquam Hill is home to Oregon Health Sciences University. The rapidly expanding South Waterfront is connected to the hill by it’s trademark gondola-tram. Multnomah Village has a quaint European feel and is noted for its antique shops and other local boutiques and fine restaurants. Hillsdale and Raleigh Hills are wonderful residential communities. Each has its share of successful local and regional boutiques and restaurants as well as national grocery tenants to serve those living around them. The Southwest Hills features many of the most desirable neighborhoods in the city. This region also contains Lewis & Clark College.

North Portland

This is another area that has undergone extensive renovation in the past few years and continues to evolve. Furthest north is St. Johns, which almost feels like a town unto itself with its revitalized town center. The region includes Cathedral Park and the beautiful St. John’s Bridge. University Park is where you’ll find the University of Portland. This neighborhood has seen an influx of new residents as the housing prices are low enough to attract first-time buyers, many who are ambitious about remodeling their home. University Park has a handful of classic homes and those are mainly Queen Ann Victorians and Colonials. Most of the homes are on small lots. Other interesting neighborhoods include Overlook, Arbor Lodge, Kenton, Portsmouth and Hayden Island.

Southside

Some of Portland’s most exclusive neighborhoods and homes can be found in this district, but there are also affordable alternatives. Lake Oswego represents a small town within a city and it is anchored by a well-developed town center and the lake itself. Further south, the beautiful hillside of West Linn overlooks the Willamette and Tualatin Rivers. Both of these neighborhoods are marked by low crime rates and high incomes. Other interesting neighborhoods include Lake Grove, Stafford, Oak Grove, Jenning’s Lodge and Gladstone.

Eastside

Gentrification and change in inner-Portland has created some change and growth on the east side of the city as well. Populations are on the move. Affordable homes can be found throughout these neighborhoods with easy access to Mt. Hood or city center. The city of Gresham initially formed as a vibrant town far from Portland. The bigger city has grown all the way to meet it now, but that means that Gresham has a wonderful small downtown business core and a sense of its own identity and community. Happy Valley and Sunnyside are rapidly growing neighborhoods transforming the rural into the suburban, but they maintain a peaceful and serene character. Further east, the region becomes completely rural, farmed and forested. Wood Village contains McMenamin’s legendary Edgefield Manor, home of great concerts and fine dining. Other interesting neighborhoods include Parkrose, Rockwood, Centennial, Fairview, Powellhurst-Gilbert and Lents.

Westside

The westside is the gateway to the Oregon Coast and wine country. Close enough to enjoy the city but with a few less crowds and a few more trees. Beaverton is the fifth-largest city in Oregon. Largely suburban and residential and filled with many retail stores and Washington Square Mall. Beaverton is also known as the home base to two giant global retailers, Nike and Columbia Sportswear. Hillsboro has transformed from a rural town to a vital center featuring an airport, high-tech development firms, MAX and a baseball park. The cities of Tigard and Tualatin offer good communities for families and business. Further west, the community of Farmington remains delightfully rural and peaceful.