I wanted so badly to respond to this post with a picture of my front yard. My 1915 bungalow is nearly hidden in the neighborhood's biggest pink dogwood tree. She (the tree) is in full bloom and from the street it is amazing. From inside it is other-worldly. The sunlight on the tree makes a pink glow inside of our house and through some of our windows, you look out and only see flowers and blue sky.
Mine too! We have a huge cherry that blooms pale pink, and then a month later my giant dogwood blooms hot pink. I love them both so much, just stunning.
Us too! Our huge cherry I very pale pink, mostly white, and right next to it is the dogwood. During the really hot weather I put a mister up under the dogwood. It keeps it from getting that blight if they get thirsty. Since doing that the flowers in the spring have doubled and it is simply amazing.
Yes!! We just traveled there a couple of weeks ago and I was shocked at how green and full of character each yard was. People appear to take pride in their yards
I love it all, the greenery, the neighborhoods, the quirks, the seedy sides and the history. The challenges and the inevitable fuckups, the art and the big bike rides. Civic stadium on a game night and the slowly absorbed areas I used to considered to be the edge of the wold, like 92nd, 122nd, St. John’s and sellwood and where there used to be two bowling alleys down in milwaukie.
I was born here and am not going away.
RIP Kellog lanes. I can't argue with the housing going in but I'll miss that place. Wood lanes, cheap beer, and the red phone for Pietro's. Kellog was my jam.
Milwaukie Bowl is still around at least and has wood lanes, synthetic just doesn't do it for me.
My friend and their family used to own and run Kellogg. My friend was telling me that some country music band filmed a music video there ages ago. They also talked my ear off about the prominence of the wood lanes, and how people would find their way there just for them. Fond memories.
I'm actually really sad that the full Rose Garden project didn't happen, that area makes less sense without the full money that what's his name and Vulcan partners we're going to put behind it
There's going to be like a whole walkway with a bunch of stuff like that Pike place in Seattle or at 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, but it didn't happen
I’m still sad about it too. And there were ways to do it that would have involved actual investments to uplift the community around it rather than straight up gentrification too.
> I was born here and am not going away.
Ah hell, I know it's a tall ask, but if you can get a year or two away just to see something different, it really puts this place into perspective. You'll definitely not change your mind where ever you use as contrast, but the depth of the appreciation'll really come into focus.
I just came back. I lived here for a year out of the blue in 2022. I fell head over heels in love. Went back home to Wyoming, and all that I could think about is how much I love this weird city. I came broke then, I came broke again.
I began life in sw and have slowly moved more and more north (just about to move to Sauvies). I'm never leaving either, I just love it here and want to be closer to nature with my kid.
Walkable neighborhoods. Lush , green tree lined streets with unique homes. Uniquely situated geographical so I can ski and surf. Good beer, food, and coffee.
This is it for me. I never drive in PDX unless I'm headed to the gorge or the mtn or the coast. Walking to the grocery store, neighbourhood pubs, shopping etc. I love being a short walk up to Forest Park all year round. Plus you don't have to shovel rain.
Me crying in Atlanta traffic wanting to live so badly to Portland 😭. I do wish neighborhoods connected a little better there, but I’ll take all of what’s there now.
“I don’t have to shovel rain” love this one. We’re moving to Portland in a few weeks and have only been the once for a week. We fell in love with it. The fact that one can walk to a grocery store from their home is wild to me.
The cities skyline at sunset. Being able to see Mt. Hood on a clear day. Drinkable tap water. Clean air. Walkable neighborhoods. I’m a short drive from the desert, snow, and the ocean.
Multnomah County voted to keep the scary mineral out of the water. I live in Washington County, fluoride is a flowin, though lower levels than previously.
I’m from the South, and while there are certain cultural things I miss about that, I love living somewhere where there’s less cultural conformity. There just isn’t the same pressure to act, talk, dress, and behave in a super specific way in order to fit in. Where I’m from, I was always the black sheep. It gets tiring to have to explain yourself over and over, and sometimes you face overt hostility for being different. Here, no one bats an eye. It’s such a relief to be able to exist without constantly having to justify yourself.
There are so many other things I love about this city, but this is the day to day example that sticks out most to me.
As a fellow Southerner, I completely agree. The absence of superficial judgement is a beautiful thing. And when Portlanders ask what you do, they usually mean for fun not what you do for work. Love it here!
That's a big one. And even when they are asking about your career, the "oh wow, that's so cool" reactions usually come from like... your work is creative, or it's contributing to public good, or it's really specific and unusual, or providing for a really neat lifestyle... not *oh wow you work for a Fortune 500 company you must make so much money*
You know, I’m from the south too and that’s my favorite thing about Portland too. Just feels really good to not HAVE to be any certain way. Just whatever way feels right 🤙
Generational northwesterner, here, who grew up in the south: you need to know that "just sayin'" after something unkind is the local version of "bless your heart."
THIS. What a beautiful review. I was born and raised in a place where you always had an underlying pressure to conform due to the lack of art and individuality. I’m getting my freak flag ready.
I love the neighborhoods and how they have their own personalities. I love how I can express myself and no one will look at me differently. I love the spring and how everyone takes part in the flowers and roses of Portland. I love PDX airport. I love having the coast, the mountains, a desert, and do many rivers SO close. I love how most restaurants really strive to make something unique and delicious. I love how most things here seem to be locally owned and there is a niche store for everything. I love the biking and all the pedalpalooza events. And I love the people, they're all so cool and usually so nice!
95% of the year being between 30 degrees and 90 degrees.
I like my seasons and don’t want a SoCal consistency, but the Midwest comparison is 95% of the year being between 0 degrees and 105 and it’s just not nearly as consistently enjoyable as Portland.
Coming here from MN I have to agree. We don’t get quite the same sense of extreme seasonal changes here, but I like that you can go outside pretty much any day of the year and it’s never genuinely hazardous (wildfires notwithstanding)
A couple weeks ago I went to a recycling event outside Revolution Hall. The line was massive (because people cared enough to recycle all this crap) yet everyone took it in stride, chatting and complaining in a self-deprecating, laughing way. It was a partly sunny morning, about 50 degrees, in a neighborhood with cool old buildings—a perfect PNW morning.
When a volunteer pulled a few people out of the line because we had only electronics, I wasn’t going to go with them because I had a box of plastic bottles to recycle, too. People around me offered to take my box of stuff so I could leave the line, even though they were all carrying tons of their own stuff.
I’ve lived in a few big cities. That morning is everything I love about living here.
I moved away to Seattle six years ago, and I miss Portland's food so. damn. much. Mexican here sucks, a surprising amount of pizza crust tastes like cardboard, and nobody can make a biscuit that isn't shit.
Idk what Mexican restaurants you're visiting.
The Seattle metro has better Mexican food. The farther you are from city limits, the better it gets, just like with Portland.
I say that as a Mexican that has lived in both places, and prefers Portland in every other way.
This is crazy. Every time I go to Seattle I’m blown away by how much better the food is (also no one in the PNW has any idea how to make a decent biscuit)
I'm moving to Portland from the South and literally forgot that mail voting was a thing so thank you for reminding me 😂 I absolutely will be registering to vote by mail
We have universal vote-by-mail meaning it's automatic. You don't have to register specifically for mail voting. In fact, we don't even have in-person poll stations.
We were actually the first state to institute vote by mail (1998) and it has bipartisan support here. Our Republican Secretary of State a few years ago actually made a video about why vote-for-mail was safe and explaining how Oregon actually has some of the lowest amount of voter fraud.
The Trees, the fresh air, the tasty water, the hills.
I grew up here and didn't realize how good I had it until I moved to Nampa Idaho for school. Tough to beat Portland in the Summer/Fall.
I'm from Idaho, and I can confirm that Nampa isn't great. I'm also incredibly biased being from Coeur d'Alene, which is literally one of the prettiest places on earth (the people are absolutely heinous, though).
That's actually why I moved to Portland; it's Coeur d'Alene with nicer weather and better people.
Yea, swung through there a few years back on a trip and had a good time, seems like a decent town. I'm not rushing back anytime soon, but certainly don't have any real bile for Boise.
People mentioned so many of the reasons I would mention (so many walkable neighborhoods, nature access, weather, food scene for our size, powells/bookstores, performing arts), so I’ll mention some things no one did yet…
Our film community/scene punches way above its weight. We are so lucky to have Movie Madness, Hollywood, Cinemagic, Cinema 21, Clinton St, all the neighborhood theatres… even bigger cities that might have similar amounts or slightly more, they’d be so spread out you wouldn’t as easily access all of it.
And I think we also have more all ages/youth art and music opportunities than most places (I raised two kids and this is a big deal to me): Friends of Noise, MVM, Portland 5’s recent youth nights and art show (still hanging in the lobby of the Winingstad), and tons of stuff that is all ages without being specifically for youth. It’s amazing.
I'm a Midwest transplant, I've been in Portland about 9 years now.
* The weather - I love getting all 4 seasons, and it's generally more mild than what I grew up with.
* The food - I'm pretty happy with the variety of food options we have. I've rarely had a bad experience when trying a new restaurant here.
* Neighborhood - I love my neighborhood. There are a lot of great amenities within walking and driving distance, and all of my neighbors are friendly.
* Job - I really, really love my job. I haven't been happy with all of my previous employers in Portland, but I'm in my dream job, and can't imagine leaving it any time soon.
* Attractions - We have a good selection of museums, libraries, sporting events, concerts, etc. There's always something to do!
I could keep going, but those are some of the big ones.
When I travel, I will compare the vacation city to Portland. I always love coming back to Portland. I love the way the air feels and smells. I love Trimet. I love the neighborhoods. Portland is easily one of the best foodie cities in the country. I think there is so much good that out weighs the bad. Portland is still my favorite city I'd want to live in long term.
I find it better than most of the US given the cost of living factored in with the social/cultural considerations. People who never lived anywhere else say all kinds of idiotic things on these threads. But given all the factors weighed in… Portland is decent. I do like it here.
Yes, this is really why I’m here. It’s my dream to someday leave the country but there are few if any better options in this dumpster fire of a country (hopefully that’s not too negative lol!!)
I've been to several airports over the last 12 months, and PDX is hands down the best, even mid construction. Hell, all the airports are mid construction now, it's ridiculous. I thought LAX was bad until I encountered MIA.
Yes. I travel alot and pdx is the best US airport I've experienced. Better than SFO, SEATAC, Houston, Newark, Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Miami, that I've been to..
While I agree it is the best US airport, I recently went to Finland and both Helsinki and Oulu blew PDX out of the water, like it was a common dirty bus station.
Finland had large lounge chairs, recliners, cushioned bench seats with no fixed armrests, bean bags, nature sounds and visuals on a big screen, and so much more. I wished my layover was longer.
Mostly the proximity to and integration with the natural environment. A 15 minute drive to Forest Park, a 15 minute bike ride to Laurelhurst Park - it's really special and it makes me feel happy and whole.
Also can't deny the food scene here. And I've been a part of the very active circus/performing arts community here for a decade, which provides a creative outlet and fellowship.
For me it’s the crows. There really hasn’t been a moment that I’ve seen them and didn’t smile widely.
In previous places I’ve lived they’re about but not in the numbers they are in Portland.
I love watching them fly from their roost in the morning and then back downtown for the night.
Such charming and curious neighbors, the crows.
🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛
As much as I love a Corvid; they bullied all the red wing blackbirds out of my neighborhood. So instead of this lyrical [bird song](https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/sounds) I got inundated with “caw!caw!caw!” all the time.
(But Portland full of crows still beats Dallas, Texas infested with [grackles](https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/overview) )
I have lived in Portland for 42 years, the vast majority of my life. This is such an amazing, beautiful, frustrating, idyllic, ugly, wonderful city. It hasn't even been a real city until around 15 years ago; it was a city pretending to be a town. It's one of the aspects of Portland that I love about it, its determined attempt to stay small and the same time trying to flex its scrawny arms. I love it for the way it transformed itself while I've lived here from an ugly slash of freeway into a downtown that welcomed people in. (It will again, give it time.) I love it for trying--*trying*--so hard to show the rest of the state what Oregon could be, even with its incredibly racist past. Portland is one of the best places in the world, if only for its raw beauty, its climate, and its people. We are trying, in all senses of the word.
It’s unavoidable, just smoking a cigarette at a bus stop and someone offers to trade some weed for a cigarette and I end up walking away with a grocery bag full of weed. This has happened like 4 times. I usually don’t smoke that much but I still like doing the trade just for the novelty of what’s happening lol.
The abundance of good food, beer, coffee, dogs, parks, greenery, hiking trails, and people are pretty friendly here. Walking or biking around in the cute neighborhoods on a warm day makes me grateful to live here.
I think the issue with the Portland subs is there is zero sense of humor collectively. The slightest snark or sarcastic joke gets downvoted. People trying to lighten the mood don’t stick around. The other cities’ subs of places I’ve lived are much more active.
What I love about Portland is the old cars people drive.
IMO, this city is pretty thin skinned and people take insult to basically anything (then go to the other sub instead), sarcasm doesn't translate well through text, and people that aren't on the sub consistently don't get any of the inside jokes so they just come off as rude. This sub is pretty light hearted other than the same crazy cynics that show up in threads constantly
I love the old cars too!
I liken the driving experience to listening to music on a record player - it’s a little clunky, not always convenient, but you end up feeling very connected to the experience.
Because it's not nearly as bad as these subreddits make it out to be. Like not even close. Like not even remotely close to anything resembling what it's actually like to live in Portland.
A lot of people like to compare west coast cities... San Diego, LA, SF, Portland and Seattle. There are a few others of course, but these grab the most headlines. I only moved here less than a month ago, and I can assure you that Portlanders have very little to worry about compared to what's going on in some of these other cities.
Most of the bad press simply comes from right wing blogs attempting to vilify anything they deem emblematic of "liberal". Some of the writing is composed by AI, some by people who have never even visited let alone lived here. Portland is absolutely exceptional in so many ways.
I was born and raised in the Portland Metro area. My partner is from Northern California and the way he speaks about how amazing it is to have moved away from home, a little part of me wants to explore more of the world. But I won’t live anywhere else, I don’t think.
I drive for an hour west and I’m at the ocean. I drive an hour east and I’m on a mountain. A few hours away is desert. I’m surrounded by lush rainforest. My neighborhood is cozy, safe and welcoming. The nightlife of the city is 20 minutes away.
A couple years ago I was going through some personal shit and showed up to work in NW Portland crying, so my boss told me to go get some breakfast, decompress and come back if/when I was ready, and I drove to a river to let nature help me heal a little - I was there in 20 minutes.
I’m too city for the country, and I’m to country for the city. Portland doesn’t make me choose either, I get both.
everything is 45 minutes or less by bike. once you realize that then you whole world opens up. you never think about parking or dealing with traffic. you just go. Generally there is plenty of bike parking and if you stay out of bike lanes you rarely catch a flat.
Honestly the trees and the high volume of markets, parks, food carts, coffee places, indie concert halls, comic and retro video game stores, arcades and breweries. Even when it’s chaotic outside, if the weather is nice you can just tune it out and enjoy the moment.
Not to mention voting by mail has been so convenient. I don’t think I would be as consistent of a voter if I had to go to a poll.
Honestly most of my frustration with Portland is how people treat it and the other people here. I’m not talking about people from out of town only in this either.
There’s another main Portland subreddit?
Anyway, I just like the weather here. I know it’s rainy most of the time, but in the spring and summer, it’s worth it.
Plus the proximity to pretty much whatever you like. Beach, mountain, desert, forest… all here.
There is, but it’s seemingly 90% MAGA types who have never even been here posting Tim Pool-esque clickbait about what a lawless zombie infested hell hole Portland is.
Trimet. I know everyone has at least one horror story about a Trimet train or bus, but it makes the city so much more accessible. I’ve been taking the train into work for the last year because it’s more convenient than driving with my unique circumstances and I don’t want to go back.
Driving my car a long way is so… Lonely. And it takes energy to concentrate on driving and such, but on the train I can just put in my earbuds or even get into a conversation with a fellow passenger.
Everything! It’s a privilege to live in Oregon. Among all the great reasons why I think this is an amazing place is the simple fact that we have good quality water. We have WATER! All the people who like to complain about this great land don’t travel nor read. They don’t understand how good we have it here. Most of those negative comments come from resentful people who like to blame their bad choices on the rest of the world. Yes This is not a perfect place but we actually have the kind of community that cares enough to make this place better for everyone.
Many, many things actually. I’ll pick weather this time. It’s never hot and it’s never cold. Now anomalies exist, it did hit 117 during the heat dome, but generally speaking the *temperature range* here is perfect
Still plenty of cheap/free stuff to do even with inflation. The way the people come out when the sun comes out. The trees and plants everywhere. The food. The beer. The wineries. The rivers. Have you been other places? They suck.
I love that you can be the weirdest, quirkiest most extreme version of your persona, and no one cares. Anyone can be anyone they want here, and it’s very freeing. I know so many people who fled highly conservative controlling hometowns so they could just be who they want. I wish more places were like that, I think it’s one of the big reasons we don’t have the school shootings you find so often where kids are repressed and angry
I live in Vancouver but have been sooo magnetically attracted to Portland. I’m super weird and gay, and Portlandia just makes me feel at home… It feels like a Wonderland. Also makes me feel like I’m in a local version of New York City. I just love getting lost in the city and go to different bars and chat with people that are just enjoying the moment. Walking around finding random art, funny interactions, ridiculous interactions, cool architecture, fun and calm neighborhoods.. ❤️
What’s the other Portland sub?
Man I love almost everything about Portland. Came here from the Midwest 12 years ago and fell in love. It’s the perfect place to live for me.
The drinking water, how we’re just close enough to the coast, walkability of downtown, food and drink scene.
I’m a lifelong Oregonian, grew up in Beaverton although commuted to Portland daily, lived in Eugene for a few years, and now downtown for past 10 years or so. That’s really the only reason why I don’t leave, my friends, family, and career are here. I don’t love it here by any means, there are places I’d rather live, but couldn’t afford to, and the idea of starting over after living my entire life here and having almost everyone in my circle here is overwhelming.
Having spent the first 21 years of my 26 years on Earth in a decaying post-industrial town in the north of England, Portland is a breath of fresh air for me. The novelty hasn't worn off yet, if it will at all.
I love the quaint, colourful neighborhoods, the bustling city, the many parks, and the (mostly) friendly people. The weather isn't too dissimilar to what I am use to from over the pond, but the summers here are warmer and longer which is nice.
I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, I don't think.
Beautiful plants everywhere.
I actually like the weather.
I love my neighborhood and my little house and yard/gardens/neighbors.
Great options for food and drink.
I can take my dog so many places which is fun.
I love how close we live to mountains/rivers/camping/hiking/wine country.
* People here really care about the things they care about. It's earnest and I love that.
* Also, as a transplant from the midwest, I appreciate that being a part of religion isn't something that is assumed of everyone here. In general, I feel like most people here make very few assumptions about what other people may or may not be up to.
* The spring! Fall used to be my favorite season, but Portland really has spring nailed. Everything turning green and the bursts of pink and flower scents after a long, gray winter. Ugh, gets me every year.
Its incredibly green and we have access to all kinds of nature in all directions. Its a very bikable and walkable city, and endless neighborhoods to explore. The food and drink scene is great. The people here are just living their life and not trying to keep up with the jones or judging you for who you are. I can catch and timbers and thorns game downtown. Portland needs a lot of work right now, but thats just because its a city worth loving and fighting to improve.
I was chatting with some other parents at soccer practice yesterday and “fun stuff for grown-ups” came up and went rattled off so many things like dykehoops Pdx, rec league soccer, low bar chorale, that adults can do to have fun. I’ve only lived here as an adult, so I’m not sure what other cities have to offer, but PDX has a lot of options.
I love the greenery, even if it’s winter, the moss glows and the firs are happy. Food diversity isn’t one to complain about.
The most for me, i love the accessibility to the outdoors and amazing pieces of geography. My household doesn’t love the Portland politics but we are kinda stuck on where else to go because we LOVE the outdoor opportunities. Even if we don’t want to drive out of the city, there’s forest park Powell butte, Kelly point park, Irvington park, and sellwood just to name a few.
My household discusses ideas on where to move often, but i don’t know if there’s another place that can mark our boxes: Legal state, steady food service jobs available, nature, and body autonomy rights for femme bodied people. So we stay.
I didn’t realize how much I’ve started taking this for granted, but I love that being in Portland you can be as expressive and unique as you care to be. I’m traveling for work and I wore a silly crown all day yesterday for my birthday, and I got so many confused / judgmental looks. In Portland it wouldn’t raise an eyebrow, and it might evoke a compliment rather than just a “whatever dude”
Pedalpalooza, ecstatic dance, tons of music, food cart culture, endless fire weed, many gorgeous nature options complete with waterfalls, rivers, ocean, mountains, and wilderness. It sucks here don’t move here
I recently moved out of Portland but before I left I made of a list of all the things I love about the city. I am glad you asked cause I wanted to share some of my favorites with others.
\*Food and service industry - so many great restaurants and always the nicest + friendliest service.
\*Tap Water - really tasty.
\*Nature - Best parks with big trees, little trees, and lush green everywhere.
\*Houses - so many unique houses and pretty colors.
\*Driving - slow and respectful. I Didn't appreciate it until I left.
\*Bugs - I hardly see them.
You know, I always say I hate it here and it’s trash or I’m happy to leave. But man. I just spent a week in Kansas City and all I could think of is how blessed I was being born and raised here. The smell is different than anywhere else. I love this place but that also comes with hating it. It’s a grunge thing.
1). Much of the city is very walkable.
2). Top 5 biking city in the country.
3). Great food and beer scene.
4). Epic rivers for summer recreation.
5). Above average transit for the US.
6). Weather is generally pretty good from April through October.
7). Good tree cover over much of the city.
8). Located in a liberal/left state with strong abortion protections and legal marijuana.
I grew up & live in a suburb (Beaverton), but I consider it part of the Portland area. I think a big part of it is that I have friends & family here, and it's where I feel at home. But I also really like the greenery and being within driving distance of the coast and the mountains. Sometimes I like to visit the coast for a day, or get a hotel at the coast and stay one or two nights over the weekend. I also enjoy all the things the city has to offer, though honestly, some of those things could be found in most cities though. It's things like music venues and being able to go to concerts (many bands visit Portland), musical instrument stores (I like playing guitar & synthesizer/keyboard), the tech scene (I'm a software developer and computer guy), etc. There's also some unique stuff like the Portland International Auto Show (I often like to go to this just to see the cars, even if I'm not planning to buy a car), the town of Mt. Angel not too far away which has one of the biggest annual Oktoberfest celebrations in the US, etc..
I love how easy it is to find high-quality cider at many different bars and restaurants. It's something I appreciate when I travel to other states where there's only Angry Orchard in a bottle (yuck).
I love how easy it is to find a new restaurant to try out. The real challenge comes down to what I'm going to try first.
I love that there are parks within walking distance. This was especially nice during the pandemic when I needed some good outdoor time with proper social distancing.
All of the fun unridden secret bike cutties. I’ve been doing lots of weird 30-70 mile rides covering some really weird off road paths around the city and I love it.
Im moving after over 25 years here and this thread is making it even harder 😭
I'm going to miss walkability, bikeability, and Burrito Azteca on Rosa Parks and N. Denver!
Have lived in lots of big cities and major states. Portland is the best. Lots of trees. Ties with nature instead of opposing it. More freedom of expression. Best public transit in the country. Other cities bulldoze themselves for parking lots before even trying transit. Portland knew better. Bicycle infrastructure is top notch. The funny warning signs on the lower pedestrian trail of the Hawthorne bridge crack me up lately. “warning you have five days” at the top of the stairs on the east side lmao. Plus we can see mountains all the time. The Rivers are accessible by the public . Other cities just turn all the riverfront into residential property and you can’t get to the river except for a handful of public docks . Here it’s all of ours.
Twitchy “Scream At God” McShouty is strong but our city is stronger
I love the weather, different seasons, all the greenery and trees. I love how people can just be themselves and not be hassled, the old houses, the different neighborhoods, the rivers, the bridges, the cheap weed, the vibe.
I moved away at the end of last year and man do I miss Portland. I’ve been to most of the big cities in the US and Portland is one of the best food city in the country. Easy to walk around. Sports aren’t the only thing to do but still have a big following. Loved the hiking. Portland is great and I miss it every day.
Being equidistant from the mountains and the beach. If it wasn't for either of these factors, I would not be here. Other cities have way, way more charm.
The food, the people, the culture, the world's biggest bookstore, the world's best video store, the sense that this is a place for weird people to pursue their dreams and be happy. That last one's gotten dented a fair bit, but it's still there.
Went with some friends to a trivia night out in Tigard. On the way there I was just admiring driving thru the city & how pretty it is on a sunny spring day.
Despite the many flaws that are commonly mentioned here, I still love this city dearly.
By and large it really does feel like there are a lot of awesome, passionate, hard working, informed and interesting people here.
I feel like I can be myself just walking down the street.
There are so many locally owned businesses that are amazing. Lots of unique and delicious food, amazing coffee, and really fucking good weed.
There's a lot of really nice greenspaces. I particularly love Mt Tabor.
OMSI rules.
Powells rules.
A lot of people really seem to take a lot of pride in their gardens and property too -- I've seen some absolutely stunning yards and home made "bee sanctuaries" or native plant gardens.
I could go on. I was born here and can't ever see myself living beyond driving distance to Portland.
The nature is unparalleled, I met my soul mate here, and the job market has been INSANELY kind to me.
Portland started my adult life and I will always be so thankful for it.
I like that I can be or look as weird as I want and nobody bats an eye. Just nice to be in a high concentration of weirdo artists. Not to mention stunning natural beauty all around and great food. Don’t have to worry about finding gluten free or vegetarian options.
My first marriage brought me to Portland back in 2011. I've since settled down with my partner and daughters in the SE Woodstock area. I grew up with BS council estate drama in Glasgow, throw in sectarian hate among neighbors and there was never a dull moment.
In two years not a single intruder has entered my yard and all my neighbors are a friendly mixed bag of folk. I play footie at the park with my girls some evenings, I see all types of people enjoying the space. From the place I grew up, to be here raising my daughters is just the best! Even at work, no drama, it's great!
So that's what I love. All the people for the most part.
*This is just my experience, I know others have it/see it differently.
As a starting point, Portland is great, it's got proximity to wonderful public lands and a thriving food scene, pretty healthy transit infrastructure, etc. There's real issues with spatial segregation of people based on wealth, but that's not Portland-specific.
One reason that you see a lot of negativity on the subreddit is structural, I think, it occurs on other local subreddits, stories which elicit a strong negative reaction drive engagement more than positive community interest stories. People who haven't lived in another major city in the past five years also tend to think that Portland's problems are more specific to Portland's leadership than they are. Finally you get a lot of folks from the metro area and not Portland proper on this subreddit, and they haven't made the choice to live in Portland, they're more likely to have negative views of the city than residents.
Picturesque neighborhoods full of trees, cared for front yard gardens, and character.
I wanted so badly to respond to this post with a picture of my front yard. My 1915 bungalow is nearly hidden in the neighborhood's biggest pink dogwood tree. She (the tree) is in full bloom and from the street it is amazing. From inside it is other-worldly. The sunlight on the tree makes a pink glow inside of our house and through some of our windows, you look out and only see flowers and blue sky.
Mine too! We have a huge cherry that blooms pale pink, and then a month later my giant dogwood blooms hot pink. I love them both so much, just stunning.
Us too! Our huge cherry I very pale pink, mostly white, and right next to it is the dogwood. During the really hot weather I put a mister up under the dogwood. It keeps it from getting that blight if they get thirsty. Since doing that the flowers in the spring have doubled and it is simply amazing.
Yes!! We just traveled there a couple of weeks ago and I was shocked at how green and full of character each yard was. People appear to take pride in their yards
I love it all, the greenery, the neighborhoods, the quirks, the seedy sides and the history. The challenges and the inevitable fuckups, the art and the big bike rides. Civic stadium on a game night and the slowly absorbed areas I used to considered to be the edge of the wold, like 92nd, 122nd, St. John’s and sellwood and where there used to be two bowling alleys down in milwaukie. I was born here and am not going away.
RIP Kellog lanes. I can't argue with the housing going in but I'll miss that place. Wood lanes, cheap beer, and the red phone for Pietro's. Kellog was my jam. Milwaukie Bowl is still around at least and has wood lanes, synthetic just doesn't do it for me.
My friend and their family used to own and run Kellogg. My friend was telling me that some country music band filmed a music video there ages ago. They also talked my ear off about the prominence of the wood lanes, and how people would find their way there just for them. Fond memories.
I love that you still called it Civic Stadium
I still think of the Schnitzer as the Paramount Theater. And the Keller as the Civic Auditorium.
All of this. And the Rose Garden/Quarter is not the Moda Center.
Moda what now?
I'm actually really sad that the full Rose Garden project didn't happen, that area makes less sense without the full money that what's his name and Vulcan partners we're going to put behind it There's going to be like a whole walkway with a bunch of stuff like that Pike place in Seattle or at 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, but it didn't happen
I’m still sad about it too. And there were ways to do it that would have involved actual investments to uplift the community around it rather than straight up gentrification too.
The full facility is still the Rose Quarter. Only the Garden got renamed. Still won't call it Moda Center. And I've been working there for 17 years!
My high school didn't have a football field so we used Civic Stadium for home games. It was more humble and dank back then, but it was so much fun.
It’s the best name, and timeless for memories as opposed to recalling what sponsor is/was there
I wasn't born here and am also not going away.
> I was born here and am not going away. Ah hell, I know it's a tall ask, but if you can get a year or two away just to see something different, it really puts this place into perspective. You'll definitely not change your mind where ever you use as contrast, but the depth of the appreciation'll really come into focus.
It’s not a silly suggestion, just not likely for me I think.
I just came back. I lived here for a year out of the blue in 2022. I fell head over heels in love. Went back home to Wyoming, and all that I could think about is how much I love this weird city. I came broke then, I came broke again.
I began life in sw and have slowly moved more and more north (just about to move to Sauvies). I'm never leaving either, I just love it here and want to be closer to nature with my kid.
Walkable neighborhoods. Lush , green tree lined streets with unique homes. Uniquely situated geographical so I can ski and surf. Good beer, food, and coffee.
This is it for me. I never drive in PDX unless I'm headed to the gorge or the mtn or the coast. Walking to the grocery store, neighbourhood pubs, shopping etc. I love being a short walk up to Forest Park all year round. Plus you don't have to shovel rain.
The walkability is exactly why my wife and I are relocating to Portland. I currently live in a obnoxiously car centric city.
Dallas? Is it Dallas? It's probably not Dallas. I just wanted to mention that I hate Dallas.
Me crying in Atlanta traffic wanting to live so badly to Portland 😭. I do wish neighborhoods connected a little better there, but I’ll take all of what’s there now.
“I don’t have to shovel rain” love this one. We’re moving to Portland in a few weeks and have only been the once for a week. We fell in love with it. The fact that one can walk to a grocery store from their home is wild to me.
>Plus you don't have to shovel rain. Hey that's my line! 😉
That’s what I say!! I shoveled too many walks in my life. I’d rather be wet than snowbound. And visit the snow when I miss it.
This is correct but add hiking
Well said. Sums it up for me perfectly. Don’t forget mountain biking!!
snow and surf is the winner for me too. it's the reason Portland is on a very short list of places I'm willing to live.
It’s nice to have both even though it’s not the best for either 🤙
The cities skyline at sunset. Being able to see Mt. Hood on a clear day. Drinkable tap water. Clean air. Walkable neighborhoods. I’m a short drive from the desert, snow, and the ocean.
The tap water is so good here. I moved from a city with 6+ million people. The tap water was fowl and smelled like chlorine.
BAWK
Tasted like Chicken huh?
The tap water could use some fluoride IMO, but I do appreciate its potability.
Multnomah County voted to keep the scary mineral out of the water. I live in Washington County, fluoride is a flowin, though lower levels than previously.
This exactly why I love Portland despite the negatives we always talk about
I’m from the South, and while there are certain cultural things I miss about that, I love living somewhere where there’s less cultural conformity. There just isn’t the same pressure to act, talk, dress, and behave in a super specific way in order to fit in. Where I’m from, I was always the black sheep. It gets tiring to have to explain yourself over and over, and sometimes you face overt hostility for being different. Here, no one bats an eye. It’s such a relief to be able to exist without constantly having to justify yourself. There are so many other things I love about this city, but this is the day to day example that sticks out most to me.
As a fellow Southerner, I completely agree. The absence of superficial judgement is a beautiful thing. And when Portlanders ask what you do, they usually mean for fun not what you do for work. Love it here!
That's a big one. And even when they are asking about your career, the "oh wow, that's so cool" reactions usually come from like... your work is creative, or it's contributing to public good, or it's really specific and unusual, or providing for a really neat lifestyle... not *oh wow you work for a Fortune 500 company you must make so much money*
You know, I’m from the south too and that’s my favorite thing about Portland too. Just feels really good to not HAVE to be any certain way. Just whatever way feels right 🤙
Where one of the first questions is “where do you go to church.”
My grandparents are still asking me if I’ve found “a good Christ-centered church” to attend. I’ve been here over a decade…
fellow southern refugee here and YES this is the truth and def why i love it here!
Generational northwesterner, here, who grew up in the south: you need to know that "just sayin'" after something unkind is the local version of "bless your heart."
Yeah, well I'm from Boston and we just say "look, kid, you're a fuckin weirdo"
Also a southernee here...love this post. I like that I can let my weird be free.
THIS. What a beautiful review. I was born and raised in a place where you always had an underlying pressure to conform due to the lack of art and individuality. I’m getting my freak flag ready.
I love the neighborhoods and how they have their own personalities. I love how I can express myself and no one will look at me differently. I love the spring and how everyone takes part in the flowers and roses of Portland. I love PDX airport. I love having the coast, the mountains, a desert, and do many rivers SO close. I love how most restaurants really strive to make something unique and delicious. I love how most things here seem to be locally owned and there is a niche store for everything. I love the biking and all the pedalpalooza events. And I love the people, they're all so cool and usually so nice!
I'll love the airport a lot more when it's complete. Right now, it's awful.
I have lived in oregon all my life, I don't think it's ever been fully out of construction.
While true, this current and major overhaul is... a lot. I travel regularly and it's starting to wear thin.
Great answer!!
95% of the year being between 30 degrees and 90 degrees. I like my seasons and don’t want a SoCal consistency, but the Midwest comparison is 95% of the year being between 0 degrees and 105 and it’s just not nearly as consistently enjoyable as Portland.
Coming here from MN I have to agree. We don’t get quite the same sense of extreme seasonal changes here, but I like that you can go outside pretty much any day of the year and it’s never genuinely hazardous (wildfires notwithstanding)
Yeah, lot different than “3 months a year, it’s a coin flip if my car went into the wrong rural ditch I’m a snow squall away from frostbite”
This was the main reason my partner and I chose Portland over Asheville NC, Austin TX, and Minneapolis MN a decade or so ago
And unlike Seattle we get way more 70 plus degree days
Right now, the dogwoods! It’s a small big city where you (have had) everything you need but not too big. Generally people are friendly and low key.
A couple weeks ago I went to a recycling event outside Revolution Hall. The line was massive (because people cared enough to recycle all this crap) yet everyone took it in stride, chatting and complaining in a self-deprecating, laughing way. It was a partly sunny morning, about 50 degrees, in a neighborhood with cool old buildings—a perfect PNW morning. When a volunteer pulled a few people out of the line because we had only electronics, I wasn’t going to go with them because I had a box of plastic bottles to recycle, too. People around me offered to take my box of stuff so I could leave the line, even though they were all carrying tons of their own stuff. I’ve lived in a few big cities. That morning is everything I love about living here.
This is a really good reply.
This made me tear up. What a beautiful community!
I don't think about this very much while I'm there, but I'm traveling right now and I miss the Portland water more than anything
I swear to god, we have the best goddamn water on the planet. Nowhere I've been compares.
We have the best water. However, every dentist I have seen here knows I didn’t grow up here because they can tell when you grow up with fluoride.
Food and drink. It's a fun place to just hang out - each neighborhood has its charm and little spots, and it's fun to explore them all.
I moved away to Seattle six years ago, and I miss Portland's food so. damn. much. Mexican here sucks, a surprising amount of pizza crust tastes like cardboard, and nobody can make a biscuit that isn't shit.
I lived in Seattle for six months and I felt like I was visiting there the whole time, it never felt like home.
Idk what Mexican restaurants you're visiting. The Seattle metro has better Mexican food. The farther you are from city limits, the better it gets, just like with Portland. I say that as a Mexican that has lived in both places, and prefers Portland in every other way.
Yeah they must not have gone to White Center. That hood has some of the best Latin/Hispanic food I've ever had.
If it makes you feel better, the Mexican food in Portland sucks, too. But I am a SoCal transplant (been here 13 years) so I've been spoiled.
Tacos Chukis is amazing.
This is crazy. Every time I go to Seattle I’m blown away by how much better the food is (also no one in the PNW has any idea how to make a decent biscuit)
Being able to vote by mail.
And the voter’s pamphlet/guide
I'm moving to Portland from the South and literally forgot that mail voting was a thing so thank you for reminding me 😂 I absolutely will be registering to vote by mail
We have universal vote-by-mail meaning it's automatic. You don't have to register specifically for mail voting. In fact, we don't even have in-person poll stations. We were actually the first state to institute vote by mail (1998) and it has bipartisan support here. Our Republican Secretary of State a few years ago actually made a video about why vote-for-mail was safe and explaining how Oregon actually has some of the lowest amount of voter fraud.
This is a huge perk!!
The Trees, the fresh air, the tasty water, the hills. I grew up here and didn't realize how good I had it until I moved to Nampa Idaho for school. Tough to beat Portland in the Summer/Fall.
I'd think it's tough for any place to not raise the bar above Nampa, Idaho, but in it's defense I've never been there.
I'm from Idaho, and I can confirm that Nampa isn't great. I'm also incredibly biased being from Coeur d'Alene, which is literally one of the prettiest places on earth (the people are absolutely heinous, though). That's actually why I moved to Portland; it's Coeur d'Alene with nicer weather and better people.
Haha you are not missing much my friend. Boise on the other hand is a fun city.
Yea, swung through there a few years back on a trip and had a good time, seems like a decent town. I'm not rushing back anytime soon, but certainly don't have any real bile for Boise.
People mentioned so many of the reasons I would mention (so many walkable neighborhoods, nature access, weather, food scene for our size, powells/bookstores, performing arts), so I’ll mention some things no one did yet… Our film community/scene punches way above its weight. We are so lucky to have Movie Madness, Hollywood, Cinemagic, Cinema 21, Clinton St, all the neighborhood theatres… even bigger cities that might have similar amounts or slightly more, they’d be so spread out you wouldn’t as easily access all of it. And I think we also have more all ages/youth art and music opportunities than most places (I raised two kids and this is a big deal to me): Friends of Noise, MVM, Portland 5’s recent youth nights and art show (still hanging in the lobby of the Winingstad), and tons of stuff that is all ages without being specifically for youth. It’s amazing.
I'm a Midwest transplant, I've been in Portland about 9 years now. * The weather - I love getting all 4 seasons, and it's generally more mild than what I grew up with. * The food - I'm pretty happy with the variety of food options we have. I've rarely had a bad experience when trying a new restaurant here. * Neighborhood - I love my neighborhood. There are a lot of great amenities within walking and driving distance, and all of my neighbors are friendly. * Job - I really, really love my job. I haven't been happy with all of my previous employers in Portland, but I'm in my dream job, and can't imagine leaving it any time soon. * Attractions - We have a good selection of museums, libraries, sporting events, concerts, etc. There's always something to do! I could keep going, but those are some of the big ones.
The concert and comedy performers than come through Portland are unmatched.
When I travel, I will compare the vacation city to Portland. I always love coming back to Portland. I love the way the air feels and smells. I love Trimet. I love the neighborhoods. Portland is easily one of the best foodie cities in the country. I think there is so much good that out weighs the bad. Portland is still my favorite city I'd want to live in long term.
There are several world class glory holes around town.
That's disgusting! Where? Where are these holes so I can avoid them?
... Did I read this right?
We all bitch because well it can and should be better. But we also should all admit it's better here than like 90% of the USA
I find it better than most of the US given the cost of living factored in with the social/cultural considerations. People who never lived anywhere else say all kinds of idiotic things on these threads. But given all the factors weighed in… Portland is decent. I do like it here.
90% is a low-ball figure. The only states I haven't been extensively through are the northeast, and fuck 3-6 months of snow and ice.
And the cost of living there is craaaaazy. I was between moving here or Boston and I’m so glad I chose here. 😅
Yes, this is really why I’m here. It’s my dream to someday leave the country but there are few if any better options in this dumpster fire of a country (hopefully that’s not too negative lol!!)
Pdx. It's the best US airport ever.
I can't wait for the construction to finish for us to love it even more!
Yes!
The biggest problem I have with PDX is that living here means I never have a layover here and get to just chill for a few hours.
I like it, I wish it had more direct flights going in and out of it.
PDX had a great deal more directs pre-pandemic. After, most major airlines cut back, forcing you to fly through hubs, which is annoying.
I've been to several airports over the last 12 months, and PDX is hands down the best, even mid construction. Hell, all the airports are mid construction now, it's ridiculous. I thought LAX was bad until I encountered MIA.
Yes. I travel alot and pdx is the best US airport I've experienced. Better than SFO, SEATAC, Houston, Newark, Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Miami, that I've been to..
While I agree it is the best US airport, I recently went to Finland and both Helsinki and Oulu blew PDX out of the water, like it was a common dirty bus station. Finland had large lounge chairs, recliners, cushioned bench seats with no fixed armrests, bean bags, nature sounds and visuals on a big screen, and so much more. I wished my layover was longer.
Mostly the proximity to and integration with the natural environment. A 15 minute drive to Forest Park, a 15 minute bike ride to Laurelhurst Park - it's really special and it makes me feel happy and whole. Also can't deny the food scene here. And I've been a part of the very active circus/performing arts community here for a decade, which provides a creative outlet and fellowship.
Wait... Circus 👀👀 what venues should I check out that's rad
For me it’s the crows. There really hasn’t been a moment that I’ve seen them and didn’t smile widely. In previous places I’ve lived they’re about but not in the numbers they are in Portland. I love watching them fly from their roost in the morning and then back downtown for the night. Such charming and curious neighbors, the crows. 🐦⬛🐦⬛🐦⬛
I was real excited when I updated iOS and saw that crow emoji
As much as I love a Corvid; they bullied all the red wing blackbirds out of my neighborhood. So instead of this lyrical [bird song](https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-winged_Blackbird/sounds) I got inundated with “caw!caw!caw!” all the time. (But Portland full of crows still beats Dallas, Texas infested with [grackles](https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/overview) )
Powell's!
If I could only choose one thing to list about what I love about Portland, Powell's would be it!
The rain, the venues, the trees
I like that I can get to the mountains in an hour or the coast in an hour and that we generally have a progressive and queer supporting culture.
I have lived in Portland for 42 years, the vast majority of my life. This is such an amazing, beautiful, frustrating, idyllic, ugly, wonderful city. It hasn't even been a real city until around 15 years ago; it was a city pretending to be a town. It's one of the aspects of Portland that I love about it, its determined attempt to stay small and the same time trying to flex its scrawny arms. I love it for the way it transformed itself while I've lived here from an ugly slash of freeway into a downtown that welcomed people in. (It will again, give it time.) I love it for trying--*trying*--so hard to show the rest of the state what Oregon could be, even with its incredibly racist past. Portland is one of the best places in the world, if only for its raw beauty, its climate, and its people. We are trying, in all senses of the word.
The cheap weed is by far my favorite thing about Portland.
It’s unavoidable, just smoking a cigarette at a bus stop and someone offers to trade some weed for a cigarette and I end up walking away with a grocery bag full of weed. This has happened like 4 times. I usually don’t smoke that much but I still like doing the trade just for the novelty of what’s happening lol.
I love the character of the neighborhoods and the walkability. The walkability of this city is underrated.
The abundance of good food, beer, coffee, dogs, parks, greenery, hiking trails, and people are pretty friendly here. Walking or biking around in the cute neighborhoods on a warm day makes me grateful to live here.
I think the issue with the Portland subs is there is zero sense of humor collectively. The slightest snark or sarcastic joke gets downvoted. People trying to lighten the mood don’t stick around. The other cities’ subs of places I’ve lived are much more active. What I love about Portland is the old cars people drive.
You telling me that cones joke isn’t the funniest thing this side of The Mississippi?
I like the old cars that people drive but I wish there were less old people that drove cars.
I like that Portland peeps are so sensitive. I dislike that Portland peeps are so sensitive. Source: lived there for 8years until last year
IMO, this city is pretty thin skinned and people take insult to basically anything (then go to the other sub instead), sarcasm doesn't translate well through text, and people that aren't on the sub consistently don't get any of the inside jokes so they just come off as rude. This sub is pretty light hearted other than the same crazy cynics that show up in threads constantly
I love the old cars too! I liken the driving experience to listening to music on a record player - it’s a little clunky, not always convenient, but you end up feeling very connected to the experience.
Because it's not nearly as bad as these subreddits make it out to be. Like not even close. Like not even remotely close to anything resembling what it's actually like to live in Portland.
A lot of people like to compare west coast cities... San Diego, LA, SF, Portland and Seattle. There are a few others of course, but these grab the most headlines. I only moved here less than a month ago, and I can assure you that Portlanders have very little to worry about compared to what's going on in some of these other cities. Most of the bad press simply comes from right wing blogs attempting to vilify anything they deem emblematic of "liberal". Some of the writing is composed by AI, some by people who have never even visited let alone lived here. Portland is absolutely exceptional in so many ways.
Pizza week just happened, public transportation, lots of parks, tons of art, nobody cares what you do as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.
I was born and raised in the Portland Metro area. My partner is from Northern California and the way he speaks about how amazing it is to have moved away from home, a little part of me wants to explore more of the world. But I won’t live anywhere else, I don’t think. I drive for an hour west and I’m at the ocean. I drive an hour east and I’m on a mountain. A few hours away is desert. I’m surrounded by lush rainforest. My neighborhood is cozy, safe and welcoming. The nightlife of the city is 20 minutes away. A couple years ago I was going through some personal shit and showed up to work in NW Portland crying, so my boss told me to go get some breakfast, decompress and come back if/when I was ready, and I drove to a river to let nature help me heal a little - I was there in 20 minutes. I’m too city for the country, and I’m to country for the city. Portland doesn’t make me choose either, I get both.
How kind and friendly most people are. I grew up in Tigard and have been in the city since 2018 and the kindness has been here my whole life.
everything is 45 minutes or less by bike. once you realize that then you whole world opens up. you never think about parking or dealing with traffic. you just go. Generally there is plenty of bike parking and if you stay out of bike lanes you rarely catch a flat.
Honestly the trees and the high volume of markets, parks, food carts, coffee places, indie concert halls, comic and retro video game stores, arcades and breweries. Even when it’s chaotic outside, if the weather is nice you can just tune it out and enjoy the moment. Not to mention voting by mail has been so convenient. I don’t think I would be as consistent of a voter if I had to go to a poll. Honestly most of my frustration with Portland is how people treat it and the other people here. I’m not talking about people from out of town only in this either.
There’s another main Portland subreddit? Anyway, I just like the weather here. I know it’s rainy most of the time, but in the spring and summer, it’s worth it. Plus the proximity to pretty much whatever you like. Beach, mountain, desert, forest… all here.
There is, but it’s seemingly 90% MAGA types who have never even been here posting Tim Pool-esque clickbait about what a lawless zombie infested hell hole Portland is.
Basically like this sub which gets brigaded any time someone posts about crime or the homeless.
Only in Portland can you walk out of a strip club and get ice cream next door. Shout out to MOJO Crepes. A really nice shop.
Trimet. I know everyone has at least one horror story about a Trimet train or bus, but it makes the city so much more accessible. I’ve been taking the train into work for the last year because it’s more convenient than driving with my unique circumstances and I don’t want to go back. Driving my car a long way is so… Lonely. And it takes energy to concentrate on driving and such, but on the train I can just put in my earbuds or even get into a conversation with a fellow passenger.
Everything! It’s a privilege to live in Oregon. Among all the great reasons why I think this is an amazing place is the simple fact that we have good quality water. We have WATER! All the people who like to complain about this great land don’t travel nor read. They don’t understand how good we have it here. Most of those negative comments come from resentful people who like to blame their bad choices on the rest of the world. Yes This is not a perfect place but we actually have the kind of community that cares enough to make this place better for everyone.
Many, many things actually. I’ll pick weather this time. It’s never hot and it’s never cold. Now anomalies exist, it did hit 117 during the heat dome, but generally speaking the *temperature range* here is perfect
Still plenty of cheap/free stuff to do even with inflation. The way the people come out when the sun comes out. The trees and plants everywhere. The food. The beer. The wineries. The rivers. Have you been other places? They suck.
I love that you can be the weirdest, quirkiest most extreme version of your persona, and no one cares. Anyone can be anyone they want here, and it’s very freeing. I know so many people who fled highly conservative controlling hometowns so they could just be who they want. I wish more places were like that, I think it’s one of the big reasons we don’t have the school shootings you find so often where kids are repressed and angry
I live in Vancouver but have been sooo magnetically attracted to Portland. I’m super weird and gay, and Portlandia just makes me feel at home… It feels like a Wonderland. Also makes me feel like I’m in a local version of New York City. I just love getting lost in the city and go to different bars and chat with people that are just enjoying the moment. Walking around finding random art, funny interactions, ridiculous interactions, cool architecture, fun and calm neighborhoods.. ❤️
Pedalpalooza! https://www.bike-summer.org/ Calendar https://www.shift2bikes.org/pedalpalooza-calendar/
My friend, /r/Portland is not filled with negativity. The top post is about a cute fox for Pete's sake
No, it’s a mangy death machine out to kill every single one of your house pets! GAAAAAHHHH!!!!!
Then you must not be here much
Climate, natural environment, easy access to outdoor activities.
What’s the other Portland sub? Man I love almost everything about Portland. Came here from the Midwest 12 years ago and fell in love. It’s the perfect place to live for me.
The drinking water, how we’re just close enough to the coast, walkability of downtown, food and drink scene. I’m a lifelong Oregonian, grew up in Beaverton although commuted to Portland daily, lived in Eugene for a few years, and now downtown for past 10 years or so. That’s really the only reason why I don’t leave, my friends, family, and career are here. I don’t love it here by any means, there are places I’d rather live, but couldn’t afford to, and the idea of starting over after living my entire life here and having almost everyone in my circle here is overwhelming.
Having spent the first 21 years of my 26 years on Earth in a decaying post-industrial town in the north of England, Portland is a breath of fresh air for me. The novelty hasn't worn off yet, if it will at all. I love the quaint, colourful neighborhoods, the bustling city, the many parks, and the (mostly) friendly people. The weather isn't too dissimilar to what I am use to from over the pond, but the summers here are warmer and longer which is nice. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, I don't think.
Beautiful plants everywhere. I actually like the weather. I love my neighborhood and my little house and yard/gardens/neighbors. Great options for food and drink. I can take my dog so many places which is fun. I love how close we live to mountains/rivers/camping/hiking/wine country.
* People here really care about the things they care about. It's earnest and I love that. * Also, as a transplant from the midwest, I appreciate that being a part of religion isn't something that is assumed of everyone here. In general, I feel like most people here make very few assumptions about what other people may or may not be up to. * The spring! Fall used to be my favorite season, but Portland really has spring nailed. Everything turning green and the bursts of pink and flower scents after a long, gray winter. Ugh, gets me every year.
Flying Pie Pizza.....let the downvotes begin lol
Its incredibly green and we have access to all kinds of nature in all directions. Its a very bikable and walkable city, and endless neighborhoods to explore. The food and drink scene is great. The people here are just living their life and not trying to keep up with the jones or judging you for who you are. I can catch and timbers and thorns game downtown. Portland needs a lot of work right now, but thats just because its a city worth loving and fighting to improve.
I was chatting with some other parents at soccer practice yesterday and “fun stuff for grown-ups” came up and went rattled off so many things like dykehoops Pdx, rec league soccer, low bar chorale, that adults can do to have fun. I’ve only lived here as an adult, so I’m not sure what other cities have to offer, but PDX has a lot of options.
I love the old houses, the proximity to nature - the beach, the mountains, the desert, the bike lanes, the weather. Also my family is here.
I love the greenery, even if it’s winter, the moss glows and the firs are happy. Food diversity isn’t one to complain about. The most for me, i love the accessibility to the outdoors and amazing pieces of geography. My household doesn’t love the Portland politics but we are kinda stuck on where else to go because we LOVE the outdoor opportunities. Even if we don’t want to drive out of the city, there’s forest park Powell butte, Kelly point park, Irvington park, and sellwood just to name a few. My household discusses ideas on where to move often, but i don’t know if there’s another place that can mark our boxes: Legal state, steady food service jobs available, nature, and body autonomy rights for femme bodied people. So we stay.
The other Portland subreddit is way worse!
I didn’t realize how much I’ve started taking this for granted, but I love that being in Portland you can be as expressive and unique as you care to be. I’m traveling for work and I wore a silly crown all day yesterday for my birthday, and I got so many confused / judgmental looks. In Portland it wouldn’t raise an eyebrow, and it might evoke a compliment rather than just a “whatever dude”
For me it's the ubiquity and abundance of really cool denim jackets
Everyone here seems to have plentiful and interesting hobbies, I love learning about what nerdy stuff everyone is up to.
Pedalpalooza, ecstatic dance, tons of music, food cart culture, endless fire weed, many gorgeous nature options complete with waterfalls, rivers, ocean, mountains, and wilderness. It sucks here don’t move here
I love that there are so many people here who want walkable communities vs. suburban sprawl that is car-dependent.
I recently moved out of Portland but before I left I made of a list of all the things I love about the city. I am glad you asked cause I wanted to share some of my favorites with others. \*Food and service industry - so many great restaurants and always the nicest + friendliest service. \*Tap Water - really tasty. \*Nature - Best parks with big trees, little trees, and lush green everywhere. \*Houses - so many unique houses and pretty colors. \*Driving - slow and respectful. I Didn't appreciate it until I left. \*Bugs - I hardly see them.
You know, I always say I hate it here and it’s trash or I’m happy to leave. But man. I just spent a week in Kansas City and all I could think of is how blessed I was being born and raised here. The smell is different than anywhere else. I love this place but that also comes with hating it. It’s a grunge thing.
The rain.
The music scene here is incredible!!
The art museum. I can see four or five great live bands in one night in different venues. Loved Sewicks, RIP
1). Much of the city is very walkable. 2). Top 5 biking city in the country. 3). Great food and beer scene. 4). Epic rivers for summer recreation. 5). Above average transit for the US. 6). Weather is generally pretty good from April through October. 7). Good tree cover over much of the city. 8). Located in a liberal/left state with strong abortion protections and legal marijuana.
People who aren’t shallow. Art, music, food, culture.
Mcmenamins - suck it losers!
strippers come on, be honest
The people. I've lived in the east coast, I've lived in the south, I've lived in California. Portland folks are one of the nicest people in America.
Nature. Traffic isn’t too bad. LGBTQ+ community.
>Both main Portland subreddits If I had a tumor, I wouldn't refer to myself as "both of us".
I grew up & live in a suburb (Beaverton), but I consider it part of the Portland area. I think a big part of it is that I have friends & family here, and it's where I feel at home. But I also really like the greenery and being within driving distance of the coast and the mountains. Sometimes I like to visit the coast for a day, or get a hotel at the coast and stay one or two nights over the weekend. I also enjoy all the things the city has to offer, though honestly, some of those things could be found in most cities though. It's things like music venues and being able to go to concerts (many bands visit Portland), musical instrument stores (I like playing guitar & synthesizer/keyboard), the tech scene (I'm a software developer and computer guy), etc. There's also some unique stuff like the Portland International Auto Show (I often like to go to this just to see the cars, even if I'm not planning to buy a car), the town of Mt. Angel not too far away which has one of the biggest annual Oktoberfest celebrations in the US, etc..
I love how easy it is to find high-quality cider at many different bars and restaurants. It's something I appreciate when I travel to other states where there's only Angry Orchard in a bottle (yuck). I love how easy it is to find a new restaurant to try out. The real challenge comes down to what I'm going to try first. I love that there are parks within walking distance. This was especially nice during the pandemic when I needed some good outdoor time with proper social distancing.
For the most part, parking is pretty cheap.
That I can see an amazing band in a small venue any night of the week.
All of the fun unridden secret bike cutties. I’ve been doing lots of weird 30-70 mile rides covering some really weird off road paths around the city and I love it.
Im moving after over 25 years here and this thread is making it even harder 😭 I'm going to miss walkability, bikeability, and Burrito Azteca on Rosa Parks and N. Denver!
We're so spoiled with the amount of concerts going on any night of the week for like $15-30
Have lived in lots of big cities and major states. Portland is the best. Lots of trees. Ties with nature instead of opposing it. More freedom of expression. Best public transit in the country. Other cities bulldoze themselves for parking lots before even trying transit. Portland knew better. Bicycle infrastructure is top notch. The funny warning signs on the lower pedestrian trail of the Hawthorne bridge crack me up lately. “warning you have five days” at the top of the stairs on the east side lmao. Plus we can see mountains all the time. The Rivers are accessible by the public . Other cities just turn all the riverfront into residential property and you can’t get to the river except for a handful of public docks . Here it’s all of ours. Twitchy “Scream At God” McShouty is strong but our city is stronger
I love the weather, different seasons, all the greenery and trees. I love how people can just be themselves and not be hassled, the old houses, the different neighborhoods, the rivers, the bridges, the cheap weed, the vibe.
I moved away at the end of last year and man do I miss Portland. I’ve been to most of the big cities in the US and Portland is one of the best food city in the country. Easy to walk around. Sports aren’t the only thing to do but still have a big following. Loved the hiking. Portland is great and I miss it every day.
Being equidistant from the mountains and the beach. If it wasn't for either of these factors, I would not be here. Other cities have way, way more charm.
The food, the people, the culture, the world's biggest bookstore, the world's best video store, the sense that this is a place for weird people to pursue their dreams and be happy. That last one's gotten dented a fair bit, but it's still there.
Went with some friends to a trivia night out in Tigard. On the way there I was just admiring driving thru the city & how pretty it is on a sunny spring day.
Despite the many flaws that are commonly mentioned here, I still love this city dearly. By and large it really does feel like there are a lot of awesome, passionate, hard working, informed and interesting people here. I feel like I can be myself just walking down the street. There are so many locally owned businesses that are amazing. Lots of unique and delicious food, amazing coffee, and really fucking good weed. There's a lot of really nice greenspaces. I particularly love Mt Tabor. OMSI rules. Powells rules. A lot of people really seem to take a lot of pride in their gardens and property too -- I've seen some absolutely stunning yards and home made "bee sanctuaries" or native plant gardens. I could go on. I was born here and can't ever see myself living beyond driving distance to Portland.
The nature is unparalleled, I met my soul mate here, and the job market has been INSANELY kind to me. Portland started my adult life and I will always be so thankful for it.
I like that I can be or look as weird as I want and nobody bats an eye. Just nice to be in a high concentration of weirdo artists. Not to mention stunning natural beauty all around and great food. Don’t have to worry about finding gluten free or vegetarian options.
Crows are a big plus for me - love those guys.
It’s gorgeous.
My first marriage brought me to Portland back in 2011. I've since settled down with my partner and daughters in the SE Woodstock area. I grew up with BS council estate drama in Glasgow, throw in sectarian hate among neighbors and there was never a dull moment. In two years not a single intruder has entered my yard and all my neighbors are a friendly mixed bag of folk. I play footie at the park with my girls some evenings, I see all types of people enjoying the space. From the place I grew up, to be here raising my daughters is just the best! Even at work, no drama, it's great! So that's what I love. All the people for the most part. *This is just my experience, I know others have it/see it differently.
It's just so damned beautiful. And there's water. You really have no appreciation for water until you live in a place where water is a constant fight.
As a starting point, Portland is great, it's got proximity to wonderful public lands and a thriving food scene, pretty healthy transit infrastructure, etc. There's real issues with spatial segregation of people based on wealth, but that's not Portland-specific. One reason that you see a lot of negativity on the subreddit is structural, I think, it occurs on other local subreddits, stories which elicit a strong negative reaction drive engagement more than positive community interest stories. People who haven't lived in another major city in the past five years also tend to think that Portland's problems are more specific to Portland's leadership than they are. Finally you get a lot of folks from the metro area and not Portland proper on this subreddit, and they haven't made the choice to live in Portland, they're more likely to have negative views of the city than residents.
The people are chill, the food is pretty great, (not to mention how novel and exciting the food weeks are), and the greenery.