What BestPlaces Users Say about Portland
Portland, Oregon is a dynamic city known for its vibrant arts scene, outdoor recreation opportunities, and progressive culture. It has a population of over 600,000 people and is consistently ranked as one of the best cities to live in the United States. With such high praise, it's no surprise that many people have chosen to make Portland their home. To get a better understanding of what it's like to live in this city, I have included summaries of user reviews from BestPlaces.net.
According to a review from "Mark," Portland is "a city that truly lives up to its reputation." He goes on to mention the city's charm, friendly residents, and abundance of coffee shops and microbreweries. Another user, "Samantha," agrees, stating that Portland is "a dream city for anyone who loves nature and outdoor activities." She also highlights the city's food scene and bustling downtown.
However, not all reviews are glowing. A user named "Jonathan" mentions that while he loves the city's culture and opportunities, the high cost of living can be a challenge. He also points out the growing issue of homelessness in certain areas of the city. Similarly, "Jessica" mentions that the traffic and commute times in Portland can be a downside, although she still enjoys living there overall.
In summary, it's clear that Portland has a lot to offer, from its unique culture to its beautiful outdoor spaces. While some reviewers mention challenges such as high costs and traffic, the majority of users are happy with their decision to live in this dynamic and diverse city. As "Mark" puts it, "Portland truly is a gem in the Pacific Northwest."
based on 386 ReviewsGet to know Portland with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Portland
bad weather exaggerated - 10/2/2006
I've lived in Portland for over 2.5 years. I moved here from San Diego. I had hoped the weather would be a milder version of North Europe's. The summers are too hot and too sunny here! It's hotter here than the coastal littoral of southern California [coast to 15 miles inland]. It's like El Cajon or San Fernando Valley, and without any cooling fogs or overcast.
The winters are mild, like a slightly cooler Northern California winter weather. For some strange reason 60 degrees in Portland is like 70 degrees in So. Cal, and 80 is like 90 etc There has been no snow since I've been here, and only one day of freezing rain per winter. It only seems a little rainier or cloudier than gloomy So. Cal. in spring during the short mild winters here. They don't have adequate A/C which makes the summers uncomfortable.
The city has had a huge influx of people in the short time I've been here. It's sad to see it go the way of Seattle and California. I bet in 5 years it'll be just
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Start Your Review of Portland
Mark from Portland and Atlanta - 9/29/2006
Hey, I've lived in ATL for 18 years and ready to move back West (raised in SLC) in the next six months... used to be in broadcasting, too (KTVX in SLC and KIVI-TV in Boise - some ancient history!!). Would love to compare notes with you on many subjects... is there a good way to contact you directly? Steve
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PORTLAND IS OUR FAVORITE CITY! - 9/27/2006
As a broadcaster, we've lived all over the USA. Of all the cities we've lived in, Portland is our favorite. Portland has a really cool vibe, without the huge city attached! As I mentioned earlier on this website, it actually rains more in Atlanta and many other places. The rain thing is hyped by those who want to discourage others from moving here. However, Portland's climate includes much rain, except in the Summer. Many days are cloudy with on and off rain. So many things are cool about Portland. The downtown area is sooo much nicer than almost any other city. The transit system is the best we've ever seen, be sure to ride the Maxx Light Rail system. The Oregon coast, the Columbia River Gorge, the restaurants, the art, Powells Books, the ecologically sensitive people, Mount Hood, Mount St Helens, taking the Amtrak up to Seattle, the hundreds of places to walk and hike. Excellent parks are everywhere.
Negatives? Housing is expensive, jobs can be hard to find.
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oregon has alot to offer - 9/23/2006
i lived all my life in oregon(native oregonian, about 5 months ago i moved to louisiana because of my husband. i miss so many things about oregon. anyone who complains that there is nothing to do in portland ...should move to baton rouge louisiana. There are absolutely no places to walk ie parks or recreation. downtown is a ghost town on the weekends in baton rouge. at least in portland you can park downtown and walk around the whole day.. portland offers alot of fun things...while it is not easy to find these places...one should ask the natives. everyone complains about the rain in portland it only rains 43 inches a year while in baton rouge it rains over 66 inches a year...do the math....for the comment that people in portland are racist is far from true...while i will admit some oregonians can be biased at times...portland offers so many different and clean restaurants in oregon not like other states...i am looking forward to visit portland..to really enjoy portland one has become
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I don't know what all the negative people are talk - 9/8/2006
I don't think a lot of you "Portland haters" know what you're talking about. I lived in Portland and various suburbs of Portland for 19 years and have since lived in other cities throughout Florida and California; I've also traveled to almost every other state in the U.S. (just so we're clear that my "opinion" is credible). The people of the Portland area are some of the most tolerant people I've ever come across...whoever said that the people in Portland are racist and rude is just plain wrong. Of course there are going to be racist and rude people in any city, but the handful that may exist in Portland certainly do not represent the opinions and attitudes of the overall population. And as far as overcrowding and pollution goes, Portland is one of the most environmentally-aware cities in the country. Portland is one of the only cities to have--and enforce--the urban growth boundary so that most of the countryside and wilderness can be preserved. Whoever thinks that overpopulation and
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Corbett Neighborhood Very Unfriendly/Mean-Sprited. - 9/5/2006
After living in Oregon from 1963 until 1997, I moved to Miami Beach due to a job opportunity for my husband. We loved getting away from the rain and cloudiness that hangs over the Northwest for so much of the year. When it didn't work out for us in Florida after a year, we couldn't go back to the depressing weather of Portland, so we moved instead to Los Angeles and purchased a small postwar home in need of fixing up... not far from LAX. Our neighbors there were very welcoming to us. They were so happy that we rescued the home from the disrepair it had fallen into from years of ownership by a vindictive woman raising her daughter with hatred of her father. When we decided to sell the home three years later right after 9/11, it sold in a less than an hour. We moved back to Portland to be close to family members (in a spirit of sentimentality from the 9/11 shock). Having recently attended a few family events where the weather was beautiful there... we forgot temporarily the
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overhyped - 8/15/2006
I moved to Portland five years ago and I have dreaded the decision since. The weather is dreary, with nine months of rain, making everyone depressed. Californians are moving here in droves, bringing their "ugly attitudes", including crime, gangs, poor driving and great sense of entitlement. Housing prices have shot through the roof, because the Californians are selling their million dollar homes and paying way too much for homes here, thus driving up the prices. Wages here are 25% lower than national averages, thus it is impossible to buy a home. When you try to get out into nature, you have to deal with 45 foot motor homes towing their cars from every state imaginable. They bring everything they own, clogging every piece of nature, thus destroying any opportunity to utilize the three months when the weather is nice. Central Oregon used to be nice, but the neo-rich Californians have bought up all the land, demanding Wal-Mart and other chain restaurants to build there, thus
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Details about visit to Portland. What I saw, REALL - 8/11/2006
I will be happy to tell you about what i saw and experienced in Portland. And, by the way, if you happen to have any other questions, please dont hesitate to ask. I went to Portland on July 26th of this year from Los Angeles. All I knew about Portland was whatever research I had done online, but really, I had no idea where i was going. To put it shortly, Portland waaaay exceeded all my expectations, in a good sense, of course. I dont know much about what's the weather like where you folks are, but let me tell you that after dirty, polluted, intensely hot desert-like Los Angeles Portland was such a pleasant relief. First of all, all the greenery. Everywhere you look, there's trees and grass and flowers everywhere. The surroundidng hill are also covered with forest-like greenery. And they're not new small tiny bushes we see in most of the places around here, but solid older trees that grow high and nicely cover the streets. Secondly, the air was just unbelievable. It was so fresh and
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portland is terrible - 8/8/2006
the people are clannish, the weather atrocious, and the government is imported from the east coast. they are trying to make portland like new york, and the yuppies have made it overpriced, but its still a backwater town. the local color has been plowed under in the name of rampaging development. dont believe the numbers that say that portland has grown only .98 percent since 2000.. its been flooded with people moving there, and there are no jobs unless you like service industry, manufacturing, or a grinding, soulless corporate or government
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