Northwest Portland:

Located near the rolling West Hills of Portland, Oregon, is the region known as Northwest Portland. Featuring well-preserved neighborhoods and beautiful Old Portland-style homes alongside condominium skyscrapers and trendy boutiques and restaurants, Northwest is a favorite community for Portlanders seeking to live in a hip neighborhood near the city center.

SCHOOLS

Northwest Portland straddles the boundaries of Multnomah and Washington counties and residents are either part of the Portland Public School District or the Beaverton School District. Both districts have excellent schools including Forest Park Elementary School, Cedar Park Middle School and Lincoln High School.

Also located in Northwest Portland is the Metropolitan Learning Center – an alternative school for children from kindergarten through high school, offering curriculum that revolves around character development and community service.
 
Higher education for the art student can be found in Northwest Portland as well. The Pearl District is home to both the renowned Art Institute of Portland as well as the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA).

RECREATION

Northwest Portland is also home to a wide variety of gardens and other attractions. The Portland Chinese Classical Garden is a peaceful garden in the heart of the city offering visitors the opportunity to quietly soak up the Chinese culture – from the bridged lake to the meticulous landscape.

Featuring more than 1,000 trees from around the globe, the nearly 200-acre Hoyt Arboretum is located in Northwest Portland. Nearby, resides Washington Park – one of the oldest parks in Portland. With 130 acres of trails, play fields, tennis courts and picnic areas, Washington Park provides area residents with a multitude of recreational opportunities.

Several additional attractions along Northwest Portland’s hillsides attract visitors from across the state. Two of these sites include the Japanese Garden and the International Rose Test Garden (also in Washington Park) where Portlanders are able to relax and commune with nature.

As the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi River, the Oregon Zoo attracts more than 1 million visitors to view its award-winning exhibits each year. Home to animals from the African savanna to the Alaskan tundra, the Oregon Zoo offers many educational and volunteer opportunities. Between summer concerts and winter Zoolights festival, there's something for everyone at the Oregon Zoo.

With more than 5,000 wooded acres, Forest Park is the largest forested city park in the United States. The park offers hikers, bicyclists, and runners nearly 70 miles of trails, including the 30+ mile-long Wildwood Trail, that zigzag the eight-mile ridge along the northeast slope of the Tualatin Mountains between Northwest Skyline Boulevard and Northwest St. Helens Road.

ENTERTAINMENT

Northwest Portland offers a plethora of shopping, dining and entertainment options for area residents. Each of the various neighborhoods throughout the community boast award-winning restaurants and trendy designer boutiques as well as a vibrant nightlife.

Northwest Portland hosts the world-renowned Skidmore Historic District, which is home to the Portland Saturday Market. During the spring and summer seasons, visitors come from all over to browse locally made arts and crafts in the outdoor marketplace.

The area is also home to a popular arts scene. During the First Thursday of every month, art enthusiasts participate in a gallery walk between the many art galleries in Northwest Portland’s Pearl District, from Mark Woolley Gallery, which specializes in abstract pieces to the cutting-edge photography at blue sky gallery.          

Also located in Northwest Portland is Portland Center Stage, which can be found in the beautifully restored Portland Armory an 1891 structure, which now houses two theaters.

NEIGHBORHOODS

Neighborhoods in Northwest Portland include:

Nob Hill
The Nob Hill neighborhood shares more than a passing similarity to its San Francisco namesake. Turn-of-the-century Victorian homes line the narrow streets, offering visitors a glimpse into the city’s rich architectural past. Storefronts have been restored to their original splendor, transforming Northwest 23rd Avenue (“Trendy Third”) into a shopper’s heaven. Scores of eclectic, whimsical and sophisticated independent boutiques offer everything from tiaras to topiaries. Restaurants, pubs and cafés, many of which open to the street in warmer months, offer perfect vantage points for some of the city’s best people-watching. Rounding out the atmosphere of Northwest are the many trees lining the streets – an unusual site in most urban landscapes, but par for the course in Portland.

Schools:
Elementary: Chapman; Middle: West Sylvan; High: Lincoln


Old Town/Chinatown
The most mysterious of Portland’s neighborhoods is Old Town/Chinatown. Below the streets of this river district, the “Portland Underground” (or “Shanghai Tunnels,” as they are commonly known) serves as a reminder of the days when unsavory characters shanghaied thousands of unsuspecting sailors, loggers and ranchers. The Portland Underground consists of tunnels, catacombs and, apparently, an assortment of ghosts. The Northwest Paranormal Investigations group claims this to be the second most haunted place on the West Coast, and tour operators have experienced “incidents” that would lead one to agree. Ghost tours and history tours are offered by appointment. For a taste of Old Town/Chinatown: Don’t miss House of Louie for authentic Chinese fare.

Schools:
Elementary: Chapman; Middle: West Sylvan; High: Lincoln


Pearl District
The Pearl District, a former industrial section of Northwest Portland, is now a thriving community with a stylish mixture of art, commerce and residential life. The Pearl District supports galleries, as well as chefs, entrepreneurs and designers who work their magic in neighborhood studios, restaurants, boutiques and showrooms. Chic condos featuring the latest “green” technology have risen from an abandoned rail yard, while vacant warehouses have been transformed into clever retail spaces, cavernous studios, eclectic galleries and upscale lofts. The Portland Streetcar conveniently connects the Pearl District to downtown, South Waterfront and Northwest/Nob Hill at stops along Northwest 10th and 11th Avenues.

Schools:
Elementary: Chapman; Middle: West Sylvan; High: Lincoln