Keys to the City

Facts & Fundamentals

The population count for Portland proper is around 575,000, with the greater metropolitan area numbered over 2 million. The growth rate by the year 2010 is expected at 1.8% annually.

Portland charges no sales tax, a relief to shoppers, especially those visiting and spending hard-earned vacation dollars. Gasoline, however, is taxed at 24 cents a gallon, which is said to rise in 2009.

Area employers include the major categories of education, hospitals and health services employing about 21% of the population; professional and business services employing 16%; and trade, transportation and utilities employing 14%. Government, manufacturing, real estate, construction and mining employ much of the remainder. Prominent employers include Intel Corporation, Providence Health Systems, Fred Meyer, Legacy Health System and Kaiser Permanente.

City Orientation

Although Portland has a laundry list of neighborhoods, it can basically be broken down into six different areas, each having its own collection of neighborhoods. The five main sections are determined geographically – North, Northwest, Northeast, Southwest and Southeast – with Burnside Street dividing north and south and the Willamette River dividing east and west, except for a five-block westward curve that the river takes five blocks north of Burnside. Instead of the river, Williams Avenue is used as the divider for these blocks. The sixth area is located on the west side and includes RiverPlace, John's Landing and the South Waterfront District. The area's addresses go higher from west to east toward the river, and it's bordered by Naito Parkway and Barbur Boulevard on the west, Montgomery Street on the north and Nevada Street on the south.

Streets in the city are on a grid pattern, with named streets being perpendicular to the Willamette River and numbered avenues being parallel to the river. In the Western Hills, the grid doesn't apply as roads follow the contours of the mountains. The North section of the city has addresses going higher toward the river, whereas the east side has address numbers going higher away from the river.

The geographic distinctions of Portland include the following neighborhoods and points of interest:

North – An assorted collection of residential, commercial and industrial areas occupy the northern end of Portland. Popular destinations include the Portland International Raceway, the University of Portland and the Port of Portland. With nicknames such as "NoPo" and "The Fifth Quadrant," this area is conveniently connected to the industrial Northwest area by the St. Johns Bridge.

Northwest – This area includes the Pearl District, a former warehouse and industrial area converted into a collection of trendy loft apartments, restaurants, coffee shops, microbreweries and art galleries. It also includes Old Town Chinatown, designated as such by a pair of lions standing sentry at Northwest Fourth Avenue and West Burnside Street. It's also home to the notable Portland Classical Chinese Garden. The Northwest District rounds out the area, with sub-neighborhoods that include Uptown, Nob Hill and Alphabet Historic District, an area filled with lovely Victorian homes dating back to the turn of the century.

Northeast – The northeast quadrant of the city houses all rungs on the economic ladder, from grandiose dwellings in the Irvington and Alameda Ridge neighborhoods to more working-class communities like the King neighborhood. Area shopping can be found in Lloyd District, Alberta Arts District, Hollywood, Irvington, Alameda and Laurelhurst neighborhoods. The city's Northeast also features the Rose Quarter, named for the home of the Portland Trail Blazers, Rose Garden Arena.

Southwest – This area includes Portland's downtown, wedged between the I-405 freeway loop and the Willamette River, with the Pioneer Courthouse Square, affectionately known as "Portland's Living Room," serving as the epicenter of the city. Many major attractions, cultural venues and sights are located in the downtown area. Southwest also includes the Oregon Health & Science University, Lewis & Clark College and Portland Community College, as well as the neighborhoods of South Portland, South Burlingame, Hillsdale and Multnomah, a mix of residential, commercial and retail areas. The Oregon Zoo, International Rose Test Garden, Japanese Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, south Willamette riverfront and Washington Park are area highlights.

Southeast – A diverse mix of cultures and economic backgrounds defines the Southeast portion of the city that runs from the warehouses along the Willamette River to the Hawthorne (a wildly popular "hippie" area) and Belmont districts, by way of the historic Ladd's Addition area. The inner area includes a mix of hippies, trendsetters and folks concerned about the environment, and the outer area shelters working-class types, including immigrants from Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. Reed College is located here, and Mt. Tabor, a dormant volcano, also stands in Portland's Southeast.

Weather

Portland's climate can be defined as relatively mild with distinct changes by season. Summer is the area's most popular tourist season as the weather is warm, averaging temperatures of 80°F, and the skies relatively dry. The overall area gets between 35 and 45 inches of precipitation each year, most of which falls during the winter months (Nov-Apr). Spring is cool with temperatures averaging in the low 60s (°F) and the skies vacillating between sunny and filled with rain clouds. Along with being rainy, winter cools down quite a bit, with temperatures hovering in the mid-30s (°F). Precipitation in the form of snow is quite rare in Portland, with residents usually experiencing only one or two light snowfalls annually. Fall is moderate with temperatures in the 60s (°F).

Holidays & Business Hours

On federal and state holidays, many offices and businesses close or have truncated hours. Naturally, policies vary, but in general, the following holidays are broadly observed:

Coming & Going

Portland International Airport (PDX) is located about 12 miles northeast of downtown. Service is provided by all major carriers, and access to and from the airport is quite simple due to its location along I-5 and its relatively close proximity to the city center.

Car rentals from major providers are available at the airport, although a hefty surcharge generally applies when booking at the airport. Taxi and shared-ride airport shuttles are also readily available. The one-way cost is roughly $25 from the airport to downtown Portland. Traveling by taxi or shared shuttle from the airport to downtown generally takes about 20 minutes.

Public transportation options include bus and the Portland MAX Light Rail, approximately $2 per person for a one-way trip. The MAX trip from the airport to downtown lasts approximately 40 minutes.

Amtrak trains and Greyhound buses service Portland as well. Amtrak runs out of Portland Union Station, located downtown on the perimeter of Old Town. The Greyhound bus station stands adjacent to Union Station.

Making Your Way

Of course, you always have the option to rent a car or travel by taxi, but Portland offers other ways to get around as well. The Portland Streetcar provides service from the waterfront through Portland University north, encompassing the Pearl District, Nob Hill / Northwest and River Place. Generally, fares are $2 for the whole day (95 cents for senior citizens and $1.50 for children). Tickets are available at vending booths at MAX stations and the TriMet office at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Or, you can pay direct fare at the time of boarding.

City buses are another alternative for getting around. Note that most of the buses make stops at the Transit Mall along SW Fifth and Sixth Avenues located downtown prior to visiting area neighborhoods. It's at this location that you can find stops for ART, the Cultural Bus (Line 63) that runs a route to the city's top sites and activities.

To encourage use of public transportation in the downtown area, the city boasts a "Fareless Square," a 330-block area in which buses and streetcars operate free of charge. This free zone includes transportation across the river to the Lloyd Center and the convention area.

Bicycling has become a way of life for many locals. In fact, the city was noted by the League of American Bicyclists for its many bike paths and its bike-friendly attitude.

The South Waterfront district located on the Willamette River is connected to the Oregon Health & Science University campus (located on Marquam Hill in the city's Western Hills region) via the Portland Aerial Tram.

If you do opt to take a taxi, be advised that you should probably call in advance for service if you are traveling outside of the downtown area. If traveling downtown, you can usually flag for service easily enough. Broadway Cab (503-227-1234) and Radio Cab (503-227-1212) are two main taxi companies, with fares generally being $2.30 per mile and $1 for additional passengers (four maximum per cab).

Parking is easily accessible downtown and relatively inexpensive, with charges of about $1.25 per hour for street parking. Note that parking is free after 7pm Monday through Saturday and all day on Sunday. Approximately 4000 public lot spaces are available as well, with rates of $1.25 per hour for the first three hours and $3 per hour after four hours. Most of these spots have weekend rates of just $5.

News & Views

Portland's daily general-interest newspaper is The Oregonian, which also circulates statewide. The area has a number of smaller papers, most of which circulate free of charge. These include:
• Portland Tribune: Published weekly, general interest paper
• Willamette Week: Published alternate weekly, general interest alternative paper
• The Portland Mercury: Published alternate weekly, targeted toward young urban readers
• The Asian Reporter: Published weekly, covers Asian news
• The Portland Chinese Times: Published weekly, general interest, Chinese language
• Portland Alliance: Published monthly, anti-authoritarian socialist paper
• Just Out: Published twice monthly, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender publication
• Portland Business Journal: Published weekly, covers business news
• Daily Journal of Commerce: Published weekly, covers business news
• Open Spaces: Published quarterly, covers society, culture, environment and the arts
• The Mid-county Memo: Neighborhood monthly paper serving the Gateway and Parkrose neighborhoods.

While visiting Portland, you have a number of options for tuning your radio. These include:
• KPOJ - 620 AM (Talk)
• KXL - 750 AM (News/Talk)
• KPDQ - 800 AM (Christian)
• KCMD - 970 AM (Talk)
• KFXX (1080 The Fan) - 1080 AM (Sports)
• KXMG - 1150 AM (Spanish Hits)
• KEX - 1190 AM (News)
• KKPZ - 1330 AM (Religious)
• KBNP - 1410 AM (Business News/Money)
• KPSU - 1450 AM (Campus Radio)
• KBVM - 88.3 FM (Christian)
• KBPS - 89.9 FM (Classical)
• KBOO - 90.7 FM (Variety)
• KOPB - 91.5 FM (Public Broadcasting)
• KGON - 92.3 FM (Classic Rock)
• KPDQ - 93.9 FM (Christian)
• KNRK - 94.7 FM (Alternative Rock)
• KXTG - 95.5 FM (Sports)
• KYCH (97.1 Charlie FM) - 97.1 FM (Adult Hits)
• KUPL - 98.7 FM (Country)
• KWJJ (99.5 The Wolf) - 99.5 FM (Country)

Quirks & Curiosities

Most areas in Portland are pedestrian friendly, encouraging walkers and joggers to hit the streets. Downtown is quite flat, and the main bridges crossing the Willamette River possess paths designated specifically for bicyclists and walkers. If you choose to see the city on foot, note that when you cross Steel Bridge, you will cross onto Eastbank Esplanade, a 1.5-mile path that affords outstanding views of the city's skyline.

If you're driving in Portland, be sure to avoid SW Fifth and Sixth Avenues downtown, which are major routes for city buses. Similarly, avoid SW Morrison and SW Yamhill Streets downtown as the MAX light-rail trains use them heavily, causing frequent congestion.

When driving, take note of these major roads, connectors and simple routes to popular destinations:
I-5 connects the city to the Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon and California southbound as well as with Washington northbound.
I-405 creates a loop with I-5 around Portland's downtown, and I-205 is a freeway route on the east side leading to the Portland International Airport.
US 26 makes commuting in the area easy and continues to the Pacific Ocean westbound and Mount Hood and Central Oregon eastbound.
99W and SW Tualatin-Sherwood Road make a simple connection from Portland to the area's nearby wine country.

Be sure to take advantage of the microbrews for which Portland has become famous. In fact, many people dub the city the home of microbrewing in the United States, and it's garnered nicknames like "Brewtopia," "Beertown" and "Beervana." Over 28 breweries call the city home, all offering tasty house recipes featuring two-row barley, over a dozen varieties of hops and quality water from the area's Bull Run Watershed. Popular microbreweries include those owned by the McMenamin brothers and the Widmer Brothers as well as BridgePort Brewpub and Hair of the Dog. Major beer festivals include the Oregon Brewers Festival held annually in July, Portland International Beerfest in July and the Spring Beer And Wine Festival in April. Interestingly, a large number of Portland's movie theaters serve beer.

In addition to boasting trendy coffee shops, cafés and nightspots, Portland is known for having its finger on the pulse of youth culture. It's been the starting point for a number of music icons, including names like the Dandy Warhols, Poison Idea and Pink Martini.

Getting Your Bearings

General Contact Information
Portland Oregon Visitors Association
1000 SW Broadway, Ste 2300
Portland, OR 97205
Phone: 503-275-9750, 800-962-3700
Fax: 503-275-9284
E-mail: info@pova.com
Website: www.travelportland.com/

Visitor Information Center
Portland Oregon Information Center
Walk-in Visitors
701 SW Sixth Ave at Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm, Sat 10am-4pm
Phone: 503-275-8355, 877-678-5263

Mayor's Office
1221 SW 4th Ave, Ste 340
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: 503-823-4120
Fax: 503-823-3588

Necessities - Post Offices

There are a multitude of post office branches in the greater Portland metro area, as well as drop boxes throughout the city. For more information, contact the main post office.

715 NW Hoyt St
Portland, OR 97208-9998
503-294-2564

Common Courtesies

Although tipping is generally a personal matter, there are some guidelines that prove helpful to travelers. At restaurants, servers typically get 15% of the bill, although 10% acknowledges basic assistance, and 20% awards exceptional service. Taxi drivers usually fit into similar guidelines by receiving a tip equivalent to 15% of the tab.

Often, a dollar tip covers many situations. The exception is a concierge, who generally receives $5-$10 for standard service (additional assistance suggests more).