Does Portland have a "city" feel to it? (Burns: fit in, theater)

[backdrifter]

When I first moved to Portland I was a wide-eyed kid fresh out of high school from a small town in the rural extremities of Oregon and, at the time, it felt HUGE. That said, I got out and travelled more and got used to living in Portland and now I'd say, no, it absolutely does NOT have a city feel to it. LA? Seattle? Definitely have a city feel. Portland? No. It feels like an overgrown town. I run into people I know all the time everywhere I go.

Vibrancy and street life it does have, however. Hawthorne/Belmot and Alberta/Mississippi have a lot more going on than downtown, IMO, although Northwest has some of that too. If I were to move back to Portland (I'm a Seattleite now) I think I'd like to live in one of those areas. Those places feel almost urban like they might belong in a bigger city. Although I do love Mount Tabor, Sellwood, Woodstock, Multnomah Village, and even Montavilla.

There are plenty of things to do though in any case. There's the Blazers and the Timbers for sports people. There are tons of cultural events and a really great live music scene. It's close to outdoor recreation, or there are plenty of beautiful parks in the city too including Forest Park. Not really more than a handful of "fine dining" options (dress code, etc), but there is an amazing cheap eats food scene including the aforementioned food carts. One of the best places for a foodie I think. So as far as "big city" amenities go, Portland has many if not most or all of them. It just doesn't have the vibe to go with it really. Oh... Diversity. Unfortunately that is one "big city" thing Portland majorly lacks.

[tallahasseehero1]

Originally Posted by backdrifter

When I first moved to Portland I was a wide-eyed kid fresh out of high school from a small town in the rural extremities of Oregon and, at the time, it felt HUGE. That said, I got out and travelled more and got used to living in Portland and now I'd say, no, it absolutely does NOT have a city feel to it. LA? Seattle? Definitely have a city feel. Portland? No. It feels like an overgrown town. I run into people I know all the time everywhere I go.

Vibrancy and street life it does have, however. Hawthorne/Belmot and Alberta/Mississippi have a lot more going on than downtown, IMO, although Northwest has some of that too. If I were to move back to Portland (I'm a Seattleite now) I think I'd like to live in one of those areas. Those places feel almost urban like they might belong in a bigger city. Although I do love Mount Tabor, Sellwood, Woodstock, Multnomah Village, and even Montavilla.

There are plenty of things to do though in any case. There's the Blazers and the Timbers for sports people. There are tons of cultural events and a really great live music scene. It's close to outdoor recreation, or there are plenty of beautiful parks in the city too including Forest Park. Not really more than a handful of "fine dining" options (dress code, etc), but there is an amazing cheap eats food scene including the aforementioned food carts. One of the best places for a foodie I think. So as far as "big city" amenities go, Portland has many if not most or all of them. It just doesn't have the vibe to go with it really. Oh... Diversity. Unfortunately that is one "big city" thing Portland majorly lacks.

Thanks. Im originally from Boston, and live near Miami when I am not in college, so I dont think Portalnd would ever overwhelm me size-wise. That said the way you describe it does seem appealing. I have heard a lot about the musilc scene, and I ma a basketball fan. The cheap eats food scene does sound really cool

[Aganusn]

I think it does, because it is an actual metropolitan city, lol. You're still around tall buildings, street noise, and a lot of different people.

[davemess10]

Originally Posted by backdrifter

Oh... Diversity. Unfortunately that is one "big city" thing Portland majorly lacks.

Only if you hang out in trendy inner neighborhoods. My neighborhood is quite diverse, as are many of the middle-lower income areas.

[Billy_J]

Downtown Portland is sort of like San Francisco. Vibrant downtown area with lots of people, shops, little eateries, restaurants, China Town, light rail, etc.

[HonuMan]

Originally Posted by backdrifter

Oh... Diversity. Unfortunately that is one "big city" thing Portland majorly lacks.

This gets debated all the time on this forum, and I take the opposing viewpoint. I moved here from a really big city, Atlanta, and there hasn't been anything I could find in Atlanta that I haven't been able to find in Portland. Compare that to certain smaller Southern cities I've visited where the choice of ethnic food was Mexican, Italian, Chinese, and perhaps Thai. As another poster put it, Portland has examples of just about everything (not just food), but fewer choices within each option than you'd find in a really big city. Some people bring up the ethnic-diversity (or lack thereof) issue. It's true that Portland is mostly white, but it's become noticeably more diverse in the 14 years I've been here. I've met people from all over the world here, and Portland is famous for its liberal attitudes. Again, I compare it with certain smaller Southern cities that were much more culturally homogeneous. In balance, I'd say that Portland feels to me like a small city -- but a city nonetheless, as opposed to a big small town.

[gypsydoc]

I also came from Atlanta... and one thing you didn't mention was that here it takes HOURS less driving time than one routinely experiences there. LOL

It sounds like the OP has some real concerns about Portland's size and what it has to offer... Trying to sort through the posts here that are alarmingly positive vs. the alarmingly negative... that could be a struggle, I imagine.

Before I moved here, I found the whole Portland weather thing hard to wrap my head around. When looking on the daily temperatures of 50 in March or April or May, even and juxtapose that against 50 degrees in December, or January... It made no sense whatsoever until I began studying the maritime climate here. It is quite different than the NE states of Maine, Connecticut, etc. and certainly different than the south.

I knew it was a big city yet I wondered where all the people came from and what they were like.

I find lots of diversity here for my tastes and experience. However, I tend to gravitate towards unusual people no matter where I've lived. Guess you tend to find what you're looking for.

I suspect that if one stays in one area and/or surrounds themselves with one segment of society, it is really easy to wonder where the diversity is. Sometimes you have to go look for it, it doesn't always come to you.

I have never regretted moving here... except slightly at this time of year when our spring is slow to materialize (still in the 40s and 50s, over all) and I start to get antsy to play in my garden more.

If you do come, just keep an open mind and prepare to be dazzled!

[UrbanAdventurer]

Definitely more of an overgrown town feel than a true metropolitan feel. I guess by most people's calculations it fits the bill as a major city, but I get what you're asking I think. It doesn't have the big city vibrancy of say, Boston, Seattle or San Francisco. To some this is disappointing, while others find it refreshing and livable. Portland is very livable and doesn't grind on you too hard.

[EnricoV]

It's funny. I've visited all those cities ... but never lived anywhere but Portland. And maybe my opinion comes from the Portland that used to be. But I find being in downtown Portland has just as much of that "big city vibrancy" as any of them. What it isn't, is as big. At least, as San Francisco. Boston never felt that big, to me. And Seattle ... its downtown feels larger, but never has felt really vibrant to me. It always feels kind of dead once the business day is done.

But when I'm downtown watching a MAX train zip by, with Saks in the background ... I don't even feel like I'm in the Portland I used to know.

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by davemess10

Only if you hang out in trendy inner neighborhoods. My neighborhood is quite diverse, as are many of the middle-lower income areas.

Originally Posted by HonuMan

This gets debated all the time on this forum, and I take the opposing viewpoint. I moved here from a really big city, Atlanta, and there hasn't been anything I could find in Atlanta that I haven't been able to find in Portland. Compare that to certain smaller Southern cities I've visited where the choice of ethnic food was Mexican, Italian, Chinese, and perhaps Thai. As another poster put it, Portland has examples of just about everything (not just food), but fewer choices within each option than you'd find in a really big city. Some people bring up the ethnic-diversity (or lack thereof) issue. It's true that Portland is mostly white, but it's become noticeably more diverse in the 14 years I've been here. I've met people from all over the world here, and Portland is famous for its liberal attitudes. Again, I compare it with certain smaller Southern cities that were much more culturally homogeneous. In balance, I'd say that Portland feels to me like a small city -- but a city nonetheless, as opposed to a big small town.

I added the diversity thing in as an afterthought, but didn't elaborate on it because the race/diversity thing gets brought up so often in the Portland forum. Diversity is relative. Like I said, I grew up in a small town that was about 90% white. Portland metro is about 75% white with large immigrant populations of all races. Yes, inner city neighborhoods that are popular with transplants are very white. Get out to the suburbs and cheap, non-trendy areas to find ethnic diversity.

And it needs to be said that lack of diversity does not automatically equal racist. Portland's race problems are not as noticeable as big cities in the East. But compared to places like Sacramento, Los Angeles, Oakland, Houston, Dallas, Boston, etc., you're going to come up a little short on diversity. That's largely for historical/geographical reasons, and it is changing.


Unrelated, where Portland does seem to have a big city feel is in its social woes. Homelessness, poverty, drugs, but fortunately not crime. Safety perception in most places is not an issue. A couple of years ago I never felt unsafe on the MAX, even on the last train, but the last time I rode in the evening (last week) I felt threatened by youth who I, coincidentally, witnessed commiting returns fraud on stolen merchandise at the Fred Meyer downtown.