I’ve lived in Portland Oregon now for about 15 years. I moved with my parents from Santa Rosa California when my mother’s job changed. I really didn’t want to leave the only place I had ever known, but once I got used to Portland, it wasn’t too bad. The biggest difference is the weather. California is sunny and hot while Oregon is mostly rainy and cold. The summer in California is extremely hot and the winter months in Oregon are very wet. Moving to Oregon from California is a wise decision.

Moving out of state to Portland provides many fun things to do. The town is very multicultural so there are a ton of little restaurants to try out. I’m a big fan of Asian food and Portland does not disappoint. Thai food is probably my favorite and Portland seems to have a Thai food restaurant on every corner. The food is very authentic and tastes amazing, for a reasonable price. I also love Indian food and while there are not as many Indian food joints as Thai food, they are still amazing. You can also find a wide assortment of ethnicities represented with restaurants, such as Ethiopian, German, Chinese, Mexican and Middle Eastern.

Portland is a very green city. There are trees everywhere and it’s very beautiful. If you are an outdoors type of person you would really enjoy Portland. There are more hiking trails and parks then you can count. With several parks and forests, there is no shortage of places to get away from the noisy sites and sounds of the city. Portland is also very bike and pet friendly. Many people bike to their jobs and around town. There are many bike paths available. You can also take your dog to one of the many dog parks to socialize with other animals. I’ve even been to some businesses that allow their employees to bring their animals to work. I was surprised to be sitting at a desk and see a dog walk by.

Portland has a great night life as well. There are many fancy clubs with great music. There are many unique clubs including an old remodeled church, a club that drops water from the ceiling when its warm and clubs that are underground.

Another amazing thing about Portland are it’s bars. Beer is big in Portland and there are over 1000 brands of beer bottled in and around town. There are also more bars then I can count. It’s very easy to get a taxi or ride the MAX (train type transportation) and go bar hopping around town. The people are friendly and the beer is plentiful.

If all of this wasn’t enough for you, Portland has an NBA team and a huge stadium called the Rose Garden. If you are not into sports, they also hold many concerts and other events there. The MAX stops right outside and it’s easily accessible. There are shows there almost once a week when the basketball season is not going on.

Next time you are thinking of visiting the North West, check out Portland and you will not regret it. Stay a few nights and get a feel for the town and enjoy all the activities it has to offer.

Paul Petersen