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Southwest Portland
Southwest Portland offers the perfect mix of picturesque neighborhoods and bustling retail districts.
Downtown Portland is one of the most visited areas in Southwest Portland. MAX Light Rail travels through the heart of downtown, stopping within blocks of restaurants, shops and entertainment venues.
A renewed interest in urban living has also made Southwest Portland the site of several new condominium projects.
Climate
Average low: 34 degrees (Nov-Mar)
Average high: 80 degrees (June-Sept)
Annual precipitation: 37 inches
Size in square miles: 130 square miles
Demographics
Population
All of Portland: 800,000
Neighborhoods
There are a total of 16 neighborhoods in Southwest Portland:
Arnold Creek
Ashcreek
Bridlemile
Collins View
Crestwood
Far Southwest
Hayhurst
Hillsdale
Homestead
Maplewood
Markham
Marshall Park
Multnomah
Raleigh Hills
South Burlingame
West Portland Park
Southwest Neighborhoods is a non-profit coalition with representatives from each neighborhood association and three business associations.
Downtown Portland also makes up a significant portion of Southwest Portland. Although downtown is best known for shopping, dining and entertainment, there has been explosive residential growth in the area. New condominiums are popping up throughout downtown to meet the demand for urban living.
Multnomah Village is another neighborhood that combines residential and retail districts. It is home to small cottages, new townhouses and a retail core with more than 100 different shops and services that makes Multnomah Village feel like a small town unto itself.
Industry & Employers
The hustle and bustle in downtown Portland is a testament to its role as the economic heartbeat of Oregon. Oregon Health and Sciences University, Providence Health System, and Safeway are just a few of the major employers located in Southwest Portland.
Transportation
Portland is known for its transportation innovations. MAX Light Rail runs through the center of downtown Portland, linking it from Hillsboro to the Portland International Airport and all points in between.
Tri-Met also offers regular bus service throughout Portland and its suburbs including Beaverton, Tigard, Lake Oswego and Gresham.
The Portland Streetcar was designed to link Southwest Portland to Northwest Portland. Service started in 2001 and has grown to include 42 stops along the 7-mile loop.
The other popular transportation option in Southwest Portland is Zipcar, a car-sharing program that allows members to borrow cars from designated pick-up areas throughout Portland as an alternative to the high cost of car ownership.
Schools
Portland Public Schools operates a total of eight elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools in Southwest Portland.
There are also several private schools and continuing education classes in Southwest Portland.
Portland State University (PSU) serves more than 24,000 students who are enrolled in a range of undergraduate and graduate courses at the 49-acre campus in downtown Portland.
Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) includes a medical school and several research departments including the Neurological Sciences Institute, Oregon National Primate Research Center and the Oregon Graduate Institute School of Science and Engineering.
Parks and Outdoor Recreation
There are dozens of parks and recreation facilities in Southwest Portland. Neighborhood parks like Burlingame Park, Gabriel Park and Marshall Park offer picnic areas, walking trails, playground equipment and sports fields.
Portland Parks and Recreation also maintains several nature parks in Southwest Portland including Marquam Nature Park, a 175-acre recreation area with hiking trails that wind through the woods where there are an abundance of native plant species.
Southwest Portland is also the site of the International Rose Test Garden, the Japanese Garden and Hoyt Arboretum.
The International Rose Test Garden is the largest garden of its kind in the United States. It contains more than 10,000 roses and offers stunning views of downtown Portland and Mount Hood.
The Japanese Garden is hailed as the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan. It offers a tranquil setting to view distinct Japanese gardening styles like natural garden, sand and stone garden and flat garden.
Hoyt Arboretum is a living museum of trees and plants. Its 187-acre site on the outskirts of downtown Portland has more than 1,000 plant species from around the world and a total of 12 miles of hiking trails.
Arts and Entertainment
Southwest Portland is the cultural hub of Oregon. It is home to the Portland Art Museum, which just completed a $125 million renovation and the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and Keller Auditorium where world-class performers and local actors take the stage.
Special events like the Singing Christmas Tree and the Nutcracker are performed downtown Portland alongside performances by the Oregon Symphony and Oregon Ballet Theatre.
Festivals and Events
Pioneer Courthouse Square is in the heart of downtown Portland. It is a popular gathering spot that hosts special events and is regarded as one of the best places for people watching, hence its nickname, “Portland’s Living Room.”
Annual events at Pioneer Courthouse Square include a summer concert series called Noon Tunes and Flicks on the Bricks, a series of movies shown at dusk throughout the summer.
The Portland Farmers Market runs from April through December on the South Park Blocks. There are more than 220 vendors selling regional produce, gourmet foods, organic beef and fresh flowers as well as cooking demonstrations and live entertainment.
One of the most popular annual events in Portland is the Rose Festival. The highlight of the June event is the Grand Floral Parade, one of the top 5 parades in the nation complete with marching bands, colorful floats and decorated equestrian units. Other favorite Rose Festival activities include Waterfront Village and Fleet Week.
Shopping and Dining
Southwest Portland is second-to-none for shopping and dining. Upscale retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom are perennial favorites and the multi-level Pioneer Place has national retailers as well as a movie theater and great restaurants.
There are also hundreds of boutiques and specialty stores scattered throughout downtown Portland including The Real Mother Goose, Columbia Sportswear and Williams Sonoma.
Local artists can be found at the Portland Saturday Market, the largest open air craft market in North America. An international food court and live performances add to the festive air of the market which runs from March to December.
Award-winning chefs cook up gourmet dishes from around the world at restaurants throughout Southwest Portland. Local favorites include Mama Mia Trattoria, Dragonfish Asian Café and El Gaucho. Tea at the Heathman Hotel is a perennial favorite during December.
Activities for Children
Kids love spending time in Southwest Portland whether it’s splashing in the Ira Keller Forecourt Fountain during the summer or admiring the giant Christmas tree at Pioneer Courthouse Square in the winter.
Southwest Portland is also home to the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Children’s Museum and PGE Park.
Pet Central
Pets give two paws up to Southwest Portland where there are dozens of off-leash parks like Council Crest Park and Willamette Park and miles of walking trails, including paved trails that run along the Willamette River at Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
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