Why Portland?

Why Portland?

Biking

Portland has been called the best city in the country for biking, and with bike lanes galore, mild weather year-round, and a beautiful waterfront to ride along, it's no wonder. With all this encouragement, cyclists in Portland have gotten creative: not only does cycling provide an excellent form of transportation around here, it also has evolved into a medium of progressive politics and public service. Riders gather at least once every month to ride en masse through the streets of the city in an event called Critical Mass to show solidarity as a powerful alternative to an auto-society, and they have been known to gather force for the purpose of political protest. In addition, several bike co-ops have sprung up throughout the city in the past several years, devoted to providing used bikes at decent prices to members of the community, as well as to teaching bike maintenance and the economic and environmental benefits of becoming a commuter on two wheels.

Pub Theaters

Everyone knows that Oregon loves its microbrews and sipping a pint of local brew is one of Oregon's favorite pastimes, but Portlanders have taken this a step further, creating a recreational venue fondly called the pub theater; that is, a movie theater showing second-run, classic, or cult films for $2 or $3, where you can buy a pitcher of good locally brewed beer and a slice of pizza to enjoy while watching. The McMenamins brothers are largely to thank for this phenomenon, being the masterminds behind such popular spots as the Bagdad Theatre, the Mission Theatre, and the St. John's Pub, but unaffiliated establishments like the Laurelhurst Theatre and the Clinton Street Theater manage to edge in on the action as well.

Bridges

With a river running through the center of the city, Portland has one of the most interesting urban landscapes in the country, due in no small part to the several unique bridges that span the width of the Willamette River. Five of the city's 10 bridges are drawbridges, frequently raised to let barges go through, and there's something awe-inspiring and anachronistic in watching a portion of a city's traffic and hubbub stand still for several minutes as a slow-moving vessel floats through still water. Each bridge is beautiful and different: the St. John's Bridge has elegant 400-foot towers, the Broadway Bridge is a rich red hue, the arches of the huge two-level Fremont Bridge span the river gracefully, and the Steel Bridge has a pedestrian walkway just 30 feet above the water, allowing walkers and bikers to get a fabulous view of the river.