Portland is indeed an expensive place to live, but you don’t have to be rich to enjoy life here. The number one tip for making friends as a new Portlander is to get outside and engage with the people at your local parks. Sanelo has provided a great guide on moving to Portland Oregon.
Portland is known far and wide as having some of the best parks in the world, and they are just waiting to be explored. There is a park within walking distance of every place in the city, meaning there is more park than you could ever visit in one lifetime.
One of the most popular parks among Portlanders is Washington Park. This exceptional park has a rich cultural heritage and is home to the most stunning Japanese Garden. There are tennis courts, an archery range, baseball diamonds, and miles of gorgeous hiking trails.
Another popular Portland park is Forest Park, which offers some fantastic views of Mt. Hood. This lush green space has over 50 miles of trails for mountain bikers and hikers alike and several ponds full of ducks, swans, and salmon. There is even a bird sanctuary with more than 250 species of birds calling this incredible park home.
The area surrounding Portland has several other parks that are just as beautiful as the parks mentioned above. The Springwater Corridor is a fantastic water trail that winds through the entire town. This trail is mainly used by bikers, walkers, and runners, but it is also open to horses and people walking dogs.
There are also several unique nature trails in the surrounding area, such as the one at Mt. Tabor Park, which has some stunning views of Downtown Portland and Mt. Hood. These little-known trails have some rare trees and plants, including more than 20 species of native huckleberries that you can only find here in Portland.
Additionally, many other parks in the city are unique to different cultural groups. Asian Gardens, located on the east side of Downtown Portland, is a beautiful park surrounded by beautiful homes. This area is home to several beautiful Buddhist temples, and there is even a Japanese-style garden that people from Japan have just redone. The park was designed specifically for Japanese families to enjoy.
There are also some fantastic parks representing different nationalities and ethnicities, such as Lents Park, which was designed with the help of Vietnamese families. Vietnamese Americans raised money for this park to enjoy the beauty of nature and culture and have some fun with their families.