Portland’s slogan has always been “Keep Portland Weird.” Since the ‘90s, the city has lived by this slogan. It’s always been a little bit grunge and a little bit hippie. However, in the past 10 years, Portland, Oregon, has completed an impressive transformation. The art, music, and food scene are comparable to any major city in the United States, just on a smaller scale. 

Along with creative growth, the corporate job scene has grown exponentially over the past 10 years. While adidas, Nike, Intel, and Columbia Sportswear have called Portland home for years, other corporations have recently established headquarters here, breathing life into the financial sector. 

What makes Portland extra special is its access to the outdoors. Within 30 minutes, you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and land in the beautiful Pacific Northwest rainforest.

My name is Remy Lunceford, and I’m a Relocation Consultant in Portland, Oregon. I’ve called Portland home for the past 10 years, and am excited to share some of the city’s most unique spots.

Because of the boom in corporate business, the Portland housing market has become highly competitive. Portland proper provides many rental options and prices, however, the commute by car to Hillsboro can be upwards of 45-60 minutes with traffic. The Metropolitan Area Express (MAX), the above-ground train option, offers a direct commute to the area and takes 45 minutes each way. If you’re looking for more of a city vibe (rather than a suburban feel), Portland is the place to be. 

Although a lot of main attractions are in the Portland area, Beaverton and Hillsboro are starting to boom in regards to the dining and coffee scenes. Insomnia Coffee and Lionheart Coffee Company are both great places to work remotely. 

Outside of work, my favorite thing to do is explore the city’s restaurants and hiking trails. Allow me to guide you through the perfect itinerary for a day off.

Start by getting brunch at Broder, a popular Scandinavian restaurant. The original restaurant was in Southeast Portland’s Clinton neighborhood and is my favorite location. Their location in Beaverton is extra memorable because it’s located at the Scandinavian Culture Museum, which is a nice place to wander around if there’s a waitlist. 

After breakfast, go shopping on Hawthorne street. There are many local artists, jewelry-makers, and thrift stores to check out. If you like vintage furniture and clothing, be sure to browse through Artifact and Village Merchants. 

After a slow morning of yummy food and treasure hunting, hop in your car and head out to the Columbia River Gorge, where you have a ton of waterfall hikes to choose from. As Portland has grown in popularity, so has the infamous Multnomah Waterfall hike. Since you now need a day permit to see this waterfall, I suggest steering away from it and checking the other equally amazing waterfall hikes in the area. Bridal Veil Falls is an easy one-mile out-and-back trail that’s perfect for meandering. 

After a nice afternoon enjoying the outdoors, head back into town to grab a drink and catch a show. Kachka is a Russian restaurant in the inner southeast with a super fun, unique menu as well as great happy hour specials. Don’t miss the house-infused vodkas; the horseradish vodka is a cult favorite that’s totally worth a taste — don’t let the name scare you away!

After dinner, you are in the perfect area to check out some music. Hey Love is a super trendy bar with nightly music. The Lollipop Shop is a newly renovated music venue that hosts indie bands. If a sultry jazz bar is more your vibe, go to the Mississippi neighborhood and check out The 1905. 

Local music is the perfect way to end a day exploring Portland! After a good night of sleep, you’ll feel refreshed the next time you sign on for work.

After learning about some of Portland’s hot spots, you have a variety of places to explore once you’ve moved in and started working from the City of Roses. On behalf of the whole Relocity team, we can’t wait to help you settle into Portland. See you around!   

Relocity provides relocation services to enterprises moving talent to Portland, along with a growing list of cities in the U.S., Australia, Europe, and Asia. Powered by our AI-driven workforce mobility platform, we bring together local experts and personalized content to deliver an excellent relocation experience for your talent on the move. Learn more about our solutions here.