Apartments for Rent in Portland, OR
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Renter's guide to Portland, OR

Known as “PDX” by the locals, Portland contains all of the modern amenities that a big city is expected to offer while still retaining the flowery look and charm of a small town. Located in the northernmost portion of the Willamette Valley (a 150-mile stretch of Oregon lowlands), Portland is surrounded by lush nature on all sides – the Columbia River and Willamette River work together to form two natural borders in the north and south, and the city is flanked with hilly trails that are perfect for long outdoor hikes. On a clear day, the beautiful rising slopes of Mount Hood are visible in the horizon.

Portland is the largest city in Oregon, nearly twice as large as Seattle. For music lovers, Portland is only 173 miles south of Seattle, WA. For those with an interest in Native American history, Portland is 351 miles southwest of Spokane, WA, and if you ever want to visit another equally forward-thinking city, then Portland is 636 miles north of San Francisco, which is about a 10-hour drive.

Portland’s climate is misty – rain is frequent, but also usually light and manageable. The weather in Portland is split into four distinctly moderate seasons. Summer (June-August) averages 85 F with warmer days that usually dip into the high 60s at night. Spring (March-May) averages 52 F and can be mostly cloudy with a fair amount of rain. Autumn (September-November) averages 55 F and has mild temperatures with many sunny days. Winters (December-February) do not tend to get cold until around mid-November. They are rainy with occasional snow, averaging 41 F.

Tips for renting in Portland, OR

Things to do in Portland, OR

Aside from having some of the best food on the entire West Coast (exquisite Peruvian food at the Andina Restaurant, New American dishes with an Asian touch at Portland City Grill, and downhome dining at the Tin Shed, for example), living here is all about visiting the most beautiful places in Portland. For starters, the Portland Forest Park is 5 thousand acres of woodsy trails perfect for hikes, bike rides, and observing nature. The Portland Japanese Garden is another top attraction in Portland with a stunning strolling pond garden, a tea garden, and a sand and stone garden. And then there’s the magnificent International Rose Test Garden in Portland’s Washington Park that features 7,000 gorgeous rose bushes. Entrance is free and open to the public from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. No wonder Portland is called the City of Roses!

If you want to do some shopping in Portland, go downtown! Nicknamed “Portland’s living room”, the Pioneer Square (Portland Mall) offers 40 thousand square feet of premiere shopping, as well as some of the best free things to do in Portland such as mini-festivals, public art shows, and lots of flower shows.

As for sports, the Portland Timbers are a Major League Soccer team who plays at the Providence Park, and the Portland Trailblazers basketball team is currently in renegotiation with their contracts.