Northwest

Understand

Just to the north of Downtown is Old Town, which is where Portland was first settled and which has some historic buildings and is a nightlife center, but also contains a fair amount of social services for homeless and mentally ill. The neighborhood also holds the remnants of Chinatown which, despite a lovely archway entry at Burnside and 4th Avenue and some Chinese-inspired street decorations, is rather desolate and may prove a disappointment for visitors expecting the bustle of San Francisco's or New York City's Chinatown.

Just to the northwest of Downtown is the Pearl District, a very hip and trendy neighborhood on the streetcar line which was not long ago derelict warehouses and empty industrial space. The economic success of the Pearl has made it a frequently cited urban planning model, and it is an excellent place to hang out and people watch, eat in fine restaurants, and visit the famous Powell's Bookstore. Perhaps the best spot to people watch is Jamison Square, a city park at the heart of the Pearl that includes a popular fountain which fills a pool during the summer months that's popular with little kids. For a slightly more quiet retreat, Tanner Springs Park is just a couple of blocks north and built to resemble a piece of reclaimed wetland, with tall grasses and a nice pond. On the First Thursday of every month, all art galleries in the Pearl district open their doors for casual viewing, and many serve wine and cheese.

To the north of the Pearl, at the northern end of the streetcar line is the Northwest District, also known as Nob Hill or the Alphabet District, and also on the trendy side and with a variety of retail shops, bars, and restaurants along with plenty of lovely Victorians and tree-lined streets. West of this is the West Hills, where the well-to-do of Portland have traditionally lived. Because of the geography, the streets in the West Hills are a bit of a maze, but they still make for an interesting trek; you'll find lavish mansions, ornate public staircases, and good views of Downtown. Along the Willamette River and U.S. Highway 30 is the Northwest Industrial district.

Get in and around

By train

See Portland (Oregon)#Get around for getting in from elsewhere in the city.

Public transit

The southern portion of this district is just across Burnside St from Downtown. Streetcars go from downtown and nearby parts of Eastside to the Pearl District and Old Town, running along NW 10th and 11th Avenues, Lovejoy Street and Northrop Street.

There are MAX lines serving the Old Town from many locations Eastside; the Orange line from the southern Eastside near the Willamette River (via Downtown), Yellow line from the Expo Center in North Porland, Red Line from the airport, Blue Line from Gresham and Hillsboro, Green Line from Clackamas Town Center, and the three latter from locations along Banfield Freeway. The Blue and Red Lines stop at NW 1st and Davis in Old Town and at Providence Park at 18th and Morrison. The Green, Yellow and Orange Lines stop at Union Station, 6th and Davis and 5th and Couch.

Locations further north and west can be reached by bus (network map).

By car

The two main arteries in Northwest Portland are Interstate 405 and U.S. Route 30 . The 405 and 30 connect northwest to northeast Portland and Interstate 5 over the Fremont Bridge. The 405 continues into Southwest Portland and another connection with I-5, while the 30 continues west to St. Helens and Astoria. Besides the Fremont, other crossings of the Willamette in Northwest Portland are the St. Johns, Broadway, Steel and Burnside Bridges.