Walking Portland Neighborhoods – A Look Into The Walk Ability Of Our City

“Walking Portland,” from author Becky Ohlsen and Wilderness Press, sounds like it could be a nature guide, but it’s far from it.

Rather, it’s mostly a book for the hip young urban dweller or visitor, who prefers a day of walking in Portland neighborhoods over scouting for a parking spot.

Yes, the book gets the reader onto trails in Washington and Forest parks, but most of the walking is on city sidewalks. Which is OK, because Ohlsen first defines and then covers 30 neighborhoods in detail, all within the city.

The book is more about walking to restaurants, brewpubs, coffee shops and entertainment parlors than about strolling in green parks and gardens. But because most of Portland’s neighborhoods have all of the above, the author deftly ties it all together into appealing walks while adding a dash of hidden gems and quirky shops to explore along the way.

The 200-page book ($18.95) is replete with walker-friendly maps, plus information on using public transportation to reach a starting point. Each walk has a detailed description, plus a condensed turn-by-turn listing to keep a walker on route.

Suburbanites and visitors from out of town will benefit big time by using the book, but so will residents. Who, after all, knows 30 neighborhoods as well as Ohlsen after all the pavement pounding she put in?

If you are thinking about buying a Portland home in a neighborhood that you don’t know that well, use this guide to really explore the neighborhood before you decide on where to lay down roots.  Get a feel for the life and the vibe of the streets.

If you want a guided tour, we’d be happy to take you on one.  We know the city pretty well!