House Or Rental
Portland is divided into quadrants (streets are labeled NE, SE, NW, SW). Here are some tips for picking where to stay! In order of preference: - NE: We are partial to our hood! Anywhere along or between Mississippi Ave and Williams Ave would give you access to adorable shops, artsy galleries, excellent restaurants. Alberta Arts District is also super quaint. The area near Opal 28 (where we're hosting dinner) is cute, and they have accommodations (unless they're sold out). Apart from that, the NE can get pretty suburby, so don't stray too far. - SE: The most hipstery Portlandy quadrant! Funky bars, music venues, quirky shops, etc. Belmont and Hawthorne are the biggest bustling streets. - NW: Pearl District is where the swanky high-rises are, walkable to downtown. A place close to Forest Park might be a bit remote but beautiful if you plan on hiking a lot and have a car. - SW: Where downtown is. Not as livable but convenient.
Rental Car
RENT A CAR? Parking is generally a breeze (except downtown perhaps) and it's easy to drive in the city, so renting a car might suit you better if you prefer the flexibility or if you're planning to take a longer trip out of the city. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you drive, please note it's illegal to fill your own gas in Oregon - an attendant will do it for you. DON'T RENT A CAR? Portland is not large, so Uber/Lyft-ing from place to place is generally affordable and convenient. The city is pretty well-connected via public transport as well. We didn't rent a car when we first visited, walked a lot, and took some buses - it went well!
Flight
The PDX airport is a 20-30 minute drive from the city. It usually costs us $25-35 to Uber/Lyft from there.