Portland, Oregon, has often been called the big city with the small town feel. Its mild weather, breathtaking scenery, exciting location and friendly people have all contributed to its appearance on numerous ?Best Of? lists, including Online Insider?s ?Top 10 Least Expensive Cities?, Money Magazine?s ?Top 10 Places to Vacation? and ?Top 10 Best Places to Live?, and American Style Magazine?s ?Top 25 Arts Destinations?.

Location

Nestled between the beautiful Coast Range on the west and the spectacular Cascade Range on the east, Portland sits at the junction of the Columbia and Willamette rivers. From downtown Portland, it?s just a 90 minute drive to the scenic Oregon coast, an hour-and-a-half to Mt. Hood and some of the best skiing in the country, a half-an-hour to the peaceful vineyards and farms of the fertile Willamette Valley, and less than three hours to a Mariner?s game in Seattle.

Population

With an ethnically diverse population of almost 2 million, Portland is the 28th largest metropolitan area in the country, the fourth largest city on the West Coast, and the largest city in the state. It includes six counties spread over 5000 square miles.

History

In 1806, Lewis and Clark discovered the land that would later become the city of Portland. Asa Lovejoy, a native of Massachusetts, and Francis Pettygrove, a native of Maine, founded the city in 1851. Lovejoy wanted to name this city after his beloved Boston, but Pettygrove wanted to name it after his hometown of Portland. A coin toss settled the dispute, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Weather

Sheltered by two mountain ranges, Portland enjoys mild weather all year long, rarely experiencing the severe weather extremes common to much of the rest of the country.

However, that doesn?t mean that Portland doesn?t have seasons. July and August are warm and dry, with average high temperatures in the upper 70?s and lower 80?s. The occasional winter snowstorm blankets the city in a few inches of snow that stay around long enough to be enjoyed but rarely long enough to annoy. In the fall, the many deciduous trees around the city put on a colorful show to delight the eye. And spring blossoms prove that Portland truly is the ?City of Roses.?

North Portland

North Portland is home to many neighborhoods, including St. John?s, Overlook, and Jantzen Beach. The St. John?s neighborhood is named for the St. John?s Bridge. This gothic style bridge was built by Dr. D.B. Steinman in the early 1930?s, and was, according to Dr. Steinman, ?the most beautiful bridge in the world.? The Overlook neighborhood is so named for the bluff overlooking the Willamette River. This area of gracious residences is home to the University of Portland. On the banks of the Columbia River, the Jantzen Beach neighborhood includes Delta Park, Portland International Raceway, and Jantzen Beach SuperCenter.