Portland is touted by some as the best big city in the country and with its willingness to reinvent and improve itself, it's not hard to see why. The region's natural beauty provides a stunning backdrop to the city's trendy, renovated neighborhoods. The city's laid-back charm is infectious. The friendly people are an unpretentious bunch even while they are striving to become one of the greenest and most pleasant cities in the country.

That's not to say, however, that the city residents don't know how to get things done, they just have a great appreciation for balance. Portland provides a great atmosphere for the young and ambitious looking for an active business environment. The city's population is not known for staying indoors as a weekend jog through any of the city's many parks will quickly show. With more brewpubs than burger joints and a myriad of restaurants and eateries, Portlanders know how to live, work and eat.

Portland also offers excellent higher education institutions. Portland State University seeks to "enhance recognition of the value of higher education by continually strengthening the metropolitan environment and utilizing that strength for its own growth toward standards of excellence in accessible high-quality research, teaching and outreach programs." PSU sums up that vision with the motto, "Let knowledge serve the city," an ideal the school seeks to embody in the education of its 24,000 students. The Oregon Health and Science University is the only health and research university in Oregon and seeks to improve the well-being of people in the state and beyond by bringing together education, research, patient care and community service. OHSU includes a major medical school and provides a variety of opportunities for adult learners. The University of Portland was founded in 1901 and today is ranked as one of the top schools in the West and offers a traditional education centered on values. These and many other fine institutions provide a host of opportunities in the Portland region.

NEIGHBORHOODS

Here is a brief overview of some of Portland's most charming neighborhoods:

Old Town
While it may no longer be quite as undisputed as it was in the 1890s, Old Town still provides a focal point for Portland with a variety of restaurants, shops and galleries. Unlike some of Portland's other neighborhoods, it has never submitted to stratification, and homeless shelters coexist peacefully with the neighborhood's chic attractions. Union Station's marble walls and expansive design mark it as one of Portland's landmarks in Old Town. The Portland Saturday Market (open Sunday as well) is the nation's largest open-air crafts market. The Market's vendors are proud of having goods displayed and sold by the people who made them.

Chinatown
Walking from Old Town to neighboring Chinatown provides delightful contrasts. Explore the array of Chinese restaurants, Asian groceries and extensive gift shops. Stop into the Classical Chinese Garden, the largest of its type outside China itself. The garden provides an oasis of peace and serenity within the urban environment and is a demonstration of Portland's cooperation with its sister city, Suzhou.

The Pearl District
Trendy galleries, shops and restaurants now stand in what used to be the old warehouse and light industrial area of Portland. Creative and fusion cuisine can be smelled wafting through the streets as curious or dedicated shoppers explore the abundance of antiques, furniture, clothing and more. The Pearl offers more than 100 shops, restaurants and galleries and has become the premier shopping destination in the city with people flocking there year-round, seven days a week.

Hawthorne District
To find Portland at its funkiest, wander through the Hawthorne District and sample its fantastic brewpubs, ethnic restaurants, delis and bookstores while you discuss politics with some of the city's most progressive members. They come to discuss, to debate and to be. The streets are crowded with everyone from buskers to the neighborhood. Nowhere else in the city will you find such an eclectic or existential mix.

East Side
Portland's legendary greenness can be witnessed throughout the East Side in its many parks and gardens. Mount Tabor Park has the unique claim of being an extinct volcano as well as a city park. Other landmarks include Laurelhurst Park, the Crystal Springs Lake and the Grotto. The Streamside Leach Botanical Garden maintains an impressive collection of rare plants.

ATTRACTIONS

And here are just a few of the fascinating things to do in Portland:

International Rose Test Garden
Portland is home to three public rose gardens, but it is primarily the largest and oldest of these that gives Portland its nickname, "City of Roses." This garden provides a testing ground for the American Rose Society and All-American Rose selections with more than 400 types of roses including a number of old and rare ones.

Kennedy School
No one in Portland likes to see a building abandoned and unused, and apparently former school buildings are no exception. McMenamins renovated the former Kennedy School into a bed and breakfast. Classrooms now serve as guest rooms (with the chalkboards still on the walls). The website quips that guests are now welcome to fall asleep in school as long as no one tells the principal about the brewery. With a restaurant, several bars, a movie theater and a pool, this makes a great stop even if you don't need to stay for the night.

Powell's Books
Even if you are not an avid book lover, you'll want to take a look at Powell's Books, the largest independent bookstore in the nation. It has store locations throughout the Portland area as well as a thriving "dot-com" business. The store's success was built on a strategy of having knowledgeable employees who were booklovers. The physical stores were arranged with the unique idea of having new and used, paper and hardback books all on the same shelf. This innovative concept drove growth. Another interesting fact: the stores are open 365 days a year.

Portland Building
Architect Michael Graves designed the city's most well-known downtown building, which was noted as the first major building in the postmodern style. The building is crowned by city patron, Portlandia. The Goddess of Commerce stands proudly as the second largest hammered copper statue in the world, following only the Statue of Liberty.

Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Formerly serving the city as a freeway, this two-mile stretch of road was torn apart and replaced with grassy park, bubbling fountains and cheerful times. In classic Portland style, an area that once saw frustrated commuters sitting still now sees an assortment of joggers, walkers, skaters and other outdoor folk moving right along. Visitors should be sure to stop by the Salmon Springs Fountain. It changes its displays based on the activity level of the city (pre-programmed of course). Another worthwhile stop is the Japanese American Historical Plaza, a memorial created for those Japanese Americans who were interred by the U.S. government during WWII.

Sources:
( http://www.lonelyplanet.com )

( http://www.travelportland.com )