Understanding how Portland is set up will help you navigate to where you where you want to be. Let me take you on a brief orientation, and then we can dive into how to get from point A to point B.
Portland is, in general, set up in a grid with six sections. The Willamette River runs from the South to the North, and splits the city in half into the West side and the East side. Burnside Boulevard is one of the main arteries, and it further splits the city into North and South. So you have:
- NE (which is where the airport is located),
- SE (home to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry among other things),
- SW which is where downtown is located, and
- NW which is where you’ll find Powell’s bookstore.
The final two sections are:
- North Portland, north of the Willamette (once the river curves) and west of N. Williams Ave, and
- South Portland, which is between the Willamette River and Interstate 5, bordered by two bridges.
South Portland includes the Portland Aerial Tram (more on this in a moment) and was officially established in 2020 just to keep local folks on their toes. Actually, it was because addresses in this part of town traditionally started with a zero, which made navigating so challenging for mapping applications, Amazon deliveries, and emergency first responders that the city finally added it as an official sextant. Local Portland folks get pretty attached to the section that they spend the most time, and I can attest that SE Portland is the best. Of course, my frolleagues on the Local Assistance Committee might try to convince you otherwise depending on where they live.
Having a hard time visualizing the basic outline? To the left is a very rudimentary orientation, because that’s how well I draw. I hope it’s helpful, nonetheless.
The numbered streets (avenues) count from the Willamette River out on both sides, so you can figure out how many blocks you are from the river by the number of the avenue closest to you. This applies all the way out to the Portland suburbs going to the east and west of the river. Streets which run perpendicular to the numbered streets almost all have names, and in general, the streets north of Burnside are in alphabetical order. Local Hint: pronounce “Couch Street” as “Cooch” and you’ll sound like a local. If you notice streets that sound familiar from The Simpsons (hi there Flanders!) or the Ramona Quimby books (I’m looking at you, Klickitat and Quimby Streets) there’s a reason for that: Beverly Cleary and Matthew Groening both have ties to Portland.
Travel Portland has some good downloadable maps, and more explanation of the “quadrants” and features here.
The Portland skyline is punctuated along the Willamette River by bridges, and they are all different. Some of them are drawbridges, some are up high enough to let any ship go underneath (check out my favorite Instagram reel with a drawbridge up here), and the Steel Bridge claims to be the only double-deck bridge with independent lifts in the world and accommodates automobiles and MAX light rail on top, and freight trains, Amtrak, pedestrians and cyclists on the bottom. This is a lovely review of them, including pictures and the best ways to cross. For those who love a good photo opp, Portland bridges make a perfect backdrop, and I hope you venture out to Cathedral Park under the St. Johns Bridge for some stunning shots.
Let’s chat about how you can navigate RIP City. Trimet is the local public transit option, and it includes an effective fleet of city buses, the MAX Light Rail, and the Portland Streetcar. You can use the Trimet website or app to help plan your trip by putting in your current address and your destination, and it will tell you which mode of transportation to catch, how far you’ll need to walk, and when you’ll get there. Trimet uses a “Hop Fastpass” to pay the $2.80 fare, but you can also pay with your phone as long as you have a credit or debit card set up in your mobile wallet. Just tap the card or your phone before you get on a MAX train, or do it as you get on a bus, and you’re all set. As a bonus, you’ll never pay more than $5.60 in a day.
The Portland Aerial Tram is not covered by your Trimet fare, but it’s a fun ride from the South Waterfront up to Oregon Health and Science University. On a clear day, you can get great views of the city, as well as Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens. A single round trip fare is $8, and you need to hang on to your fare pass to get on for the return trip. Children aged 6 and younger ride free with a fare-paying adults. Fares can be purchased at the tram terminals at both the top and bottom. Keep in mind that a good number of Oregon Health & Science University employees use the tram to commute to work, so avoid rush hour if possible to have the best experience. And when you’re at the bottom, check out the bike valet parking, which might be the largest bike parking lot in North America.
Speaking of bikes, another way to explore Portland is to rent a Biketown bike and get peddling! The orange bikes are all over the place, including at the base of the tram. For a dollar plus thirty cents per minute, you can ride the loop around the Portland waterfront, or get quickly to another section of town. Lock up the bike at your destination and then move on to your next activity!
In a similar vein, Portland also has electric scooters for rent. If peddling is not your thing, look for and rent a Lime scooter for $1 to unlock and then $.35/minute to ride. Use of the lime scooters requires that you download the app to pay/unlock, but then you’re all set to get quickly from here to there. Oregon law does require that e-scooter riders wear a helmet, and you can either rent a helmet at Cycle Portland Bike Tours, or get a free helmet at the Travel Portland Visitor Center (1132 SW Harvey Milk St #104). If you decide to go with a scooter, ride it in the bike lane (and not on the sidewalk), and then park it if you’re switching to public transit, as you’re not allowed to bring them on buses, etc.
Failing all of that, or if you’re in a hurry, Uber and Lyft are both available, as are several local cab companies (Radio Cab, PDX Yellow Cab, and Metro Cab.)
