A huge part of Portland’s Northwest Heights is purely residential, but that doesn’t mean the neighborhood is shy of offerings to visitors. In fact, it houses some of the city’s delicious restaurants, most beautiful architecture, and wooded parks! 

Anyway, it’s probably better to show you what we mean by taking you through our favorite places to go when we’re in the area. Here are a dozen things we recommend you do when in Northwest Heights!

1. Get a bite of the famous burger at Heroes Cafe

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A visit to Northwest Heights would be incomplete without trying out the delicious burgers at Heroes Cafe. In fact, it has been a tradition of some of the staff members here at Rip City Review to drop by there if they’re in the neighborhood. 

They have a decent number of options, all of which are delicious. We know because we’ve tried them all! 

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Anyway, aside from their mouthwatering burgers, they also serve sandwiches, burritos, salads, and more, so make sure to try those out as well!

2. Hike at the Boulder Creek Trail

The Boulder Creek Natural Area is one of the less famous trail spots in Portland. Don’t be fooled, though – it’s still very much worth a visit. 

That said, it’s more remote than most of the popular alternatives and doesn’t have as many stunning viewpoints as the others. Despite that, exploring this trail is still thrilling because it has a rich population of wildlife and nature sights that will take your breath away. 

3. Explore the Forest Heights City Park

Not to be confused with Forest Park, Forest Heights City Park is a small area in the neighborhood surrounded with lush trees over a grassy slope. It’s a really nice place to while away some time when the weather’s nice.

Most people who go to this spot bring their kids to the playground and the play area. Oh, and there’s a small plaza if you suddenly need shelter from the rain. 

4. See the views at the Valley View Park

Valley View Park is a lovely, tranquil spot in the Northwest Heights neighborhood.

 It’s not known for its amenities, but it has stunning views of the neighborhood, so it’s a great place to bring your camera. You’ll see beautiful houses surrounded by lush trees! 

Every now and then, we’ve even spotted wildlife here, with deer being one of the most common sightings. 

5. Try out the Skyline restaurant

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For some good ‘ol American food, Skyline Restaurant offers delicious, filling meals that are certain to satisfy your cravings. 

Their most popular items in their menu are milkshakes and burgers. After getting a taste, we knew exactly why. 

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Being around for three generations, this place has become well-known among locals. Don’t be surprised if it seems like most of the customers know each other when you visit.

6. Experience experimental drinks at Jim & Patty’s Coffee

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Sip on some freshly roasted coffee here at Jim & Patty’s Coffee when you start needing a shot of energy. They have numerous drink options, so it’s easy to find one that would match your taste. 

They have the classic ones like lattes and espresso. However, they also have more unique and experimental drinks like mocha borgia (mocha with fresh orange), the elvis (peanut butter mocha banana freeze), and habanero mocha (mocha with Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, and habanero sauce). 

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Oh, and think that their coffee is not the only thing worth boasting about. Their pastries and breakfast menu are also sooo good!

7. Take a rest at Mill Pond Park

This park in Northwest Heights stretches over 8 acres. It has several exciting features such as lawns for recreational activities, picnic spots, amphitheater (used mostly for summer concerts!), and restrooms. 

People often come here to take a walk or jog. The paved path is perfect for that, along with the fitness stations. 

Our favorite thing about Mill Pond Park, however, is the peaceful pond that is home to plenty of wildlife and indigenous plants. So, we usually come here to just relax and take photographs of nature.

8. Get unique photos of the city with Oregon Aerial Photography

If you want the perfect photo of Portland from up above, hiring the talented photographers at Oregon Aerial Photography will do the trick. 

The people behind this commercial business are both pilots and photographers. Being in these two fields gave birth to their love for aerial photography.  

There are a lot of factors that come into aerial photography like helicopter fuel costs, light conditions, and such so it could get pricey. Moreover, it’s highly weather-dependent, so planning might get tricky. 

However, the photographers are professionals, so the people here are the perfect ones to approach if you need to plan aerial photography in the Oregon area. 

9. Get pampered at Luxury Nails & Foot Massage

If you’re itching to get your nails done, Luxury Nails & Foot Massage has top-notch service and well-trained nail techs. 

They have tons of manicure options to choose from like basic manicure, collagen manicure, and even herbal manicure! You can also get pink & white full sets, tap gel full sets, and so on. 

As you can tell from their name, nails aren’t the only thing they can do. You can also get massages (with hot stones or oil) and waxes. 

10. Grab some food at Pizzicato Pizza

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Introducing the best pizza place in the neighborhood! Pizzicato Pizza serves a lot of classic and more intricate flavors that are best welcomed with an empty stomach. 

From their numerous options, margherita and caesar are the showstoppers. However, some of the staff at Rip City Review would argue that the Canadian bacon & pineapple pizza also earned a spot. 

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Anyway, we’re also obsessed with their paninis. They all come with a salad or chips! Moreover, they also have veggie options, so people with dietary restrictions would also enjoy this pizza place.