Walk Score places Portland as the 13th most walkable large city in the US. Most of its neighborhoods have walkable food cart pods, supermarkets, movie theaters, and cafes. 

Want to know which areas of Portland are best for a stroll? These are the top seven walkable neighborhoods in Portland.

1. Pearl District

Considered the most walkable neighborhood in Portland, Oregon, the Pearl District had been transformed into an urban neighborhood after being formerly occupied by railroad yards, industrial structures, and warehouses.

You might even want to offer your car up for sale if you live here, as residents in this neighborhood don’t usually use vehicles to run their daily errands. It’s a tiny place with lots of shops and restaurants on the corner.

And you don’t even have to worry once you get tired of strolling around – Pearl has excellent public transportation, with three buses and three light rail lines running through it.

2. Downtown

Even as the center of the city with a lot of activities to offer, residents in Portland’s Downtown usually walk around to do those things. For a quick overview, the downtown area has a thriving art scene and numerous historic buildings, museums, and monuments.

Downtown got 96 points from Walk Score and is dubbed as the 3rd most walkable neighborhood in Portland. That’s because everything you need is actually right around the corner, with about 451 restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. 

Besides the wide options of public transit, you can ride your bike to get to your desired location.

3. Northwest District

People in the Northwest District of Portland can go from one place to another on a bike. That’s how accessible the stores are in the area. 

Walking around is also another option. In fact, according to Walk Score, in just 5 minutes, you can walk to 20 restaurants, bars, and coffee shops.

As an alternative, you can always hop on to the available transit in the neighborhood. They have about six options for buses. 

Nevertheless, this neighborhood has a variety of attractions within walking distance, including shops, restaurants, a well-known ice cream chain, and an urban forest reserve.

4. Hollywood 

This Portland neighborhood is known for having all of your necessities within a few steps. Also, because it’s so small, you can easily walk through it in a few hours.

Additionally, despite its proximity to the freeway and the presence of two major thoroughfares, Hollywood is ideal not just for pedestrians but also for vehicles. 

It’s also a good thing that Hollywood’s a biker paradise. So there’s another option if you want to wander around without getting in a fuel-guzzler!

While Portland’s Hollywood isn’t packed with celebrities and throngs of tourists (unlike the famous Hollywood in California), it’s still a worthwhile place to visit for both visitors and locals alike.

5. Goose Hollow

The neighborhood of Goose Hollow was ranked as the 6th most walkable neighborhood in Portland by Walk Score and is actually a great place for fitness enthusiasts to walk and run. 

You can climb the stairs or walk the streets through the neighborhood and you’ll be in some of Portland’s most beautiful areas in minutes.

You should know that Goose Hollow combines the best features of a city’s downtown district and a well-established historic residential neighborhood. Actually, it’s one of Portland’s old neighborhoods.

The best parts of this Portland neighborhood are the residential areas but it is certainly not lacking in attractions, restaurants, or things to do. 

6. Boise

Boise has the weird vibe of Portland. However, the streets in the neighborhood are still lined with beautiful trees and well-maintained sidewalks, creating a picturesque setting for your stroll.

Speaking of that, it is not necessary to use a vehicle when you go around the area. It’s actually a walkable neighborhood and has good public transportation.

However, you might want to consider moving around on foot since the streets are always congested with bike and bus traffic. 

7. Sunnyside

Sunnyside residents can enjoy a variety of local coffee shops, boutiques, markets, and other specialty stores that are all within walking distance of anywhere in the neighborhood. 

For their nature fix, people can literally walk to Mt. Tabor Park since it is close to the area where they can do some hiking.

While walking is ideal in this neighborhood, unfortunately, their public transportation isn’t as great. You may want to keep your soles solid when in this neighborhood.

Sunnyside is actually made up of two smaller neighborhoods: Belmont and Hawthorne. Belmont is known for its hipster vibe, whereas Hawthorne is known for its vintage stores.

Want to find more walkable neighborhoods in Portland and see the amenities they offer? Flip through our collection of informative articles to explore other options.