The Pearl District The polished one
Northwest / downtown edge · Free
Photo: Arie Roskott
Why it made the list: Old warehouses and rail yards turned into art galleries, design shops, breweries and lofts, anchored by the flagship Powell's City of Books. It's Portland's most upscale, walkable district, and the First Thursday art walk is a scene.
Alberta Arts District The creative one
Northeast · Free
Photo: Karina Miller
Why it made the list: A colorful NE strip of murals, galleries, indie shops, carts and some of the city's best casual restaurants. The monthly Last Thursday street fair turns it into a free-wheeling art party, but it's a great wander any day.
Hawthorne District The funky one
Southeast · Free
Photo: Katja Wegner
Why it made the list: Classic old-Portland weird: a SE strip of vintage shops, record stores, the historic Bagdad Theater and dive-y pubs, with a laid-back, tie-dye-and-flannel soul. It's the neighborhood that best keeps the 'Keep Portland Weird' spirit.
Mississippi Avenue The hip one
North Portland · Free
Photo: Tiffany Johnson
Why it made the list: A compact, buzzy North Portland strip packed with a cart pod, breweries, music venues, boutiques and destination restaurants in colorful old houses. It's one of the city's most enjoyable few blocks.
Downtown & Old Town The center
Downtown · Free
Photo: Norman Erickson
Why it made the list: The compact, very walkable core, from the fountains and food carts of downtown to Old Town's Chinatown gate, the weekend Saturday Market and the riverfront park. It ties the whole city together.
⭐ Bonus Pick: Division/Clinton & St. Johns
Two more worth a wander: the SE Division and Clinton streets corridor is one of Portland's best restaurant rows, and the far-north St. Johns neighborhood pairs a small-town main street with the soaring Gothic St. Johns Bridge and Cathedral Park below it.
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