Arlington Heights Neighborhood in Portland, Oregon

======>>> <<<=======
As soon as you enter the curvy roads leading up to this SW Portland neighborhood, you are inundated with shade from the overgrowth of Forest Park's trees. You would think that the neighborhood was a secret getaway for urbanites to hide among Douglas Fir trees and an endless amount of hiking trails just above downtown, but this neighborhood is actually one of Portland's biggest tourist destinations. Located in the southwest section of Portland, Arlington Heights is bordered by the Northwest Heights, Goose Hollow, Hillside, Sylvan Highlands and Northwest neighborhoods. Each of these neighborhoods offer a little something different to the Portland flavor, with their own distinct and quirky traits. Each of the neighborhoods has at least something right when it comes to their location, as they are all within a close proximity to Washington Park. But Arlington Heights has a slight advantage to these other neighborhoods, as it is located within Washington Park next door to attractions such as Washington Park's International Rose Test Gardens, Hoyt Arboretum, the Portland Japanese Garden and the Oregon Zoo just to name a few. Arlington Heights locals have the opportunity to be in the middle of some of the most beautiful places that the city has to offer.

Putting Portland into words

In honor of Portland born journalist John Reed, there is a bench in the park engraved with one of Reeds quotes that says, “Portlanders understand and appreciate how differently beautiful is this part of the world—the white city against the deep evergreen of the hills, the snow mountains to the east, the everchanging river and its boat life—and the grays, blues and greens, the smoke dimmed sunsets and pearly hazes of August, so characteristic of the Pacific Northwest. You don’t have to point out these things to our people.” This quote puts into words the beauty in the cohesion between nature and urban life, which Arlington Heights locals get to experience everyday.

Neighborhood Vibe

The neighborhood is full of mostly well off families who are able to afford livability in the area, because it is in high demand with all that the neighborhood offers. With colossal homes and the best views available in Portland, residents are paying well worth what they are receiving in return. Perched up hundreds of feet from downtown Portland, the neighborhood sits on top of the skyline, overlooking all the avenues and alleyways of scenic Portland down below. With intricate trails weaving in and out of the neighborhood’s hills, there are plenty of hikers, walkers and runners around Arlington Heights that are staying active. Tennis courts are located next to the Japanese Gardens and Washington Park’s International Rose Test Gardens, so locals or other Portland residents can reserve courts to play on nearby their homes. The neighborhood is very quite, and it’s hard to guess that it is so close to the hustle and bustle of downtown. The neighborhood is very community conscious and takes pride in its location.

Schools

Students that live in Arlington Heights neighborhood attend Ainsworth Elementary, West Sylvan Middle and Lincoln High Schools.

Parks & Recreation

Portland International Rose Test Garden features over 6,800 rose bushes and 557 varieties. It is one of the largest gardens in the nations, is internationally renowned and holds Portland true to its name of being called the “City of Roses.”

Portland Int'l Rose Test Garden

Portland Japanese Garden is one of the most authentic Japanese Gardens outside of Japan, offering five separate garden styles in its 5.5 acre landscape.

Hoyt Arboretum offers 12 miles of trails among 8,000 trees from around the world.

World Forestry Center Discovery Museum showcases interactive exhibits that explores forests and trees.

Portland Children’s Museum gives kids plenty of opportunities to explore how objects work, create their own works of art, shop for groceries in the Kid’s Cafe and Market, use tools in the Garage and more things that make kids feel like adults.

Oregon Zoo allows families to enjoy seeing animals from almost every continent, as well as enjoying concerts at the zoo’s amphitheater, experiencing the Christmas lights at the zoo during the winter holidays and taking part in other events that the Portland Zoo offers annually.

Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Memorial allows visitors to walk the circular path along the black granite walls that list the names of Oregon residents who either died in Vietnam or are missing in action. The memorial provides a beautiful, serene setting that allows reflection and remembrance.

Homes & Real Estate

The homes in the area are beautiful upscale houses that feature mostly 20th century architecture such as classic bungalow, Old Portland, Victorian, cottages and more. The homes are perched up in layers on the hillside, exposing the beautiful homes to wonderful views of downtown Portland.

Arlington Heights overall

It is a neighborhood that enjoys city life, but lives in the neck of the woods in beautiful upscale homes. The accessibility is a definite plus, while the endless trails and beautiful scenery add local flavor to the neighborhood and its vibe. Arlington Heights is a very active neighborhood, and there is always something going on. While a lot of visitors do pass through in cars, on Washington Park’s shuttle or on the MAX, there are plenty of places to escape from tourists and large groups of people in one of the many secret hideaways in the nearby Forest Park, one of the largest urban forest reserves in the country.
=======>>> <<<========

This post was written by...

Scott Krager – who has written 11 posts on Portlanders.

Scott Krager is the founder of portlanders.com. He lives in Portland, Oregon, spending most of his time writing, coding, and avoiding the rain. Scott doesn't like to run but forces himself at least once a week. Google+ | Twitter | Quora | LinkedIn