Southwest Hills Neighborhood in Portland, Oregon

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Bordering the thin, narrow alleyways with concrete almost like cobblestone are beautiful and luxurious homes on top of hills that overlook downtown Portland. Colonial, Victorian and contemporary architecture with intricate design and stone work, with Range Rovers and BMWs parked in front of the homes along the thin streets are just a glimpse of the Southwest Hills neighborhood. Lush, green gardens with gardenias, roses weaving in and out of iron gates, and light pink peonies filling nearby bushes are a hint at the scent of this neighborhood. Curvy roads traveling upwards from downtown, sharp turns and views that people pay to see are just an inch of what locals get to look at every day when they open their blinds. All of this is amid tall oaks and Douglas Firs in what feels like a forest with luxury attached at the hip through architecture and a classy, charming vibe. And it's close to downtown too!

Location

Southwest Hills Neighborhood is located in the west hills of southwest Portland. Bordering neighborhoods are Goose Hollow, Downtown, Sylvan Highlands, Homestead and Bridlemile. The west hills area of Portland provides lush forested, hilly terrain to the neighborhood and surrounding areas which provide runners and hikers with great trails leading to even greater views.

Neighborhood Vibe

Reading the description above it is clear that the Southwest Hills neighborhood is filled with luxury homes and upper class living. Many families live in the neighborhood and locals love the schools in the community. The Southwest Hills Residential League is one of the oldest neighborhood associations in Portland and residents work hard to preserve the livability of the neighborhood. Events in the neighborhood happening around the year include park clean ups, ice cream socials and community events through the schools.

Schools

Students in the neighborhood attend Ainsworth Elementary, West Sylvan Middle and Lincoln High School.

Photos of Southwest Hills

Homes & Real Estate

Home in Southwest Hills, Portland.

There are many architectural styles in the neighborhood, most of upper class price range, including Victorian, Colonial, ranches and Craftsman styles. There are a lot of gated homes, or else the fronts of the homes are covered by an overgrowth of beautiful flowers and trees.

Vista Springs Cafe

Planted in the center of the neighborhood off of SW Vista Avenue is a cozy little cafe that serves delicious pizza and other all American food with a generally relaxing atmosphere, which is surprising considering it is amid some of the priciest homes in Portland. On any given night you will find young people on dates or families of the neighborhood enjoying a night out. It’s right up the hill from Washington Park in the middle of residential west hills and beautiful views of the city.

Nearby Attractions

With Washington Park directly down the hill from the neighborhood, it is easy for locals to enjoy all of the features that the park has to offer.

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

Another feature to the large park is the Portland Japanese Garden, which 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.

The World Forestry Center Discovery Museum showcases interactive exhibits that explore 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.

The Oregon Zoo allows families to enjoy observing 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.

Forest Park is also very close to the Southwest Hills neighborhood, hosting an abundance of trails and hiking paths for runners, hikers, dog walkers, bikers and horseback riders. The park contains over 5,000 acres with over 70 miles of trails, being one of the largest urban parks in the country.

Southwest Hills Summary

The Southwest Hills neighborhood is classy, charming, elegant and high class. There is no denying it is a wealthy area, which makes sense considering its great accessibility, homes and Portland views. This neighborhood offers everything from an active community, to its great schools, to the old and authentic homes that scream ‘Portland.’
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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