Welcome to Portland
Most well known as the “City of Roses,” prompted in part by the International Rose Test Garden, Portland remains one of the most beautiful residential cities and celebrated vacation destinations in the entire West Coast region. Located approximately 70 miles from the Pacific Ocean where the rushing waters of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers meet, the city enjoys a magnificent setting where sparkling waterways reflect images of lush greenery or the towering skyline. Although Portland serves as the seat of government for Multnomah County, the city is a rapidly growing metropolis that also sprawls into Clackamas and Washington counties.

Newcomers to the Rose City will discover an eclectic list of wonders, from the nation’s largest bookstore to brewpubs, coffee shops, professional sports, Broadway shows, fine museums, and acres of rose gardens.

Healthcare services encompass research and teaching institutions that lead the state, the nation, and the world in diagnostic and treatment breakthroughs. Oregon Health & Science University is uniquely positioned to touch the lives of everyone in Oregon, excelling in such diverse areas as patient care, professional education, biomedical research, and community service. The area’s healthcare systems provide entire networks of hospitals and medical centers, emergency centers, family practice clinics, and highly specialized facilities to meet every need, from routine to advanced.

Throughout the metro region, public and private schools provide a quality education for students of all ages. Impressive scores on college-entrance exams, generous per-pupil expenditures, and high minimum standards for public education are a few of the reflections of Oregon’s commitment to youth. Institutions of higher education are scattered throughout the metropolitan area, from bustling urban university campuses to private colleges located in a quiet, small town. Community colleges combine with a myriad of technical and vocational schools to provide comprehensive career education and training for every need, every age group. Meeting the needs of a growing region, transportation facilities are outstanding. In recent years, Portland International Airport underwent an impressive expansion and renovation to offer a hub of exceptional amenities to travelers. Tri-Met, the regional transit authority, offers a network of light-rail connections and convenient bus lines in a multi-county area. The Portland area sets a benchmark for regional planning and cooperation, evidenced by the Metropolitan Service District or Metro. This organization coordinates regional services and facilities that range from recycling and Tri-Met mass transit systems to the Oregon Zoo.