Moving to Portland from Salt Lake City isn’t quite the jump of, say, coming from New York City or small town Missouri. It is still a leap though–given that no two cities are the same–and newcomers can always use some words of wisdom before landing.
We wanted to give you a few important tips and get your biggest questions answered before you move from Salt Lake City to the City of Roses.
1. Don’t fear the rain
The biggest knock on Portland–being the rain–isn’t too big of a deal at all. Yes, it rains or is cloudy for a majority of the year. We have the silver lining, though: one, Portland is a remarkably beautiful city, even in the rain; and two, the year-round climate is pleasantly mild (for the most part), at least more so than other cities.
Not to mention, there’s tons of stuff to do on a rainy day, including some hikes that are even more gorgeous with a foggy backdrop.
2. Get ready for the ocean
Leaving Salt Lake, you are losing your super easy accessibility to the mountains for snowboarding. However, the iconic Mt. Hood is just a 90-minute drive from Portland, making for an entirely doable day trip for hitting the slopes.
Portland’s far closer to the Pacific Ocean than landlocked Salt Lake City, giving you opportunities to explore and enjoy the great ocean. You can add surfing and bodyboarding to your repertoire of outdoors skills.
3. Enjoy denser neighborhoods
Portland has a significantly larger population density than Salt Lake City. While part of that is due to the big population boom of late, it’s also a result of Portland’s innovative urban growth boundary, which has prevented urban sprawl.
The good news is that the city is incredibly bike-friendly, and everything within the metro area is easy to reach. Not to mention, there’s a reportedly large number of Salt Lake City transplants that live here, so you might bump into someone you know!
4. Slow down a few notches
We know the driving habits in Salt Lake City – how speed signs mean to go 5 m.p.h. faster and the drivers generally treat highways like NASCAR races. Portland moves at a different pace, though – one that’s much slower. Once you’re on the Doug Fir-lined highways with breathtaking views, the speed reduction might not be such a bad thing.
5. Experience the nightlife
Salt Lake City has a good selection for entertainment, but many who move here will comment on Portland’s edge for nightlife. Not like it’s a competition, but you do have a greater range of evening activities, from enjoying upscale shows at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall to catching the rising rock stars at the Doug Fir Lounge. On top of that, you’ve got some of the best restaurants and breweries in the entire country, all within arm’s reach here.
So there you have it – our five biggest tips for making the big move from Salt Lake City to Portland. We know you’ll love living here.
And of course, if you need a moving company, we hope you use Smooth Move People as your long distance movers.
