Best Places to Retire

Retire to Portland, Oregon

If you want to retire in the kind of place that offers you the hustle and bustle of the big city and can still retain the charm of a small town, Portland in Oregon will probably be just right for you.

The city is approximately 70 miles away from the Pacific and will provide you with the unique environment of clear streams and luxuriant greenery.

There are a number of attractions in Portland, including a historic old quarter, museums and galleries on the one hand and a Waterfront Park and Saturday Market on the other.

It may surprise you that while you are within easy reach of the beaches, you can also make it to Timberline Lodge if you are a skiing enthusiast.

It's beginning to sound interesting, isn't it?

Forest Park is well known as the largest area of wilderness anywhere in the United States.

It should hardly surprise you that such an extensive layout of parks offers plenty of scope for leisure and recreation for people of all ages.

Portland has a highly developed transport system.

The system covers buses and an urban light rail system called MAX.

In addition there is a downtown transit mall and Fareless Square, the unique free ride zone, also in downtown Portland.

If you are fond of walking you will love Portland, as you can wander through nearly 50 miles of trails in Forest Park alone.

Apart from the parks that have already been mentioned, there are also lots of bridges and fountains that make casual strolls delightful.

Take a walking tour in the downtown area and you'll get to see the best of the city's art and architecture.

The cost of housing in Portland is fairly high and has been going up, with average prices rising by about 15% to an average of nearly $ 283,000 in 2005, up from $ 246,000 in 2004.

Residential properties include homes for single families, town homes and multiple family units.