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No, it's not. San Francisco has a much bigger downtown area than Seattle but walking between the main districts in downtown (tenderloin/tendernob, union square, polk street, etc.) is also much easier and more fluid.
Don't get me wrong, Seattle has a great downtown and inner neighborhoods, they just aren't as easy to hop around between as they are in many other cities. There are certain sections of downtown that are less developed, lack much vibrancy, or not as pedestrian friendly. There are many areas that are developed and vibrant but they just don't feel as connected --like I said, more like nodes than one cohesive downtown.
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Originally Posted by jr75
But isn't that just because Seattle has a bigger downtown area, so your going to be walking further no matter what?
Portland by a long shot. It has more and better attractions that are within easy and pleasant walking distance. The old and new architecture in Portland looks nicer overall. The older buildings in Seattle tend to be old and dilapidated and the newer stuff looks garish with the corrugated steel, glass and jarring angles. The older buildings in Portland are more stately and better maintained and the newer buildings are more subdued and tasteful. The streets are narrower in Portland and don't feel so freeway-like like in downtown Seattle. Walking around downtown Seattle is loud and unpleasant with all the high capacity of cars zooming by. Seattle's downtown feels very sketchy at night while Portland's doesn't.
Portland by a long shot. It has more and better attractions that are within easy and pleasant walking distance. The old and new architecture in Portland looks nicer overall. The older buildings in Seattle tend to be old and dilapidated and the newer stuff looks garish with the corrugated steel, glass and jarring angles. The older buildings in Portland are more stately and better maintained and the newer buildings are more subdued and tasteful. The streets are narrower in Portland and don't feel so freeway-like like in downtown Seattle. Walking around downtown Seattle is loud and unpleasant with all the high capacity of cars zooming by. Seattle's downtown feels very sketchy at night while Portland's doesn't.
I totally disagree. While the narrower streets of Portland feel more quaint, it lends itself to much more subdued experience. In downtown Seattle there are always cars and pedestrians thronging the streets and sidewalks. In Portland it feels like the average small town downtown, albeit with extensive (slow and at grade) light rail.
The downtowns, as evidenced by this thread, are quite different. It depends on what you consider an ideal downtown. Seattle feels like commerce, business, bustle, people needing to get from point A to point B. Portland feels like restaurants, strolling, bookstores, places to live. It's just a completely different vibe. I don't think either city is pretending to be something that it isn't. They are just being themselves. Seattle, being the business and population center of the NW is just being what is natural. Portland, being a livable, more sedate type of place, is just being what is natural. Perhaps, an oversimplification, but that is how this former WA and OR resident sees it.
The downtowns, as evidenced by this thread, are quite different. It depends on what you consider an ideal downtown. Seattle feels like commerce, business, bustle, people needing to get from point A to point B. Portland feels like restaurants, strolling, bookstores, places to live. It's just a completely different vibe. I don't think either city is pretending to be something that it isn't. They are just being themselves. Seattle, being the business and population center of the NW is just being what is natural. Portland, being a livable, more sedate type of place, is just being what is natural. Perhaps, an oversimplification, but that is how this former WA and OR resident sees it.
Perfect. I don't think anyone could dispute anything you said...
As much as some people (Seattleites mostly) hate to admit it, each downtown has aspects the other could envy. Portland's downtown perfectly reflects the personality of Portland and Seattle's does the same for Seattle.
On first glance, Seattle would appear to win by a longshot...but after spending much time in both I find Portland's downtown to be more dense, vibrant, colorful, better bars and restaurants, and more walkable with smaller blocks...Sure, the buildings arent as tall in Portland but Seattle's downtown is filled with wierd industrial areas and feels more restricted and harder to navigate. Seattle does have more distinct neighborhoods outside of downtown but they all feel very disconnected (besides Queen Anne and Capitol Hill), while Portland is one giant, flat grid.
Overall, in many ways I find Portland to be more connected and with a very navigable downtown that has unique areas, but all feels like part of the same area. Seattle's downtown is bizarre, some areas are accessible, some are not at all. Downtown Portland easily connects into other neighborhoods (that feel like part of downtown ) like the Pearl District and 'trendy 23rd', while getting from downtown Seattle to other neighborhoods feels like a trek.
I find it interesting because Seattle is always considered the 'big city' of the area but I actually think Portland has a cooler, more contiguous, and easier to walk urban area. Anyone agree or disagree?
Portland seems denser and is more pedestrian friendly; without a doubt.
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