Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Seattle is quickly developing major demographic problems. Portland is not. Not yet. Portland is still pretty homogeneous, which is why the atmosphere is still so relaxed. I agree that Seattle's downtown is laid out in a very disconcerting fashion. And the fashionable parts are far-flung. Issaquah, Bellevue, the San Juan Islands, Mercer Island....those all tend to reduce the focus on Downtown.
But let's see.... If I had a driver and a Maybach, and was planning on going to the Opera and the Symphony, and hopping between dressy parties.....then I'd prefer Seattle. But If I were mostly on-foot (striped socks and sandals, of course....), and just milling about, going to coffee shops, bookstores, halfway looking for cute things in little shops....then I'd definitely prefer Portland.
My Costa Rican waiter new where Portland was when I told him I was from there. I think most major American cities are well known by foreigners, just because America is so known by most of the world. As far as landmarks, what besides the Space Needle have people heard of? I've never really been impressed by cities that are known for having "landmark sites" - the Hollywood sign, Statue of Liberty, St. Louis Arch, Space Needle - none of them are that impressive to me, any city can build a unique looking monument if they wanted to. If you erected (no pun intended) a 1,000 ft tall copper ***** in down town Des Moines it would instantly become world famous.
It's certainly more "worldly" than Portland - I would never dispute that, but I would certainly not put it on the level of Boston or San Francisco.
Many world cities have an iconic landmark that makes them instantly recognizable- The Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, The Golden Gate bridge, The jesus statue in Rio de Janiero, the Sydney Opera House, The CN tower in Toronto...Its not just a cheap way of catapulting a city to instant stardom, its pretty de riguer for major cities to contruct grand monuments/structures. Only a Portlander would view it as "selling out".
Many world cities have an iconic landmark that makes them instantly recognizable- The Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, The Golden Gate bridge, The jesus statue in Rio de Janiero, the Sydney Opera House, The CN tower in Toronto...Its not just a cheap way of catapulting a city to instant stardom, its pretty de riguer for major cities to contruct grand monuments/structures. Only a Portlander would view it as "selling out".
Not selling out, just unimpressive. The other poster used foreigners recognition of "Seattle landmarks" (presumably the Space Needle) as evidence of its international prestige. I'm only saying that having a recognizable structure shouldn't contribute to the measure of a city's global relevance.
Not selling out, just unimpressive. The other poster used foreigners recognition of "Seattle landmarks" (presumably the Space Needle) as evidence of its international prestige. I'm only saying that having a recognizable structure shouldn't contribute to the measure of a city's global relevance.
I don't think they do anymore. For the most part they are a thing of the past, but that doesn't change the fact that they served and continue to serve as landmarks that stick in people's minds.
Having lived in both cities (currently living on Capitol Hill in Seattle)...
Both cities have very impressive downtowns. Portland's small blocks, narrow streets, and tree lined thoroughfares make for a superior pedestrian experience compared to Seattle. I LOVE the park blocks and wish Seattle had something similar. There are countless fantastic restaurants and pubs in Portland, and a great supply of mom & pop type retail shops to explore. It's connectivity to adjacent neighborhoods (i.e. The Pearl, NW23rd, Lloyd, SoWa etc...) is great - in all honesty my friends and I spent more time there than in the technical 'downtown' from a CBD perspective. Transit is accessible and free for the most part downtown. Busses, the MAX, and the streetcar make for effortless trips around the core. I'd say the urban parks like Tanner Springs really add greatly to the experience too. Overall, downtown Portland is relaxing, fun, and very interesting to explore. A great place to meet friends, have an award winning microbrew, and chill. Maybe even visit Powells The greatness of Portland is not in its skyscrapers or corporate HQs, but in its attention to detail and human scale. They've (The PDC among others)done a great job.
Seattle is a different animal. Almost entirely. I can understand polarizing opinons regarding the two places. In fact, I didn't like Seattle at all when I first arrived from Portland. Time changes many things.
I love Seattle's downtown for different reasons that I do Portland's. It has that 'big city' ambiance in abundance...much more so than Portland in my opinion. Soaring skyscrapers, crowded sidewalks, posh restaurants, clubs, and luxury retailers abound. Seattle is white collar to Portland's blue collar. Both have their advantages. I find Seattle's core to be a lot busier, and transit is effective and free downtown as well. The addition of the street car and light rail with future expansions ahead along with a very expansive bus and electric bus/trolley system make for easy transport. There are water taxis to Alki beach increasing connectivity. Portland's weekend market pales in comparison to Pike Place. The Koolhaas library, SAM, Benaroya Hall, Experience Music Project, and Olympic Sculpture Park are great attractions to see while there. Another strength dt Seattle has is its easy connections to the neighborhoods close by. Take the monorail from the retail core to lower Queen Anne, or an electric bus to Capitol Hill, both very dense and vibrant additions to the core. The views too - to see Mt. Rainier or the Olympics across the Sound on a sunny day leads me to believe downtown Seattle has got to have one of the most physically attractive settings in the country.
Either way, residents of either city are lucky to be a short drive, train ride, or flight from the other. Which is better? Hard to say - I call it a tie!
Having lived in both cities (currently living on Capitol Hill in Seattle)...
Both cities have very impressive downtowns. Portland's small blocks, narrow streets, and tree lined thoroughfares make for a superior pedestrian experience compared to Seattle. I LOVE the park blocks and wish Seattle had something similar. There are countless fantastic restaurants and pubs in Portland, and a great supply of mom & pop type retail shops to explore. It's connectivity to adjacent neighborhoods (i.e. The Pearl, NW23rd, Lloyd, SoWa etc...) is great - in all honesty my friends and I spent more time there than in the technical 'downtown' from a CBD perspective. Transit is accessible and free for the most part downtown. Busses, the MAX, and the streetcar make for effortless trips around the core. I'd say the urban parks like Tanner Springs really add greatly to the experience too. Overall, downtown Portland is relaxing, fun, and very interesting to explore. A great place to meet friends, have an award winning microbrew, and chill. Maybe even visit Powells The greatness of Portland is not in its skyscrapers or corporate HQs, but in its attention to detail and human scale. They've (The PDC among others)done a great job.
Seattle is a different animal. Almost entirely. I can understand polarizing opinons regarding the two places. In fact, I didn't like Seattle at all when I first arrived from Portland. Time changes many things.
I love Seattle's downtown for different reasons that I do Portland's. It has that 'big city' ambiance in abundance...much more so than Portland in my opinion. Soaring skyscrapers, crowded sidewalks, posh restaurants, clubs, and luxury retailers abound. Seattle is white collar to Portland's blue collar. Both have their advantages. I find Seattle's core to be a lot busier, and transit is effective and free downtown as well. The addition of the street car and light rail with future expansions ahead along with a very expansive bus and electric bus/trolley system make for easy transport. There are water taxis to Alki beach increasing connectivity. Portland's weekend market pales in comparison to Pike Place. The Koolhaas library, SAM, Benaroya Hall, Experience Music Project, and Olympic Sculpture Park are great attractions to see while there. Another strength dt Seattle has is its easy connections to the neighborhoods close by. Take the monorail from the retail core to lower Queen Anne, or an electric bus to Capitol Hill, both very dense and vibrant additions to the core. The views too - to see Mt. Rainier or the Olympics across the Sound on a sunny day leads me to believe downtown Seattle has got to have one of the most physically attractive settings in the country.
Either way, residents of either city are lucky to be a short drive, train ride, or flight from the other. Which is better? Hard to say - I call it a tie!
I will admit that Seattle has suffered from poor planning over many decades and inept government. I, for one, still can't get over the fact that we would have had an extensive metro system if voters would have approved funding proposals back in the 60s-- (it was SO much cheaper). Instead, federal funding went towards Atlanta's MARTA. I agree that Downtown Portland is situated on desirable geography-- it is very convenient and accessible.
However, I will say that Pike Place is a gem of Seattle that very very few cities can come close to.
Seattle has an issue with trying to make everyone and their dog feel 'warm and fuzzy' about any transportation proposal before moving forward. Countless studies drafted up by countless more 'experts' on city planning leads to nowhere, kind of like meetings at work. Lots of lip service - if the city wants to move ahead, they have to realize there will be growing pains and deal with it. That being said, Seattle is making great strides in those regards. The fact that our light rail system had many above grade components and goes underground downtown makes is less prone to being stuck in traffic like comparable systems - at least regional planners thought ahead in that regard.
Having lived in both cities (currently living on Capitol Hill in Seattle)...
Both cities have very impressive downtowns. Portland's small blocks, narrow streets, and tree lined thoroughfares make for a superior pedestrian experience compared to Seattle. I LOVE the park blocks and wish Seattle had something similar. There are countless fantastic restaurants and pubs in Portland, and a great supply of mom & pop type retail shops to explore. It's connectivity to adjacent neighborhoods (i.e. The Pearl, NW23rd, Lloyd, SoWa etc...) is great - in all honesty my friends and I spent more time there than in the technical 'downtown' from a CBD perspective. Transit is accessible and free for the most part downtown. Busses, the MAX, and the streetcar make for effortless trips around the core. I'd say the urban parks like Tanner Springs really add greatly to the experience too. Overall, downtown Portland is relaxing, fun, and very interesting to explore. A great place to meet friends, have an award winning microbrew, and chill. Maybe even visit Powells The greatness of Portland is not in its skyscrapers or corporate HQs, but in its attention to detail and human scale. They've (The PDC among others)done a great job.
Seattle is a different animal. Almost entirely. I can understand polarizing opinons regarding the two places. In fact, I didn't like Seattle at all when I first arrived from Portland. Time changes many things.
I love Seattle's downtown for different reasons that I do Portland's. It has that 'big city' ambiance in abundance...much more so than Portland in my opinion. Soaring skyscrapers, crowded sidewalks, posh restaurants, clubs, and luxury retailers abound. Seattle is white collar to Portland's blue collar. Both have their advantages. I find Seattle's core to be a lot busier, and transit is effective and free downtown as well. The addition of the street car and light rail with future expansions ahead along with a very expansive bus and electric bus/trolley system make for easy transport. There are water taxis to Alki beach increasing connectivity. Portland's weekend market pales in comparison to Pike Place. The Koolhaas library, SAM, Benaroya Hall, Experience Music Project, and Olympic Sculpture Park are great attractions to see while there. Another strength dt Seattle has is its easy connections to the neighborhoods close by. Take the monorail from the retail core to lower Queen Anne, or an electric bus to Capitol Hill, both very dense and vibrant additions to the core. The views too - to see Mt. Rainier or the Olympics across the Sound on a sunny day leads me to believe downtown Seattle has got to have one of the most physically attractive settings in the country.
Either way, residents of either city are lucky to be a short drive, train ride, or flight from the other. Which is better? Hard to say - I call it a tie!
Great post! I think you nailed it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It's a tie!
The greatness of Portland is not in its skyscrapers or corporate HQs, but in its attention to detail and human scale. They've (The PDC among others)done a great job.
