Is Portland safe to visit? (buy, quality of life, live)

[DannyHobkins]

Between the homeless, drugs and Antifa thugs is Portland a safe place to visit? The last thing I need is my teenage son or daughter getting caught up or harassed by the loons.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Easy answer.

Most if not all Portlanders are not affected by the above concerns directly.
WE just watch the Shhhitshow on the local news and the national news, and scratch our beards and try to figure out whether the "protesting" is freedom of speech or just the ability to "act out" frustrations.

Protests are limited to select downtown areas, and contrary to popular belief, they are not happening around the clock.
If one happens you just stay away from it.
They are usually covered by the local news, so you will know what downtown blocks to stay away from.


You will see homeless everywhere, whether you chose to engage them is your choice.
On the other hand, it might open up your teenagers eyes a bit to societal problems.

Marijauna is everywhere.
If you are coming from a place where it's not, it may be a bit of a shock.
It seems like there is a dispensary or glass shop on every corner.

But don't worry that your kids might sneak into one and buy something, everyone that I have been to has been more diligent at checking ID's than a liquor store.

Portland is NOT a free for all wasteland of protesters, druggies, and homeless people.
Life in Portland can be very normal, there are plenty of folks here that are just raising families, want a quiet life, enjoy the outdoors, and don't participate in all the BS you see in the news about Portland.

Believe me, most of what you see online and in the news about Portland is overhyped BS, and doesn't really concern the life of an average Portland citizen.

It's a small big city, with small big city problems, compounded by a very liberal citizenship, who in my eyes, don't really have a clue about the bigger problems, but are just concerned about how they feel at the moment, and aren't very concerned with long run logical thinking.

I wouldn't be too worried about your kids, they may actually like Portland!
It's a "young peoples city" now, which may be good or bad depending on the way you look at things.

The good thing is, at least new ideas are being tried out and discussed in interesting ways.
Now whether these ways work or not..........................is a different story.

One thing I have noticed.
If you are older, and at least a bit aware, Portland will keep you reconsidering things that you never thought you would really even think about.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

BTW, From what I have read of your posts considering New Jersey, It seems like ANYWHERE is better than there.

[cornsnicker3]

I feel safe 99.9% of the time I am in Portland which is nearly everyday. Even the supposed bad areas are not really that terrible. Most of the supposed danger is hype.

[texasdiver]

Yes, it’s completely safe. At least any part of the city where you’d actually want to visit. I’m always out and about with my 13 year old daughter. She likes walking for exercise so we do big weekly walking tours all over the city for exercise and I haven’t experienced any part of the city that was dangerous. You run into homeless and other assorted riff raff same as anyplace else. None have ever bothered us. It is a city though, not a Disney theme park so you will see rough edges.

The ANTIFA nonsense is completely overblown. These days when there is some sort of nonsense protest there are so many cops around you probably cant even get within a block of where anything is happening.

[PNW-type-gal]

Also the Antifa and the "Proud Boys" and their associated ilk are there to perform for the cameras and the media - everything is well-publicized in advance.

[Pavlov's Dog]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

Easy answer.

Most if not all Portlanders are not affected by the above concerns directly.


It's a small big city, with small big city problems, compounded by a very liberal citizenship, who in my eyes, don't really have a clue about the bigger problems, but are just concerned about how they feel at the moment, and aren't very concerned with long run logical thinking.

Your post was fantastic but I have to take exception to this statement. In general most people, regardless of political affiliation (most people have no political affiliation BTW) don't have a clue about bigger problems, no matter where they live nor are they very concerned about long term thinking.

Also many of Portland's problems are neither unique to Portland nor are they able to be solved locally. Most of the homeless people in Portland are not from Portland. They come here or are sent here by other municipalities trying to get rid of their problems. As many have pointed in great accuracy in other posts here, mental health and drug addiction issues are national problems and often local politician's hands are tied.

Like you I really wish something would be done cause it destroys the quality of life in Portland and all west coast cities and it pains me to see so much suffering and so many wasted lives.