10 Great Things About Portland! 

1. Portland Is 'Soccer City' USA 
With more than 30 years of rich history, a prominent downtown stadium and some of the MLS's most rowdy fans, attending a Timbers match is a Portland must. The Timber's fan section (called "The Timbers Army") is always recruiting and the requirements are easy; wear your finest green and/or gold, don't be without a scarf and be prepared to jump and clap and sing to victory.

2. We Crush Seattle's Coffee
Coffee culture in Portland borders on snobbish. At any given moment you are within sniffing distance of a cup of Joe and we take that seriously. A 2011 study found 876 coffee shops brewing in town. That means two things: You will never go un-caffeinated and "barista" passes as a profession.

3. We Built This City On Hops And Malt
In Portland, the drinking culture almost seems like gluttony, but that makes for some unique flavor profiles and killer happy hours. IPAs reign supreme in the town that hops built, and all local breweries are wise to have more than one in their catalogs. Those looking for other flavors, however, can find brews at purveyors including Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom, Base Camp and new-comer Pfriem Family Brewers.

4. Pedalpalooza 
Get a bike. Get a helmet and lights. Now ride. In 2012, Portland was ranked America's top bike-friendly city by Bicycling Magazine. With more than 180 miles of bike lanes, getting around town is a breeze and the culture geared towards cyclists makes safety and awareness a constant. Whether it's a cruiser, bmx, road bike, mountain, unicycle, recumbent, tandem. just go get yourself some wheels.

5. Half The Fun Of Portland Is Getting Out Of Portland
Trying to mention all the outdoor possibilities within 30 to 45 minutes of the city would be futile. The Columbia River Gorge features enough waterfalls to fill your camera's memory twice over and enough trails to wear out a lifetime of hiking boots. Throw in the coast for the surfers and Mount Hood for all the slope monkeys, and you have your weekends planned until retirement.

6. It Rains, Get Over It
Yes, it rains here. But that doesn't stop us from enjoying the great outdoors. Portland is known for having an astronomical amount of rainy days each year, but the average rainfall still puts it behind many major U.S. cities. This means that you can typically leave your galoshes in the closet, and you'll rarely see a "true" Portlander with an umbrella.

7. Get Your Meat Here!
Not only is Olympia Provisions Oregon's first USDA approved salumeria, they are also darn good at what they do. Visit their two restaurants, snack on their treats at one of Portland's many farmer's markets, seek out their goodies all over town or shop online. You haven't lived until you've sunk your teeth into their meat.

8. Portland Says Relax
Time flows at a different speed here in Portland. No one is in a rush to get anywhere or get anything done. This might make some people uncomfortable but, when taken in the right context, can be quite refreshing.

9. Yes, It's True, We Are A Hipster Mecca
The hype is accurate, we do have hipsters here. They'll add an hour to your wait for brunch and run rampant like packs of wild dogs dressed as urban lumberjacks and rocking much more ironic mustaches than you. Whatever you do, don't stare. It only encourages them.
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10. The Only Place(s) To Get Ice Cream
There's ice cream, and then there's Salt and Straw. With three locations in Portland's hottest neighborhoods, if you see someone around town with a waffle cone there's no question where they got it. Fan favorite flavors include Raspberry Lemon Basil Sorbet, Arbequina Olive Oil, and Freckled Woodblock Chocolate.