Sylvan-Highlands

If you have ever wanted to live in a tree house, then Sylvan Highlands may be for you. This tree filled, hilly neighborhood has some of the nicer, newer homes Portland has to offer while providing some spectacular mountain and city views. Be prepared, this is not a walking community unless you enjoy heavy breathing, so having a car is a must. But Sylvan Highlands is close to downtown Portland for a fairly easy commute, though traffic during rush hours can be unnerving. Don’t look for much in the way of restaurants or shopping in this neighborhood, but again, a quick hop in the car and you will find some nice grocery stores and everything else you could want is never far.

Living in Sylvan Highlands means you are nearby Forest Park, one of the most beautiful parks in the entire country. Full of walking trails and lots of wildlife, this well known park is one of Portland’s best features. This is a great community to raise a family if you prefer a quiet lifestyle.

Though technically just to the west of the West Hills, Sylvan-Highlands is still a very hilly neighborhood; you won't find a straight street anywhere. Also, there aren't sidewalks along many roads, and residents are very dependent upon their cars, which tend to be high-end luxury models. There are very few businesses in Sylvan-Highlands itself, so expect to hop in your car if you want to go anywhere.

Not very diverse, Sylvan-Highlands is mostly home to well educated, upper-middle-class families. There are lots of kids in the neighborhood, giving it a very family-focused feeling. Homes here are expensive, and newer than those in most comparably-priced Portland neighborhoods; this isn't the neighborhood for you if you're looking for a historic home with a lot of character. If you are set on living here but can't afford homes in the center of the neighborhood, check out the western edge, where there are a few new condo, townhome, and apartment developments.

Sylvan-Highlands seems very green. Just to the east lies Washington City Park, with the Zoo, Arboretum, and Rose Garden. The Northwest corner borders Willamette Stone State Heritage Site, and the beautiful Forest Park is also nearby. Within the neighborhood itself is the large Mt. Calvary Cemetery. All these open spaces give Sylvan-Highlands a quiet and relaxed feeling.

Sylvan-Highlands is located west of downtown. It borders the Johnson Hoyt Arboretum and is South of the Willamette Stone State Heritage Site. One of the main selling points of this area is that it is easy to get to downtown. It is also easily accessible to Washington Park and the attractions it offers like the Oregon Zoo and Hoyt Arboretum. In fact, from some parts of this neighborhood you can even walk to those attractions.

Sylvan-Highlands has some older homes from the 1940's as well as those built in the 60's and 70's. You will also see some new condos in the area. There are some residences with beautiful views where you can see all of the mountains in the area. As a result, there really are a lot of very high home prices. Houses are on windy roads and most streets have dense forests.

There isn't too much in the way of shopping and restaurants in Sylvan-Highlands. However, basically everything you need is close by including a Zupan's Markets. Of course, as mentioned above, downtown Portland is not very far away.

Sylvan-Highlands is quite safe and very relaxing. This is an ideal area for families or seniors.