Before you move anywhere, it’s always best to get a lay of the land; it’s no different for Portland, Oregon. Although many people know it as the city of roses, Portland is much more than just a simple city. There’re many unique opportunities and difference between it and any other place. So, you’ll want to know what you should know before moving to Portland, Oregon.
Gas Pumping
This may be the oddest thing for people new to the Portland area, but it’s actually illegal to pump your own gas. It’s an odd topic that frequently comes up, but it isn’t that big a deal once you adjust to it. All you need to do is pay someone for the gas, and they’ll do the pumping for you.
Weather
You may hear that it’s rainy in Portland, and you should believe every word of it. It’s not constant, but frequent rain is common and something you’ll need to learn to embrace. Plan on bringing some umbrellas or rain ponchos to stay dry.
Nearby Public Buildings
Portland doesn’t disappoint when it comes to things to explore. There’re many different activities and public buildings to visit all across Portland. From the rose gardens to some amazing museums and even the world’s largest bookstore “Powell’s City of Books,” these are only a few of the things that make Portland special.
Nearby Outdoor Activities
You’re not limited to exploring these places too, as the area around Portland, Oregon is full of bike paths and hiking trails. There’re plenty of places to fish or go kayaking around the area. You can even find ski and snowboarding in Portland, giving you plenty of things to try. Another tidbit is that bikes and biking are huge in Portland, so you might want to relearn how to ride a bike if you forgot.
Sales Tax
The last odd thing that many people don’t realize is that there’s no sales tax on local products. Now, as long as you’re buying goods in state, you won’t need to pay a sales tax in addition to the actual cost. You don’t need to worry about that math ever again. Sadly, this doesn’t extend to shopping out of state.
These are the things you’ll need to adjust to. Now that you know what you should know before moving to Portland, Oregon, it shouldn’t be that difficult to adjust.
