1. Walking Their Goats
In Portland, if you don’t have a dog or a cat, you might have a miniature goat. Up to three pet goats can be kept in the city without a permit, so it’s really not all that unusual to see a Portlander happily walking their goat down the street–complete with leash and fashionable jacket.
2. Discovering Treasures At Vintage Stores
Of course, you just know that jacket the goat was wearing was purchased at a vintage store. Because it’s been said that Portland has more vintage stores per capita than anywhere else in the U.S., with at least 40 and counting to date.
Here, you can source a vintage dress for a Red Carpet event at Xtabay, a chic classic suit at Avalon, Mad Men furniture at Hawthorne Vintage-or even that tutu you’ve always wanted to rock.
3. Weekly Zoobombing
Zoobombing is quintessential Portland. This weird and wacky sport was created more for fun than competition. Locals get dressed up in costume, or sometimes wear nothing at all, and race down hills in kid-sized bicycles of all types.
In the typical spirit of Portland sharing, a tower of mini-bikes anchored to a bicycle rack known as “Zoobomb Point” is available for those who don’t have their own bike–the pile is now a popular local landmark.
4. Stripping Down
Speaking of pedaling in the nude, it’s not just done at the weekly zoobombing events. Portlanders relish exhibitionism through events like the annual Worldwide Naked Bike Ride which highlights the vulnerability of cyclists while decrying society’s dependence on pollution-based transport. Thousands of people ride through the streets becoming a blur of butt cracks and boobs.
5. Getting Meals From The Back Of A Van
If you like to get your food from the back of a van, a trailer, truck or cart, you might live in Portland. There is no other place in American with as many clusters of unique food carts cooking up dishes like reindeer sausage at Beez Neez, steaming bowls of ramen at Minizo or Porklandia Pulled Pork on a Jalapeno Cornbread Waffle at Gaufre Gourmet.
6. Anything And Everything Fresh And Local
Portlanders are well-known for their love of all things fresh and local, like organic fruits and vegetables, free-range meats, eggs and raw honey. Where do they go to find them? One of the over 40 farmers’ markets found all over town that offer an amazing array of local goodness as well as usual and unusual homemade crafts.
7. Hiking To The Top Of Multnomah Falls
While most visitors come from across the globe to view Multnomah Falls from its base, locals love to take it just a few steps further. By hiking just another mile from the bridge to the top, they know they’ll get to enjoy the very best views without having to bump elbows with everyone else.
8. All Things Green
While Portlanders may not necessarily love the rain, they do love the abundance of lush greenery it produces and the opportunity to take nature walks in the beautiful urban forest.
9. Bicycling Everywhere
Portlanders love their bikes. It’s not just the occasional weird bike event--one of the first things visitors notice is how many bicyclists there are in the city. Here, lots of residents bike to work and just about everywhere you look, someone is riding down the street in the bike lanes, on the bikeways, across bike-friendly bridges or on forest mountain biking trails.
10. Brunch At Screen Door
The TV show “Portlandia” definitely got one thing right: one episode focuses on how much the people of Portland love brunch–and there’s a good chance it’s at least in part because of the Screen Door. Chicken and waffles. Biscuits and gravy. Hush puppies with bacon and smoked cheddar. Portlanders like sinfully delicious, too.
11. Mother Earth
Not only do Portlanders love their green, they have a serious commitment to actually being green! Only a fraction of the locals even drive cars–with the amazing public transit system that’s totally bio-fueled, bike lanes and bike racks everywhere, there’s really no need. Plastic bags are pretty much unheard of and living off recycled items is easy with all the vintage shops and used goods stores.
12. Sticking Their Noses In Books
In Portland, books definitely aren’t going the way of the dinosaur. Powell’s Bookstore is considered paradise as the largest independent bookstore in the world and you’ll find many Portlanders getting lost in a good read at Stumptown Coffee or any number of coffee shops throughout the city.
13. Nerds
Maybe it has something to do with all that reading, but Portland also adores its nerds. Residents love their books as well as their comics, movies, laptops and coffee houses, games–and, those thick-rimmed glasses, with a true appreciation for the “nerdy-style.” The city was recently ranked on a top ten list of “nerdiest cities,” falling in at number two, but many Portlanders would argue that it should have been number one.
14. Breweries, Brew Pubs, Beer Fests And All Other Beer-Related Things
Portlanders sometimes refer to their town as “Beervana.” It’s no wonder, as the city is home to more breweries than any other on the planet with over 50, indulging residents in one of their favorite pleasures. Locals take their beer seriously here with brewers pioneering the craft beer movement using fresh ingredients like Bull Run water and Willamette Valley hops and barley.
15. Life In The Slow Lane
People here don’t like to rush; in fact, they revel in the opportunity to take things a bit slower than most other city-dwellers do. Hanging out, taking their time eating and enjoying the little things in life is typical Portland.
16. Strolling Through Washington Park
Speaking of stopping to smell the roses, Portland residents love to visit Washington Park and the magnificent Rose Test Garden with its dozens of different types on display. Also home to the Japanese Tea Garden, Portlanders look forward to walking through in the springtime when cherry trees burst into pink and white blossoms.
17. Pitching A Tent
With beautiful mountain and beach destinations just a short drive away, it’s no surprise that Portlanders love to camp. Residents camp anywhere from the Oregon coast to the Columbia River Gorge and the Cascade Mountains to enjoy a bit of peace and tranquility among some of the state’s most spectacular scenery.
18. Picking Wild Blackberries
Blackberries can be found growing just about anywhere. Locals love to pick them and sometimes eat them right off the bush. You’ll see them along fences, at roadside, around the beaches–they’re the long thorny vines that sticking out of weed piles and brush. Yum!
19. Being All In It Together
Portlanders love the strong sense of community the city offers and the feeling that “we’re all in it together.” People leave out free boxes on the sidewalk filled with things someone else might need. Entire neighborhoods get together and paint designs on the street to help brighten things up, creating social connections and improving relationships with neighbors.
20. Smiling
To some people, it may seem a little strange that everyone always seems to be smiling and are just so friendly all of the time. Despite the reputation of gloom, many people who live in Portland are really happy to be here and enjoy treating others with kindness. You can sense the friendliness with most strangers smiling and saying hello to one another on the street. If that’s part of what makes Portland weird, sign me up!
21. Catching A Live Show
The city is famous for its live music scene, helping to feed Portlanders’ need and love for great tunes. If they aren’t catching a show, they’re probably in a band. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of openings on Craiglist on any given day if you’d like to join one.
And that new band everyone is talking about but you’ve never heard of? They’re from Portland.
22. Sticking It To The Man
President George H.W. Bush’s staffer’s once referred to Portland as “Little Beirut” because of all the protesters they ran into, something that locals take pride in. Well, just about everyone except the few conservatives who happen to live here in a sea of progressives.
23. Coffee. Lots And Lots Of Coffee.
You already know that Seattlites love their coffee, but Portland could give the Emerald City a run for its money when it comes to being a java haven. Perhaps it’s the dark dampness that drives people to drink more of this heavenly beverage?
Whatever it is, from the city’s most famous roaster Stumptown to Courier Coffee, Extracto Coffee and an endless number of others, there are lots of places for Portlanders to get their fix. You can even indulge your inner nerd AND get your java at Guapo Comics & Coffee.
24. Hanging Out At Mount Tabor Park
Mount Tabor Park is a locals’ favorite hangout set atop an extinct reservoir with the rare distinction for being a great place to do nothing, or do a lot. You’ll find some of the best views of the city, and it’s perfect for watching the sunset or going for a hike.
25. The Summer Insanity
Everyone in Portland seems to reach the brink of madness when summer hits, the skies begin to clear and temperatures average around 80 degrees. This is the time the city really comes alive and a large percentage of employees call in “sick” to work. Locals might be hanging out in city parks, hiking in the forest or windsurfing on the Columbia River, but they’re probably aren’t stuck inside.
26. Cheering For The Portland Timbers
The city’s Major League Soccer team has a rather large following here and going to a game is one of the hottest tickets in town.
At local sports bars, you won’t have the rampant hostility that pervades European countries. Instead, it’s kind of a Portland version of fandom where hundreds of supporters for the home and opposing team can be found sitting shoulder to shoulder, laughing and toasting to their team’s success.
27. Not Having To Pay Sales Tax
It’s not just Powell’s Books and endless vintage stores that make Portland a shopper’s paradise. With no sales tax throughout the state, you can even get that freaky doll head on a plate without paying extra if you really want to.
28. Sipping A Pint In The Classroom
You already know that Portlanders love a good brew, and at Portland’s Kennedy School, students aren’t waiting for the bell to ring, in fact they’d rather stay awhile. Here, classrooms were transformed into an especially unique Portland establishment where you can learn that fine art of appreciating a pint; tour the brewery, catch a film in the theater room, dine in the restaurant or even spend the night.
29. Wildlife In The City
In this city, Portlanders don’t just love their dog, cats, and goats, they love the wild animals that can often be spotted throughout the city. From elk to flying squirrels, migratory birds and sea lions, they’re all a big part of Portland’s identity, with a number of conservancy groups making huge strides to protect those that live here.
30. Getting A Drink At A Benson Bubbler
Benson Bubblers can only be found in Portland. Locals love getting clean, fresh water from the city’s iconic drinking fountains that were originally donated over a century ago as an effort to keep loggers out of the saloons at lunchtime. They’re part of an enduring legacy in Portland. 
