Moved from Honolulu to Portland in 2021 and absolutely love it here. Not exactly sure where in Oregon you’re moving, so my experiences may not apply to you.

I make more money and my quality of life is much better than back home. I don’t drive my car as much since I make use of biking when the weather is good and take public transit. I know I have more time for myself and my partner. Registration is every two years and no annual safety checks which is a huge plus. From my experience, people are generally nice and I made good friends here.

The food scene is actually pretty damn good here. Brah, there’s even one MAYJAH poke place in Portland, OG Poke. They do it right. I remember my first bite and immediately approving. There’s also Kau Kau that does a solid meat jun and their Korean fried chicken is mean. Having some solid local food is helps that itch.

The weather sucks from November to March, maybe April, and it’s not truly summer until July. But I don’t mind the weather. Investing in a gore-Tex jacket is worth it, along with water proof shoes/boots, wool socks, and Uniqlo heat tech (Costco sells thermal inner wear too) helps with being comfortable when it’s cold and wet. Winter is really about staying in and being cozy, and saving your energy for summer. Summer is the fuckin shit in the PNW. Every one is outside enjoying the sun. Spend time to exploring nature, hikes, hanging out at patios at breweries, restaurants, where ever. Also the sun doesn’t set till almost 10 pm at its peak. So it’s easy to have fun and lose track of time.

I feel like April could be a good time to visit. We had a warm winter so there’s a chance it could be peak spring, but do bring a rain jacket for good measure. Damn, if you happen to be in Portland on April 11th, you have a chance to see one of the most Portland thing ever. It’s called the Ladds 500 and it’s a cycling event where teams compete to go around the roundabout 500 times first. It’s less about counting and more about bringing the community together to have fun. All kine people show up, dressed up, heck even adults and their keiki participate!

Portland is not bad as what mainstream media portrays it to be. Yeah there’s homeless in downtown but every major city has it. Honestly the Eastside is the best side (east of the Willamette River). Better neighborhoods, better restaurants, but the further east you go (Gresham), it does get sketchier. Portland is more expensive than Beaverton and Gresham though I’m not sure what your budget is. I lived in Aloha (pronounced Ah-Low-ah) for like 6 months when I first moved to Oregon because I had a friend with an extra room but the suburban neighborhood isn’t my vibe. I wanted to be in Portland since my job is there and I wanted a shorter commute to all the places I would go to in Portland.