Portland & the Pacific Northwest
The OHSU main campus is located in the southwest hills overlooking downtown Portland, with spectacular views of the Willamette River, Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens. The Primate Center is located on the OSHU west campus, a park-like setting a few miles away in neighboring Hillsboro.
Public transportation is readily accessible for Portland and the surrounding communities: it includes buses, the Portland streetcar, the MAX light-rail system, and the tram, which connects the OHSU main campus to the waterfront. Transit passes are available at a greatly reduced rate at OHSU's Transportation and Parking office.
Portland is well known for its abundant offering of outdoor activities due to the close proximity of the Columbia River Gorge, the Mt. Hood forest system and the Oregon beaches - all within a short drive. Outdoor recreation is fostered by Portland's sunny summer and fall days, averaging 70-80 degrees with low humidity, and moderate winter days rarely dipping below 32 degrees.
The Portland metro area, with a population of 1.3 million people, offers a wide range of cultural activities. These include the Portland Symphony and Opera and other performing arts groups, as well as a lively music scene with local and touring bands playing in all kinds of venues. Overall, Portland is a very attractive, people-friendly city with most of the amenities and few of the major problems typical of larger cities.
