Sometimes referred to as Nob Hill, the lovely Victorian neighborhoods around NW 21st and 23rd Avenues represent an island of upscale dining and shopping. Victorian homes have been remodeled into boutiques to join stylish clothing shops, bookstores, restaurants, and theaters.

Generally speaking, NW 21st Avenue has the greater number of restaurants while NW 23rd Avenue has more shops—for upper-end, locally owned boutique shopping, these avenues are unparalleled in the city.

This area makes a good destination if you have an afternoon to while away. Coffee shops and unique little stores are abundant, and on a nice day, the streets are absolutely thronged with intriguing-looking people. Parking is often very difficult to find in Northwest Portland, so if you’re coming in from downtown or the Pearl District, consider taking the Portland Streetcar, which crosses both NW 21st and 23rd Avenues along Marshall and Lovejoy Streets.

Looming over this part of Northwest Portland are the West Hills, a range of extinct volcanoes now capped by Forest Park, the largest urban wilderness in the United States.