Hillside Neighborhood Guide

Hillside is located in Northwest Portland. It is bordered by the Northwest District, Forest Park, Sylvan-Highlands, and Arlington Heights neighborhoods.

Click the image for a fully searchable Hillside neighborhood map, including all homes for sale.

Features of Hillside Neighborhood

Portland’s Hillside neighborhood is hidden like a secret, folded into narrow, meandering streets, a navigator’s gauntlet, and above them, homes overlook in all directions. Other than West Burnside on the southern boundary and NW Cornell on the north, not a single street traces a straight path. Be sure to bring your map! 

If you start to feel lost, find the confluence of NW Hermosa and NW Monte Vista Terrace and gaze out over the peaceful valley. Or find a place to park and wander on foot for a while longer—the beautiful homes and the lush trees and landscape only enhance your exercise and exploration. 

At the center of the neighborhood is Hillside Park, home of the popular Hillside Community Center. Once a school in the 1940s and then an artists’ co-op until the early 1970s, the center was in danger of being snatched up by a condo developer before citizens united to purchase the facility. That sums up the residents here: loyal to their neighbors and fiercely independent. 

Hillside Community Center

To the west is Pittock Mansion Acres, which connects Washington Park and Forest Park, and where the grand Pittock Mansion resides. There’s a fee to tour the interiors of the mansion itself (do it if you can!), but walking the grounds doesn’t cost a penny. Be sure to make your way to the east side, to take in the gorgeous views of downtown Portland and the amazing visage of Mt. Hood. 

Pittock Mansion—Image from Wikipedia
Pittock Mansion View—Image from Commons.Wikimedia

Take a hike on Wildwood Trail through Macleay Park, which connects to the larger Forest Park.  One of the most beautiful parks in the country, Forest Park offers miles of foot, bike, and equestrian trails through lush, green, intoxicating woodland. This park truly personifies the Pacific Northwest. Starting at NW 29th Ave and Upshur and spanning all the way to Newberry Road, Forest Park sits smack dab in the middle of Portland, literally neighboring Downtown. Forest Park is dog friendly—your four-legged friends will love it here!

Forest Park—Photo by Fasai

Hillside Neighborhood Businesses of Note

Phil’s Meat Market & Delicatessen

Locally owned and in business since 1979, Phil’s Meat Market & Delicatessen offers sandwiches and bento for lunch, and seafood and fine cuts of meat for dinner. Phil’s bento has recently gone mobile, so look for the Phil’s on Wheels Bento Mobile around town!

Phil’s Meat Market & Delicatessen—17 NW 23rd Pl

Uptowne Papers

Uptowne Papers is a luxury boutique that can fulfill all your stationery needs and more. Packed to the brim with upscale gift items curated to help you fill you life with the finer things, this is a great place to find dish sets, decorative items, art books, and more. One word of warning, though: mind that pack on your back or your big purse… it’s a small space with lots of items, many of which are breakable, most of which would cost you a pretty penny to replace.

Uptowne Papers—9 NW 23rd Pl

Hillside Neighborhood Parks and Outdoor Highlights

Hillside Park—A 3.41-acre park with basketball courts, tennis courts, playground, soccer field, and paved and unpaved paths.

Macleay Park—Part of Forest Park, this preserve offers a forested hiking trail that runs alongside a bubbling creek.

Cardwell-Holman House—Natural area and early Tudor-style residence, designed by Portland architect Eric W. Hendricks in 1905, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Forest Park—A lush 5,200-acre park—one of the largest urban forests in the United States—with more than 80 miles of trails, fire lanes, and forest roads—for biking, hiking, and horseback riding.

Adams Community Gardens—A .09-acre parcel donated to the city by Nina B. Adams in 1968 after purchasing the land to build her home on it, then later changing her mind and deciding it should be public space.

Barbara Walker Crossing—A footbridge, spearheaded by Portland Parks Foundation, on Portland’s 30-mile Wildwood Trail that crosses Burnside Rd., allowing hikers to stay immersed in their nature adventure and cross with safety.

King’s Heights Staircase—An old, 157-step staircase under a canopy of lush vegetation that extends between NW Westover Rd. and NW Summit Ave. just north of 2763 NW Westover Rd.

Hillside Neighborhood Community Resources

Hillside Neighborhood Association

Hillside Neighborhood Schools

Elementary School—Chapman Elementary School

Middle School—West Sylvan Middle School

High School—Lincoln High School

Hillside Neighborhood Stats

Hillside Zip Code 97210

Local Crime Stats

Hillside Neighborhood Vibe

Community conscious. An appreciation of nature, parks, and respect for our beautiful Pacific NW environment. A good mix of young and established families. Well-to-do, upscale neighborhood.  Block parties, dog walkers, joggers, cyclists, and babes in strollers are Hillside staples.

Friends We’ve Lost (business closures)

  • Heron Haus Bed & Breakfast—A bright, ivy-covered Tudor Revival mansion converted to a B&B overlooking Nob Hill and within walking distance to Forest Park.

Hillside Neighborhood Real Estate

The neighborhood consists of mostly older style Portland homes. Homes run the gamut of 20th century architecture, from classic Bungalow, to Old Portland, to Cape Cod, Four Square and more. Beautiful gardens and landscaped yards. The area prides itself on the old growth trees, which are found on nearly every street.

See all Hillside neighborhood homes for sale.

If you are interested in buying a home in Portland, we recommend meeting up with these top 1% Portland buyer’s agents, or if you are considering selling a home we recommend these top 1% Portland seller’s agents. Visit our Portland Real Estate Page for more information.

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