Nice neighborhoods for a family around Portland area?|173612

Hi, I am planning to move near Portland, probably a nice, low-crime and clean suburban area to raise a family. Which neighborhoods do you recommend? I am willing to go as far as 40 minutes of driving to downtown Portland.

Also, where are some hot realestate markets around Portland? Are there any newly developing neighborhoods with potentials around Portland or good neighborhoods to buy a single house for about 3-4 years investment?

Most neighborhoods in Portland are very family friendly. The culture of Portland really doesn_t promote commuting that far. An urban growth boundary around the city has kept most growth pretty close in. I would avoid Hillsboro or Beaverton they are anytown USA with strip malls and MCDonalds. I would look at the St John_s area and Milwaukee region. They are building a light rail train to Milwaukee so that area should see a good appreciation in value in the next couple years and you are only 10 minutes from downtown. St John_s and the Mississippi area are also rising in price quickly and still have some reasonable deals and both are very close in. Mt Tabor and Mt Scott neighborhoods are nice as well also close in. If you do not mind commuting the smaller towns outside Portland are beautiful, safe but also a little dull and not rising in price as fast as Portland. Like Boston MA, Portland has a lot of unique neighborhoods close in. You will really have to be here spending a couple days of exploring and you_ll find the perfect place.

If you want nice, comfortable and great place to raise children, the best side is the west side.

Hillsboro, Beaverton and the incorporated areas are all quite nice. There are few not so great areas, but they are easy to spot. Just stick to the developments and you will get nice clean neighborhoods, a 25-40 min commute downtown, little to no crime, and two of the best school districts in the state.

Also, Hillsboro is a great place to invest. the city has tripled in population since 1990, and the urban growth boundary keeps land values inside of it high. The agricultural ordinances outside the boundary mean that if you get a good spot and put a nice house there, the land value will skyrocket.

Hi ,
I live here in Portland oregon. We get snow two or three times a year but it is usually gone again in a few days.
this website has a map along with other info:

http://www.travelportland.com/

This will tell about all the cities and towns in Oregon:

http://bigdaddydata.com/state/OR/index.p��

and much more info at:

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=na��

Welcome aboard, when you get here.
Hope
P S one more added bonus is that we are one of the few states that has no sales tax.

willsonville is nice too.

West Linn is beatifull and has some of the best schools in the area.

But check out this article


http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/docume��


it will give you all the stats on all the neighborhoods.

hmmm, if you want to be very close to portland, Gresham is about 10 minutes from portland, nice area but crime is moving out there- but its not bad. Houses are decent price, and lots of restaurants and stores. However, I live 35 minutes and miles from Portland, in the Columbia Gorge. Small town of Stevenson. The crime is zero. Houses are good prices and many to choose from. Schools are excellent! Small classes, well funded, and our teachers care. The town is very small (3000 people) but nice. It takes 40 minutes exactly to drive into Portland, 30 to Gresham. Contact the skamania county chamber of commerce for more info, visit stevenson-carson school district website for info. We go to Gresham and Portland often to shop, but would live nowhere else.

How do I go about finding out which weeks are spring breaks so I can avoid the crowds in Florida?|125539

We got caught up in that one year and ended up going out of our way to spend the night in Georgia on our way to Disney. We_d like to go in March, but really don_t want that to happen again.

most spring breaks are in march

also this site tells a lot of universities break schedules


http://www.tripsmarter.com/panamacity/sp��

You can go to a few college web sites or do a google search for _U Texas academic calendar_ or princeton or whatever. All of the colleges_ spring breaks are really only 1 of 3 possible weeks, so all it takes is a little research.

I know two of the popular ones for this year: It will be the second and third weeks of March.

The problem isn_t wholly local spring breaks. The problem is every school all over the country schedules their spring breaks independently. So they can do whatever they want, and they can change it every year. So there_s no way to answer your question, other than to tell you that historically, the first two weeks of March are usually still ok, but they last two weeks are busier.

Spring breaks are spread out across the country and some are even on the thee month on and a month off plan. Go to tripadvisor.com for a free site that will have experts to tell you the busiest times at WDW. Go to the Orlando forum and ask, someone there will be able to clue you in on the busiest days.

Just go to any high school web page and see when their spring break week is...college is always a week before that. I_d say avoid the college spring break for sure, but lots of high schoolers come too, so I_d just avoid both those weeks all together. Unfortunately, I can_t avoid it...I live in Orlando. Argh. Stinkin spring breakers...always trashing the beaches and driving like idiots.

Go to the Disney web site and look under calendar. They do have dates listed high and low attendance. The first two weeks of March should be fine.

My son_s college break starts 3/14 and my daughter_s high school break in one week later. Most breaks are the last two weeks in March

Check with Florida_s Visitor Buearu as they can tell you approximately when they have to be prepared for Spring Breakers. Since colleges and universities vary as to spring break dates it is ususally in March but can extend to April.

http://www.visitflorida.com/

As a general rule, the spring break crowds usually start arriving at the beginning of March (sometimes a week earlier if Easter is in March) and are here until the week after Easter.

If I_m not mistaken I alson think that Bike Week is in March in addition to spring break. I was going on a cruise in March 2005 and needed a room for one night. It was difficult to find because there was the Bike Week people there.

I don_t have the exact answer to your question, however, I did a little research and found the 23rd of March up to and including the 1st of April is a good time to go. The crowds will be moderate. The days before and after that time will be more crowded (especially so in April).

call the chamber of commerce or the office of tourism in the city that you are going to visit and ask them what their expectations are. They_ll know because of the number of advance bookings.

Perhaps you could contact the Chamber of Commerce of the town(s) you want to visit for suggestions.

It might be best to call a travel agent for that information. Since alot of schools go different times, they would probably know best. Have fun!

Well, im from florida, and if it_s warm, there will be tons of people.

Looks like you_re out of luck.

How can I get info about package tour to Orlando from New York City?|123449

We, a family of four, come from Asia and will spend a holiday in NY city and then wu like to join a package tour to Orlando for fun. Wu like to get some website info so that we can book the tour online, for better planning. thx

Ok, here ya go:

http://www.travelorlando.com/


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/de��


http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-19��


Orlando is really great, I know Disney World is the main attraction, but visit the beaches, they are beautiful.

Orlando is inland and doesn_t have beaches.

There is a beach less than an hour away called Cocoa Beach.

There_s an article about online tours here. Hope it helps.
http://www.recreationtravelarena.com/index.php?option=com_content_task=view_id=13_Itemid=27

I live in Florida and I think that the better offers are from AAA. Sorry, I just notice that you are from overseas. The previous answer is better than mine.

from internet or i will go to ny

How do I keep my money from being stolen?|141504

I_m going to LV in a couple of weeks. There is no safe in my room. Other then going to the front lobby, how can I keep my money safe and secure when I_m not in my room ? I_ve been ripped off by hotel maids more then once.

Most people wear a fanny pack with the pack in the front. Keep is on you at all times.

Use your ATM card and get out cash as needed so you do not need to carry large amounts. Do not keep cash in your hotel room. If you happen to have large winnings, find a local branch of the major bank chain that you have an account with and deposit the money. If you do not have an account a a major bank that will have branches in L.V., open one. Or , you can wear a money belt.

Only take a debt card and a few travelers checks. You can go to an atm when you leave the hotel and are heading out. Only take out what you need for the day. You can always cancel a lost card. And it Vegas there are ATMs everywhere. You may have to pay a small fee if its not your bank but it is worth it not to have your $$$ stolen.Restaurants will take the travelers checks no problem(must have ID to use)

You never leave anything of value in any hotel room. But it is safe at the front desk. Otherwise you carry it with you, charge anything you can like food, room, sourvenirs, and use the ATM for more if you run out.

What about the security box, Isnot safe?

Keeping it with you is probably the safest way.

use credit cards,,debit cards,, and travler checks

traveller_s checks, in your front pants pocket
and ATM like Charlie said

Get a money belt and don_t get drunk. Only take out what you need.

Carry it on you, or use your Credit Card.

Take it with you.

What are some really cool places to visit in the US?|126014

Well I live in CA, but I want to take a vacation before going back to school, without having to leave the country. What_s the coolest place you_ve been to in the US and what did you do there? Thanks!

You have so many options! I suggest Colorado Springs, CO. You can
go to Royal Gorge, Garden of the Gods, and Pikes Peak all within a
few miles of each other. If you choose this option, make sure you
take a jacket, it snows on top of Pikes Peak in June and July so I
am sure you_ll probably be treated to some snow.

Pittsburgh, PA- Went to a Pirates game.
Savannah, GA.- Visited old cemeteries
St. Simons Island (Also in GA.)- Went to a Blues Bar named _Rafters_,
another bar called _The Sandtrap_ and looked at the Lighthouse located there.

What waterway is located outside of Moraga going towards Redwood Regional Park?|122758

We were hiking with family who live in Moraga last Sunday. On the way to Redwood Regional Park I noticed a lake that was below the ridge on the left side going towards the Park. Anyone know if that is drinking water or used for recreation? My brother in law has only lived in Moraga two years and doesn_t know either.

That_s Upper San Leandro Reservoir.

On the annual water-quality reports issued by EBMUD (East Bay Municipal Utilities District) there_s a map showing which areas are served by which reservoirs. Upper San Leandro Reservoir serves an area east of Highway 580 -- parts of Oakland, San Leandro, and Castro Valley.

The following web page has a link to the water quality report. If you look at that, you_ll see the map:

http://www.ebmud.com/water___environment��


I_m pretty sure that no boating, swimming, or fishing is allowed. Chronicle writer Tom Stienstra claims that the reservoir has lots of big fish, and there_s been talk of opening up this and other reservoirs to public recreation.

The only public access allowed is to some hiking trails; they require a permit from EBMUD. (No bikes are allowed, and dogs are allowed only on certain trails.) The following web site has trail information, and you can see the trails around Upper San Leandro Reservoir by clicking on _South Watershed_.

http://www.ebmud.com/services/recreation��


The EBMUD rangers sometimes ask hikers to show their permits.

The Upper San Leandro reservoir??

What are the best places to camp in arkansas or texas?|162110

Im looking for a great fun place to camp that has water, and hiking trails. i perfer mountains or hills. My favorite place to camp has been yosemite but this time im looking for somewhere nearby.

I think this is what you are looking for
http://americantrails.org/resources/wate��
or this
http://yellowstoneholiday.com/