4 Weird Facts About Portland, OR

The local community of Portland, OR is extremely proud of the area’s reputation as a weird and wonderful place to live and visit. If working as a travelling nurse takes you to Portland, you should keep an eye out for many strange and exciting things to see in the area.

Portland’s Unofficial Motto Is “Keep Portland Weird”

In 2003, the slogan “Keep Portland Weird” transformed into an unofficial town motto due to the local community’s appreciation for their unconventional lifestyles and many peculiarities. The motto persists today as a celebration of the arts, creativity, personal expression, and individuality, which are some of the most dearly held values in the Portland community.

Portland Is a Microbrew Mecca

If you love unique microbrews, Portland is definitely a place to visit. Portland, OR is home to more microbreweries than any other city in the world. Whether you prefer fruity IPAs or hoppy stouts, you could try a new beer every day of the year and never have the same one twice.

Portland Is Home to the World’s Smallest Park

Situated near Willamette River in downtown Portland is Mills End Park, the smallest park in the world. While you can’t exactly expect to spend a day in this .29 square meter park, it’s still an interesting and amusing sight. Originally intended to be a lamppost base, a local journalist planted a tree in the plot when the lamppost was never installed. The city officially recognized the plot as a park in 1976.

Behold the Unipiper

Portland is home to all kinds of street performers, but perhaps the most iconic is the Unipiper. Simply put, the Unipiper is a performer who rides a unicycle while playing flaming bagpipes. Typically dressed as pop culture characters like Darth Vader, Gandalf, and various Pokémon, the Unipiper can be seen frequently in downtown Portland and his performances are truly unlike any other.

Your work as a travelling nurse likely takes you all over the country, but few places are likely to be as memorable or intriguing as weird and wonderful Portland. If you accept an assignment in the Portland area, be sure to take time during your days off to explore this truly unique city as much as you can.