Bennington - Vancouver, WA

The Bennington neighborhood has only a short history, but Vancouver's history traces back to 1824 when Fort Vancouver was built as a fur-trading outpost. The fort settlers opened up the west for developments that included a large military base and a shipbuilding industry. The population grew, and Vancouver's boundaries expanded, although Bennington did not see significant growth until the 1980s and 1990s, when more than 600 homes were built.

This neighborhood doesn't house any museums, but residents take pride in their city's Fort Vancouver National Historic Site where re-enactments and costumed tours give visitors the living-history experience. The fort hosts events and programs throughout the year including Junior Ranger Day for kids and hands-on Independence Day activities for the whole family.

Vancouver's art scene does not extend to Bennington, but the Vancouver Downtown Association hosts the First Friday Artwalk to galleries, studios and public art works in the downtown core.

Bennington supports a generous selection of eateries, many of which are located in Mill Plain Crossing and Columbia Crossing shopping centers. Whether you're in the mood for Mexican, German, Italian or fast-food eats, this neighborhood gives you a good variety of dining-out options.

If you want to satisfy a craving for pizza and beer, check out Leonardo's Pizzeria on SE 1st. Be sure to try the Leonardo's Supreme signature pizza, a big, hearty pie with a crust made from homemade hand-tossed dough, signature tomato sauce and a heavy load of toppings. Bring along your vegetarian and gluten-intolerant friends because the restaurant has options for them. The menu includes a selection of child-favorite foods for the little ones and a rotating selection of 17 craft brews on tap for the adults. Catedral Tapatia on SE 164th serves up south-of-the-border eats and strong, refreshing margaritas. If you can't decide what to order from the extensive menu, try the Fiesta Tapatia platter for a generous portion of quesadillas, nachos, poppers, wings and guacamole. You won't mind waiting for your order when you taste the premeal homemade chips and salsa served two ways. For big, juicy burgers and microbrews on tap, you can't go wrong with Killer Burger. Locals can't get enough of the peanut-butter-pickle-bacon (PBPB) burger and the bottomless fries. The Girlie is sized for a smaller appetite, and the kids' killer basket holds a half-sized burger and a ton of fries. Stop in during daily crazy hour between 2 and 5 p.m. for savings on the Classic and the PBPB.

If cabbage rolls, links of bratwurst and schnitzel are calling you, try a taste of German fare at Gustav's. The Munich Feast gives you a sampling that includes bier sausage, spätzle, pork schnitzel Cordon bleu and a Munich-style pretzel, and the crab with roasted red pepper fondue goes perfectly with a stein of German beer. You can enjoy food and drink specials such as the cheap margaritas during early or late happy hours. Vancouver doesn't compete with Portland in the nightlife category. Bennington residents can cross the Columbia and get into Portland within 25 minutes to enjoy clubs, concerts and partying fun.

Although you can run some errands on foot in Bennington, especially if you live close to one of the retail centers, space has been built into the development plans, and overall, the neighborhood is not highly walkable. The major shopping centers supply huge lots for free parking, and most residents depend on their vehicles for getting around. In fewer than five minutes, locals can hop on SR-14 for express travel to downtown Vancouver or Portland, or they can make connections with I-205 and I-5 for travel up and down the west coast. You can always let the bus driver take the wheel. C-TRAN bus service runs east-west across the center of the neighborhood along SE Mill Plain, and north-south along the western and eastern edges of the district. Broadway Cab services Bennington and provides another transportation option, and Uber can hook you up with a ride via your smartphone.

For cyclists and bicycle commuters who want to enjoy the neighborhood's scenery, eastbound and westbound dedicated bike lanes dissect the area along SE Mill Plain and connect to other lanes, trails and bike-friendly roads.

The primary green space in Bennington is the 12-acre park in the Columbia Tech Center. This beautifully landscaped and carefully manicured park has water features, a basketball court and pathways for peaceful walks, jogs and bike rides.

If you step just outside the neighborhood's eastern border, you'll find Homestead Park and 6 acres of grassy areas, playground equipment, benches and walkways. Take the kids to climb and slide in the play area and burn their boundless energy by running around on the lawn, or take Fido for a long, tiring walk on the leash.

Although there may be fees for special events and programs, neighborhood and community parks are free of charge.

In the warm summer months, Bennington residents join Vancouverites at downtown Esther Short Park for musical concerts and movies in the park.

Cost of living in the Bennington neighborhood is slightly higher than the Vancouver average, but it's not high enough to make you feel a pinch in the wallet. The trip from this east-side neighborhood to downtown counts as single-zone service on C-TRAN, and the fare comes to $1.75. A pint at the pub costs about $5. If you're looking for an apartment, plan on an average rental rate of about $938 per month.

As is common in Washington, gas prices are somewhat higher than in most eastern states, and Bennington residents can expect to pay more at the pump, roughly 12 percent more than the national average.

Bennington supports two major shopping centers with big-box stores. Home Depot and JCPenney anchor Mill Plain Crossing Shopping Center in the neighborhood's northeast sector, and Bed Bath & Beyond and Kohl's dominate Columbia Crossing Shopping Center at the central western border.

You can shop for big-ticket hot tubs or portable spas at Oregon Hot Tub, or shop the sales for discounted women's wear at Dressbarn. Get what you need for your floral design project, stock up on arts-and-crafts supplies to keep the kids busy or take cake-decorating or jewelry-making classes at Michaels.

For grocery shopping, residents stock up at the Walmart Supercenter in Mill Plain Crossing Shopping Center. Just five minutes away, Chuck's Produce and Street Market offers a selection of local organic fruits and veggies, providing locals with a farmers market experience.