Greenway - Beaverton, OR

In addition to lively streets and peaceful parks, the neighborhood of Greenway houses several significant homages to the past such as a large portion of the 15-mile Fanno Creek Greenway Trail. The paved walking trail marks the path that early settlers traveled as they moved into Beaverton and represents a beautiful asset of historical significance to the whole city.

In the northeast corner of the neighborhood, the renovated Augustus Fanno Farmhouse remains on its original site alongside Fanno Creek. The National Register of Historic Places lists the farmhouse as one of the first houses built in Washington County in the early 1840s.

Beaverton also hosts a range of intercultural activities and events to keep its neighborhoods socially connected. These include a week-long International Celebration in the summer, a city-wide Tree Lighting in the winter and a variety of plays put on year-round by the Beaverton Civic Theatre.

Within Greenway's neighborhood borders, an eclectic array of dining options keep everybody satisfied. Make your first stop the restaurants clustered and scattered along Southwest Scholls Ferry Road.

Dine in or take it to go at Thai Pasta, located right at the end of the Fanno Creek Trail. Stop in after a bike ride, and pair the house special curry with a well-crafted Thai iced tea. The creamy crab lagoon stuffed with crunchy peppers constitutes another crowd favorite.

Nearby, feed your Mediterranean cravings with the made-from-scratch authentic fare at Shiraz Restaurant. Enjoy the fine hummus and smoky, smooth baba ganoush at this cafe-style dining spot. Order the gyro platter, and wash it down with a refreshing glass of rose water lemonade.

When darkness falls, go a little north to barhop at the popular cluster of Beaverton bars near Southwest Farmington Road. Brickyard Tavern offers pool, darts, good beer and snacks in a welcoming atmosphere. Try the famous munchers when you get a little peckish, and enjoy the daily happy hour specials. For an authentic whiskey bar experience, visit Bootleggers and enjoy one of the thoroughly researched Prohibition-era cocktails. A small food menu accompanies the drinks, with made-to-order plates crafted from local and fresh ingredients.

With shops and restaurants scattered thickly through the streets, you can count on your own two feet as a mode of transport in this highly walkable area. Bikers are also a familiar sight on the streets of Greenway, as they are throughout Portland. In addition to a network of biking trails and biker-friendly streets, major roadways with biking lanes include Southwest Scholls Ferry Road and Southwest Murray Boulevard.

When you need to travel a little further afield, the Westside MAX light rail has six stations in Beaverton and connects the suburb to downtown Portland, while TriMet's Westside Express Service runs a commuter rail service all the way south to Wilsonville.

Few cabs circle the streets of Portland and its suburbs looking for fares, but consider the membership-based Uber taxi service as an alternative to traditional companies. Order and pay for Uber from the convenience of your smartphone.

Those driving cars find ample available parking throughout Beaverton, particularly at The Round Parking Garage on Southwest Millikan Way. Five additional parking lots and several adjacent streets further supplement the Beaverton parking options. Highway 217 forms one of Greenway's neighborhood borders while also connecting the neighborhood to the rest of Beaverton and surrounding cities.

The namesake of the neighborhood, Greenway Park, acts as a vital hub for free activities in the neighborhood. As a large part of the 15-mile Fanno Creek Trail, Greenway Park provides a significant length of paved trails suitable for walking, jogging and biking. The park also houses a disc golf course, several sports courts, a picnic area and a playground. Feel free to make your dog's day and bring her along for a walk. In the summer, Greenway Park hosts a free outdoor concert series as well as occasional public movie nights.

Adjacent to Greenway Park, the Koll Center Wetlands Park constitutes a more rural area suitable for nature walks and bird watching.

Greenway's lively and distinctive character comes at a low price. The cost of living in this neighborhood is 19 percent lower than Beaverton's city average, and a whopping 23 percent lower than the average cost of living in Portland. A one-bedroom residence rents for an average of $738.58 per month in Greenway, almost $300 lower than the equivalent in downtown Portland.

Pay just $2 to get to Portland's city center via public transportation and around $3 for a beer at a local bar. Greenway gas prices average 6 percent lower than the national average.

A healthy concentration of stores line Southwest Scholls Ferry Road and Southwest Halls Boulevard in the neighborhood of Greenway.

Beginners and expert knitters alike can find something to interest them at Nitro Knitters. They can even sign up for a class led by one of the warm and knowledgeable employees. Take the stress out of furniture shopping at the locally owned Bella Furnishings, and let the honest, down-to-earth owners help you find the best furniture for your home. Next door, make any day special when you design or choose the freshest bouquet in town at All Season's Florists.

In addition, independent comic stores, vintage clothing boutiques, toy shops and bookstores, as well as the Beaverton Town Square Shopping Center, all wait just a few minutes north in Central Beaverton.

Several Safeway grocery stores service Greenway, as well as a Grocery Outlet in the east. The popular Beaverton Farmers Market takes place two miles out of Greenway every Saturday from May through October. The organization also hosts a Fall Market throughout November and several winter market days in the colder months.