Triple Creek - Beaverton, OR

Beaverton has a rich history as one of the first areas to be settled west of the Rockies. As such, the Beaverton Historical Society was founded several residents who felt the city needed to be researched and have its history preserved.

This volunteer-run organization opened the Beaverton History Center about ten minutes away from Triple Creek in Central Beaverton. The Center conducts research, displays and preserves historical artifacts, and holds monthly historical presentations free of charge for the community.

The city of Beaverton also encourages its community to become involved by sponsoring a range of educational, fun, family-friendly and intercultural activities spread throughout its neighborhoods. These include the Beaverton Arts Mix, a summer movie series called Flicks by the Fountain, Picnics in the Park, a week-long International Celebration, a city-wide Tree Lighting in the winter and a variety of plays performed year-round by the Beaverton Civic Theatre.

Spread thickly on Triple Creek's main roads and intersections, the variety of unique ethnic restaurants balance out a particular concentration of Asian-style eateries. Work your way along Northwest 185th Avenue and Northwest 173rd, the parallel streets that form the neighborhood borders.

Zen Teriyaki provides a quick bite and generous portions of good Asian food, or you can build the best wok bowl in the area at Asian Kitchen Grill, complete with fresh veggies, perfectly cooked meat and great sauces.

For a classier experience, satisfy your authentic Japanese cravings at Mio Sushi. Enjoy the refreshing and zesty seaweed salad, or try the sushi pizza made with laid out seaweed, a layer of rice, your chosen fillings and a special sauce. Local favorites include the Mio roll, the crunch roll and the seared salmon.

If you'd prefer quick Mexican dishes, visit Mazatlan Mexican Restaurant. Enjoy the free bean dip in addition to your complimentary chips and homemade salsa. Order the chicken a la crema, and take advantage of the generous daily happy hour, operating daily from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m and 9 p.m to close.

For other good local options savor the Vietnamese pho with round steak at the family-owned Pho Hoai, or have the best Biryani in the Portland area at Mumtaz Curry and Kebab.

When darkness falls, stick around the same stretch to bar hop in this neighborhood. Shoot some pool at Malone's Ale House, a popular late-night hangout for Portland suburbanites with a great beer selection. For the sports bar atmosphere head over to Schmizza Pub and Grub. Watch the game while enjoying a cold beer and snack on any pizza you can imagine.

The most walkable areas of Triple Creek are its borders, as these areas house the greatest proliferation of shops, restaurants and businesses. These busy streets also have designated biking lanes, while bikers can also ride in the more residential parts of the neighborhood.

The suburb of Beaverton enjoys service from Portland's award winning public transportation system, TriMet. TriMet provides a direct east-west connection from six stations in Beaverton to downtown Portland, as well as an express commuter rail line that runs north-south and connects Beaverton to Wilsonville. Ride any combination of TriMet buses and rails for just $2.50 a ticket.

Several cab companies also service Triple Creek and the other neighborhoods of Beaverton, including Portland Taxi Cab, City Cab and Lion Taxi, but make sure to call ahead to be picked up. You can also access Uber's ride-share service through its convenient phone app.

Those keeping their cars enjoy a great public parking system throughout Beaverton, including the multi-level The Round Parking Garage located in downtown Beaverton. Five supplementary parking lots and several streets devoted to providing additional parking spaces also lie nearby in this busiest area of town.

When needing to leave the area, you'll find U.S. Highway 26 borders Triple Creek to the north and conveniently connects the neighborhood to Interstate 5 and Interstate 405 in Portland.

In addition to the beautiful creeks that give this neighborhood its name, residents of Triple Creek enjoy their share of the green spaces for which Portland and its suburbs are famous.

Near the middle of Triple Creek and conveniently located on a bus route, Autumn Ridge Park outfits the neighborhood with a basketball court, a soccer field, picnic tables, a playground for children, horseshoe pits and multiple hiking trails, including some that are handicap accessible. In the summer, Autumn Ridge Park constitutes a popular site for one of Beaverton's outdoor summer concerts and even shows occasional outdoor movies.

Nearby, part of the Willow Creek Greenway resides in Triple Creek, complete with a gurgling stretch of Willow Creek. This natural area restoration project was previously known as Apollo Ridge Park. In the south of the neighborhood, the Roxy's Wetland Natural Area also provides ample local opportunities for beautiful rural exploration. Visit these spaces to escape the city, birdwatch and enjoy wildlife. Dogs are welcome, but remember to keep them leashed.

With a one-bedroom residence renting for approximately $957 per month, Triple Creek may be a little more expensive than other surrounding areas. Although its conveniently located living spaces do cost a little extra, the average cost of living in this neighborhood is still lower than both Portland and Beaverton, by 9 percent and 4 percent respectively.

It costs $2.50 to get to either Beaverton or Portland's city center via public transportation, and about $4 for a beer at a local pub. Enjoy gas rates though that cost about 6 percent less than the national average price.

Triple Creek houses a useful concentration of department stores and staple chains, such as Ross Dress for Less, Target, Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond and Nordstrom Rack, all located in the upper northwest corner of the neighborhood. The grocery stores Safeway and Trader Joe's also service the neighborhood from this convenient location.

Fifteen minutes away, the Beaverton Farmers Market takes place in downtown Beaverton. Sometimes considered the best farmers market in the Portland area, the market operates all year long and hosts regular events, such as local live music shows and cooking demonstrations.

The nearest array of independent shops and boutiques is located a little over a mile south of the neighborhood on Northwest 185th Avenue. Browse in the warm, peaceful atmosphere of the well-organized used bookstore Jan's Paperbacks, and enjoy the free coffee station available for customers. Get ready for fun at the popular local hobby shop Rainy Day Games, where you can find puzzles, interactive board games, disc golf and much more. In the same stretch, Bob'z Garden Center provides a seasonal selection of unique hanging baskets, fruit trees, seeds, vegetables and bouquets.