Located in Clackamas County with fantastic schools, gorgeous year-round weather, and a high standard of living, West Linn is the premiere place to live in Oregon! Currently, West Linn maintains a population of approximately 26,000 residence and also enjoys having a continued robust economy. With easy access to Interstate 205 and Highway 43, West Linn residents have an easy commute to Portland’s urban businesses and industries, while still maintaining ready access to the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Surrounded by spectacular views of the Cascades, West Linn has been named Tree City USA for five consecutive years by the Arbor Day Foundation for its dedication to preserving urban forestry. Given West Linn’s dedication to urban parks and the multiyear Tree City USA awards, it’s not surprising that the city is known as the “city of hills, trees, and rivers”! West Linn also has a long and growing list of other awards, including being ranked the 31st and 58th Safest City in America in 2014 and 2015, respectively, by Neighborhood Scout. It was also named Oregon’s number one most family-friendly city by Estately in 2014 and ranked in CNN’s Money Magazine as one of the Best Places to Live in 2005, 2009 and 2011! For a more extensive list of West Linn’s awards and recognitions, visit the City of West Linn’s webpage that is devoted to its many accomplishments!
West Linn is traditionally considered to have four distinct neighborhoods. The primary hub of West Linn is the Historic Willamette district. Located in southwestern West Linn, the Historic Willamette district centers where the Willamette and Tualatin Rivers converge. The area also features a revitalized historic downtown with vintage homes and shop fronts. The West Linn Old Time Fair in July brings tons of visitors to this area for a weekend full of entertainment and carnival atmosphere. The Old Time Fair also features a car show, exhibitor booths, games, races, dances, food and so much more! Other events in the Historic Willamette district include seasonal carriage rides, the Annual Old Town Haunt, the Farmers’ Market, Holiday Crawl, and the Annual Dog Days of Summer. Street Dance is also hosted in the Historic Willamette district during the summer and features great music, dancing in the streets, and fantastic local food! Music in the Park concert series and Movies in the Park also run from July to August in the Tanner Creek Park. The events features live music from the best of the Pacific Northwest bands or family friendly movies as well as food and drink vendors and picnicking options! For delicious food, local produce, artisan crafts and gifts, West Linn residents can head to the Farmer’s Market that is located in the Historic Willamette district. Previous market venders have included the popular urban Family Table Farm, Albeke Farms, Petal Heads plants and flowers, the Willamette Valley Confectionery, Something Green handcrafted soaps, and Granny Fi’s shortbread cookies. The Historic Willamette district also features shopping and business centers. Check out the Facebook page here to stay up-to-date on the local events!
The northern most region of West Linn is Robinwood which features the Robinwood shopping area as well as the Mary S. Young Park, an approximately 128 acre park with trails and fantastic birdwatching opportunities. Also located in Robinwood is Cedar Island and Marylhurst University. The Robinwood district is celebrated for its activities for art lovers, including the Art Burst Northwest art show held at Marylhurst University to feature fine arts and crafts from the Pacific Northwest with emphasis on artists, student artists, art guilds and organizations.
West Linn’s third distinct neighborhood is Cascade Summit which features primarily residential housing and the Cascade Summit Town Square. Stop by the Town Square in November to partake in the annual Community Tree Lighting! The event not only ushers in the holiday season but features family events such as photos with Santa, a holiday movie, crafts, food, drinks and a local food drive.
The fourth district in West Linn is Bolton which follows the Willamette River near the Camassia Natural Area and Wilderness Parks where visitors can view spectacular blooms of wildflowers! Bolton is home for many of West Linn’s popular nature parks, including the Burnside Park, Maddox Woods, McLean House Park, and West Bridge Park, thereby covering more than 30 acres of northwest forestland. Additionally, Hammerle Park and Tot Lot have been developed as recreational play areas for West Linn residents. Other popular activities in West Linn’s Bolton district include winter lighting of Maddax Woods is a free family holiday event hosted by the Friends of Maddax Woods that features hot beverages, storytelling, music and games. Central Village, located in Bolton with its mix of retailers and restaurants, offers residents easy access shopping as well as convenient access to the Public Library and Chamber of Commerce.
West Linn also hosts year-round events for residents’ benefits, including those presented by the West Linn Lions Club. During the heat of summer months, head to some of West Linn’s family friendly Sprayparks, including Hammerle Park, Marylhurst Heights Park, Robinwood Park, Tanner Creek Park, and Willamette Park, where children can cool off in mini water parks! These popular West Linn parks also feature playgrounds, picnic areas, baseball and softball fields, volleyball and tennis courts, basketball courts, horseshoe pits, skate parks, river access and wildlife viewing! West Linn Parks & Recreation continues to promote family friendly community engagement through an extensive and ever-growing list of activities such as dance and painting courses, children’s science camps, and sport/fitness camps. Additionally, the Parks & Recreation offers many volunteer community projects throughout the year for continued maintenance and beautification of many of West Linn’s prestigious natural parks.
In addition to the city’s beautiful and numerous urban parks, West Linn residents also get to enjoy water sports and activities as the Willamette River winds through West Linn and converges with the Tualatin River. Of particular popularity is the Willamette Water Trail that winds through beautiful Pacific Northwest forestland, meadows, and farmland, coving over 187 miles! Check out the Willamette Water Trail website to learn more about paddling routes and water trail campsites.
While West Linn residents can travel a short distance to take in Portland’s fine dining fare, West Linn is also home to many fabulous restaurants for satisfying even the most capricious of diners! For some tantalizing Italian fare, stop by Bugatti’s Ristorante and B.J. Willy’s Woodfired Pizza and Café. If you are looking for a contemporary dining experience, head to Five-O-Three and partake in some locally sourced fare. Allium Bistro is also a popular stop for European food while Saprona Sushi is top rated for the best in fresh sushi. For a destination experience, be sure to stop in at the Lavender Bleu gift shop and tea room.
But, if you are looking a slightly different experience, head to La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant for West Linn’s most famous tequila bar! Not to be left out of Oregon’s prestigious winery and vineyard industry, several renowned vineyards are also located in West Linn, including Oswego Hill Vineyard and Winery, Holloran Vineyard, and Pete’s Mountain Vineyard. Be sure to plan a visit to local wineries in West Linn to sip the best of Oregon’s Pinot Noirs!
If you are looking to visit or move to West Linn, Oregon, learn more about the area from the city website here!