Neighbors call St Johns a town within a city due to its charming, pedestrian-friendly downtown. Walkscore.com has dubbed this quaint neighborhood a “walker’s paradise.”
Towards the heart of town, everything is within a 10-minute walk. Two movie theaters, three grocery stores, several convenience stores, a library, a community center, and as one resident says, “a handful of nice coffee shops and two handfuls of pubs/bars/restaurants/live music venues.”
Additionally, Cathedral Park is a stunning place to walk around, Smith and Bybee Lakes provide a wilderness sanctuary to trek through, and a trailhead into Forest Park is just across the picturesque St. Johns Bridge.
Biking to-and-from St. Johns from inner Portland can be a delight along the undulating Willamette Boulevard. Your daily commute cannot possibly come with a more scenic route. If the distance seems daunting, you will be relieved to know St Johns has two frequent service bus lines (75 & 4) that run late, a express commuter bus to downtown, and 2 other bus lines that take you downtown (and beyond) via the west and east sides (44- Van/Williams & 17- NW 21st).
Home to the city’s oldest bike shop (Weir’s Cyclery, established 1925) and some of our most innovative bike builders, there is clearly something about St Johns. Check out this video by Neal at The Montana Transit Authority who proudly bases his work out of St Johns. All outdoor footage is taken in St Johns.
