Why Portlanders don't visit Seattle more often
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A tale of two cities. Photos: Al Drago/Getty Images and Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Putting aside the rivalry between Portland and Seattle, the majority of Axios Portland readers appear to have a favorable view of our bigger northern neighbor. They just don't want to make the trip.
The big picture: Portlanders' issue with Seattle isn't about Seattle, though. It's about Tacoma traffic.
- That's according to a very unscientific poll we asked you to weigh in on last month.
Separated by only about 170 miles, Portland sits close enough to Seattle for residents to take advantage of its bigger concerts, major league sports games and superior waterfront — plus highly rated restaurants and museums — for a weekend getaway.
By the numbers: Of the 264 readers who responded to our survey, 69% said they either like or love Seattle, while 5% said they actively avoid the city.
- Yes, but: The majority of respondents (76%) said they visit only once or twice a year or almost never.
- 39% said the traffic on Interstate 5 is what keeps away, while 20% said they'd rather travel somewhere else. Another 19% pointed to high hotel costs.
What you're saying: "The drive is a pain," wrote Shon-Lueiss Harris, who lives in Vancouver and visits Seattle every few months. "Leave on a Friday afternoon and you're in for a traffic nightmare."
- "A wall of gum is not enough 'culture' for me to make the drive," another reader wrote. "If there were actual affordable high-speed rail between the two cities, that might change things."
- Susan Landa of Mount Tabor praised the beauty of Puget Sound but said "the 3 hour drive plus traffic is a bit much," so she visits only once every few years.
- Reader Michael Vorhees said, "For a city as rich and beautiful as Seattle, they sure have a lot of room for improvement on their food." (That we can agree on.)
Meanwhile, an anonymous reader nailed one of the most common refrains we received: "It's enough like Portland to not be worth the traffic unless going for a specific thing."
The other side: Montavilla resident Thomas Ngo and his wife said they enjoy Seattle's "bigger city amenities," and Central Eastsider Chris Donato heads up there about once a month because it's "a gateway to more diverse topography" like the Olympic Mountains and Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
- Another reader put it more poetically: "Seattle wears a tiara and is dazzling. Portland sports a string of pearls, and is elegant."
The bottom line: Getting there may be our biggest gripe. Maybe just knowing Seattle is there when we need it is enough.