When you ask people what they like about living in Lake Oswego, the two most common responses are excellent schools and a keen sense of community. Lake Oswego is an affluent city in Clackamas County, just south of Portland, and is one of the finest residential areas in Oregon. The heart of the city is the lake – Oswego Lake – and the city was built around this centerpiece, starting with the magnificent homes that line the waterfront. Lake Oswego residents enjoy the activities that the private lake provides – boating, fishing, wakeboarding, and swimming – and everyone can take in the view from nearby roads and businesses.
Not far from the lake, is First Addition, one of Lake Oswego’s oldest and most well-known neighborhoods. First Addition has a wonderful mixture of Gothic, Prairie, Tudor, Craftsman, bungalow, and ranch homes, all within walking distance to a grocery store, community center, library, and retail offices. Downtown’s walkable lakefront business district has experienced recent improvements with stunning new facades and more mixed-use development with retail/commercial space and high-end residential units. These additions have only strengthened the community by bringing people together downtown and to Millennium Park Plaza, a spacious urban park with performance stage for concerts and festivals throughout the year, including the Farmer’s Market.
Lake Oswego, and its neighbor, West Linn, are two cities that are simply picturesque. There is an abundance of greenery with an emphasis on the preservation of trees and both cities prioritize their parks and scenic trails. Like Lake Oswego, West Linn offers good access to the Willamette River, providing its residents the ability to hike, fish and boat on the large waterway. And Mary S Young State Park offers another point of river access with hiking trails and picnic areas. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy West Linn for its natural beauty and its many parks, including Fields Bridge Park and Tanner Creek Park, which offer playgrounds, sports fields and walking paths.
West Linn offers suburban as well as rural living. The historic downtown is filled with charming shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants, and the city hosts yearly events to promote the town’s small businesses. The Willamette Distillery Stroll, an event featuring craft beer and local shopping, occurs every September, Small Business Saturday occurs every November, and the Willamette Summer Market takes place every Wednesday from May to September. There is even a walking tour! This self-guided tour leads you to approximately seventy historic buildings, homes, and heritage trees in and around downtown.
Residents of Lake Oswego and West Linn savor their quality of life. They like the walkability of the areas and shopping at small businesses. Most residents commute to work as large employers are few, but the community, the excellent schools and beautiful scenery are a draw to homeowners and renters alike.
Map of the area
