The Best Places to Live With Kids in Oregon

For growing families, Oregon is a wonderful place to live. In each of these cities, parents will find ample opportunities to share hobbies and interests with their children. Whether you want your child to appreciate the feeling of sand between his toes, experience the thrill of skiing down a mountain or read the classic tale of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," Oregon has the right city for you.

  1. Beaverton

    • Beaverton was on BusinessWeek magazine's 2010 list of the best places to raise kids. The reasons included above-average schools and the proximity to bike paths and beaches. In addition, the Portland Children's Museum and the Oregon Zoo are both less than five miles east of Beaverton.

    Bend

    • In 2009, "BusinessWeek" selected the city of Bend as one of the top 50 cities for families with children. As with Beaverton, Bend is also within arm's reach of a number of outdoor activities. You can take the kiddies rafting on the Deschutes River or snowboarding on Mount Bachelor. For less than $45 per night, you can even reserve a yurt for a family vacation in Tumalo State Park.

    Portland

    • According to MSNBC.com, Portland ranked number 75 on the list of the 100 best cities in America to raise a family. Though no specific reason was given as to this ranking, long-time Portlanders need not ask for an explanation. A healthy love of reading is ingrained into children, thanks to the libraries that are scattered throughout the city and the presence of the world's largest used bookstore, Powell's Books. Future microbiologists and engineers can spend hours exploring the hundreds of hands-on exhibits at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI).

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Fun Parenting Games
      Parenting games can be particularly useful for new parents. Parenting presents a world of challenges. Playing games that help with these challenges can be both fun and effective for helping new parents learn ways of approaching the basics of parentin
    • How to Write a Letter to a Parent to Set Up a Playdate
      As a child meets new friends, its important to help those friendships blossom and maintain a good relationship with the other child’s parents. To help promote positive interaction with other children, its often a good idea to set up play dates
    • Easy Make Ahead Meals for After Birth
      New parents need meals that are quick and simple, even ones that can be prepared ahead of time for convenience. Meals that can be frozen and reheated can assist you when you are busy changing diapers, washing bottles and rocking your new baby to slee