Southwest includes Downtown Portland, the Southwest Hills, and the Waterfront along the Willamette River. Many of Portland’s recreational, cultural, educational, government, business, and retail resources are concentrated downtown. This includes: Portland State University (PSU), Portland Art Museum, South Park Blocks, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and Oregon Historical Society Museum. Washington Park, in the Southwest Hills, is home to the Oregon Zoo, Hoyt Arboretum, the International Rose Test Garden, the Portland Japanese Garden, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and many hiking trails.
Beyond downtown, the Southwest section also includes: The campuses of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Lewis & Clark College, and Portland Community College/Sylvania. Neighborhoods like South Burlingame, Hillsdale, and Multnomah have their own unique feel and well defined retail districts.
The South Willamette river front along SW Macadam Ave., has been redeveloped as a mixed-use, high-density neighborhood. From here you can catch the aerial tram up to OHSU or cross the river on the Tilikum bridge.