Hillsboro, Oregon: Where Beer, Birds, Baseball, Farms and Technology Meet
Hillsboro is Washington County’s largest city—and the county seat—with a population exceeding 101,000. It is also among the oldest communities in the state.
With the emergence of the technology sector, as part of the region’s “Silicon Forest,” Hillsboro is home to some of technology’s biggest and brightest names, and this city continues to grow.
The city boasts several parks and sports fields, and Hillsboro has a state-of-the-art stadium, which is home to a Single-A, minor-league baseball team, the Hillsboro Hops.
Hillsboro is the Tualatin Valley’s “beervana,” with several craft breweries centrally located near the eastern edge of the city.
Hillsboro offers a plethora of activities in addition to sports. The Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, attracts hundreds of birds—and bird watchers— annually, while unique museums showcase a variety of exhibits from yesteryear and today: Five Oaks Museum and Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals.
The Washington County Fair Complex, located near the airport, and with a dedicated stop along the MAX light-rail transit line, is home to many of Tualatin Valley’s largest annual events, such as the Washington County Fair. Currently under construction is the new Wingspan Events and Conference Center, which will be Tualatin Valley’s first conference center, which will attract larger events and meetings to this growing destination.
Hillsboro’s quaint downtown area has transformed into the city’s arts and cultural hub with a selection of galleries, antique shops, a museum, live music venues and two live theatre companies, all located on or near Main Street.
Main Street Hillsboro is the city’s cultural center, with attractions such as the Walters Cultural Arts Center, which features art exhibits and live performances, Hillsboro Artists’ Regional Theatre, and Bag&Baggage Theatre Company. Several shops, antique stores and restaurants and Decadent Creations, a bakery owned by Chopped champion Mindy Simmons.
The Hillsboro Farmers Market (Saturdays, May through October) and the popular Hillsboro Tuesday Marketplace (Tuesdays, June-August), and the First Tuesday Art Walk, an evening of new exhibits, receptions and conversations, each set up shop on Main Street.
Interested in additional information about Hillsboro? Please visit the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce or the City of Hillsboro.
