When my wife and I first married, we vacationed at Bass Lake, just outside of Yosemite National Park. Our times there were so idyllic that we decided to find a lake we could live on. After traveling around the country in a Volkswagen Westphalia exploring the Land of 10000 Lakes and the lake On Golden Pond was filmed on, we passed through Lake Oswego and fell in love. We bought a small cottage on one of the canals, started out with a free boat being given away by neighbors, and plunged headfirst into the lake lifestyle.

What followed were glorious summers and a growing family that spent just about every summer day on the lake, in the lake, reading by the lake and appreciating the lake.

So yes, the #1 reason we moved to Lake Oswego was the lake. But some 30 years later, we find that the lake is just one of endless reasons we decided to stay.

That’s why I named this blog, “52 Reasons to Love Lake Oswego.” I’ve been writing this blog since May of 2011 so the reasons add up to some 581!

They include:

SCHOOLS. You’ve read it here before, but in my 30-plus years as a Realtor in Lake Oswego, the Lake Oswego School District’s reputation is the number one reason why families want to call Lake Oswego home.

SAFETY. Check out the Lake Oswego Review Police Blotter to see what’s going down in our town and then sleep soundly. The city profiling site, City-Data.com estimates Lake Oswego’s crime index at 85.6 compared to 431 for Portland and 194.5 for Tualatin.

NEIGHBORHOODS. Before one of our neighbors moved in a few doors down several years ago, she knocked on our door to ask if it was a kid-friendly spot. My wife reassured her that it was. She probably would have found the same answer in many of the neighborhoods around Lake Oswego. From active neighborhood associations to 4th of July potlucks to swim and pool easements, there is lots for kids and their parents to like.

RECREATION. You don’t have to leave home to maintain an active lifestyle in Lake Oswego. Choose from swimming in the lake at the Lake Oswego Swim Park to running the trails at Tryon Creek. The Parks and Recreation Department’s program guide offers everything from skateboard lessons to belly dancing. Venture a little further, and you can be snowboarding at Mt. Hood in less than two hours or running along the beach at Seaside in a little over 90 minutes.

SENSE OF COMMUNITY. Lake Oswegans care. You can see it in the faces of the hundreds of supporters who show up each year for the Walk4Water to support World Vision’s water, sanitation and hygiene projects in Zambia, the outpouring of support for Clackamas residents who were displaced by wildfires in 2020, or the greetings shared by the hundreds who turn out for the Lions Club 4th of July pancake breakfast in George Rogers Park or wander the stalls at the Lake Oswego Farmer’s Market.

LIBRARY. The Lake Oswego Public Library thinks of itself as much more than a place to store books. Programming includes everything from college essay writing to Mario Kart tournaments and trivia nights. And for one month every year, the library hosts LO Reads with programs revolving around the chosen book’s theme. https://lovelakeoswego.com/2019/02/17/5-reasons-why-loving-the-library-is-an-easy-thing-to-do-in-lake-oswego/

IT’S A PLACE KIDS WANT TO COME BACK TO. Gone are the days when all three of my kids live under my roof 365 days a year. But they do show up, most notably for those glorious summers I talked about earlier. It’s nice to know we’re settled in a place that spells home to them in more ways than one.

WEATHER. For anyone who has heard of wet Northwest winters, this may sound like false advertising, but hear me out. Fall is beautiful here—crisp, chilly, colorful. Winter is, yes, wet, but sometimes it’s also white. Those rare snow days were some of my kids’ favorite memories as they would send up a rousing cheer to their mom’s news that school had been canceled for the day. We’d pull out the boots and mittens and head for the neighborhood hill for some not-so-serious sledding. Spring is yes, wet, and cooler than we’d like, especially when my son played spring baseball. But the colorful azaleas and rhododendrons make up for it. Summer is late in arriving but once it makes its debut (usually after July 4th), there is no better place to be.

GREEN SPACES. You don’t have to travel to a national park or forest to enjoy green spaces here. Lake Oswego has been designated an official Tree City USA so just step outside. And then reap the benefits. University of Essex researchers found that people’s moods improve after spending time exercising outdoors. With more than 490 acres of open spaces, there is no excuse to stay inside and sulk.

NATURAL BEAUTY. Sometimes I almost have to pinch myself when I’m driving around town or out on the lake and take in my surroundings. Lake Oswego is a beautiful place to call home from the tree canopies mentioned above to the views of Mt. Hood from A Avenue and many homes, to the village flower baskets lining summer streets and more.

LOCATION. Lake Oswego feels like a small town without the sense of isolation that can come with it. Located just eight miles from downtown Portland, you get the best of both worlds.

If you’d like to make Lake Oswego your home, or are considering selling your home, let’s talk. I’d love to put my 30+ experience as a Lake Oswego Realtor to work helping you with your next move. Call me at 503.939.9801, check my website or email me at kevin.costello@cascadehassonsir.com.