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Review Portage
Love the area
4.5
rating
By
Anonymous (
Oct 18, 2018)
Good schools, sports programs are really good in the area. Portage has all the shopping you could want, my only low score was a 5/10 on nightlife, because Portage itself really shuts down around 11-12 at night, but it's 10 minutes to downtown Kalamazoo, 20-25 minutes from Battle ...Read More
Creek, there's 2 casinos within driving distance, and several breweries and wineries in the area. Wings Stadium has many events year-round including a huge craft show, and Kalamazoo has local hockey and baseball teams. The lake Michigan shoreline makes for good day trips, I recommend if you're not from the area to check out the beaches in St. Joseph and South Haven, or Bridgman if you're looking for a quieter afternoon. In the winter, there's Timber Ridge Ski Area, in the summer there's pretty good fishing on the lakes in town. There's a couple decent golf courses, some well-maintained parks and playgrounds. Economy is looking up at the moment, rumors are that several of the big employers in the area are looking to hire a good number of people. Police here are fairly nice, very present and visible. (Don't speed on Westnedge Ave!)
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Portage does family friendly and affordable living really well
4
rating
By
Anonymous (
May 14, 2015)
I have lived in Portage for the last two years. I relocated here a few years after college from the suburbs of Detroit and own a home here. I would say it is similar here to other suburbs, and would be an especially easy transition for anyone moving from the suburban Detroit or G ...Read More
rand Rapids areas. The close access to Kalamazoo and everything available there is great. The affordability factor is also a serious draw to living in Portage. It is definitely a commute friendly distance from Kalamazoo. It is only fifteen to twenty minutes if you live closer to the city.
Living in Portage is not a mile-a-minute level of excitement like living in a big city and activities are somewhat limited. In the summer there is great swimming in the nearby lakes (check out Ramona Park Beach), and there are quite a few beautiful parks with extensive trails. A person who loves to walk or ride their bike would really enjoy it, and if you go, try starting out at Celery park. There are also the usual stores in the area that you find through the rest of Michigan (Meijer, ect), and the average chain restaurants. For specialty food or drink (like a microbrewery), definitely venture into Kalamazoo.
There is a really neat little museum I take my visiting family to called the Air Zoo. It's an aerospace park with rides, but also has exhibits that describe air travel and flight history. My siblings all have children now so I wanted to take them somewhere they could run a little bit on a rainy day. They had a great time on the hot air balloon ‘teacup' style ride. It's not a huge place, but definitely worth a visit, especially if you have kids!
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Family friendlyPublic transit is accessibleWalkable to grocery storesYards are well-keptLots of parksWalkable to restaurantsFriendly neighbors Safe at night Pet friendly Streets have sidewalksA quiet areaSense of community
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Compare Portage, MI Livability
D-
Amenities
Are there many local amenities in
Portage?
Well, there are not many amenities close to this location.
Parks
Veterans Memorial Park
Central Park
West Lake Nature Preserve
Liberty Park
South Westnedge Park
Millennium Park
Oakland Drive Park
Lakeview Park
Entertainment
Hayloft Theater
Celery Flats Ampitheatre
Celery Flats Interpretive Center
Wine and Canvas
Millenium Park
Bernatche School of Dance
Kalamazoo Film Society
Celebration! Cinema Crossroads & IMAX
Food & Drink
Arby's
Subway
Dairy Queen
Panda Express
Subway
Culver's
Papa John's
Roundbread Sandwich Company
F
Commute
Is public transit available in Portage?
Of all people who commute,
1.0% take public transportation in
Portage.