I live on a small island created by a tributary of one of the many creeks and rivers in Portland. I can stand on my balcony and look straight down at the creek, and when the water is high I can sit in my living room and listen to it rushing by. Within a few yards of my house, there are wetlands, a wildlife refuge, a fish ladder and a couple of trees that some beavers have felled.
None the less, I'm 5 minutes in any direction away from everything that urban living has to offer.
I love Portland.