Quiet, out of the way, and home to a variety of residences and people are just a few of the words that describe this neighborhood. Portage Bay has some of its own personality, but really, it is small, and it is the personality of its many neighbors that really defines this neighborhood.
Home to the largest remaining community of houseboats, it does not lack for nice homes or multi-family condominium units. It has easy access to the University District, Capitol Hill, and downtown, so despite being too small to have many amenities, it is not a lengthy drive to find anything you need. This is, however, a neighborhood where you will have to commute to reach your fluffy friend's essentials.
Seattle weather is ideal for walking year around with Fluffy as rain or wind are the only two things that are likely to stop you from getting out. Snow is rare and temperatures only rarely dip below the 30s.
There are hills in Portage Bay, but most of the challenging hills are at the south end of the neighborhood. If you are just starting out and don’t need to walk very far, sticking to the north end of the neighborhood should help. The roads here are quiet, given that it is almost entirely residential. The only thing that may cause problems is that both highways crossing through here do have access ramps, but if you are inside the residential neighborhood or walking near the water it should not impact you.
As small as Portage Bay is, it does have its own park. Roanoke Park is about the size of a city block and has walking paths that go around and cross through. There are lots of trees and other foliage as well as large grassy areas. If you are at a loss for where to walk, this park can make a nice alternative.
On the other side of 520 along Boyer Avenue, you will find Montlake Park. It is fairly large with grassy field and the Bill Dawson Trail runs through. This trail is not as long as some in Seattle, but it does have a nice greenways bordering it and it comes within just a couple of blocks of the Lake Washington Ship Canal Waterside Trail and West Montlake Park. This park is on the other side of the bay and offers 2.8 acres of space you and Fluffy are free to enjoy.