ericoseveins

I live in DC but have spent lots of time riding around Portland and NorCal, though not specifically Davis. I've also been mostly car-free since I didn't have a driver's license for 12 years until recently. I think Portland is pretty great per your criteria - it's relatively dense so there are lots of fun amenities within a few miles and there are very few streets within the city that I would consider stressful. It's a longer bike ride from the center of town to PDX than to DCA but it's not bad at all and the MAX also goes straight to the airport. I actually can't think of anywhere in the city of Portland that's difficult to get to by bike - I guess maybe getting to OHSU or Mount Tabor are both a bit of a climb, but not bad.

I would say that Portland feels very different than DC to bike around. Drivers in Portland are generally more considerate of other road users than in DC and less aggressive. I'm not really sure why but it may have to do with the fact that Portland traffic (as bad as it may be during rush hour) just isn't on the same level as traffic in the DMV. In terms of cultural acceptance, transportation cycling has become more common and accepted in DC over the last decade, but no one in Portland seems to bat an eye at all to see people riding to work or carrying their groceries or lumber or anything else. DC definitely is better with respect to roadway maintenance and anything else that hinges on having a wealthier tax base, and you're definitely more likely to meet people with expensive kit/components in DC if that's something that matters.