Pros and Cons of living in Seattle?

[tammyw]

I've lived in Portland, OR and spent a great deal of time in CO (we lived in WY) and I LOVE Colorado. SO many sunny days which is nice with homeschoolers. I would pick CO over just about anywhere. It's beautiful, the people are friendly, and the weather is great.

 

I definitely love Colorado. It's s lot like what I grew up with!

[tammyw]

I offer to be your tour guide!!

 

I'm in!

[gardenmom5]

While I've lived the last five years in Hawaii and San Diego, I'm always the one complaining about the sun/heat. I'm the one who gets giddy when it's cloudy/rainy. Actually, I think the biggest thing I'd dislike is what the drizzle would do to my hair, lol. I flat-iron my frizzy/half-curly hair. I might have to find a good hair dresser to teach me to wear it curly so I can just embrace the curl that happens with any sort of moisture. Such a vain, vain comment, I know ;)

 

I know the reports are it rains - but in reality it's drizzle. you "might" get 1/4" in a day. getting an inch or more in one day is more the exception. as a pp mentioned orlando, chicago also gets more rain than we do. (though the convergence zone north of seattle can totally change things as they get the systems coming around the olympics and get a double whammy.) If you need sun, a day trip to eastern washington or even a day trip to the north coast of the penninsula (sequim - abundant lavendar fields) or the south end of san juan island will be generally be sunny. (san juan island has DESERT). we had a getaway there in march - it was SNOWING in everett as we drove through and 65 and sunny in friday harbor.

 

2dd irons her hair and rarely has a problem. Unless she is out hiking in it, she generally does't get enough exposure to make it frizz. (on those days, she doesn't bother ironing her hair)

I had an acquaintence who was hawaiian. she reared her children here, but would visit family for a month every summer. Her big, huge hawaiian boys would sit on the beach and complain about the weather. :lol: they missed WA.

 

We lived in Black Forest and Colorado Springs. I grew up here and I missed real (lush) green, and I missed the WATER. Lakes, rivers, Puget Sound. ).

I visited my brother in colorado springs - the red dirt/pavement. but it was so HOT. it didn't cool off at night once - and it was typical august weather. (and he didn't have A/C) Pike's Peak is only "slightly" shorter than Mt. Rainier - and they have a year round tram to the top, and a road to drive to the top. Mt. Rainier is covered with glaciers. Here's the rainier webcam the weather does change frequently, so if the mt's not out, try again later. I'd look at it when I wanted to see snow. paradise is kept open all year for snowshoers and x-cntry skiiers. early in the morning you can see the big snowfall and by afternoon it's been plowed. the 1st cam is from camp muir at 10,000 ft and is usually covered with snow - but at the end of summer after the snow melt, has an incredible view.

Edited July 17, 2012 by gardenmom5

[FairProspects]

I grew up here and I missed real (lush) green, and I missed the WATER. Lakes, rivers, Puget Sound. Where we lived in Colorado, there just didn't seem to be much water around. I think I felt claustrophobic, too, so far inland, away from the oceans! My memories of the trees/dirt was dry pine and dryness.

 

 

Yes, this! I worked for a few months in Colorado and while it was beautiful there, as soon as I could I moved back to WA. I felt so land-locked and missed the water.

[gardenmom5]

oh - one other thing here you won't get in co. fresh seafood! I've dealt with relative who live in the midwest and they hate seafood - but they dont' get it fresh.

 

sockeye salmon season . . :drool: with fresh blackberry pie - the one's you pick youself have better flavor than what you buy frozen. (they are seasonally mutually exclusive. :glare: that is not fair. ) western wa is berry country. fushia country too.

 

whenever I complain about seattle politics dominating the state, dh asks where I'd want to move . . . . :glare:

[justLisa]

And I really think us PNW'ers really take pride in living here. We like to support what makes it such a great place.

[tammyw]

oh - one other thing here you won't get in co. fresh seafood! I've dealt with relative who live in the midwest and they hate seafood - but they dont' get it fresh.

 

sockeye salmon season . . :drool: with fresh blackberry pie - the one's you pick youself have better flavor than what you buy frozen. (they are seasonally mutually exclusive. :glare: that is not fair. ) western wa is berry country. fushia country too.

 

whenever I complain about seattle politics dominating the state, dh asks where I'd want to move . . . . :glare:

 

Oh, fresh seafood. I love fish and seafood, but I rarely make it at home, because I haven't yet found a good place to buy it here (I know there are, just none near our house).

 

You all are making think about our future move WAY too much. It's kind of like "hurry up and get a job" to my husband :tongue_smilie:

[Ellie]

By law, you do have to do something annually: either test or assessment. But you don't have to turn in the results to anyone. Some of my friends have gone to testing every other year :wink wink:.

You gotta wonder what the point is of requiring testing but not requiring that the results are submitted to anyone.

 

I have to admit that if I had lived in WA, there's a strong possiblity that there might or might not have been testing happening on any sort of regular basis...Probably it's a good thing that I lived in California. :D

[Sun]

I know the reports are it rains - but in reality it's drizzle. you "might" get 1/4" in a day. getting an inch or more in one day is more the exception. as a pp mentioned orlando, chicago also gets more rain than we do. (though the convergence zone north of seattle can totally change things as they get the systems coming around the olympics and get a double whammy.) If you need sun, a day trip to eastern washington or even a day trip to the north coast of the penninsula (sequim - abundant lavendar fields) or the south end of san juan island will be generally be sunny. (san juan island has DESERT). we had a getaway there in march - it was SNOWING in everett as we drove through and 65 and sunny in friday harbor.

 

2dd irons her hair and rarely has a problem. Unless she is out hiking in it, she generally does't get enough exposure to make it frizz. (on those days, she doesn't bother ironing her hair)

I had an acquaintence who was hawaiian. she reared her children here, but would visit family for a month every summer. Her big, huge hawaiian boys would sit on the beach and complain about the weather. :lol: they missed WA.

 

 

I visited my brother in colorado springs - the red dirt/pavement. but it was so HOT. it didn't cool off at night once - and it was typical august weather. (and he didn't have A/C) Pike's Peak is only "slightly" shorter than Mt. Rainier - and they have a year round tram to the top, and a road to drive to the top. Mt. Rainier is covered with glaciers. Here's the rainier webcam the weather does change frequently, so if the mt's not out, try again later. I'd look at it when I wanted to see snow. paradise is kept open all year for snowshoers and x-cntry skiiers. early in the morning you can see the big snowfall and by afternoon it's been plowed. the 1st cam is from camp muir at 10,000 ft and is usually covered with snow - but at the end of summer after the snow melt, has an incredible view.

 

:iagree:

 

I wanted to emphasize what gardenmom said. The rain here is not like rain you get in Colorado or the east. We don't get those huge thunderstorms and torrential downpours where you can't see to drive at all. Our big, heavy rains are lighter than that (though still very, very wet), but they don't happen that often. They most often happen when the weather is blowing from the direction of Hawaii, which means that it will be in the 50s but raining hard (in the winter). By far most of our rain is light rain or drizzle, though, which is why many (most?) Seattleites don't use umbrellas very often. A hooded jacket is pretty essential, though, especially with curly hair.

 

I also have curly hair that's prone to frizz, but I don't have a problem here as long as I use my hood when it's raining. I had a much bigger problem when I lived out east and it was humid. Then there was nothing I could do.

 

Another huge plus of the Seattle area is the lack of mosquitoes. Some people don't have screens on their windows since there aren't that many flying insects.

 

The natural areas around Seattle are truly gorgeous, often breathtaking, in a way that few other places I've seen are. The mountains, water, and rain forest are really beautiful and very accessible. People here tend to hike and bike a lot, and it's easy to do because the climate is so mild. It's also fairly quick (2-3 hours) to drive over the mountains and be in a completely different (desert) climate.

[tammyw]

:iagree:

 

I wanted to emphasize what gardenmom said. The rain here is not like rain you get in Colorado or the east. We don't get those huge thunderstorms and torrential downpours where you can't see to drive at all. Our big, heavy rains are lighter than that (though still very, very wet), but they don't happen that often. They most often happen when the weather is blowing from the direction of Hawaii, which means that it will be in the 50s but raining hard (in the winter). By far most of our rain is light rain or drizzle, though, which is why many (most?) Seattleites don't use umbrellas very often. A hooded jacket is pretty essential, though, especially with curly hair.

 

I also have curly hair that's prone to frizz, but I don't have a problem here as long as I use my hood when it's raining. I had a much bigger problem when I lived out east and it was humid. Then there was nothing I could do.

 

Another huge plus of the Seattle area is the lack of mosquitoes. Some people don't have screens on their windows since there aren't that many flying insects.

 

The natural areas around Seattle are truly gorgeous, often breathtaking, in a way that few other places I've seen are. The mountains, water, and rain forest are really beautiful and very accessible. People here tend to hike and bike a lot, and it's easy to do because the climate is so mild. It's also fairly quick (2-3 hours) to drive over the mountains and be in a completely different (desert) climate.

 

The no mosquito thing sounds great. How about ants? We battle ants like crazy here in CA and it makes me crazy. They are just everywhere. You can't go to the park and sit on the bench, because the bench is crawling with ants. Same with the pool - ants all around the pool. We really get them in our homes in the summer when it's hot. Blech!

[gardenmom5]

 

Another huge plus of the Seattle area is the lack of mosquitoes. Some people don't have screens on their windows since there aren't that many flying insects.

.

granted there aren't as many as in a farm area in the midwest (where my mom is from), but we get mosquitos. we also hear bats flying around at night eating them. depends if there is much swampy/standing water.

 

nothing compared to when we were camping at Moran and swatting the yellow-jackets out of the air because there were so many. (but NO mosquitos.)

[FairProspects]

granted there aren't as many as in a farm area in the midwest (where my mom is from), but we get mosquitos. we also hear bats flying around at night eating them. depends if there is much swampy/standing water.

 

Yeah, and those Mt. Rainier mosquitos are nasty suckers. I swear they only eat for a few weeks a year after the snow melts so those bites will swell like crazy.

[Jean in Newcastle]

There are ants here but I've never had a problem with them outside or in.

[Alyeska]

If you can get a place in West Seattle, I think you will love it there. THe commute is easy...15-20 minutes and it is close to Alki Beach!!

 

We lived in West Seattle for a time and really, really enjoyed it. Really quaint. Feels small. Feels removed from the city life.

 

We also lived north in Lynnwood and the traffic to and from there would make the commute at least an hour each way.

 

We lived in Kent, which was nice but again...a commute of 45 minutes or so. Plus the area we were in saw a great increase in crime right before we moved.

 

Crime statistics...you should look into that when trying to decide.

 

How exciting! Seattle really is a beautiful city with LOTS to do!! (I kinda miss it...)

[higginszoo]

We lived closer to Tacoma, near SeaTac mall. Either north or south of town, there are facilities that military/retired military can use.

They had a great public transportation system, with convenient bus and train options.

I loved having mountains and forests and water all so close together (the forests and water for me, the mountains for dh).

We had an abundance of different kinds of fruit trees, grape vines, etc. that grew like weeds (literally in the grape vine's case) in our yard.

Mild climate -- doesn't get too hot or too cold.

 

Dh hated the fact that we were so far north that in winter, he went to work in the dark and came home in the dark.

The clouds and rain didn't help that.

We were there in 2001-2002 when the dot com market that was big there tanked.

 

 

I loved it there and would go back, but dh wasn't happy, so after 15 mo, we moved.

[Sun]

granted there aren't as many as in a farm area in the midwest (where my mom is from), but we get mosquitos. we also hear bats flying around at night eating them. depends if there is much swampy/standing water.

 

nothing compared to when we were camping at Moran and swatting the yellow-jackets out of the air because there were so many. (but NO mosquitos.)

 

 

Really? I've lived in several parts of the city itself for more than 20 years, and I've gotten about three mosquito bites, total. I've gotten more than that in 2 minutes during the summer in the midwest! I've even lived in a few houses that didn't have screens on the windows and never had a problem, and neither did any of my roommates/family members. I do attract them like crazy in the midwest and south, so ? :confused1:

 

Yes, if you go to the mountains or the Olympic Peninsula, you'll find them, but I've never seen them except on very rare occasions in the city. Perhaps some of the outlying burbs get them more? I even live close to some wetlands, and I still never see them, nor do my neighbors. I've always thought it's because nights are too cool and summers tend to be pretty dry, especially by the time it's finally warm.

 

Yellow jackets, though. Ugh. Hate them! For some reason they rarely came in when we lived places that didn't have screens. Some years we really need those traps hanging outside!

[Sun]

Hmm. Just googled about the mosquito thing, and found this:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2010/02/04/if-its-so-wet-in-seattle-why-arent-there-more-mosquitoes/

 

Apparently it's very patchy and isolated. I still find it interesting that I live pretty close to a wetland and never see them, even when I walk through there.

[tammyw]

Thanks to everyone for the great insight so far. I am so far not swayed from Seattle, but of course it will all come down to jobs for my DH. I did have a dream last night that we were in Seattle and it was rainy and cold. Then I woke up at 2am and thought "oh no, we shouldn't go there..." I can be pretty irrational in the middle of the night. :lol:

[kalanamak]

Holy cow...a one hour commute time each way would be brutal.

 

West SEattle to SeaTAc is not over the bridge. And, if it is day shift, he'd be going "against" the traffic.

[ElizabethB]

Renton is fairly close to the airport and Renton has nice neighborhoods in several different price ranges.

 

Also, as someone mentioned, the new train system goes to the airport...but there was my one station with a parking lot last time I visited, so you either need to live close enough to walk or bike or live close to the one station with a parking lot.

[msjones]

Yeah, unfortunately SR 167 is one of the worst congested freeways in the region, but really the problem is regional. There isn't a way to escape it, and if he works at Sea-Tac and you don't want to live in a completely scary area (which is most of the communities surrounding the airport), your commute will almost certainly be longer than your desired time. Just something to keep in mind.

 

My good friend whose husband works for an airline lives in the lovely community of Normandy Park. They have beach access, and a beautiful home on a quite street. He has a five minute commute. There is hope!

[msjones]

West Seattle to SeaTac does not require going over a bridge, you'd drive out the south end via hwy. 509.

 

Also near SeaTac are Des Moins, Federal Way and Kent. All have some very nice areas and affordable housing. Just avoid South Park and you'll be fine! ;)

 

509 is a fantastic, speedy, almost secret way to get to SeaTac from the south end of Seattle. And I think West Seattle is lovely. Do look at Normandy Park, however.

[gardenmom5]

Really? I've lived in several parts of the city itself for more than 20 years, and I've gotten about three mosquito bites, total. !

 

I'm in the geographic center of a seattle suburb. If we sit outside in the evening around dusk, I will kill than many trying to bite me in less than an hour. we have citronella candles and the fire pit going to stave them off. (the screens are a much bigger deal for moths and a few other flying insects.)

 

over the last several years, by happenstance, I've planted more blossoms that attract bees as opposed to yellow jackets - and I haven't seen as many as I used to. I can live with that. they've rarely tried to get in my house. (but I have screens.)

 

eta: one of our biggest wildlife pet peeves are the flickers that attack the house in the spring as they're looking for girls. they'd peck at the chimmney and we damaged the flue shaking it back and forth to drive them off. I do like watching the hawks circle overhead downhill from us. we've even had an owl - so loud at times I can hear it inside with the windows closed. dh favorite are a family of quail who've lived around here (and their descendents I'm sure.) He named them mona and leonardo - and their babies. the odd thing is I've almost never had squirrels on my property - I see them across the street and taking out transformers (aka: fried squirrel and a power outage), but not in my yard. they came last fall and were eating maples helicopters. they can take as many of them as they want. I HATE big leaf maples!

Edited July 21, 2012 by gardenmom5

[kalanamak]

I'm in the geographic center of a seattle suburb. If we sit outside in the evening around dusk, I will kill than many trying to bite me in less than an hour. we have citronella candles and the fire pit going to stave them off. (the screens are a much bigger deal for moths and a few other flying insects.)

 

 

How bizarre. I've lived in West Seattle, south King and two places in Pierce and Oly for a total of 23 years since 1979, and I bet I've had less than 10 bites.

[tammyw]

I have another question - is it easy to make homeschool friends there, in general? So many threads online discuss the Seattle Freeze :) but I was curious how that translates into the homeschool community. My dd9 is very social and active in many things, especially musical theater.

[In the Rain]

I had to google "Seattle Freeze". We lived there for 3 years (in a suburb) and didn't experience it. When my oldest was only two, I was welcomed into homeschool groups. It was through knowing the other homeschool families and their "normal" kids that my dh was sold on hs'ing. I don't know about Seattle proper, but we certainly had no problem making friends in the 'burbs. ;)

 

One thing I remember about our area is that hs kids were allowed to register for any ps classes they wanted. I knew a single mom who was able to hs and work by putting her son in public middle school half day for all electives courses.

[tammyw]

I had to google "Seattle Freeze". We lived there for 3 years (in a suburb) and didn't experience it. When my oldest was only two, I was welcomed into homeschool groups. It was through knowing the other homeschool families and their "normal" kids that my dh was sold on hs'ing. I don't know about Seattle proper, but we certainly had no problem making friends in the 'burbs. ;)

 

One thing I remember about our area is that hs kids were allowed to register for any ps classes they wanted. I knew a single mom who was able to hs and work by putting her son in public middle school half day for all electives courses.

 

I'd never heard of this either, until I started looking at the city-data.com site. Yowza. There is a lot of negativity on that site and it sort of made me nervous. Then again, when you look around at other sites, there's a lot of negativity about every location, so I think it's just one of those sites people like to complain.

[JVA]

I haven't read the other responses but we're Seattle natives, living in northern VA. Livability is really dependent on the kind of person you are. We visit occasionally but will NEVER move back there. It is just TOO gray and drizzly for our liking. The geography is lovely and when the sun IS shining, it is stunning! There are just not enough sunny days for us.

I can't tell you how many 4th of Julys we were in the garage with little kids, jackets on, lighting sparklers IN THE GARAGE because it was raining and cold outside. One should be SWEATING on the 4th of July. It snows very rarely there and we like the snow.

On top of this, we're conservative in our faith and politics. The environment there is much for liberal and we don't feel at home in that.

Seattle is a nice place to visit but not to stay permanently.

[In the Rain]

I'd never heard of this either, until I started looking at the city-data.com site. Yowza. There is a lot of negativity on that site and it sort of made me nervous. Then again, when you look around at other sites, there's a lot of negativity about every location, so I think it's just one of those sites people like to complain.

 

I don't know- maybe the happy, well adjusted people don't feel the need to post on the site. When I googled it, a lot of the "Seattle Freeze" explanations seemed to be about dating. It seems to me like people who can't find dates always have someone or something other than themselves to blame. ;)

[tammyw]

I don't know- maybe the happy, well adjusted people don't feel the need to post on the site. When I googled it, a lot of the "Seattle Freeze" explanations seemed to be about dating. It seems to me like people who can't find dates always have someone or something other than themselves to blame. ;)

 

You are probably right - maybe it is more about young, single people. Come to think of it, I don't think a lot of families post on that site :)

 

Yesterday in San Diego, it was 85F. I was miserable. Honestly, I kind of get cranky when the temp goes above 70. When it's cool and rainy (our winter) - 60 degrees, I'm happiest. I miss sweaters. You can't wear sweaters here, much. The morning will sometimes start out cool enough for a sweater, but by noon, you have to wear something less warm, so layers are key.

[kalanamak]

I had to google "Seattle Freeze". We lived there for 3 years (in a suburb) and didn't experience it.

 

Seattle is the only place where I've met people who chat with strangers in the supermarket. "Do you know which jam is better?" etc. I now live in a little grocery-less bedroom community, and I can tell you it is the FRIENDLIEST place I have ever lived. Not that everyone is in everyone's business, but block parties yearly, and I haven't met one rude person yet (although I didn't knock on the door of the man with dummy cannons, barbed wire and Ron Paul signs on his apartment balcony. :) (They came down a couple months ago and he got new furniture for the balcony. I think he got a girl friend.)

[Jean in Newcastle]

I have another question - is it easy to make homeschool friends there, in general? So many threads online discuss the Seattle Freeze :) but I was curious how that translates into the homeschool community. My dd9 is very social and active in many things, especially musical theater.

 

Yes, it is easy to make homeschool friends of all descriptions. And yes, the Seattle Freeze has to do with dating.

 

Normandy Park is a nice place but housing can be pricey there esp. if there is any kind of a view. Houses in a hole (ie. valley with no view!) are mostly in the $400k range.

[tammyw]

Seattle is the only place where I've met people who chat with strangers in the supermarket. "Do you know which jam is better?" etc. I now live in a little grocery-less bedroom community, and I can tell you it is the FRIENDLIEST place I have ever lived. Not that everyone is in everyone's business, but block parties yearly, and I haven't met one rude person yet (although I didn't knock on the door of the man with dummy cannons, barbed wire and Ron Paul signs on his apartment balcony. :) (They came down a couple months ago and he got new furniture for the balcony. I think he got a girl friend.)

 

You guys are making me feel even better about a possible move to the area :)

[LadyMSews]

I have another question - is it easy to make homeschool friends there, in general? So many threads online discuss the Seattle Freeze :) but I was curious how that translates into the homeschool community. My dd9 is very social and active in many things, especially musical theater.

 

Homeschooling is very common here, and there are sooo many groups and co-ops, you'll have plenty of choices. And people are very warm and welcoming. The Seattle Freeze idiocy is about dating, like others said. You'll make friends right away, I'm sure. Check out the The Seattle Children's Theatre for your dd. :)

Edited July 21, 2012 by LadyMSews

[tammyw]

Homeschooling is very common here, and there are sooo many groups and co-ops, you'll have plenty of choices. And people are very warm and welcoming. The Seattle Freeze idiocy is about dating, like others said. You'll make friends right away, I'm sure. Check out the The Seattle Children's Theatre for your dd. :)

 

Thank you! I will definitely check that out.

[gardenmom5]

I agree it is generally friendly - but we do have the occasional lulu.

[kalanamak]

Do you have a link to somewhere stating that law?

 

The WHO website goes over the rules very carefully and has copies of the various actual laws.

 

I *assume* they would like the possibility of looking at tests to see how a child has been doing when they suddenly appear on a public school doorstep. NicoleM noted that when her boy started high school, they just stuck him in the year appropriate for his age, no questions asked.

 

I would think it would be technically possible to hold it against a homeschooler who is being egregious, as one more checkmark in a case against them. WA seems very hands off to homeschoolers, but it would be possible, I would guess to use this if CPS was involved. I've never thought of CPS as that active here, but I see homeless teens, and teens raised in horrible environments of incest, etc. Most have them and been "in and out" of the system and still weren't taken away. Even the clearly psychotic are given visitation of infants, although once the express psychotic and dangerous statements, or try to hurt the child, they stop.

[kalanamak]

The Seattle Freeze idiocy is about dating, like others said.

 

:lol: Clearly they are missing the Herpes Triangle (the three open-late big restaurant/bars on the SE edge of Lake Union).

[justLisa]

Seattle is the only place where I've met people who chat with strangers in the supermarket. "Do you know which jam is better?" etc. I now live in a little grocery-less bedroom community, and I can tell you it is the FRIENDLIEST place I have ever lived. Not that everyone is in everyone's business, but block parties yearly, and I haven't met one rude person yet (although I didn't knock on the door of the man with dummy cannons, barbed wire and Ron Paul signs on his apartment balcony. :) (They came down a couple months ago and he got new furniture for the balcony. I think he got a girl friend.)

Friendly in deed! I talk to everyone :lol:

 

The WHO website goes over the rules very carefully and has copies of the various actual laws.

 

I *assume* they would like the possibility of looking at tests to see how a child has been doing when they suddenly appear on a public school doorstep. NicoleM noted that when her boy started high school, they just stuck him in the year appropriate for his age, no questions asked.

 

I would think it would be technically possible to hold it against a homeschooler who is being egregious, as one more checkmark in a case against them. WA seems very hands off to homeschoolers, but it would be possible, I would guess to use this if CPS was involved. I've never thought of CPS as that active here, but I see homeless teens, and teens raised in horrible environments of incest, etc. Most have them and been "in and out" of the system and still weren't taken away. Even the clearly psychotic are given visitation of infants, although once the express psychotic and dangerous statements, or try to hurt the child, they stop.

 

Ok yeah...I thought someone posted and meant like you have to take the kid in to the school for yearly testing.....like when you belong to an ALE which starts the testing in 3rd grade.

[kalanamak]

 

Dh hated the fact that we were so far north that in winter, he went to work in the dark and came home in the dark.

 

One of the big tricks is to take a walk on lunch break. I found that all but the most rainy days had a dry spot from 1-3, and I'd try to walk my dog then. Also, a source of radiant heat to dry things on, or a little gas fireplace was helpful. South facing windows with a chair to sit in. My school room has north facing windows, but one whole wall is windows and I bounce the light into my face with while V. blinds. I really don't mind it.

[msjones]

Pros:

When it's clear weather, I think it's the most beautiful city in the US. The mountains, the water, the trees, the gardens.

 

There is a lot to see and do. Museums, concerts, theater, galleries, hiking, skiing, bike trails, boating, amazing restaurants, zoos, major league sports, minor league sports, college sports, excellent book stores, any kind of shopping you'd want, great seafood, tons of farmers markets, fun and funky little neighborhoods to explore, etc. etc.

 

If you love nature, it's a short drive to Mount Rainier, the San Juan Islands, the Hood Canal, the Cascade Mountains. It's a little farther to the Pacific coast -- 3 hours or so. The hiking and camping around here are incredible.

 

Cons:

It's expensive. But we manage. You might have to buy a smaller, older, not-so-charming house. We did. But we don't mind. Most folks are in the same boat.

 

The traffic. Ugh. I hate it. It's as bad as they say and then some. You have to work your schedule around it.

 

The politics. But, no politics on this board. So I'll stop.

 

It's dark and damp and then some for about 9 months each year. 8 hours of daylight in the winter with lots of dark clouds and persistent drippy drizzly damp. And sometimes the summers are that way, too. (Like this year!)

[higginszoo]

One of the big tricks is to take a walk on lunch break. I found that all but the most rainy days had a dry spot from 1-3, and I'd try to walk my dog then. Also, a source of radiant heat to dry things on, or a little gas fireplace was helpful. South facing windows with a chair to sit in. My school room has north facing windows, but one whole wall is windows and I bounce the light into my face with while V. blinds. I really don't mind it.

 

He did this to the best of his ability because he'd heard it would help, but we were there in 2001, he worked in SoDo, on 1st, not far from the Starbucks building (the ground floor of his building was a Starbucks training center). The area that was hit really hard by the earthquake the second week he was ther e(the dc and I were still in Denver). There was SO much construction, so many blocked sidewalks (the building next to his was one of the ones that collapsed) that for most of the time we were there, it wasn't very safe for pedestrians. It was a temporary issue, but apparently was bad for 2-3 years.

[Sun]

 

Yesterday in San Diego, it was 85F. I was miserable. Honestly, I kind of get cranky when the temp goes above 70. When it's cool and rainy (our winter) - 60 degrees, I'm happiest. I miss sweaters. You can't wear sweaters here, much. The morning will sometimes start out cool enough for a sweater, but by noon, you have to wear something less warm, so layers are key.

 

If you get cranky when it's above 70, then you'll probably be happier with Seattle summers than almost any place else in the US. We do tend to have very mild summers, and weather in the upper 80s or 90s tends to get front-page news coverage.

 

As others have said, Seattle does tend to be pretty friendly. Lots of neighborhoods have block parties a few times each summer. Kids in our neighborhood (in the city itself) play outside in the front yards and roam around the neighborhood freely--pretty much the way I did as a kid. When driving, if you signal to change lanes, someone will let you in. You might have to wait for a car or two (though often not), but someone will pretty much always let you in. This was not true in other places I've lived, and I still marvel at it.

[tammyw]

Me again! I've always said I think I would love the Seattle weather, especially after having lived in Hawaii and San Diego, and really not being a fan of the sun. In the summer, I never want to go outside until after 4pm. Even in the winter, I will put a sweater on in the morning (I prefer sweaters and jeans to shorts and tshirts), but by noon, usually it's too hot, and you have to strip down.

 

I just want some reassurances though. Am I romanticizing Seattle's weather too much? So many say it's nice for a while, but they get sick of it after months of grey skies. I am happiest here when it's grey, but that rarely lasts. Do you all get sick of the grey? Or do you prefer the grey weather?

 

I read so many people referring to Seattle's weather as "miserable" and I wonder - is it just people who are fond of really sunny weather that feel this way? Or does everyone get sick of it?

 

Here, I am one of the few people who rave about the colder weather (if you can call 50s/60s cold) where others complain that it's "too cold". But then again, I am from Calgary, Alberta originally, and definitely not a fan of the "perfect" (aka boring) San Diego and Hawaii weather. Just thought I'd ask, because maybe I need a reality check with it comes to this subject.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Me again! I've always said I think I would love the Seattle weather, especially after having lived in Hawaii and San Diego, and really not being a fan of the sun. In the summer, I never want to go outside until after 4pm. Even in the winter, I will put a sweater on in the morning (I prefer sweaters and jeans to shorts and tshirts), but by noon, usually it's too hot, and you have to strip down.

 

I just want some reassurances though. Am I romanticizing Seattle's weather too much? So many say it's nice for a while, but they get sick of it after months of grey skies. I am happiest here when it's grey, but that rarely lasts. Do you all get sick of the grey? Or do you prefer the grey weather?

 

I read so many people referring to Seattle's weather as "miserable" and I wonder - is it just people who are fond of really sunny weather that feel this way? Or does everyone get sick of it?

 

Here, I am one of the few people who rave about the colder weather (if you can call 50s/60s cold) where others complain that it's "too cold". But then again, I am from Calgary, Alberta originally, and definitely not a fan of the "perfect" (aka boring) San Diego and Hawaii weather. Just thought I'd ask, because maybe I need a reality check with it comes to this subject.

 

I hear lots of grumbling here when it has been raining day after day but people like to grumble. I hear the same people grumbling if it gets too hot too. I am included in the above set of people.:tongue_smilie: If you really asked me seriously if I wanted to live somewhere else to get away from the weather here the answer would be no.

[justLisa]

Me again! I've always said I think I would love the Seattle weather, especially after having lived in Hawaii and San Diego, and really not being a fan of the sun. In the summer, I never want to go outside until after 4pm. Even in the winter, I will put a sweater on in the morning (I prefer sweaters and jeans to shorts and tshirts), but by noon, usually it's too hot, and you have to strip down.

 

I just want some reassurances though. Am I romanticizing Seattle's weather too much? So many say it's nice for a while, but they get sick of it after months of grey skies. I am happiest here when it's grey, but that rarely lasts. Do you all get sick of the grey? Or do you prefer the grey weather?

 

I read so many people referring to Seattle's weather as "miserable" and I wonder - is it just people who are fond of really sunny weather that feel this way? Or does everyone get sick of it?

 

Here, I am one of the few people who rave about the colder weather (if you can call 50s/60s cold) where others complain that it's "too cold". But then again, I am from Calgary, Alberta originally, and definitely not a fan of the "perfect" (aka boring) San Diego and Hawaii weather. Just thought I'd ask, because maybe I need a reality check with it comes to this subject.

 

I honestly feel there is enough green around to offset the cloudy skies . And, there is something peaceful about it to me.

[tammyw]

You guys are making me feel more confident in my feelings that I'd like it. People who prefer hot/sunny don't really understand, I think, because they can't imagine liking cool/gloomy weather, whereas I really do.

 

It really doesn't help that we're being overrun by ants right now. Happens every summer when it gets hotter. Even with it only being 75-77 inside our house, I feel like I'm suffocating. I'm a wimp though. I'd much rather put on a sweater than to have to put on the air conditioning.

[msjones]

The time I really hear people getting sick of it is in the spring. By about April, folks are wishing for a day above 48-50 degrees. It hovers between 40 and 50 for a looooong time each year and can just be so darn dark with all the heavy cloud cover.

 

People keep doing outdoor stuff despite the weather. We walk, run, hike, bike, camp, and ski in the rain. It's just normal. We also drink all that coffee (that is not just a myth!) in the coffee houses that are on almost every corner.

 

So, it's just a different way of living.

 

I will say, some newcomers seem to really hate the weather. One gal recently commented that she had heard about it, but didn't really understand/believe it until she lived through a fall-winter-spring here. I think she was in shock. She had come from Southern California.

[justLisa]

Oh the ants. Gah!! I remember being in Texas for 6 weeks and they were terrible. And I lived in Cali for a number of years. No ants here. Unless you have lots of Peonies, and you can spray them off anyways :D

 

And really I know there are times in spring when it rains non stop. But the number of days of rain are FAR fewer than just clouds. It is very easy to be active outdoors most of the year.

[In the Rain]

I think the grayness is hard for many people to take. Unfortunately, a week's vacation can't really show you what it is like. I think the PNW has a special way of life, and if it suits you, you just find a way to deal with the gray. Instead of "snow days" we took "sun days" and never passed up a chance to be outside enjoying the weather when it was pleasant.