Pacific Northwest

[LivingHope]

I just came back to Southern California from a week trip in Washington. My DH has an opportunity to change jobs and work in WA. I just loved our visit. Washington reminds me of Germany. I am thinking the grass is literally greener up there, and I want to make the move. So, do you live in and/or love the Pacific Northwest? Thanks.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Yes, I live here.  Yes, I love it here.  But I recognize that housing is expensive (though perhaps not as expensive as California?) and the traffic is really really bad.  Other than that, I love the people.  I love the opportunities for culture and recreation.  I love the library system (in King County anyway).  But the PNW is a large area. . .   

[amsunshine]

We spent 5 weeks in Seattle this summer and absolutely fell in love, too.  Would love to move there.

[Loowit]

I have lived in the PNW my entire life and I love it.  I really like the weather (most of the time) and the fact that we are close to the ocean and the mountains.

[EKS]

I just came back to Southern California from a week trip in Washington. My DH has an opportunity to change jobs and work in WA. I just loved our visit. Washington reminds me of Germany. I am thinking the grass is literally greener up there, and I want to make the move. So, do you live in and/or love the Pacific Northwest? Thanks.

 

Yes, the grass is greener--because it rains so much.

 

Keep in mind that you visited during the beautiful time of year.  I would recommend that you also visit in the middle of winter, and that you keep in mind that the rainy gray weather lasts for many months each year.  

[marbel]

I lived in the PNW (Portland area) for 9 years.  Loved it.

[Guest]

The Pacific Northwest / Washington covers a lot of ground; are there specific areas you are looking at?  Seattle?  The Peninsula?  The Eastside?  TriCities?  Islands? The Palouse?  Each of these (and others) are such distinctive areas.  I like where I live--the Eastside (Bellevue-ish), and there are other places I would like to live...and some I wouldn't.  There are some places I would live now that we are mostly empty-nesters that I would have flat said NO to when we were younger and had a lot more Stuff To Do.  

 

We moved here in 1988, so I'm almost to the point where I have lived here half my life. I'd go back to my homestate if I could, but I can't, and I'm happy here, anyway.

 

[Guest]

Yes, the grass is greener--because it rains so much.

 

Keep in mind that you visited during the beautiful time of year.  I would recommend that you also visit in the middle of winter, and that you keep in mind that the rainy gray weather lasts for many months each year.  

 

The  grass is browner in the summer, at least for most of us in the Greater Seattle area. It cracks me up.  But there is always something beautiful to look at; flowers bloom year-round.  

 

I quoted EKS because my dh found that the grayness really got to him; we ended up getting out of here for a couple of weeks in the winter, going someplace sunny.  We hardly ever have left town between June and November, though, because it is so pretty.  

 

The thing that got to me is the dramatic shift in the number of daylight hours from summer to winter.  Summer, sun is up by 4:30 and down at 9:30--and that's peachy.  But winter--oy.  Up at 8 and down at 4:30.  THAT was what bothered me, much more than the gray/rain in winter.  

[Amira]

We lived in Seattle for a couple of years and it's unquestionably one of my favorite places ever.  I loved it there.  I love the lifestyle, the clouds, the rain, the greenness, the people, the culture, the food, the history, and so much more. And did I mention the weather enough times?  I was one of those people wishing away the hot sunny days in the summer that almost everyone else waited for all year.  The only problem was that it almost never snowed, but you can't have everything.

[NorthwestMom]

DH and I are midwest natives who LOVE it here. The short days in winter are hard, but the loooong summer days make up for it. 

[LivingHope]

Thank you all for your replies. I keep watching the video here with Parker's favorite things about Northwest Rivers: http://www.americanrivers.org/region/northwest/rivers-of-puget-sound-and-the-columbia-basin/

[Ali in OR]

We moved up from CA 22 years ago and love it here. Being further away from family is hard, especially at holidays, but this is the place I want to live. You do have to be okay with gray and rain from November sometimes up to June, though the last few years have been drier. 

[CAMom]

We moved to the Portland area from Orange County a little over 2 years ago. We love it and are so happy here!

 

So far, we haven't experienced the months and months of gray weather that were promised to us. ;) We would love that kind of weather. I'm sure Seattle is rainier. 

 

It is true that the shortened daylight hours during the winter months can be rough. That's really the only real adjustment I've had to make.

 

I love the casual lifestyle, the slower pace, and the lack of keeping up with the Joneses compared to Orange County!

[bodiesmom]

After many trips my Dh and I finally made it up here at the beginning of this last summer. We live in one of the rural suburbs of Vancouver and absolutely love it here. The summer was incredibly warm and beautiful, but we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the rain. 😎.

One of the first things we said to each other within a week of moving here was....we feel at home. Odd- yes. But we do. We feel at home here.

[LucyStoner]

I have lived in or near Seattle most of my life.

 

There's more to love than not.

 

The weather mostly suits me because the gray is offset by the mild winters, green landscape and gorgeous summer nights. The song is true- the bluest skies you'll ever see ARE in Seattle. Maybe it's a contrast thing.

 

The recreational opportunities are amazing. Anyhing you like, you can find here. We love proximity to water and mountains.

 

Excellent area for homeschooling.

[milovany]

We're in central Washington state -- two hours east of Seattle on the main freeway, up over the Cascade Mountains, and down in the valley you come to as you first descend.  We feel like it's the best of both worlds -- small town, slower pace of life, less rain, lower cost of living, and yet close enough to head over to the city/sound for the day if one wants (I do miss Puget Sound, but not enough to trade the slower pace of life; some day my husband and I might retire to a boat on the Sound). We have a state university here with 10,000 students (total population about 18,000), a great historic and active downtown, have a lot of festivals and activities, and have four seasons (winter, wind, summer and a gorgeous autumn). I was born in the Pacific Northwest and have lived here ever since except for a couple of short forays elsewhere. I don't plan to ever leave again. Come join us! :)

[EndOfOrdinary]

Columbia River Gorge, Washington State here. I greatly enjoy it. The homeschool laws are very well written, designed to be open and unrestrictive, but at the same time provide enpugh info to be placed back in school easily (if necessary). Lots of active lifestyles. Lots of varying political views. Everywhere has thier issues, but we are very happy here.

 

The weather the last couple of years, the fires, the lack of snow are concerning. We are feeling climate change much harsher than some other places in the country. There is a significant political shift reflecting that if it at all matters to you.

[gardenmom5]

PNW is big - so what area?

 

King co has a fabulous library system (rated as one of the best in the country).  it is expensive, though depending upon where in southern CA you live (and if  you own or rent),  you could do fine. 

 

mts, lakes, ocean, protected salt water in Puget sound, islands, endless hiking spots, museums, arts, etc.  public transit isn't nearly as good as they want to believe.  (and for the second time, dh has found actually driving to be easier and cheaper than taking a bus. and he doesn't have to get up at 5am for a 7:30am class. . . . )

 

it is a great area, not snowy in winter (but it is wet), and not overly hot in summer.

[freesia]

We lived in Vancouver BC for 8 1/2 years (does that count?). We LOVED it (well, except the 3 very small kids constant rain thing). We loved the lifestyle--much more relaxed than the east coast where we are from and where we find ourselves again.

 

If it weren't for family, we would probably move to Washington in a heartbeat.

[Guest]

Do not underestimate either the micro-climates or the deleterious effect of so. much. grey.

 

We happened to live in a pocket of extra extra grey and extra extra rain. I would have walked over lit coals to leave by the time we moved.

 

But it's a large area. We considered moving back out to the peninsula, for example, even after our horrible experience, not even 2 hours away, because it's so different.

[gardenmom5]

I have lived in or near Seattle most of my life.

 

There's more to love than not.

 

The weather mostly suits me because the gray is offset by the mild winters, green landscape and gorgeous summer nights. The song is true- the bluest skies you'll ever see ARE in Seattle. Maybe it's a contrast thing.

 

The recreational opportunities are amazing. Anyhing you like, you can find here. We love proximity to water and mountains.

 

Excellent area for homeschooling.

 

used to be.  I "used" to be able to see logging roads in the Olympics from my house.  it's been years since I've been able to see a logging road (even on a really clear day) . . . I recall being up on Whidbey island once and looking back at seattle and seeing the smog . . .

[Plateau Mama]

I love living her. Iv'e been here for almost 35 years. That being said we've been in our current house 12 years. I have seen a lot of people move here from California and after a year move back. They just can't take the dark, dreary, rainy fall/winter.

[Eagle]

I live just over the border in Canada and LOVE the region. We spend our outdoor time at the ocean, in a forest, or on a mountain. The mild climate makes outdoor activities accessible in all seasons. I also love the casual, laid-back lifestyle.

[SharonM]

I have lived here all my life, except for the 10 year exile in southern California. Love it. traffic is heavy but doable. But summer is our best season and if you are used to California or sunnier weather you might want to check out a winter day. They can be very dreary and hard to get through. But other than that, I think its an awesome place to live.

[NorthwestMom]

Do not underestimate either the micro-climates or the deleterious effect of so. much. grey.

 

 

 I think that's a great point. When we lived outside of San Francisco, we lived in the fog belt, and even though I could drive for a few minutes to get out of it, the daily fog drove.me.crazy.  

 

Some places in the PNW are wetter than others. Also, there's an overall feeling that people still go out and do things in wet weather. If light rain is a deal breaker for hikes and outdoor playdates, the PNW might not be for you.

[Hypatia.]

We moved here (near Seattle) from the southeast 10 years ago. I was initially determined to move back home as soon as possible, but this quickly became home. It was a big adjustment from the sunny southeast to the grey PNW winters, we moved here just in time for 30 days of rain. I love it now though, and we've settled here to stay. I don't live in King County, but I have a library card there through the reciprocal agreement with our library. I don't often make the trip for physical items, other than the IEW TWSS a year ago, but I love their selection of e-books.

[prairiewindmomma]

We very seriously considered relocating to Seattle this summer. We loved everything about it except the high cost of housing. We would love to move to WA when we are empty nesters!

[gardenmom5]

Do not underestimate either the micro-climates or the deleterious effect of so. much. grey.

 

We happened to live in a pocket of extra extra grey and extra extra rain. I would have walked over lit coals to leave by the time we moved.

 

But it's a large area. We considered moving back out to the peninsula, for example, even after our horrible experience, not even 2 hours away, because it's so different.

The convergence zone.

One overpass over 405. One side could be sunny, the other pouring rain. It's also a hard area for which to forecast.

 

One March we drove through new snow in Everett on the way to the San Juan ferry. The island was 65 and sunny.

 

eta: (now I'm on a computer instead of my phone).  the north end of the island rained the whole time.  the south end was dry and sunny.  (it's in the rain shadow, and actually has desert).  the west side had cold wind -but sunny.  the east and sheltered side was warm and dry.

[Tsuga]

I just came back to Southern California from a week trip in Washington. My DH has an opportunity to change jobs and work in WA. I just loved our visit. Washington reminds me of Germany. I am thinking the grass is literally greener up there, and I want to make the move. So, do you live in and/or love the Pacific Northwest? Thanks.

 

The grass is less green in my experience, because people tend to let lawns yellow. Water is expensive. I was shocked to see so much green grass this summer in California, as we saw smoke in the hills.

 

I would urge you to think about the following:

• Do you like Southern California culture? Do you think you would be okay if the culture in the PNW was different, less ebullient, less cheery, knowing that people would probably not become more cheery/smiley over time? (I don't mean kind, thoughtful, or friendly, but specifically, a difference in how cheerful people attempt to appear.)
• Do you like Southern California law? For example, this summer in Washington we had a statewide burn ban across our parks to support our firefighters whom we knew would be dealing with terrible tragic fires in Eastern Washington. No campfires. Anywhere. Many cities followed suit and even cities banned fireworks to save emergency resources. Bans were also in place to preserve air quality. We went to California this summer and were shocked to find people burning right there in the beautiful Redwoods (yes, I know they are fire resistant, but nothing is invincible) as forests burned.
• Are you worried that water is expensive in Southern California? Did you know it is more expensive in Washington State and even Oregon (both Seattle and Portland have more expensive water than LA, mainly to finance high-quality infrastructure and conservation)? Does that bother you? Voter sentiment at last count showed that people are leaning towards increased regulation.
• Do you like Southern California's weather? There is a reason the PNW is green. It's a rainforest. Yes, you know that, and no, you aren't stupid, but I don't know where you're from so I don't know if you have an idea of what it's like to live with rain day in, day out, or gray, day in, day out, for months at a time. It's just gray. This summer was shockingly sunny. That might happen more often due to global warming, but they say it's going to be wetter more often as well. Do gray skies fill you with joy? Do you think of them like a beautiful quilt showering our trees with life, or are you planning to tolerate them?
• Do you think California universities and museums are really awesome but just too crowded? Like, you enjoy the facilities, the transport, and all that, but it bothers you that so many people are using them? Keep in mind that Seattle proper is about 1/5th the size of Los Angeles and about 3/4 the size of San Francisco. Portland is even smaller. This means we do not have the same facilities as LA or San Francisco or Orange County. Really think about that. Would you enjoy local, quirky, homegrown, knowing that some others from California and New York have said, within earshot of this native, "In New York, this wouldn't even count as a real parade" and "This isn't a real city--the culture wants to be industrial but it's pretty basic." We do have really nice libraries and forests, but you have to really value libraries and forests, kwim?
• If you live in a rural area, or not, we are not "diverse". There are a lot of white people. There is not a whole lot you can do about that. Oh, sure, we have like 30% non native speakers in our kids' schools, and there are non-white people--where I work is highly ranked in terms of diversity--but it's nothing compared to what some people see nationally. And most people are Asian. It's not the Hispanic or black communities that are biggest here. I have heard people complain about tacos. Irritatingly, we do get white supremacists in Washington and Oregon for this very reason. And then they have to go and harass the Jewish and Asian communities because apparently there aren't enough black people to go around for those jerks. Seriously though--it's a real issue that concerns people for different reasons (I mean lack of diversity, not the white supremacy movement, which obviously concerns most of us for the same reasons).

So, think a lot about that. Yes, it's awesome. I love it. I am used to being one of the few URMs (under represented minorities, i.e. black/Latina) in any given situation.  I like the culture, I like the rain, I like the gray, I like the conservationism, the regulations, and the anal-retentive and the passive-aggressive, or as I like to call it, the quiet assertiveness. ;)

 

But people also love home. It does bother me when people come for the green and then try to change the things that keep it pretty green, like our slow processes, our regulations, our rain, our clouds. Come if you love it. You can't change it, though, so if anything really bugs you, don't underestimate how much you will hate that after a couple of years.

[SeaConquest]

My parents moved from Southern California to the Olympic Peninsula several years ago. They love it there. I've visited during all seasons, and, even in the supposed 'banana belt,' my husband and I would most certainly get seasonal depression. It's dark and dreary. I don't mind it being chilly (within moderation), but I need sun. We're considering Bend, Oregon, as it is in the high desert and is not as gloomy as the Pacific coast.

[flyingaway]

Something I didn't see mentioned. The New Yorker had a story this summer about an earthquake/tsunami event that area is overdue for. But probably you locals know way more about that than I do and I'm possibly overreacting. I'm terrified of tsunamis so it stuck in my head. Just talking about tsunamis in this post is making me feel stressed. So I'll stop now. I'm not especially fond of earthquakes either.

[pinkmint]

I lived in Portland (and near) Oregon for 10 years (not currently there anymore). Grew up in southern California. By the way... Californians moving to the PNW is very common, and there's a "go back to California" sentiment. Maybe not so much anymore, I don't know. 

 

It just really depends on the person whether or not you'll like it. I've heard the PNW has had a good couple years, but there were times where you just did not see the sun at all for 9 straight months each year. It was very hard on me mentally. It's also hard when you live in an apartment, like we did, and the local playground is always soggy, so you can't even take the kids to swing and slide. The cost of living is higher, and I feel like the PNW would be easier to enjoy if you are at a higher income level. We never had enough money to do any of the "outdoorsy" things that were so popular, or visit "the coast" etc. But summer was outstanding. Every summer I would forget why I didn't like it there, just enough to help me survive the 9 months of gray sogginess. 

[Lawyer&Mom]

We moved from Northern California. The rain isn't really an issue. In CA it would pour for three weeks in winter. Here it drizzles off and on for months. Drizzle doesn't bother me.

 

Seattle is a third tier city. Its not a New York, Chicago, or even a San Francisco. That's just fine by me. But it can be amusing to hear local media fret about the state of the theater or art scene, as if we are supposed to be a big deal. My other favorite is how newcomers will supposedly never be true natives. Eh. I'm okay with that. And I've got plenty of other non-natives to keep me company.

 

I'm here for the affordable housing and the quality of life. This is where I want to raise kids. (Affordable is obviously relative. And yes, it totally reminds me of Germany.)

[Tsuga]

Something I didn't see mentioned. The New Yorker had a story this summer about an earthquake/tsunami event that area is overdue for. But probably you locals know way more about that than I do and I'm possibly overreacting. I'm terrified of tsunamis so it stuck in my head. Just talking about tsunamis in this post is making me feel stressed. So I'll stop now. I'm not especially fond of earthquakes either.

 

She lives in California so she's probably well aware of the dangers of living in the Pacific Rim.

 

 

 

But it can be amusing to hear local media fret about the state of the theater or art scene, as if we are supposed to be a big deal.

 

My other favorite is how newcomers will supposedly never be true natives.

 

How can you not see that it is exactly this attitude--"This is not the best city I've been to" that makes it so that some people will never be natives?

 

Did it ever occur to you that some of us really do like our own theater scene because of its originality and that we actually prefer it to that of New York? Some people don't value polish as much as they value authenticity, and I think that if you don't share that value, no, you never will be able to get it.

 

That said, I know people who have moved here who do share the values that make this place great and I don't think of them as non-natives. Not at all.

 

I do think that people who come to take advantage of what makes it nice (small is the very thing that makes it authentic and nice, local is what makes it a community) while at the same time scorning those very values that made it nice, are the reason there has been a "if you don't like it, go back to the home you built" attitude.

 

You can't be a native or even a resident of a place you scorn and look down on.

[Momling]

I love it here -- we lived a little while on the Olympic peninsula, Portland and now southern Oregon. My only complaint is smoke from wildfires in this area. I don't know whether the rest of the Pacific Northwest has this problem.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Many days we have sun breaks even during the rainy season.  You just have to learn to take advantage of them!  But other times it is just dank.  And we all complain about it.  I figure any place in any climate has it's things, right?  If you have a tendency to suffer from SAD then be aware and get a light therapy lamp or two, or perhaps this isn't best place for you.  (There are some climates that I would have difficulty with because of my health.  I think it is a valid thing to consider.)

 

I've never noticed any "newcomers aren't welcome" vibe.  And it isn't like I grew up here or anything.  People tend to live and let live here.  And they accept people who do that as well.  

 

 

[Melinda in VT]

Many days we have sun breaks even during the rainy season. You just have to learn to take advantage of them! But other times it is just dank. And we all complain about it. I figure any place in any climate has it's things, right? If you have a tendency to suffer from SAD then be aware and get a light therapy lamp or two, or perhaps this isn't best place for you. (There are some climates that I would have difficulty with because of my health. I think it is a valid thing to consider.)

 

I've never noticed any "newcomers aren't welcome" vibe. And it isn't like I grew up here or anything. People tend to live and let live here. And they accept people who do that as well.

I'm a native Oregonian who is hoping to move back to the PNW in a few years. DH was researching light therapy lamps in anticipation, and found some troubling studies about blindness resulting from light therapy. So, we're having some second thoughts. It might be a short stay for us.

 

 

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[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm a native Oregonian who is hoping to move back to the PNW in a few years. DH was researching light therapy lamps in anticipation, and found some troubling studies about blindness resulting from light therapy. So, we're having some second thoughts. It might be a short stay for us.

 

 

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Really?  I've never used one so I never researched them.  That would be worse than SAD for me.  

[Tsuga]

I'm a native Oregonian who is hoping to move back to the PNW in a few years. DH was researching light therapy lamps in anticipation, and found some troubling studies about blindness resulting from light therapy. So, we're having some second thoughts. It might be a short stay for us.

 

 

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I definitely need lots of time outdoors during the winter. I find skiing helps because I get more light exposure with the snow. That said, I don't have SAD. I wonder if you could find an alternative, intensive outdoor schedule with time on/near water or snow to help? You can snowshoe even if you don't like skiing. I get mildly, non-clinically depressed if I don't go skiing in winter.

[Melinda in VT]

I definitely need lots of time outdoors during the winter. I find skiing helps because I get more light exposure with the snow. That said, I don't have SAD. I wonder if you could find an alternative, intensive outdoor schedule with time on/near water or snow to help? You can snowshoe even if you don't like skiing. I get mildly, non-clinically depressed if I don't go skiing in winter.

I'm fine with cloudy days. I find them either exciting or cozy, depending on if there is wind. DH is the concern, and he's pretty much over skiing. (We are unlikely to live in a more convenient spot for skiing than we do now.)

 

Our current plan is to have him spend time in Latin America in the winter to break up the winter if he finds it gloomy. Here, it's the cold that gets him most, so we're not sure if PNW winters will bother him. We're lucky that he can work from anywhere.

 

 

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