Briefly, it is possible that within 18 months I will live full time in Charleston SC. I do not like summers there, too many tourist and way to hot. My wife and I are thinking it might be nice to spend 3 months per year, more or less, June, July and August in the PNW. We are leaning toward the Coast of Washington. We will be interested in a small apartment in an urban setting; walk to restaurants, bistros and bars, show venues, fish market, etc. Without knowing the area, we were thinking Bellingham, Seattle or maybe Vancouver? Cost of the apartment isn't really too much of an issue; we would like to keep it below $3000 per month but that's not locked. We do want to be close to water. Need not be ON water. View from apartment would be nice but not critical. Any advise about nice urban cities in that area appreciated.
By "water" do you mean ocean, or is a river or bay okay? Bellingham, Seattle, and Vancouver are all on bays or inlets. Housing prices in Vancouver are insane, and Seattle is getting pretty bad as well. You might consider the Oregon coast. An advantage to you is that there is no sales tax in Oregon, and it doesn't sound like you will be here long enough to trigger any income tax liability. Although, the Oregon coast doesn't really have any urban settings. Astoria is about as urban as it gets, and while it's a nice small city, it might not be urban enough. It's not much less of a city than Bellingham, though.
If you're willing to forgo the high density urban scene, check out Eastsound Village, or literally anywhere on Orcas Island, or Roche Harbor on San Juan Island, both in the San Juan Islands, about 70 miles north of Seattle. Your price number ought not be out of bounds and could very easily get you waterfront housing. Access to cafes and restaurants is limited only because the number of each is limited in both places. But when you feel a need for more urban environment, both Vancouver BC and Seattle WA are within a three hour trip (one hour ferry, two hours drive).
Westport, Longview, ocean shores? They are all meh in my opinion. I used to go out to Westport and go surfing just about every summer weekend. It's literally a bunch of meth heads walking around tweaked out. In my opinion the real beauty is on the Oregon Coast. Anywhere from Florence and yachats to cannon beach or seaside.
$3000/month shouldn't be an issue. Depending on how nice you want to go, I suppose maybe in Vancouver it might be. How urban do you want to be? Is "quaint village with nice restaurants" sufficient, or do you need to be in a big city?
You might research Edmonds, WA, just north of Seattle. I never lived there but it is right on the water. Good town for walking around with good cafes and restaurants I believe. Would need a car to get out of town, or to Seattle there is bus service and a commuter train down in the morning and back in the afternoon on week days.
Bellingham is pretty small as far as towns go. Its mostly geared toward Canadians shopping there. I don't see many apartment buildings. Maybe older lower income stuff. Canada. Id go White Rock area. Lots of ok buildings and townhomes. Good waterfront beach area, restaurants. Time the drive right and it easy into Vancouver. Right on the border too.
Thanks for all the kind responses. Airbnb? no, I don't think that would work. Quaint smaller place? Yes, certainly would be doable. Car? We will have a car for sure since we would use the apartment as a base to explore the whole region. Oregon? Looks beautiful. Will certainly consider. Canada? I don't think it will work as we have a dog.
Another option that hasn't been discussed is Bellevue, so I will just throw it out there. Bellevue is near Lake Washington and you can certainly get view apartments that will give you water, mountains and city lights. Bellevue is a great central location to go just about anywhere and you avoid Seattle traffic for the most part. It is a much newer urban setting than Seattle and some people detest that while others look at that as a plus. Oh, I also second the opinion on the Oregon coast vs. Washington coast. It's really nice on the Oregon coast, but it is definitely away from urban delights.
I would suggest taking a driving trip down the Oregon coast. Start at Astoria and work your way south. See what you like.
Depending on what you are looking for you have many options. Small - Anacortes is a great small town feel out of the city. It is a boat, water town Medium - Bellingham is the best.... don't get stuck there. About 100k people and I went to college there. Anchored by the college and right on the water just like Anacortes. Big - Seattle all the way. The only problem is what part of Seattle. Lake washington you would choose the east side. Bellevue, Kirkland, Juanita.... On the "Seattle" side you would either go downtown or Ballard. That has your water in the NW covered. $3k would only push your budget in Bellevue.
Drove through Ballard for the first time in ages a couple weeks ago. Was blown away by the number of restaurants, bistros, cafes that had open windows/outdoor seating. Could spend a lot of time there without eating at the same place twice. Kirkland is great in the summer for strolling along the waterfront and numerous eateries as well. Bellevue would offer some great views of mtns (Rainier) with upscale urban feel and amenities. If you need a big water view and great sunsets (against the Olympic Mtns) then downtown Seattle is the choice. The number of new housing units along the waterfront has exploded in the last decade. ML baseball (Mariners) and soccer (Sounders FC) are on the edge of DT with tons of food/drink choices. To get away from the hustle and bustle I would either look at the middle OR coast (Siletz Bay area or Newport???) or the San Juan Islands in WA. Roach Harbor on Friday Harbor Is has a number of new condos with great views of the water. Can always hop on the regularly scheduled seaplane service (Kenmore Air) to DT Seattle (or elsewhere) for a day or overnight adventure. Maybe I'm just out of touch but would think that finding a 3 month rental/lease in the summer would be difficult. Note: Summer in the PNW usually runs Jul-Sept. Incredible weather with mild temps and lots of sun.
I'm not sure what you mean about getting stuck? Plenty to investigate! Thanks! If (when), we move to Charleston full time, our house there is on a low density barrier island. Usually you can be on the beach and there is no one for 1/2 mile either way. Often, no one in eyeshot either way. We will have the "relaxed, slow paced" thing 9 months of the year. It's just those 3 summer months. You go on the beach and you may have to walk 300 yards if you want a good 100 feet buffer on each side of you. Not crowded by most standards but we are pretty spoiled there. So, what we would want for the PNW experience would be a more urban, "downtowny" vibe. Anything from full urban to fairly dense upper scale low rise/residential mixed use. Oh, and access to good fish markets.
I don't blame you from wanting to get away from the heat. We just got back from visiting our grandkids in North Carolina (son flys for USAF out of Goldsboro). We tried for some relief at Atlantic City beach and it was like swimming in a warm bath. Other than the beach we did not spend much time outside because of the oppressive heat and humidity and it will be even hotter later this week! BTW, heat and humidity isn't new to me having lived in Minneapolis for 8 years.
Then what you want is either Portland or Seattle in my opinion. Vancouver BC would fit except the cost. Seattle might be high, but will offer a more urban setting than Portland where your budget will go further. Your budget might constrain you somewhat in Seattle for some of the prime downtown view properties, and has been said, in summer the people who can afford multiple homes spend their time here. We're lucky to have a higher floor unit in the heart of downtown Seattle and think it's the best city, period. Views of the Cascades, views of the Olympics, and all of downtown and Elliott Bay. Pike Place market is across the street, as well as dozens and dozens of great restaurants within a five minute walk. There are nearly a thousand new apartments in high rise towers being constructed right now in the heart of Seattle, so there are possibilities that might meet your desires. As you've probably also figured out, there are no beaches in the PNW anywhere near like what you have now : the water is too cold always. The Oregon coast offers the closest compromise, but its way more rural than what you describe as your desired setting. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
+1 Our favorite town is Cannon Beach. Less than 90 minutes from Portland. Probably the most sophisticated ambiance of the coastal towns. The sunniest and warmest time in the Pacific Northwest is mid-July through mid-September, rather than beginning in June. The weather on the coast is much cooler and cloudier than even 30 miles inland, so you should check each location's historical weather patterns on the web. (e.g., when it is 90 in Portland, the high on the coast may be 72). The water is always pretty cold. If you like the variety of food choices and events of a city and still want easy access to natural beauty, Portland's Pearl District should work. In addition to the nearby coast, there is also the Columbia River Gorge and many, many other places to visit within easy reach. I could post a gazillion pictures, but I'm sure you can find all of it on the internet.
I've been stationed in Bremmerton , Marysville, and Everett. Each have their charms and frustrations. While Seattle is hands down my favorite, Everett is a nice (read affordable) alternative. Halfway between Bremmerton and Seattle in terms of vibe, but still has enough downtown without having to drive to Seattle. Close enough to visit, but far enough away for peace and quiet.
Um, yes. Low humidity. Few bugs. U-pick Fresh fruit, fresh seafood, world class wines, drop dead gorgeous scenery, lots of outdoor activities. temperatures rarely go over 90 in summer or below 30 in winter. No tornadoes or hurricanes. Just remember that if you want to see what the sun looks like between November and May, you need to drive east for two hours or go skiing above the cloud layer at Timberline on Mt. Hood. oh, and one other little thing: we're due for the greatest natural disaster in US history at any time--the Cascadia subduction quake. The San Andreas fault is a crack in the asphalt by comparison. http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/11/us/cascadia-subduction-zone-earthquakes/ Welcome!!
I would suggest Bremerton but people would probably laugh. IF you want to save money, have a bit quieter time of it at home, but still only be a 1 hour ferry ride from downtown Seattle then Bremerton might be a good fit. But it most certainly lacks the kind of diversity and metropolitan style you'd find in Seattle, in a BIG way. On the other hand if you are bringing any kind of fun driving car there are some great backroads not far from Bremerton that are a LOT of fun. Either way be sure to post something up when and if you settle on someplace and maybe we can arrange a local meet up for something fun. I've lived in the Seattle-Tacoma area most of my life and will probably be looking to do something along the same lines when I retire. Find someplace nice and warm in the winter and hang around here in the summer. I've always said, when the weather is nice here, it's hard to find anyplace in the country that is as nice and as beautiful. Edit: snapped this pic of one of our "little" local attractions yesterday Image Unavailable, Please Login
Oh crap, guys. You know we're in danger of having our honorary PNW residents cards revoked for trying to sell the notion to an easterner that it doesn't rain 364 days a year and is cold, foggy, miserable all year long. Truth is, anywhere in the PNW is paradise, as the strong testimonials of the various responses will evidence. Where you choose is really more about your own personal needs/likes/desires. I like all of the locales that everyone has suggested. Were it mine, I'd plan to just visit one or two of each area over the next five years during the summer, just doing short term rentals and checking it al out. When you see the spot that works, you'll know it. meanwhile, you 'll have visited a dozen or more treasures that many wish we hadn't shared lest more outsiders move in and "spoil it". I can say that last as one of those outsiders. Only been here 35 years, and love it.
lol. I recall moving here from CA 25 yrs ago. Lots of people were waving to me. It was odd though as they all had some type of deformity because I could only see 1 finger.
