Bend versus snoqualmie Washington (Portland, Redmond: lease, low crime, employment)

[cowgrrlmom]

Few points before I ask my questions:

1. My husband has an excellent job and can work anywhere in the PNW. We don't need employment in Bend, but do need to be able to fly to Seattle, Portland, Anchorage and Boise.

2. Currently residing in Snoqualmie Washington.

3. Passionate hobbies; horses (me), mountain biking (him)

4. 5 kids ages 7, 2,2,2 and 1

Ok here goes with the questions, we moved from San Clemente to Snoqualmie 3 years ago. We choose Snoqualmie because of the proximity to the mountains, available land for horse back riding, good trail system (Duthie and others) for mountain biking. Good schools.

Problem, it has rained over 60 inches a year since we have moved. Yes, this is due to ENSO and la nina, but sadly we have NOT been able to do our hobbies but for maybe 4 months out of the year. I have to hire babysitting to do my hobbie and with having triplets and so many 2 and under gives me a lot of good mental health break time, sadly I hire babysitters and either ride in a deluge or don't end up riding at all. Horse sits in 10 inches of mud or in the barn. NOT FUN!

My husband is die hard and will do his hobby in the rain, but even according to him it's miserable most of the time.

So we live in the gym, we have two to be exact and we are there in the morning and in the evening. The kids swim almost everyday they seem to really enjoy the enormous indoor play gyms, but gosh I would hate not being able to go outside and run......

Long story short I am really profoundly depressed, and I'm not a profoundly depressed type person. Working out 7 days a week is really good for me, but I have started to feel like a rat on a wheel.

People talk about how bend is so cloudy and miserable i.e. the bend sux website. How does it compare to Snoqualmie washington? Surprisingly we are not bothered by the cold and spend a lot of time in eastern washington and at Suncadia just to get relief. I just want to be able to slap a northface on my kiddo's and head outside which you can not do in torrest of rain. I know you can in Seattle because it rains half as much, but then we are not near good schools, or our hobbies. Seattle is still grey grey grey most of the year.

We do love the snow I was on the college ski team back in the day and hubby is an avid snow boarder and we do head to the hills most winter weekends with the kids to sled and play.

We are very active, which helps the SAD depression. Please give me your opinion would I hate bend? It seems like it has the activities we like. Employment is not an issue. Excellent schools. Dry climate. We are used to the desert from living in CA for 12 years. We have traveled to bend for years at different times of the year for vacation and seem to enjoy it when we vacation.

It seems to have nice dining options for the weekly date night, and since neither my husband or I are big consumers (shopping) it seems to have enough shopping to satisfy and there is always the internet.

Housing stock seems very nice and varied. Housing stock in Issaquah/Snoqualmie is not great. We would lease for a year before we committed (thank god we leased here).

Seems like there is plenty for little kids to do, but is the wind so bad kids can't play outside? My kids are obviously really used to cold, and we have wind here sadly due to the rain the kids just hate going outside I drag them - force them outside, but they just end up crying and I mean really crying from the wet. One screams mommy no rain mommy no rain and will literally cry and convulses until she is muddy and wet and vomits everywhere and is taken back inside (drama queen - frustrating!).

Please help. We are looking for a solution. I realize everywhere has issues no where is paradise, once mans heaven is another mans hell..... Just let me know your thoughts. Please look through a lens of lots of kids and two very outdoor minded laid back professional parents searching for a little peace and time outside four walls.

[NWbyNW]

Few points before I ask my questions:

1. My husband has an excellent job and can work anywhere in the PNW. We don't need employment in Bend, but do need to be able to fly to Seattle, Portland, Anchorage and Boise.

Snoqualmie is closer to an International Airport. SeaTac. If you live in Bend, you would need to drive a good many hours to Portland.

3. Passionate hobbies; horses (me), mountain biking (him)

Found in either location. Bend more dry, Snoqualimie more west.

Bend is considerably sunnier. It isn't cloud all throughout the year as people say to bash it. Snoqualmie is a wet area because it is on the plateau. If you want to still live in Washington, but have over 300 sunny days, check out Wenatchee. It is on the cusp of the mountains, drier, and still has city amenities. You are also decently close to an airport, and Wenatchee's airport continues to grow.

Bend city proper has more amenities and services then Snoqualmie proper, simply because Bend has over 50,000 people and Snoqualmie under 15,000.

I would really look into Eastern Washington before moving to Bend. Closer to the airport for husband's work.

[cowgrrlmom]

Totally agree we have spent much time in Wenatchee and like it a lot. Problem the schools are some of the worst in the state, I mean really really really bad - our govenor has publically admonished the administrators of the school districts after she gave them millions more tax dollars and the schools continue to fail. The gang violence due to immigrant labor has risen considerably since the resession. 21 of Wenatchee's 38 schools are given a failing rate and none are rated higher than an 8. If not for the schools and the immigrant labor issue Wenatchee would be our place, because it is great in every other way.

[tacompton253]

moved from the Seattle area to bend a few years ago and love every min of it. I cant tell you how many times my parents call me (they still live in the pac.nw) and they ask me what the weather is like. I tell them the usual... dry with some sun popping through. Even in the dead winter bend is an outdoor Mecca for people. Bend only receives about 12 inches of precipitation a year (prob a little more with the el nina winters) but the majority of that falls as snow. The school system is good (nowhere in Oregon is good, but bend is on the higher end). Going off of what NWbyNW said...there is no international airport in bend (closest is portland) but the Bend/Redmond airport does services to Seattle, Portland and Boise with multiple flights a day, plus SF, Denver, SLC, etc. And if you need to go somewhere else, its not too had to get a quick connecting flight either. And here is the big kicker that helped me with my decision....no traffic! There is a reason why bend keeps growing even in this recession.

[Dry Side]

The Bend Sux website is run by a guy who does not enjoy the numerous outdoor activities Bend offers. I think he has been here too long and appears to be relocating to AZ. Bend is cold, but definitely a very dry place. Very little rain and often sunny for at least parts of the day. Been here for 8 years and very happy as I enjoy being outdoors.

[NWbyNW]

Then if Wenatchee is out of the picture, and you still want warmer weather and stay within WA state, look at Ellensburg area. You said you've been to Suncadia, so you know the area. Look into Rosyln, Cle Elum, and Ellensburg. Sure it is a slower pace of life, but at least this way, you are close to Seattle if needed. Only about 2hrs. The weather is considerably nicer here then the west side of the state, and you get all the great benefits of the Cascade Mountains and the recreation. You are near many great fishing rivers, close to the Columbia River, near skiing and snowboarding, close to hundreds of great hiking trails, and biking trails.

I don't know much about the schools. It's not my forte. But if Wenatchee's 8 out of 10 rating is bad.... well, sorry. :-/

[cowgrrlmom]

Thanks for the responses. Can anyone address the wind issue and if the area is good for young children? We really want nice amenities parks, dining options and gyms ect. Has anyone with young kids struggled in the winter months? In my research i have looked at nwx and broken top. They look to be close to excellent schools. I really appreciate the eastern washington crowd trying to steer me in that direction, but great schools are critical and sadly eastern washington does not have schools that meet my criteria. Both my husband and i have graduate degrees so education is paramount for us. Washington continues to cut heavily into k-12 and university spending - very sad. It looks like there are many 8/9&10 rated schools in the area.

[Nightdiver13]

Wind is a non issue here. Sure we get our windy days, today being one of them. But for the majority of days, the wind is breezy or inconsequential. Even during the really gusty, trash-bin knocking over, days of wind, kids in my neighborhood are still out and about.

Not being a parent, I can't speak directly to this, but every single person who has kids here who I know says it's a wonderful place to raise children. Loads of activities, safe environments, and decent to mediocre schools.

Edit: Sorry, I forgot to say that "here" is Bend.

[tacompton253]

As i am typing this the wind today has been pretty strong. The wind can be strong at times (more so higher up towards the mt) but i honestly think its much worse on the west side of the mts. Been here a few years and ever had the power go out (knock on wood). As far as kid friendly, i dont know if there is a better town for that than bend. Lots and lots of nice clean parks, organized activities galore (especially during the warmer months) that are both entertaining for adults and kids. Bend is very fitness oriented so finding a good gym is very easy and for most part affordable. And, b/c bend is a vacation destination you have some high quality dining options for a town this size. Not reliant on chain restaurants. Schools on the westside of town tend to be better overall schools (just from what i heard, i dont have kids yet)and even that can be debatable. If you never have visited bend, i suggest you do and you will fall in love. Small community feel with urban amenities and low crime. Below is a link for the Bend tourism video (imo the video is choppy, but does a good job at capturing the area).


The Official Bend Oregon Video by VisitBend.com - YouTube

[delta07]

I've lived in Bend for a little over 3 years, and while I am one who complains at times about the weather, it's still a million times better than western WA. I lived there all of 4 months before I had to head to Southern Cali. for a few months to dry out! My sister-in-law and her husband relocated here to Bend from the Seattle area and absolutely love it. Really this winter hasn't been bad at all and best of all, it's been really sunny, which I love. Hopefully this is more the norm than the last few years I've been here. I don't have kids either, but the schools here are decent. The quality isn't as good as WA schools (according to my SIL), but they are probably still better than rural WA or OR. I think overall you would be really happy relocating to Bend, especially since jobs are a non-issue. There are some windy days, today being one of them, but by and far it's not too bad. It's really a beautiful location, IMO. The Redmond airport is 20 minutes from Bend and has flights to all the cities your husband needs to commute to.

Have you considered Boise at all? It also fits your criteria pretty well. My uncle and his family live there and they absolutely love it.