Coos Bay. How do you like it? (Portland, Eugene: credit, trip)

[vnodak]

Originally Posted by sunshine08

I grew up in Myrtle Point. Weather is much nicer there but horrible place to raise kids, there is nothing to do. I also lived in Coos Bay and was there often growing up and I hate the weather. It is to rainy, windy and cold. I always have a coat with me when living in or visiting family in Coos Bay. For kids it is horrible nothing to do. Some kids turn out okay but there is alot of drugs and alcohol with teenagers. But I do love the ocean. Just bundle up and enjoy the weather at the beach or the dunes. But just keep in mind if anyone with kids is considering we moved away so our child would not grow up in such a economically depressed area.

I agree----correct assessment and I lived in the area over 25 years.

[mikemorrow]

Originally Posted by sunshine08

I grew up in Myrtle Point. Weather is much nicer there but horrible place to raise kids, there is nothing to do. I also lived in Coos Bay and was there often growing up and I hate the weather. It is to rainy, windy and cold. I always have a coat with me when living in or visiting family in Coos Bay. For kids it is horrible nothing to do. Some kids turn out okay but there is alot of drugs and alcohol with teenagers. But I do love the ocean. Just bundle up and enjoy the weather at the beach or the dunes. But just keep in mind if anyone with kids is considering we moved away so our child would not grow up in such a economically depressed area.

I brought up my kids in a small farming community in IA population of 500. Every weekend in the summer we went camping in Wisconsin, a two hour drive. There is a creek that goes through town, they discovered it. Sure there were times whan they were bored (nothing to do) but that is the norm for most kids. I guess what I'm trying to say is if you sit in the house and do nothing so will your kids. If you show them how to fish, swim, comb the beaches, mushroom hunt..... They turn out more active. The last thing is "raising your kids in a economically depressed area" They will never notice "economically depressed" is an adult phrase.
One of the best times my kids ever had growing up was one summer when we were homeless. Both my wife and I worked but with differant shifts. We swam, boated, and camped all summer. To this day the kids remember it as a great summer. It is all what you make it. It was the worst times and the best times. If you do it right, the kids will never know.
BTW 2 of them graduated from college. The other just bought her first house. They are happy and full of life.

[arizdolphin]

Looking to move as soon as my house here sells. Daughter wants to come also but I don't find a Circle K in Coos Bay. She has been with them for six years and doesn't want to give up the pay she is getting as assistant mgr. As for me, I can work at the hospital. Am truly enjoying the posts and looking forward to relocating. Ann

[tiffela74]

Hi Ann. Im sorry, but i dont think there are any Circle K's here....we have 7/11s instead....i'll double check around, but she may be outta luck.
How exciting for you though to be moving here! I hope you find it all you want it to be. (well, besides the circle k part.)
Tiffany

[CCM]

Been looking to move from nothern Western Washington (Port Townsend) and have found the weather in the Bay Area much less depressing, especially the constant low depressing clouds around western Washington for 9+ months of the year, plus Washington taxes everything under the sun (except income). My question is how is the surfing, kayaking (ocean) and hiking or should I go further south to Port Orford etc? Carolyn

[tiffela74]

I dont surf/kayaking personally, (im terrified of what might lurk under the water, waiting to snatch me down and eat me! lol) but ive seen many people out surfing...they seem to enjoy it! But they all wear those wetsuits!
I have a co-worker that kayaks every chance she gets and she is in bliss...also know some people that moved here from Az about a year ago (actually got advice on this forum first too!!) anyhow, she and her husband have discovered kayaking and are totally hooked. I know theyve bought up all their gear now, no more renting for them ! lol
lots of great hiking around here. That I will do, no real long distances for me thank you, but i know theres different levels of trails about that i hear great things on. Personally, i stick to the begainner ones. Im kinda lazy that way. lol

[arizdolphin]

If daughter wants to come, she may just have to work at 7-11! Can hardly wait for home to sell. I live in a small retirement/summer get away in the beautiful White Mountains of Arizona so according to realtor, expecting it to sell April or May. Still having some cold snowy weather and not many valley folks are looking into buying their summer cabins until the summers get so hot, they run to the mountains looking to get away! It has already hit 90 degrees in Phoenix. Hopefully I'll get an offer this week. I am so ready for a change. Hope to get out to your area in a few weeks to check out property. Really enjoying reading all these post. Can't believe I never knew about city-data before.

[orcoastnightowl]

Tiffany,
I have read many of your Posts/replies and like them as they are informative and specific. I hope i can get a reply from you for that reason. Im currently "stuck" up here in Anchorage, Alaska. I moved up here from portland (which i never wanna go back to as toooo much traffic, crime, and freaky people with rrrripped jeans and green or hot pink hair). It just isnt for me. I have "a million" questions.
I would LOVE to move back to oregon but nowhere near Portland. I would wanna be AT LEAST as far away as Yachats, or Eugene. But i want the Coast, not inland. Brookings is too california and Douglas and Coos Counties seem like a peaceful oasis away from the rat race. I am hoping Life is SLOWER here. I love seafood restaurants, clam chowder, oyster stew, crab legs.
I would deeply appreciate ANY specifics you might give, or just yer honest opinion. sooo many questions. Here goes;

1. WORK: I am seriously interested finding out more about being a Greyhound Bus driver. I hear there's a terminal in Coos bay. I did check their website but it tells very little. Mostly just a job line number. Does a driver for greyhaound make a Liveable wage? (2 bdroom house payment and visa payment). I am a non-smoker, 50, healthy w/no kids and could drive anytime they need me. Just need 40hrs each week all year 'round. I also have Hospital experience. Could do admitting, medical records, or telephone operator. Also have CALL-CENTER cust. serv. experience now. But i'm absolutely by myself. 20 hrs at taco bell is no way gonna cut it. How are the Bay area hospitals and the Coquille hospital different?

2. Downtown: Im glad coos bay doesnt have boom boxes and bars pumping out blasting bass at 3 in the morning. (whattaya know--a town you can get a decent night sleep in)--but---it would be nice to hang out with some younger folks at some sports bar havin a cold pint o' beer. any popular hangout like that? I also like bookstores and maybe a coffee shop/bistro.

3. Would you say NorthBend/Coos Bay is liberal or conservative? More Democrat or more Republican? Do people TRUST the local town newspaper, the World? Is the PAPER more liberal or conservative?

4. Crime: the most common crime is probably property damage (cars) or theft. do you hear much about people's houses/apts getting broken INTO? what about people getting mugged or held up at gunpoint?

5. Weather/beach: been to Shore Acres and saw that AWESOME "very photographed" Rock where the waves crash into and sprays water like crazy...but...that is "where the ocean meets rocky cliffs. Where do you to walk on yer own local sandy beach? Is Sunset beach a BEACH-beach or is it Inland? Does it have ocean WAVES? which local beach does? Any seastack rocks? Rain: I love rain. bring it on! But--do alot of houses or neighborhoods flood? Do people's toilets back up? (no offense. i simply dont know). If youve lived there awhile..have you noticed or met any fiends who are from Roseburg or coquille or bandon? Is there much people driving in from roseburg or do they all go to eugene? Do you have friends from these other towns or do each of these towns tend to keep to themselves?

6. Growth: I heard the Home Depot thing fell thru. Anything else planned on being built? Barnes n Noble? Chang's Mongolian grill? Lowe's? Will downtown continue to build more shops/stores? I'm really hoping i hear from you. If you know of someone who goes by the name of Coosbert, I hope he/she see's this posted. I will check back on this forum (hope i can re-find it). You can also cc: any reply at all to: [email]Mod cut] IN RETURN, check out my One-stop website of GOBS of useful info on 24 different topics. Mod cut Anybody else who lives in the bay area, feel free to respond. I need all the reliable info/opinions from locals i can get. I hate it up here. No beach. And you'd THINK bein 3-qtrs. surrounded by water we'd have "famous alaskan seafood", right? Ha! yes, there's plenty of alaskan salmon and you can buy fresh crab legs....but its 90% just that? Where would you go for (not strips) but a whole pan-fried razor clams? Or clam chowder? or Oyster stew> Take away our one sea-galley restaurant and you'd be hard-pressed to find many restauarans for seafood (besides salmon and crab) at all I dont hunt deer or Elk. I dont fish. It almost never rains in anchorage. it IS cloudy alot WITHOUT rain. and to get in a car and drive to anoter city...ha! better figure on a 5 or 6 hr. drive to kenai or fairbanks. I dont belong here. I miss oregon terrrribly. Just "not Portland".

[nocoldiron]

I live in Mapleton,14 miles outside Florence.We spent 9 months in a motel in Reedsport looking up and down the coast.We found out we had to go a little inland to get away from the cooler temperatures and wind on the coast.The new casino (Three Rivers) in Florence always is hiring as they expand.People live in Mapleton because it is cheaper than Florence (Florence is pricey and upscale).We did look at several places in Coos Bay but three things decided not to buy 1. too cool for a dedicated gardner and my always cold husband 2. too far from the big cities (we are 45 miles from Eugene here) 3.way too many kids who looked like crack addicts hanging out at Walmart-it is a distinct look,we are both clean and sober for years.I don't know how bad the drug problem is in Coos Bay. I really liked shopping at Cash and Carry and Grocery Store Outlet for groceries Didn't like the dock in Coos Bay,spoiled by the great crabbing dock in Winchester Bay.Anyone who comes here in an RV has to go to Winchester Bay (not far from Coos Bay 20 minutes?) I mean right ON the ocean!!! Great camping facilities also + good restraunts in walking distance.Big ATV dunes riding area also.

[tiffela74]

Oh my goodness!!! Thats quite a post! I hope I can answer all your questions, or at least as many as i can. Okay, lets see...
1)Jobs...I have no clue about the greyhound driver. I didnt even know we had it here! (sheepish me!) So I cant be much help there. I know some people that work at the hospital here in CoosBay, and they seem to enjoy their jobs, secure and seems to pay well enough. I have no clue about the Coquille one, Ive never been there before. Theres a couple different call centers in the area, Ive only heard really bad stuff about one, but have no personal experience there (ACS) havent heard about the others.

2)theres a terrific little coffee/pastry/luncheon type in Books By the Bay. My little one and I had a snack there not too long ago and were quite pleased w/their items! I THINK its called The Grounds, but I could be mistaken. I know they do stuff w/the book store with gatherings, plus it seems to be a place a lot of small groups go to meet up. Ive heard of people meeting up at Cafe 101 too, and for the younger crowd, i hear ConeyStation is the place to be. I think those tend to be the early 20s group...Im such a homebody, im really not the best person for advice on this either!

3)NO idea. none, nadda, nultch. Im so clueless on all that. I can tell you Ive spoken my mind against others opinions and have never suffered for it. I believe in each person being entiteled to their own opinions and lifestyles as long as they are not harming others. Ive truly not experienced anything to where Ive felt stifeled or threatened for my own thoughts/opinions. But again, im pretty clueless when it comes to anything political.

4)LOL!!! Funny you should ask this...a few weeks ago, we had someone try to break into our place! We have a detatched garage w/an open front, and in the wee hours of mornign, heard someone in there, my husband found the guy going through our stuff, w/a big ole pile already set aside! Well, he ran off, i called PD, who were here i swear before teh guy got to the end of the block! lol They brought in the dogs, they took fingerprints, they were so thourough, professional and we couldnt have asked for more from them! and yes, they caught the little creep..not that it did much good, petty crime like that, they let em back out right after they book em. sigh. Ive not known anyone personally to be a victim of any violent crime here. It does happen, but not like w/alarming frequency. NOt enough that Im worried for my or my families safety.

5)the Beach...oh love the beach!!! theres Basendorf where its long sandy stretches to run and play on, people go wading in the water there, surfing, fishing and other beachy stuff...Sunset bay is a small bay beach where yup, you can walk on the sand, play in the waves, or go tidepool searching. If you have an ATV, or are up to a hike, you can go on the other side of the spit and have miles of sandy beaches to play on. We've spend entire days down there before w/o seeing another soul. Its glorious!
My fav. is the little cove down from Shore acres. Its secluded and beautiful! and the sand is awesome! Its larger than regular sand and very easy to brush off!
As for the rain, yup, it happens. Ive never known anyone to have their toilet back up from it though, or suffer any major probs. Just dont buy on the floodplains and you should be good. It doesnt rain nearly as much as many people say. We'd be washed away if it did!! LOL

okay, i have to run, I'll finish the rest of this up later. But, I did want to say one thing, I agree the crab is wonderful at W.Bay, and I dont get mine at CB either, I go to Charleston and get it on the docks at Fishermans Warf. I pick mine out from their crab pond, and they cook em/clean em, and they are to die for! Great prices too! Especially once they know you. Service there is wonderful and its a blast to sit on the docks and watch the boats come/go while they get your crab ready to go. MUST TRY!!
Tiff