Coos Bay. How do you like it? (Salem: crime, house)

[Joe_Ryder]

Yes another Californian looking to escape. Hey! It gets worse, I'm originally from Texas.

Coos Bay seems affordable. Every time I go to Oregon, the people seem friendly enough, well grounded, and real. I couldn't help but notice a very interesting OHV park real close by. Since me and my son love kayaking, sailing, and dirt riding, it seems an ideal place. Not too cold, not too hot. Housing seems quite reasonable and the unemployment numbers aren't great but I've seen worse.

I'm not the kind of guy that wants to bring CA with me. I've lived here for 20 years but I could never really call it home. I went out for a long ride once and couldn't go any further because I couldn't find a bridge across that big spot of water. I ended up meeting a girl with family here so I stayed. Now it's just me and my boy and this place just doesn't suit our lifestyle. Never did. I liked the New England states but it's too cold. Florida is appealing but no whitewater and probably would be tough to adapt to a hot & sticky climate. Too many people too. I think it would be great for a couple years but the endless summer might start to wear on the nerves. I've always suspected the unrelenting heat is why southerners are always doing what they do.

How do you like Coos Bay?

[tiffela74]

Hi Joe, Ive lived here for about 5 yrs now, was VVeerrryyy hesitant when we first moved here, and ended up loving it so much we just bought our first house this last summer. id be happy to answer any questions you might have about it here......and if you do some searching, theres a couple of threads dedicated to Coos Bay, some asking pretty much the same thing you did.
but ya, i like it, i like it a lot.
Best of luck to you!
Tiffany

[seashelly]

lol, after spending a few minutes going thru all the "OHV" letter combinations to figure out it means Off Highway Vehicle (lol, oh geesh @ me - we call them Off Road or The Dunes here), yeah, Joe_Ryder, I think you and your son would love the Bay Area. The Dunes, fishing, just to name a couple of things, the Bay Area is a guys kinda place. Not prissy at all here. Worth checking in to.

[Imperial1904]

Compared to other towns in Oregon, Coos Bay has more friendly people. It isn't exactly affordable compared to other places also, but atleast it's more scenic. I've actually met a few people from SoCal, so there is somewhat a California presence there, and it's also on the 101 which alot of tourists go through.

[esya]

"A guys' kinda place?" "Not prissy at all here." Ok, could you translate? Is there anyplace that is a woman's kind of place that does not match "world's top model"????

[gemfem29]

Coos Bay is beautiful I have lived here since Feb 05' It's not home though and one day I plan on moving back to San Diego....I especially think about it during these cold gloomy DARK winter months. I miss the bright sun!

[tiffela74]

We recently met a new family that moved here from Kansas several months ago, and they love it here. She says while yes, the skies are grey here in the winter, it beats being housebound by blizzards. That they enjoyed summertime here so much more, plenty of shorts and tanktop weather, beautiful day after day of sunshine and clean beaches, they were glad to escape the summers they were used to there. And that here, people have been quite friendly and welcoming, they're quite thrilled with their move here.
Of course, much of how you will be received and how you will perceive Coos Bay will be how you present yourself and WANT to see. If you compare it constantly to where you came from, and think your previous home was paradise, that might eventually start to rub annoyingly wrong to others around you who actually like to live here.
Theres a lot of other people who share what sound like your interests are. Another newcomber here, from Arizona, they have discovered kayaking and just bought themselves a new one. There are some wonderful sailing clubs around here as well, and more hiking, fishing, ATVing, crabbing, clamming, etc. than you will ever believe.
If youre looking for hot nightlife, wild clubs, huge shopping sprawls, well, youre not going to find that here. Coos Bay is more about raising your family in a good place, installing your values/morals, enjoying the outdoors, community events, than it is about impressing your neighbors or spending a months pay on a designer outfit.
Its not for everyone, but for many, its pretty darn close to paradise.
Tiff
ps, yes, it rains, but not constantly, in fact, i just looked outside, its not raining right now. lol

[jessica_m]

Did you decide on the area? I too am looking to relocate to Coos Bay. I'm from Texas and am now residing in Florida. It is too hot, too sticky, and the crime is outrageous! My son is interested in the same outdoor activities as yours. I would really appreciate some of your insight. Thanks

[detrna]

Where's is Coo's Bay and how far from Salem

[tiffela74]

Coos Bay is on the Southern Oregon Coast...
bout 3hrs south of Salem.