Urban areas within 45 mins of Albany? (Portland, Eugene: home, job, schools)

[dsh]

I might be taking a job in Albany. I'm from the Detroit area and would like a somewhat urban area to live. I'm not expecting a huge city, just some basic habitation. I don't mind driving a while to work and back.

It looks like Salem would be an option. How long is the drive from Eugene?

[FoxyKnox]

Eugene isn't too far, probably 30-45 minutes. I tend to think of Albany as splitting the difference between the two. Either city will give you that urban vibe you are looking for.

[lifes2short]

My husband worked in Albany for a while. Many people commuted from Salem.

[Silverfall]

A lot of people do commute from Salem to Albany. We live South Salem and my husband commutes to Corvallis which takes 35 minutes. I worked in Albany for a while and it took me 20 minutes to get to work.

There is a lot down south that is available that has good highway access. I live in Salem (south) and Salem pretty much has everything you need. We have average restaurants here. Not sure why we can't lure a really good chef, but...I digress...

Salem is very family oriented. If you are single, I would probably choose Eugene over Salem. Not much here for singles. Most tend to move to Eugene or Portland for more activity.

If you post your needs (family, schools, activities, etc) I can give you some links. The city of Salem website is City of Salem, Oregon - Official City Website.

[dsh]

Yeah, I am single. I'm 31 and really past all the nightlife craziness. I'm more interested in simply finding a few interesting things to do that I might not have experienced before. Just reading around this forum I do kinda get the sense there's a little more variety of activities in Eugene.

It sounds like Eugene is nice but I was originally leaning towards Salem just because it's much closer to Portland for the occasional trip into the city. I guess that's kinda my dilema. Either way, they both sound like good places.

[seven of nine]

Originally Posted by dsh

Yeah, I am single. I'm 31 and really past all the nightlife craziness. I'm more interested in simply finding a few interesting things to do that I might not have experienced before. Just reading around this forum I do kinda get the sense there's a little more variety of activities in Eugene.

It sounds like Eugene is nice but I was originally leaning towards Salem just because it's much closer to Portland for the occasional trip into the city. I guess that's kinda my dilema. Either way, they both sound like good places.

May I add that the city of Eugene is home to a rare varity of large ducks that tend to hang out during football/basketball season suffering from "Quack Attacks"

[dsh]

Yeah, I'll have to learn to appreciate the Ducks. I went to Michigan State so I can apreciate a college town and it's sports fans.

[karlsch]

Why don't you try living in Albany for a while - try something new for you, living in a smaller city? You might like it or you might not. Unless you try you will never know. If you don't like it, you can always move without much problem.

[Silverfall]

Are you outdoorsy? artistic? what kind of interesting things are you looking for? That may help to choose one over the other. Is church important? I lived in Portland for 9 years and now Salem for 8. If we know your interests, that might help to solidify a choice.