If You Could Live Anywhere In Oregon (Portland, Eugene: houses, to live)

[skinem]

Wow, I'd need several places...but since we're just wishing...

Wallowa area.
Troy.
Brownsville.
Camp Sherman
Frenchglen
Florence area.

[bobmulk]

Cannon Beach/Manzanita
Sisters
Neskowin

[BeeBuzz]

I'd like to live in Arlington. It's on the Columbia river but isolated from other towns, dry grass/sagebrush and dry climate, sometimes rugged weather conditions, within 50 miles of shopping (Hermiston or The Dalles), 2 hours from Oregon's largest city (Portland) and located just off Interstate 84, good police protection (Sheriff's deputies located in town), good EMS system (distant to hospitals/medical facilities, though). Rural, great for train lovers, Highway 19 connects with more rustic towns. A short drive to agricultural country. Definitely not for everyone, poor employment prospects (except the Arlington dump!, no smells in town though), sudden unpredictable winds, snow and ice winters...need to have a source of income and be content at home when weather makes it necessary. It's got a rugged beauty and yet access to the rest of the world that some of NE Oregon's towns do not.

[ak.nessa]

Powell Butte (beautiful views of the Sisters mountains, lots of farmland, and not too far from Bend)...Or of course Terrebonne...Smith Rock State Park is just gorgeous and I would love to have some livestock, a horse, and be able to go hiking all the time!

[jrkliny]

This is an old thread but still relevant for many of us. This Fall, my wife and I went through the same decision making process. We are looking to move to the West for retirement. Oregon, even though not visited, moved towards the top of the list due to the proximity of relatives and due to a process of elimination. I had high hopes for Portland but that turned out to be a disappointment of epic proportions. The happening aspects of Portland - like the hipster scene with tattoos and piercings - are not to appealing to old folks. Land use controls have helped push up housing costs and housing density and congestion. A few hours of downtown and a couple of hours in the Chinese gardens were ok but afterwards it was time to move on. The Washington park area, zoo and japanese gardens were so crowded that we literally could not find a place to park for at least a half hour. I do not need to leave the cost and congestion of the east coast in order to find more of the same in Portland. Then there is that big, big looming issue - the weather and months with clouds and almost daily rain. We spent days on the Oregon coast which was absolutely great. My wife said she would be happy anywhere that she could see the ocean everyday. Of course, that was spoken in September with clear blue skies almost everyday. The winters might be a little less attractive. In addition there are two "deal breakers" - the coastal communities are small with some tourist attractions but not much culture and for most of the communities it is a long way to decent hospitals and healthcare. We also visited Bend. I love the mountains, but only in the short summer season. Bend is just too COLD for most of the year. Land use policies have also added to relatively high housing costs and congestion, but the main issue is the cold. We did vacation in parts of eastern Oregon. I loved the scenery, but would never consider living there. So after all of this what area of Oregon is left? Somewhere with relatively decent weather, with healthcare, with some semblance of culture and human activity? As far as I could determine there is only one area and we anticipate retiring there. If that does not work out then I guess we look at New Mexico or another western State.

[Oregonbeachlover]

Originally Posted by jrkliny

This is an old thread but still relevant for many of us. This Fall, my wife and I went through the same decision making process. We are looking to move to the West for retirement. Oregon, even though not visited, moved towards the top of the list due to the proximity of relatives and due to a process of elimination. I had high hopes for Portland but that turned out to be a disappointment of epic proportions. The happening aspects of Portland - like the hipster scene with tattoos and piercings - are not to appealing to old folks. Land use controls have helped push up housing costs and housing density and congestion. A few hours of downtown and a couple of hours in the Chinese gardens were ok but afterwards it was time to move on. The Washington park area, zoo and japanese gardens were so crowded that we literally could not find a place to park for at least a half hour. I do not need to leave the cost and congestion of the east coast in order to find more of the same in Portland. Then there is that big, big looming issue - the weather and months with clouds and almost daily rain. We spent days on the Oregon coast which was absolutely great. My wife said she would be happy anywhere that she could see the ocean everyday. Of course, that was spoken in September with clear blue skies almost everyday. The winters might be a little less attractive. In addition there are two "deal breakers" - the coastal communities are small with some tourist attractions but not much culture and for most of the communities it is a long way to decent hospitals and healthcare. We also visited Bend. I love the mountains, but only in the short summer season. Bend is just too COLD for most of the year. Land use policies have also added to relatively high housing costs and congestion, but the main issue is the cold. We did vacation in parts of eastern Oregon. I loved the scenery, but would never consider living there. So after all of this what area of Oregon is left? Somewhere with relatively decent weather, with healthcare, with some semblance of culture and human activity? As far as I could determine there is only one area and we anticipate retiring there. If that does not work out then I guess we look at New Mexico or another western State.

There is no place which is 100% perfect. You have to do some real soul searching to figure out what makes YOU happy. For me, I am not happy unless I am by the ocean. I just love it. Yes, we can get a lot of rain in the winter. But, even with several days of rain, it can change fast. During Christmas, we had about a week of sunny days. Last January, we had several weeks of sunny days. The weather here changes much faster than the weather in the valley. I love the eclectic lifestyle living in a beachy community affords. There is an art guild, art and cooking classes, a community center, and 7 1/2 miles of a walking beach. If I need more shopping, or a choas fix, it's just an hour's drive back to the valley. That is enough for me, but might not be for others. Nobody else can tell you what will make you happy. For any place on earth, some people will think it is absolute heaven, while others will think it is not.

[jrkliny]

Oregonbeachlover: I think my wife might agree with you. I am probably most concerned about healthcare, but I would also be worried about being bored. Normally I have the patience for about 1 hour at a normal sandy beach. I felt rushed with only 5 days on the Oregon coast.

[Oregonbeachlover]

Originally Posted by jrkliny

Oregonbeachlover: I think my wife might agree with you. I am probably most concerned about healthcare, but I would also be worried about being bored. Normally I have the patience for about 1 hour at a normal sandy beach. I felt rushed with only 5 days on the Oregon coast.

I don't know a lot about it, but there are doctors and a hospital here, and my neighbor is very happy with the shoulder surgery and knee replacements he has had done here. My husband and I still work some, but the coast is a great place to try new hobbies also. There are lots of volunteer choices, churches to become involved in, and various creative outlets too. The beach is the biggest draw to me as I never get tired of it. Every day is a new adventure and the beach is ever changing, so a very fun playground. I love the sites and the sounds of the ocean and storm watching is fun too. Also, here is Lincoln City, hunting for the artisan glass floats is a reason some people walk on the beach. I found one during Christmas. I think to be truly happy living by the ocean, you can't have any hesitation. If you do, maybe it isn't for you. Would your wife be truly happy anywhere besides the ocean?

[Bosco Richfield, Jr.]

If I had my choice, I'd live in Loveland or Ft. Collins. Both are nice and scenic, not too big but just the right size. People are friendly and the mountains are minutes away.

[jrkliny]

Lots of WINTER, SNOW and COLD in those towns. I did briefly consider Grand Junction. It is not quite as cold, but it is a bit more isolated than I want.