Brookings Or. Anyone know anything? (Florence, Harbor: oceanfront, travel, home)

[3chidogs]

furyu,

Hey, thanks for all of the info. It is very helpful. I suppose I could struggle with the tomato issue.
I grew up in a small town myself, you've likely heard of it, Palm Springs. But don't let the celebrity fool you, those of us locals who lived there were just plain folks with the usual day to day life issues, regular jobs and normal paychecks. But the heat was a killer, and as I've gotten older I've gotten less tolerant of it. Live near LA now out of work necessity and hate it. So does hubby. I have aged parents who are declining, and when they are no longer with me, I hope to leave this lotus land and go to where people are people.
We don't need much, just a fairly well stocked grocery store and a few restaurants here or there. We aren't into night life and just hang out with our 3 chihuahuas and 19 year old daughter who will be off to college. We need a place where we can breathe again
We also are not political at all. Live and let live, except in LA where the justice system is a joke.
Any other pointers you might have would be useful. The weather sounds ideal to me. How about things like cable TV and DSL for computers. Those are my two amusements.

[Midgejohn]

I haven't been to Brookings for several years, but my grandparents lived there. They had 20 acres which was a lily farm in the 1940's. Now their old farm is the site of the mobile home park behind the Safeway(?) south of the Cheto River.

Yes, as I remember from childhood and teenage visits, it rains a lot there. Even during summer. It is after all right on the coast. Flooding? I'm not sure about the whole area, but I remember that the south side of the Chetco had high cliffs which acted as a buttress against the ocean tides.

If you like camping and scenery, I recommend exploring up the Chetco River. Then, too, Grants Pass, which is further inland, also has beautiful scenery on the Rogue and Illinois Rivers. I have a friend who still lives in Gold Hill, OR, about 15 miles from and in-between Grants Pass and Medford, on the I-5 corridor. She tells me the whole area is growing by leaps and bounds and has become a Silicon Valley in miniature.

[whatatripp]

I'm not sure which companies have cable tv and internet access available, but they are definitely available.

I live in Crescent City CA, just 30 miles south. If I want good produce, I drive to Brookings and shop there.

The movie theater in Brookings is awesome. It only has one screen, but it has a great sound system and very comfortable seating.

I don't know too much about the neighborhoods. I'm sure there are some scary places, since meth is a problem around here; I just don't know where the "bad" places are.

If you enjoy eating out at places like Chili's or Outback, you'll have to drive at least 2 hours. That being said, Brookings has some great restaurants that offer a range from Italian to Chinese. There's even a little Irish pub.

As for tomatoes, you really need to live a bit further inland to grow them well. It just doesn't get warm enough long enough to properly ripen a tomato on this part of the coast. Which is a bummer because I love home-grown tomatoes...

[furyu]

Originally Posted by 3chidogs

...We don't need much, just a fairly well stocked grocery store and a few restaurants here or there. We aren't into night life and just hang out with our 3 chihuahuas and 19 year old daughter who will be off to college. We need a place where we can breathe again
We also are not political at all. Live and let live, except in LA where the justice system is a joke.
Any other pointers you might have would be useful. The weather sounds ideal to me. How about things like cable TV and DSL for computers. Those are my two amusements.

3chidogs, it sounds like you will be ideally suited for living here. We especially love our pets in this town (currently the proud 'parent' of five cats and one adorable poodle-pooch).

I enjoyed Palm Springs on many occasions, briefly. Fun place to visit, never to live though (the heat).

As far as cable TV, Brookings and surrounding area has cable via Charter. DSL is here also, but not as widespread. Verizon is extending its fiber optic lines, however, and will eventually cover the entire area. Thus, broad band for computers, for me and for many, is acquired via Charter's cable although some areas do have DSL. Satellite TV is very popular here, both DirecTV and Dish. It is my preference.

Regarding the local movie theatre, someone here stated it was "awesome"! That would not be my word of choice. In the four years I've lived here, I've have gone to it once, during the first year I was here. I found it uncomfortable and the floor so sticky I could barely pull myself off from it to exit. The person who stated it was "awesome" hails from Crescent City, I believe, which has its own multi-plex. I've never been to that, but his/her opinion of Brooking's tiny theatre speaks volumes as to the condition of that theatre.

[mdvaden]

Gold Beach is nice, and likewise Brookings.

I suppose I can't post a link of my own, but go to my profile and find your way to my Albums, specifically the Redwoods album and the Oregon Coast album.

You will see why I'm down there every 2 to 3 weeks.

Last season, the Brookings / Harbor garden club hired me 3 times to do pruning, and I went camping in the local campground after each of those small 2 -4 hour projects.

It rains a lot, but there is a lot of good weather too.

A lot of people move there and don't stay long-term, but they still enjoy the experience anyways.

Brookings allows you to enjoy Gold Beach beaches, but puts you close to Crescent City too, with Cave Junction, Grants Pass and Medford, Oregon all within about 2 hours - 2.5 hours for Medford.

Gold Beach and Brookings are quite clean looking towns.

I'm huge into hiking, and I'd pick Brookings to be near the redwoods, Smith River recreation area and Cave Junction near the Oregon Caves.

[GrammieAllie]

furyu,
You should work for the Chamber of Commerce for Brookings! I'm contemplating moving there from Sacramento when I retire. I'm originally from Seattle but I don't think I could live in the rain and drizzle again. I don't like the heat, so the weather in Brookings sounds ideal. I've decided to spend a week there in August to get the lay of the land and see how I like it.
Thanks so much for your opinion. I think Brookings is the place for me!

[nanannie]

Grammie, I doubt that sunny,warm August will give you a true picture of what the weather is like most of the year. Though its better then Seattle, and drier then alot of Oregon, all the times I have been to the "bannana belt" it is rainy and windy.

[furyu]

Originally Posted by GrammieAllie

furyu,
You should work for the Chamber of Commerce for Brookings! I'm contemplating moving there from Sacramento when I retire. I'm originally from Seattle but I don't think I could live in the rain and drizzle again. I don't like the heat, so the weather in Brookings sounds ideal. I've decided to spend a week there in August to get the lay of the land and see how I like it.
Thanks so much for your opinion. I think Brookings is the place for me!

And I think you'll be the person for Brookings!

We certainly do not get the amount of rain and overcast days like Seattle gets. The Sacramento valley is really tough on those who do not like heat. I'm not a big fan of the area. You'll love the cooler summers here in Brookings. And even the winters which, temperature-wise, will be much like Sacramento but with far less tulle fog but a bit more rain. The only drawback for leaving Sacramento, in my opinion, is Lake Tahoe won't be as easily reached. Quite a drive from here.

Good idea to spend some time here prior to making the move. August is a fine time to come. But last week, mid-late October, we were having 80-90 degree weather! So you never know (and that's part of the fun of living here).

Be well, and here's to retirement!

[furyu]

Originally Posted by nanannie

Grammie, I doubt that sunny,warm August will give you a true picture of what the weather is like most of the year. Though its better then Seattle, and drier then alot of Oregon, all the times I have been to the "bannana belt" it is rainy and windy.

Just your luck, evidently!

This past August, and this entire year actually, has been far cooler and 'grayer' than the previous three in which I've lived here. You just never know. But truly, you cannot compare Brookings with Seattle, or Portland, or even farther up (north) the Oregon coast, which gets far more rain and especially, WIND! That's the biggest complaint I hear from people living farther north: the darn wind, constant, relentless.

The thing is, when the Pacific Northwest climate is in 'storm-mode,' generally speaking, Brookings will get less rain than other areas. That's just the way it is. Given climate change, if you believe it's happening, then indeed, things are changing. If you believe in global warming, it is predicted that the entire Pacific Northwest will be continually getting dryer and warmer in years to come.

If that be true, I may be finding my way farther and farther north, searching for cooler weather. Really, sometimes the weather here is too hot for me! But at least the hot spells are brief.

[rvwen]

I live in the hills near Fort Dick, CA, which is midway between Brookings and Crescent City.

As a 30-year resident please allow me to clarify some things.

Yes, as has been pointed out, Brookings can get warm in late summer and early autumn. This is created by the southfacing mountainside upon which the town is perched which provides good solar gain while blocking out the seasonal north winds.

Regrettably, this same southfacing mountainside makes Brookings-Harbor one of the most miserable places to be in the winter as each front slams it head-on with strong winds from the southwest.

The trick is to find a home that gets plenty of sunshine and has wind protection from both the north (spring and summer) and south (winter) winds.

An easy way to achieve this is to look where each town has their golf courses (with Bandon being the exception that proves the rule).

Also, do not be misled by temperatures. For reasons I cannot discern 75 degrees on the coast feels like 85 degrees elsewhere; in a similar manner, cold weather feels colder.

And when comparing temperatures along the coast, do some research as to where the weather station is. For most towns, the information comes from the airport. The Brookings airport is unique for a coastal community as it is located about a mile inland while Gold Beach has theirs along the windy oceanfront beach and Crescent City is thought to be routinely cold and miserable because it's airport is located on Pt. St. George which juts out into the Pacific Ocean where it is routinely cold and miserable, which could explain why only a few hardy souls live near the airport!