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Indeed, all 3 Pacific NW cities have great surprisingly vibrant city centers. Often underrated, Portland is surely very walkable & has a great public transit system for its size. Vancouver stands out because there is an extremely high density of apartments in the downtown itself so there's a large array of life in the downtown core. And its downtown setting with skyline surrounded by water & mountains is impressive, as is Seattle's. If I were you, I wouldn't abandon the car either in Seattle. The transit system is reasonable but it's not excellent. At least settle down first and then when you get more familiar consider just using public transit. Alot of people overlook or underrate Seattle, dismissing its gloomy weather & somewhat isolated though beautiful setting. However, it's definitely among the most liveable parts of the country, where you can easily access nature, its still relatively safe & clean & not overly built up, rushed or crowded. The winter although drab & rainy has milder relative temperatures then the Midwest for sure. And the Spring & Summers in Seattle is excellent generally- I usually like to travel in the cold season and stay put here in from April to Sept, because everywhere else is so damn hot!
Seattle has an OK downtown, but beyond the Pike Place Market and some shops and restaurants in Belletown, there's not a lot. Basically, Seattle just has more of a boomtown mentality, so it has historically permitted and pursued a sort of reckless development while Portland and Vancouver have pursued much more thoughtful development policies.
Just visit the three towns and you'll see what I mean--or ask anyone who lives in the Pacific Northwest and they'll confirm it for you.
That said, Seattle still has a nicer downtown area than most US cities.
Hope that answers your questions.
It actually doesn't. I've been to all three many times. I completely disagree but we're not here to compare the three so I digress.
Please, compare the three. I like to get an idea of everyone's perspective on this question.
People are quick to compare Vancouver BC, Portland, and Seattle; I, for one, do not feel that the comparisons are entirely fair. Comparing the three is like comparing chicken noodle soup made with egg noodles, rice noodles, or dumplings ... you can argue about the details all day, but overall, the similarities outweigh the differences.
Vancouver's downtown gets a lot of praise for its urban feel. Vancouver has benefited heavily from the film and TV production dollars that it has reeled in for the last 20 years or so, and that has been invested in public transit and other aesthetics. Still, Vancouver has some serious issues (major drug problems and the requisite crime) to address. It will host the Olympics very soon, and the spillover is expected to give more exposure to the other two major Pac NW cities, Seattle and Portland.
Portland is smaller. Its urban growth philosophy is light years ahead of most other cities. Public transit is a priority and with the ridership, it shows. Unfortunately, as lovely as Portland is, its economy lags severely behind Vancouver and Seattle. You are much less likely to find a job in Portland, as opposed to Seattle or Portland.
Seattle is much bigger than Portland but more compact than Vancouver BC. The professional opportunities here are head-and-shoulders above the other two places. The downtown is compact and hilly. Most folks in Seattle are transplants and the society is made up of very educated folks who tend to be transient (most folks stay about 3-4 years, then move on).
Seattle is much bigger than Portland but more compact than Vancouver BC. The professional opportunities here are head-and-shoulders above the other two places. The downtown is compact and hilly. Most folks in Seattle are transplants and the society is made up of very educated folks who tend to be transient (most folks stay about 3-4 years, then move on).
Yes, we were pretty surprised as to how hilly Seattle was! Although it made for some fantastic views. The professional opportunities are a big reason for us to want to relocate to Seattle. The nice scenery helps too! I had no idea Seattle was a transient city. My sister lived in DC for a couple of years, and told me that it was definitely a transient city.
Joe,
I think you are pretty lucky as you have some of the best forum people responding to this thread. Everyone has given positive and negatives to Seattle, which to me shows they pay attention. Pwright loves his city and it shows in his pictures and awareness of many areas...I would listen to him. But also the others have contributed fantastic insight to the Seattle experience in more depth. Honestly you know best what type of person you are and what type of lifestyle and/or limits you and your wife have on a community. So..before someone gets on your thread and starts flaming it with the gloom and the bla, bla, bla...(which are redundant since Im sure Joe has read the other threads) Go with your gut, nothing is forever but the earth and sky, your young...Jump!
On a side note...I love Seattle too...so Im part of the Pwright fanclub, Im looking to re-relocate back to Seattle from Tokyo soon. I have lived and worked all over...and in my humble opinion once you find a good raincoat and some comfy shoes there is nowhere in the states better. Again thats my opinon, and you know what they say about those...
Joe,
I think you are pretty lucky as you have some of the best forum people responding to this thread. Everyone has given positive and negatives to Seattle, which to me shows they pay attention. Pwright loves his city and it shows in his pictures and awareness of many areas...I would listen to him. But also the others have contributed fantastic insight to the Seattle experience in more depth. Honestly you know best what type of person you are and what type of lifestyle and/or limits you and your wife have on a community. So..before someone gets on your thread and starts flaming it with the gloom and the bla, bla, bla...(which are redundant since Im sure Joe has read the other threads) Go with your gut, nothing is forever but the earth and sky, your young...Jump!
On a side note...I love Seattle too...so Im part of the Pwright fanclub, Im looking to re-relocate back to Seattle from Tokyo soon. I have lived and worked all over...and in my humble opinion once you find a good raincoat and some comfy shoes there is nowhere in the states better. Again thats my opinon, and you know what they say about those...
Good Luck and Gambate Joe...
5
Thanks for the response. Yea, I have read a lot of the other posts about the gloom, etc., but they haven't turned me off to the idea of moving to Seattle yet! And I doubt they will...
By the way, Tokyo is a city on our "must see soon" list as well. We hope to visit sometime in the next few years!
Well Joe, I agree Tokyo is great...(except on Sundays when I miss football) and Seattle has many qualities that I find here, but the signs are easier to read.... So I (who has been away from Seattle for 8 years) will give you a short list of my favorite things about Seattle.... Of course this is MY list and if someone would like to argue with me about MY favorites I will be forced to make fun of you for not knowing what the definition of MY is and force you to sit in the corner.....
I enjoy...
The beauty of Seattle, its neighborhoods and the not so distant day drives I can do to places in nature or Vancouver!. The foods that I can eat in restaurants of uniqueness and shop for at farmers markets. The culture of being aware that the earth is precious....and it should stay clean,Seattle is clean in perspective to other big cities. The sports teams. The U dub. The wine. The music scene. The water (including the rain) and the fresh air (again I live in Tokyo people!) because of said rain, and mild temps. The artist community both fringe and contemporary. The walkability of the downtown area....its a little hilly..but hey there is always a Starbucks on top! And...many more things. And dont forget....The for the most part acceptance of people that are unique or of a different race (though technically its all the human race...but I digress) religion or sexual preference. basically its pretty chill in my book (Im from NYC) So...Thats it in a nutshell for me...
Okay its not utopia, but if it was we would surely overpopulate it and ruin it and complain even more. I like Seattle, it fits me. And I'm counting the days till I can return and open my restaurant (Im a chef)...
1. My wife and I ... would like to live downtown. Does anyone here live and work in downtown Seattle?
2. Currently, we have two cars, but would consider getting rid of one or even both of them if our commute in Seattle would allow it. I assume it is possible to live in the downtown area without the need for a car.
Hi, Ijoe13. Since your interesting thread rose to the top again, I thought I'd mention two things.
1. Living in "downtown" might mean one thing to you, and another to us.
"Downtown" Seattle to us means in the thick of the office buildings, in a pretty small, dense geographic area. That can be very interesting, but it IS high-rise apartment or condo living. No alternative. And unlike Manhattan, downtown Seattle is mostly office buildings, so residential living (and real estate) are at a premium and are thus pretty expensive.
But as has been described well by previous posters, the neighborhoods that surround that small mass of office buildings, and are part of the city of Seattle, are where the real character of Seattle is. ALL such neighborhoods have access to downtown and to each other and to miles and miles of outlying cities and towns by the fabulous METRO bus system and Sound Transit bus system which are far-reaching, comfortable and reliable.
The neighborhoods are where the flavor of Seattle is -- and the views, occasional eagles and hawks, terrific urban walking, AND SUCH NECESSITIES AS SUPERMARKETS. I lived for 5 years in one of them, Capitol Hill, directly east of downtown, and worked in downtown. Where I lived was within walking distance of downtown, if I chose, or a 5-minute bus ride, but all the stores I could want were there.
2. Keep one car. As a previous poster said, you'll want the car to go to all the places around Seattle -- like Sears, Home Depot, ocean, mountains, state and national parks, farm country, islands, Canada, Oregon, eastern deserts. You get the idea! And just going for a "jaunt" on a Saturday you'll need the car (can't get there any other way) -- for Eagle watching, whale watching, tulip or daffodil festivals, salmon festivals, state fairs, antiques shopping, freshly-picked summer corn and tomatoes and berries, weekend B&B getaways, skiing in Washington and B.C., wine tastings and concerts at the wineries, etc. etc. And if you two do stuff like hiking or rock climbing, the only way to get to such places is by car.
Have fun planning!
P.S. I worked in Tokyo for 11 years, and the best (most authentic) Japanese restaurants in the North American west, north of San Francisco, are in Vancouver, B.C. Yummmmm. You CAN get there without a car, but with a car you have 100% roaming and gazing freedom.
Last edited by allforcats; 02-21-2008 at 10:50 AM..
Well Joe, I agree Tokyo is great...(except on Sundays when I miss football) and Seattle has many qualities that I find here, but the signs are easier to read.... So I (who has been away from Seattle for 8 years) will give you a short list of my favorite things about Seattle.... Of course this is MY list and if someone would like to argue with me about MY favorites I will be forced to make fun of you for not knowing what the definition of MY is and force you to sit in the corner.....
I enjoy...
The beauty of Seattle, its neighborhoods and the not so distant day drives I can do to places in nature or Vancouver!. The foods that I can eat in restaurants of uniqueness and shop for at farmers markets. The culture of being aware that the earth is precious....and it should stay clean,Seattle is clean in perspective to other big cities. The sports teams. The U dub. The wine. The music scene. The water (including the rain) and the fresh air (again I live in Tokyo people!) because of said rain, and mild temps. The artist community both fringe and contemporary. The walkability of the downtown area....its a little hilly..but hey there is always a Starbucks on top! And...many more things. And dont forget....The for the most part acceptance of people that are unique or of a different race (though technically its all the human race...but I digress) religion or sexual preference. basically its pretty chill in my book (Im from NYC) So...Thats it in a nutshell for me...
Okay its not utopia, but if it was we would surely overpopulate it and ruin it and complain even more. I like Seattle, it fits me. And I'm counting the days till I can return and open my restaurant (Im a chef)...
Good Luck Joe!....and remember one word "Gortex"
mata ne
5
5,
Thanks for the list! I'm so glad that I am able to get so many detailed responses to my questions.
When you open your restaurant in Seattle, I will definitely have to make a reservation.
Dewa sonouchi ni...
Joe
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