Follow up poll -- what deters you from Seattle or why would you leave? (Pacific: sick)

[Jenbar]

Do people just not realize they need sunscreen even w/o the sun?

I think that's part of it. Someone brought it up here, recently, and there was a link - I will have to see if I can find it.

[daytripper]

The ONLY thing that is detering us is that we are trying to sell here in Fl. Once that's done we are on our way to Wash.!!! Our home is ready and waiting and it's a matter of pulling out of here as smoothly as we can.

[daytripper]

Indoor kids.....hmmmm. Well let me tell you we have been in Fl for the past 12 years and in the summer you won't see ANY children outdoors. They stay in the air conditioning and play their online games and such. Not any different
than a cold day up north. ( don't fool yourself) No place is perfect. (And the generations have seemingly changed. I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska and we were out during all seasons. )They even had recess at school as long as it stayed above 10 below. today that is unheard of. Wussies

[lijohy]

Originally Posted by seattlenextyear

Why are people so whiny about the weather in Seattle? Is it because there's so many transplants from sunnier places?
I grew up near Syracuse, which has the same sunny/cloudy day ratio, and no one really said boo about the cloudiness there. I guess when there's so much snow to complain about, cloudiness just seems minor. And, like Seattle, there's a beautifully mild summer that people know is coming soon.

Amen, I love the Seattle summers. They actually do have an end... I have been spending about half the year in Tucson, AZ as my boyfriend lives there. I cannot stand the non stop sun and the constant heat! One is literally FORCED (especially if you are fair skinned like me) to slather on SPF 80 all day(I use sunscreen even on overcast NW days, but not to this extent!), wear the darkest sun glasses possible, and live in a never ending series of air conditioned environments. There is no other choice about that last one. I am in Tucson right now where it is 83 degrees, and can't wait to return to 60 degree forecast (tomorrow) for Seattle. It sucks not having any cloudy overcast days (which I absolutely love, as do my Scandinavian g-parents and parents), and I have spent the last 3 Christmas' in Tucson- let me tell you I detest the 75-80 degree holiday season in the desert! I love the pines, the dreariness, the rain and wind, storms and water everywhere. I adore the drizzle and moisture, and love going out to the peninsula in the fall and spring to enjoy the Olympic rainforest and mountains all soggy and green. I am looking forward to my friends and friendly faces at my store I work at in Wallingford- compared to Tucson, the people in Seattle are the nicest yet! I have never experienced, the 'freeze'; never even heard of it. I lived for three years on the Hill and think the people are very friendly and outgoing, they remind me a lot of Bay Area folks. I have made a great group of friends at the local dog parks, and have met very cool people out at cafes/bars (when I can be talked into going out to one!), and just out walking in the neighbourhoods- Phinney Ridge, Ballard, Fremont, Queen Anne, Downtown, etc. Personal preference, I suppose! My boyfriend and I are going to Pennsylvania this fall and I hear it is dreary there and much colder/snowier in the winter, so I am looking forward to seeing how I enjoy it (or detest it!)

[lijohy]

Originally Posted by mlv311

Exactly. I remember when I became a mom asking other moms, what do you do for fun when it rains, and the typical answer was, "go to the mall." Well, I don't find that much fun so I can't imagine a child thinking that's the best place to play.

There are much more things to do than the mall. That is what people do down in Tucson year round as it is too hot to do anything outdoors for more than a 1/2 hour! It is so homogeneous there, I could just scream.
Soooo.... in Seattle for the kiddies on a rainy day, we have:
Children's museums, Pacific Science Center, Museum of Flight (boys LOVE it and a lot of girls enjoy it too, depending), the Washington Serpentarium (snakes and lizards-very cool!), Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, IMAX theater, Children's theater, Fun Forest, Waterfront Arcade, Funtasia, Putt Putt Golf at several different areas like Interbay, Color Me Mine ceramics studio, Vertical World, Seattle Art Museum, Asian Art Museum, Frye Art Museum, The Little Gym, Kids n' Clay Pottery, and a ton of different libraries with story hours, as well as museum or city tours (underground) and other fun things to do indoors. Whoever suggested the mall needs to GET A LIFE! I grew up in Seattle and my parents never let the rain get in the way of us doing things as a family- they simply strapped on my rainboots, slicker and I took my mini umbrella and off we would go to enjoy the city! In the winter we would go sledding at Bitter Lake or Jackson Greens, snowshoeing in the Pass, or I would spend the afternoon playing with my brother and then walking two blocks to our neighbourhood library for story time. I could walk my big black lab to Bitter Lake Park that was ( and still is, from my parents) three houses down from the house, or play with my neighbourhood friends at the rec center at said park. I would go roller skating at the rec every Friday night, and we would go play lazer tag and putt putt if we ever got tired of the neighbourhood games. I loved my childhood and would have been bummed if my parents made me stay indoors all the time. I was rarely sick either, and to this day rarely even get sick once a year (except when I come to Tucson in the winter because of the 75/80 degree days and 35/40 degree nights-temp drops drastically within an hour there).

[lijohy]

[quote=mayfair;3393911]

Originally Posted by seattlenextyear

If you're fair-skinned, you'll burn in Seattle in summer (unlikley in winter though- and that's most of the year, so you should be fine).

I wear sun screen every day in Seattle on my face (due to having most of my body covered up in the fall, winter & early spring), but it is a lot easier to apply it once in the morning and then use my SPF 30 powder, than to constantly slather it on every part of your body at least 10 times a day like I have to down here in Tucson. In the summers I use sunscreen all over, and am a firm believer in wearing it on the face no matter what the weather is like to keep good healthy skin. Also, the sun HURTS in the SW; in Seattle the summer sun just feels plain GOOD! Especially when you are at Madison Beach! There is a ton of shade too, and the places are not A/C'd to the extreme like they are in the desert either. No wonder people like me (who are not used to the weird contrast of heat and cold) get the sniffles so much in Tucson!

[lijohy]

Originally Posted by daytripper

Indoor kids.....hmmmm. Well let me tell you we have been in Fl for the past 12 years and in the summer you won't see ANY children outdoors. They stay in the air conditioning and play their online games and such. Not any different
than a cold day up north. ( don't fool yourself) No place is perfect. (And the generations have seemingly changed. I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska and we were out during all seasons. )They even had recess at school as long as it stayed above 10 below. today that is unheard of. Wussies

LOL okay you got that right! And I am an 80's child- 1980, to be exact! We were outside in Seattle playing in the backyard year round and had a blast.

[lijohy]

Originally Posted by LordBalfor

For us, weather without a doubt is why we'll leave.
Already have purchased retirement property in SE Arizona - in an area with a near-perfect climate in my opinion (extremely mild winters, not too hot in the summers, and with essentially the same amount of rainfal (though admittedly in a different pattern) as Sequim - and of course a LOT more sunshine than here in Seattle.

Ken

What part of SE Az? I have spent a lot of time in Tucson, and it is freakin' HOT! As hades, I might as well add. Cochise: Hot. Bisbee: Hot. Douglas: Hot. Benson: Hot. Tucson: Hot. Well, of course it is since it is the Sonaran Desert, so I am sure you know what you are getting into! Anything that features temps over 87 degrees for more than four weeks straight is insanely hot in my opinion(some would call me wuss bu I love the mild weather- 75 is PERFECT for me!) I know a lot of folks live in regions that get crazy hot though- Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, Illonois, Texas, Florida, Georgia, etc. And I hear they are pretty humid too. I will pass on any Midwestern state and the South/SW as well, but a lot of folks really enjoy the heat. At least AZ is a dry heat, for the most part. It does get humid and sticky in monsoon season too, and Valley Fever is looming, but everywhere you go there will be problems.

[seattlenextyear]

Originally Posted by lijohy

There are much more things to do than the mall. That is what people do down in Tucson year round as it is too hot to do anything outdoors for more than a 1/2 hour! It is so homogeneous there, I could just scream.
Soooo.... in Seattle for the kiddies on a rainy day, we have:
Children's museums, Pacific Science Center, Museum of Flight (boys LOVE it and a lot of girls enjoy it too, depending), the Washington Serpentarium (snakes and lizards-very cool!), Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, IMAX theater, Children's theater, Fun Forest, Waterfront Arcade, Funtasia, Putt Putt Golf at several different areas like Interbay, Color Me Mine ceramics studio, Vertical World, Seattle Art Museum, Asian Art Museum, Frye Art Museum, The Little Gym, Kids n' Clay Pottery, and a ton of different libraries with story hours, as well as museum or city tours (underground) and other fun things to do indoors. Whoever suggested the mall needs to GET A LIFE! I grew up in Seattle and my parents never let the rain get in the way of us doing things as a family- they simply strapped on my rainboots, slicker and I took my mini umbrella and off we would go to enjoy the city! In the winter we would go sledding at Bitter Lake or Jackson Greens, snowshoeing in the Pass, or I would spend the afternoon playing with my brother and then walking two blocks to our neighbourhood library for story time. I could walk my big black lab to Bitter Lake Park that was ( and still is, from my parents) three houses down from the house, or play with my neighbourhood friends at the rec center at said park. I would go roller skating at the rec every Friday night, and we would go play lazer tag and putt putt if we ever got tired of the neighbourhood games. I loved my childhood and would have been bummed if my parents made me stay indoors all the time. I was rarely sick either, and to this day rarely even get sick once a year (except when I come to Tucson in the winter because of the 75/80 degree days and 35/40 degree nights-temp drops drastically within an hour there).

This is good to hear. I was beginning to think that my future children were going to be constantly sick, muddy, and were going to grow moss in their ears.

[mlv311]

Originally Posted by lijohy

There are much more things to do than the mall. That is what people do down in Tucson year round as it is too hot to do anything outdoors for more than a 1/2 hour! It is so homogeneous there, I could just scream.
Soooo.... in Seattle for the kiddies on a rainy day, we have:
Children's museums, Pacific Science Center, Museum of Flight (boys LOVE it and a lot of girls enjoy it too, depending), the Washington Serpentarium (snakes and lizards-very cool!), Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, IMAX theater, Children's theater, Fun Forest, Waterfront Arcade, Funtasia, Putt Putt Golf at several different areas like Interbay, Color Me Mine ceramics studio, Vertical World, Seattle Art Museum, Asian Art Museum, Frye Art Museum, The Little Gym, Kids n' Clay Pottery, and a ton of different libraries with story hours, as well as museum or city tours (underground) and other fun things to do indoors. Whoever suggested the mall needs to GET A LIFE! I grew up in Seattle and my parents never let the rain get in the way of us doing things as a family- they simply strapped on my rainboots, slicker and I took my mini umbrella and off we would go to enjoy the city! In the winter we would go sledding at Bitter Lake or Jackson Greens, snowshoeing in the Pass, or I would spend the afternoon playing with my brother and then walking two blocks to our neighbourhood library for story time. I could walk my big black lab to Bitter Lake Park that was ( and still is, from my parents) three houses down from the house, or play with my neighbourhood friends at the rec center at said park. I would go roller skating at the rec every Friday night, and we would go play lazer tag and putt putt if we ever got tired of the neighbourhood games. I loved my childhood and would have been bummed if my parents made me stay indoors all the time. I was rarely sick either, and to this day rarely even get sick once a year (except when I come to Tucson in the winter because of the 75/80 degree days and 35/40 degree nights-temp drops drastically within an hour there).

You are right...Getting your kids raingear is the way to go. I haven't seen anywhere else so many strollers with the protective plastic cover as I did in Seattle so that babies can enjoy a stroll. That being said, many of the places you mention are in downtown Seattle. Like another poster stated previously, I'm surprised by the lack of indoor playgrounds in the suburbs. Also, many of the activities you mention are more appropriate for older kids rather than preschoolers. I can't imagine a toddler enjoying a museum much. I was also disappointed by the Snohomish County library system. I thought the selection was poor...No surprise when you don't have a fee asssessed for late returns. The activities available by the county were also more limited than in other places I've lived.