Mount Vernon, Please Tell Me All About It (Seattle, Bellingham: home, neighborhoods)

[freepelican]

I'm considering moving to Mount Vernon. I'd like to hear all about it from anyone familiar on a personal level... what's great, good, and bad about it? Neighborhoods, parks, stores, the hospital, traffic, the people/vibe, restaurants, politics, easy day trips, and anything else you can think of that I haven't mentioned. Here's a partial list of specific questions:


1. How fast and how reliable is the high speed internet across the entire city and outlying areas? Is there more than one carrier for high speed internet?
2. What's the best cell phone carrier for the area and within 1-2 hours in all directions?
3. Best place to watch a sunset from the car... pull up and watch it, even if raining.
4. I see there are a lot of 55+ communities. Which would you recommend and why? Which would you avoid and why? It's not something I had considered this before but I'm open to it.
5. How does it compare weather wise to Edmonds, Lynnwood, and Shoreline?
6. What NPR stations come in loud and clear? What about stations out of Victoria... can you get them in clearly?
7. What's some unique things about the area I'd never think to ask? Maybe off the beaten path things to do and see?

8. I said it above but what's the general vibe of the area to a stranger with no family ties coming in?
9. Best wildlife/bird viewing sites? Most accessible sites for the same?

10. Best places for fall foliage?

[flyingsaucermom]

Can't answer a lot of these questions, but if you're into birds and wildlife you'll be pleased:
[url]https://www.visitskagitvalley.com/birding-skagit/[/url]

I've personally camped at a few of the nearby state parks (Larrabee and Bayside) and thought they were amazing.

Chuckanut Drive Scenic Byway would probably be a great route for fall colors as you drive into Fairhaven.

Love the area. We haven't ruled it out for ourselves.

[pnwguy2]

Ugh. Just ugh. Had a job opportunity there about six years ago. I found the area depressing and gloomy. Could go on but that is my opinion. Anacortes is somewhat better.

[freepelican]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

Ugh. Just ugh. Had a job opportunity there about six years ago. I found the area depressing and gloomy. Could go on but that is my opinion. Anacortes is somewhat better.

Please elaborate.... I'm interested in learning all sides from all opinions.

[freepelican]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

Can't answer a lot of these questions, but if you're into birds and wildlife you'll be pleased:
https://www.visitskagitvalley.com/birding-skagit/

I've personally camped at a few of the nearby state parks (Larrabee and Bayside) and thought they were amazing.

Chuckanut Drive Scenic Byway would probably be a great route for fall colors as you drive into Fairhaven.

Love the area. We haven't ruled it out for ourselves.

Great link, thanks! All those birds would be so close to home :-)

[Transmition]

Radio reception is bad all over town. I've never tried picking up Victoria stations.
The roads are slow. As wide and straight as they are, most are only 25mph and you're hitting stop signs everywhere. Learn the backroads before April or you'll get stuck in tulip traffic.
Weatherwise, it is dryer than all those other towns since it isn't in/near the convergence zone like them. Seems a lot windier though, not much to block it coming from the west.
Only downtown has any character, the rest is rather dull suburbia.

[Hemlock140]

One of my kids works there, but lives in nearby Burlington. We have been up there many times, and have a favorite breakfast place, Calico Cupboard. He has been working mostly from home since early 2020, and has not had any issues with internet or cell service. Watch a sunset from the car? I don't know of too many places in our state where that is possible from about September-June, with the cloud cover too heavy. We have been able to get B.C. radio in the car from there, clearly on FM, a bit of static on AM. Rainfall is about the same as Seattle and Lynnwood, 38" annually, Edmonds slightly less, Anacortes is (barely) in the rain shadow so 3-4" less. Other than the rainfall differences all of them have a very similar climate, not different enough to notice.

[mayfair]

There are some gang issues in town especially around College Way. A few years ago there was a drive-by shooting in the Big Scoop parking lot. I wouldn't want to live in that area (vicinity of College Way in the neighborhoods north/south of the college).

Oct.- Feb. there are snow geese and swans in the fields and often flying overhead. They're beautiful and sometimes the swans swim on the Skagit River. Little Mountain Park has a nice view across the valley looking west, so you could try watching the sunset there.

Day trips would be anything on Whidbey Island (especially Deception Pass), Bellingham, the North Cascades National Park, Anacortes.

Any of the waterfront parks on Whidbey are good for bird watching. There are bird and whale watching cruises out of Anacortes.

It gets gray and wet and windy like you'd expect and the river can flood, but downtown has a flood wall that goes up now to protect downtown.

If you want something less blue collar/agricultural, look at Anacortes. It'll have more sunsets with a water view.

[pnwguy2]

I don’t have any ill will to those that live in this area. I just don’t care for it. It seems depressed and gloomy to me. I may be missing something here so correct me if I am wrong. Perhaps I am missing something here.

[Diana Holbrook]

Pnwguy2 are you talking about Mount Vernon in particular or the whole area?

You may be missing that it takes a lot of rain to keep forest green?

I don’t love rain for the sake of being wet. But I do appreciate the green it brings. I love our tall trees!

And for what it’s worth I’m not a great fan of sun! I love our grey days. I’d rather work outside in overcast than bright sun any day. I understand other people feel different that’s why it’s great this is such a big diverse country with lots of different climates.

The sun wilts the life out of me. Bring me clouds and shade.