Aberdeen, Wa (Seattle, Bellingham, Hoquiam: low income, apartments, for rent)

[redheadsdontdye]

Hi.
I'm sure you all get tired of answering these questions over and over again, but i was wondering what types of things people do in Aberdeen. Also, i'm in Childcare... are there any youth programs, day care centers or anything of the sort around there?
are there any good coffee shops around? book stores? stuff like that? & how often does it really rain? i mean, how many days of the week are rainy days? and is it light rain off and on like Seattle's or is it usually downpouring?

Pretty much i would like to know everything there is to know about it. or just anything anyone wants to tell me.

okay, THANKS!

[Ryan]

If your the oudoorsy type, there's lots to do. It's next to the beach, and lots of forests, rivers and lakes. There is a nice new YMCA in Hoquiam. A few really good restaraunts also. There is a mall with a movie theater and a large new shopping center as you come into town. There are also two good bars in town. Aside from that, there isn't too much else to do in town. There is a privately owned bookstore downtown and a Waldenbooks in the mall. Lots of private daycare centers around. The Y also has one that is nice. There are a couple nice cafes downtown for sitdown coffee etc. and Starbuck's as you come into town. Lot's of drive through coffee shops. It usually precipitates about 70% of the time in one form or another (maybe 30% drizzle, 70% rain) from November through March, before it starts to ease up. Figure on about 5 days a week. Summer's (May-Sep) are unbeatable, warm with little rain, but there is tourist traffic. If you do a search for some of my older posts, you'll probably find all the info you'd ever want to know about this area. If you don't, let me know.

[redheadsdontdye]

thank you so much! This is very helpful. oh wait... i have one more question, are there any apartments around there?

i don't think i'd want to rush into getting a house until i spend some quality time there.

[deang]

Please do your own research and rely little on these posts here...just use them for additional information. The unbeatable summers are unusual. Take it from someone who lived there 20yrs not 2. The weather is definitely worse than Seattle. I lived in both areas for large amounts of times and Seattle has nothing on Aberdeen as far as rainfall. I have lots of friends and family who live there who after reading the positive descriptions of Aberdeen would wonder if they had the right town. Aberdeen is not Mayberry West. It's close to a beach with even worse weather. Please read everything and not just the rose-colored glasses diatribes. Also, wikipedia has some good statistical number that will give you an overview of the population.

[deang]

Also, the apartment situation is not great. My mom has a small apartment down there and it was hard to find anything decent when we looked for her. I was used to Seattle where you can find very nice apartments. Aberdeen doesn't seem to have the demand for them...probably due to the economics of the area. I would think you could get something liveable but you are not going to find really nice apts down there.

[Ryan]

You'll definitely want to spend time here before committing to anything. As you see from the above posts, Aberdeen isn't for everybody. It is still in the process of being revitalized after a local depression that lasted from the 60s through the 90s and really took it's toll on the area. Yes, there are low income families, druggies and brokedown houses, but also some of the most amazing landscapes, homes and cool down to earth people as well. Coming from a prefabbed yuppie area in NorCal, I was really struck by the character of Aberdeen and the people here. The longer I stay, the nicer it gets and the more it all grows on me.

The brownstone style apartments near the town center are really shady; like borderline crack-house shady, but here are also some nicer, newer complexes near the hospital and behind the mall in South Aberdeen. The best ones are near Lincoln (hwy 101) and Grand, right next door to Aberdeen in Hoquiam. Very nice looking, but I can't remember the name. You might have good luck finding a newer condo for rent. There are a few of those around, even more as you get closer to the beach. We rented in Ocean Shores for a while before finding the right place in Aberdeen.

[redheadsdontdye]

well, thanks for all the help... obviously i would plan to come visit before moving out there. i have family that live in Bellingham, so i'll be out visiting soon.
: )

[Sean_Harrington]

Originally Posted by redheadsdontdye

Hi.
how often does it really rain? i mean, how many days of the week are rainy days? and is it light rain off and on like Seattle's or is it usually downpouring?


okay, THANKS!

Aberdeen is absolute hell on Earth! It rains 500 days a year!! It's sister city is BALTIMORE!!

Ye be warned!

p.s Check out accuweather dot com

[redheadsdontdye]

Originally Posted by Sean_Harrington

Aberdeen is absolute hell on Earth! It rains 500 days a year!! It's sister city is BALTIMORE!!

Ye be warned!

p.s Check out accuweather dot com

that's what i'm looking for.
& i know the annual rainfall in Aberdeen, the population, et cetera... i've done as much research as i can via internet... unfortuneatly there's not a whole lot considering it's smaller than some of the other cities i've been looking at. Or maybe there just isn't much more to say about it?

[madicarus2000]

Red, I heard a lot of negative things about Aberdeen, and a few positive. We didnt move to Aberdeen but we've made a lot of runs there to shop since we moved to Grays Harbor Co. I actually like it. It doesnt have what I'm used to coming from a big city, but that was my expectation. Small towns have a lot of the same problems as big towns, but the problems are more visable in a small town. Keep that open mind and remember what is for you may not be for the person who is steering you away.

Good luck.