Does the Pacific Northwest seem isolated from the rest of the United States? (prices, move)
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But back to the main point - the PNW is a very logical and contiguous extension of the Bay Area and Northern California. It is geographically isolated from population centers in the Midwest, South, and East Coast, sure, but it very much feels part of the US West Coast in the same way that California is. That's not to say there aren't differences and distinct cultural aspects to the PNW. Of course there are. The closest analogue I can think of is New England - It has its own distinct culture but at the same time it is also ingrained into the Northeast. I'd say the same thing about the PNW and the West Coast.
Most people in the Pacific Northwest feel very little commonality with those living in the Bay Area and Northern California.
Of course there are a few similar liberal politics, but that is about it. Seattle is over 700 miles from San Francisco.
Agreed, California itself is vastly different from the PNW, the people are totally different.
Which part of California? The people in LA and the Bay Area are vastly different from each other. I've lived in LA, Arizona, the Bay Area, and the PNW. The Bay Area shares a lot of cultural similarities with Portland and Seattle, and the rural parts of Northern California share a lot of similarities with the rural parts of Oregon and Washington. On the other hand, I'd argue LA is more similar to Phoenix culturally (albeit, a million times more international and cosmopolitan) than it is to San Francisco.
In addition, Vancouver is a completely separate beast. The fact that it's in a different country makes a huge difference. Not only is quality of life much higher than in its US PNW counterparts, but culturally it feels very different. Vancouver has much more of a preppie vibe, the Asian culture is much more dominant, there a ton of people from the UK and Australia in Vancouver and that strongly influences the culture (not the case at all in Seattle or Portland).
Last edited by Vincent_Adultman; 04-19-2022 at 03:43 PM..
Nonsense. NorCal has more in common with the PNW than SoCal. Of course there are exceptions…South Bay and inland towns like Stockton and Modesto.
I disagree, at least in regards to the Bay Area and its surroundings. When looking at landscape, climate, people, demographics, the Bay Area has much more in common with SoCal than it does the PNW.
If we're talking like north of Redding or Crescent City area, then I could see the similarities.
I disagree, at least in regards to the Bay Area and its surroundings. When looking at landscape, climate, people, demographics, the Bay Area has much more in common with SoCal than it does the PNW.
If we're talking like north of Redding or Crescent City area, then I could see the similarities.
Yeah. A bit north of Redding you start to get that southern Oregon, mountainous, frontier vibe that continues up through Roseburg or so (by the time you hit the Eugene area, though, you're clearly somewhere else).
Crescent City definitely feels Oregon Coast, specifically southern Oregon Coast (less touristy, more blue-collar and a bit run-down). Eureka sort of does, but it also has a distinctly California hippie vibe. Maybe Eureka is in the transitional zone.
The Pacific Northwest is definitely not "Middle America" but I wouldn't say it's detached nearly as much as Hawaii or I imagine Alaska to be (I've not been to Alaska so don't know for sure).
Outside of a few cities, it's essentially the midwest/deep south.
Yeah. A bit north of Redding you start to get that southern Oregon, mountainous, frontier vibe that continues up through Roseburg or so (by the time you hit the Eugene area, though, you're clearly somewhere else).
Crescent City definitely feels Oregon Coast, specifically southern Oregon Coast (less touristy, more blue-collar and a bit run-down). Eureka sort of does, but it also has a distinctly California hippie vibe. Maybe Eureka is in the transitional zone.
Agreed. Redding and the area where the southern extent of the Cascades begin is probably the most southern extent of the PNW. That is where the geography and flora & fauna really begins to resemble places farther north in Oregon, WA, BC.
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