Between Silverdale and Seattle (Edmonds, Bainbridge Island: houses, neighborhood, movie theaters)

[ThatsWhat]

I am considering accepting a job in Silverdale, and am wondering what areas surrounding Silverdale might be the best fit for my family. Any suggestions for us to examine on our next trip up are greatly appreciated!

1. I would like decent access to Seattle, not more than 45 minutes-1 hour (very max) away. We would likely take advantage of this on weekends/holidays only, if that makes a difference for traffic recommendations. Ferry access would be awesome, so we could avoid bringing the car into the city!

2. I am not a fan of big-box suburbs with tract homes, chain restaurants and Wal-Marts. I currently live in one and am looking for something different.

3. Family income around 120k, should be manageable. We will be shopping for a home for 5 in the lower 400's. Smallish (under 2000 sqft) is fine, but no postage stamp sized lots (been there done that).

4. Great (low cost) family activities... ie parks, public pools, beaches, hiking, town parades/festivals and again access to Seattle. The area where we live now only offers activities you pay for (ie waterslide parks, big movie theaters), we are seeking more nature, more culture, less commercial.

5. Mixed race family, so openness to that is a must!!

6. We are liberal and also Christian. Currently in a very, very Republican town. Seeking liberal (or even neutral) town, that still has access to great churches.

7. Spouse works from home, so availability of reliable high speed internet is a big necessity!

8. 3 school age kids, so school are a huge factor. 1 kid has a learning disability, and programs in place to deal with that are also necessary. Music programs are a huge plus!!

9. We are a pretty casual family. Drive a Subaru, dress in non-designer jeans, tees and tennis shoes. Looking for an area that is not snooty, more down to earth.... artistic, laid back, fun, etc.

I know this is a LONG list! Sorry about that. I have been through the area from Silverdale to Seattle (via Bainbridge ferry), but not when I was paying attention to town names... and only in sunny beautiful weather (I imagine it looks very different most of the year)! We will be coming back for a very short trip before committing to a decision. So I am mainly asking to help narrow down the choices of places to examine on our "decision trip." Thanks for any help you can offer!

[Ira500]

I'd suggest looking into Poulsbo. Pretty, charming, a little liberal, a charming old downtown, 15 ish minutes from Silverdale, and not too far from the Bainbridge ferry dock, with bus service to the ferry, good schools, a little artsy, and far less expensive than Bainbridge itself.

[brightcopperkettles]

Ira500 was exactly right...Poulsbo is a good option. You could catch the ferry from either Bainbridge (if you're heading for Seattle) or from Kingston, about 15 minutes north of Poulsbo, to get to Edmonds (which is just north of Seattle). Poulsbo is about 15 minutes from Silverdale, about 15 minutes from Kingston, and about 25 to 30 minutes from Bainbridge. Bainbridge is very beautiful but very pricey. However, with the current housing situation, you might get lucky in finding a home there. However, it would be a 35-45 minute commute to Silverdale, so I don't think that would be great. Poulsbo is your best option....

[LMB]

Make that a "third" for Poulsbo! We've lived here for three years now and love it more each year. We live in oldtown, walking distance to the quaint downtown area and near the waterfront of Liberty Bay. The houses are all unique in this neighborhood, which was a big plus for us. We did the nondescript suburb thing in Orlando for nearly 15 years. Ugh! No thanks!

It's a short drive into Silverdale when we want big box shopping, but we don't go that often. Poulsbo has nearly everything we need or want. It's fairly easy from here to get to Seattle via the Bainbridge Island ferry, or north to Edmonds via the Kingston ferry (we're just about equal distance from either). Allow 1.5 hr if driving, but quicker if walk-on. Sometimes we just leave our car here and do the walk-on ferry to downtown Seattle.

Good luck with your search!

Lynn