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Old 02-03-2015, 03:26 PM
 
17 posts, read 94,108 times
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Hi everyone. I am considering a move in a couple of years to the Puget Sound area. Silverdale sounds cool (lots of stores, on the water, reasonably priced (?) etc.) I have no kids and enjoy a combination of activities - arts of all kinds (painting, photography, crafts, literary activities etc.), outdoor stuff and shopping. I love Gloucester Mass which is the perfect combination or urban (without being too big) and rural (lots of green areas with no houses!) and close to the ocean. Am looking for a similar spot in the Pacific NW as Mass is just too expensive! Also, is there an international airport close by? I was considering Port Townsend but it's kind of hard to get to because no airport. Anything anyone can tell me would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
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Old 02-03-2015, 03:44 PM
 
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Silverdale is nice, kind of suburban, all the suburban amenities, but still lots of trees & water. Poulsbo, the next town over, is even nicer. But the nearest international airport is Seatac, that's it.

Port Townsend is in a world of its own, just beautiful. You can drive to PT or take a ferry. But I'll let others elaborate on that.
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Old 02-05-2015, 11:44 AM
 
17 posts, read 94,108 times
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Default Silverdale

Hi "befriend", those were my impressions as well and I'm looking for just such a place - with lots of trees and water still (not overbuilt) but with enough population to have some big name stores as well (i.e., not completely "small-town" or "rural"). What can you tell me about Poulsbo - what is the "flavor" of the place? I like places that have not only lots of trees and water still, but are kind of "artsy" with galleries and stuff. Do you prefer Poulsbo to Silverdale and if so, why? I'm not crazy about the fact that there's a BIG Navy presence in Silverdale.

I think I would really like Port Townsend as it seems so similar to Gloucester, but it's kind of pricey as far as housing goes. And I have determined that they are both kind of hard to get to since the nearest international airport is SeaTac but either is doable since there are shuttle services and small charter flights.
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Old 02-05-2015, 04:50 PM
 
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Poulsbo was originally a Scandinavian (Norwegian?) fishing village, and there is a more touristy part of it, by the water, that retains that flavor, with its shops and restaurants, and some galleries. It is also by the water, like most of Western WA, and has lots of trees. I love it there, it's pretty, clean, peaceful.

Silverdale has a similar look, but it also has a large retail area, with a mall, many major chain stores, big box stores, & chain restaurants & movie theaters in one large area, interspersed with medical & dental offices. If you can't find what you're looking for there, to eat or buy, you can't find it anywhere. I don't find the Navy presence to be a detriment...I've lived in other areas that have a big military presence, I'm glad they are there! In Silverdale, at least, there doesn't appear to be anything "negative" about the military. That may be the case in parts of Bremerton, but I've seen much worse. I like both towns equally.

I'm surprised nobody has chimed in about Port Townsend, people who live there do post regularly. I've never been to Gloucester, so can't compare. What I can say about Port Townsend is that the downtown is really beautiful & well-preserved, wonderful Victorian-era buildings. There is actually a small nightlife there (need to have that, once in awhile!), with the restaurants, bars & a cool movie theater. I know that the town supports local businesses, so there are no big box stores there, but Silverdale isn't far away.

Regarding affordability of housing, Silverdale & Poulsbo, and also Port Orchard, would most likely be more affordable than Port Townsend, and they are definitely more suburban, but not in a crowded, bland, cookie-cutter way. They are all pretty far from Seatac, so you really have to plan your trip. Just Google it and you'll see what I mean.
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Old 02-05-2015, 05:07 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,086 posts, read 107,127,293 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tropix View Post
Hi "befriend", those were my impressions as well and I'm looking for just such a place - with lots of trees and water still (not overbuilt) but with enough population to have some big name stores as well (i.e., not completely "small-town" or "rural"). What can you tell me about Poulsbo - what is the "flavor" of the place? I like places that have not only lots of trees and water still, but are kind of "artsy" with galleries and stuff. Do you prefer Poulsbo to Silverdale and if so, why? I'm not crazy about the fact that there's a BIG Navy presence in Silverdale.

I think I would really like Port Townsend as it seems so similar to Gloucester, but it's kind of pricey as far as housing goes. And I have determined that they are both kind of hard to get to since the nearest international airport is SeaTac but either is doable since there are shuttle services and small charter flights.
You're describing Port Townsend. You would love the place. Unfortunately, the economy has not been good to the galleries. One of the best ones closed. But there's still a fair amount of art activity, and the town has a wide variety of festivals going on all summer: wooden boat festival, jazz festival, art fairs, all kinds of stuff. Rents are affordable. People like Poulsbo, but it's even smaller than Pt. T. The big box stores are in the next town west of Pt. T. Port Townsend prefers locally-owned businesses, but if you need corporate chains, they're not far away, fwiw.

None of the places on the peninsula have an international airport, so they're all pretty much equal in that regard. Everyone has to take a ferry to Seattle. You're volunteering for a life that involves taking ferries to get to any major population center or to good medical centers if you need any specialized service. The upside is that the ferry trip through the nearby islands to Vancouver Island, Canada, is beautiful, and the islands are great to explore.

Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 02-05-2015 at 05:15 PM..
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Old 02-06-2015, 11:36 AM
 
17 posts, read 94,108 times
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Default Many thanks, this is very helpful

[SIZE=3][/SIZE] Thank you all for your information,which really helps me a lot. I startedthis process looking at Port Townsend with its "artsy", old Victorianfeel, which I'm sure I would like as it seems to much like Gloucester, but felt that it might also be pricey. So I expanded my search and found Poulsbo,Sequim and then Silverdale. Sequim and Poulsboare probably too small for my taste. Igrew up in the Midwest in a town of only about 6000 people and I really didn'tcare for the "everybody knows everything about you" atmosphere. I like a little more privacy andanonymity. I also like a slightly largertown that has more activities/opportunities and Silverdale would fit that bill. I initially looked at Gloucester because itis close to Boston with all the amenities of a big city within an hour's drive,but it's also a smaller town (about 28,000) so not as overwhelming. There are also lots of other little towns in andaround Cape Ann within a 20 minute drive of Gloucester that provide a varietyof activities, and in between them all are quite a few "open space"areas like green forests, marshlands, parks, wildlife areas - and ofcourse, the best part of all, it's ON the ocean. Between Boston and all the little townsaround the Cape, there is a lot of art activity (galleries and studios where youcan take classes or try it yourself, with painting, sculpting, jewelry making, weavingand the like), as well as maritime activities activities (beaching, boating,fishing; they have an annual sailboat race which is quite something). Combined with the Victorianand historical ambience of the Cape, it's the perfect combination ofurban/rural/and oceanic, but it's just too pricey.
[SIZE=3][/SIZE] Silverdale and Port Townsendsound very similar with Seattle close by for the "big" stuff, yetwith all the amenities of smaller less urban living like what's on CapeAnn. I don't necessarily need "bigbox" venues, but do want some decent name brand big stores (Barnes and Noble, Macy's, Starbucks, Safeway, and big chain restaurants). There also appears to be a lot to do in thearea with various fairs and festivals and outdoor activities to keep one busy.
[SIZE=3][/SIZE] My concern about the Navypresence stems from the fact that where I live the vast majority of militarypersonnel and their families are Caucasian while the local population is not,so there's quite a bit of tension there which may not be the case inSilverdale. I do appreciate what they dofor the general population, I just wish that many of them were more sensitive toand accepting of the local culture.
[SIZE=3][/SIZE] One last comment, I understand that -- like Gloucester which has ashuttle service at the airport to drive you up to all the other little towns onthe Cape -- that there are similar services departing from SeaTac which couldtake you to places like Silverdale, Poulsbo, Port Angeles, Port Townsend,Sequim etc . Are they shuttle vans todrive you or are they charter flights by air? Can just 1 or 2 people book one or do you have to have a group? Any information I can get about that would bevery helpful.
[SIZE=3] Many thanks to all of you. This information makes my search a lot easier. I can only get so much information from a Google search, but it doesn't really give me the "flavor" of a place.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
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Old 02-06-2015, 12:21 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,086 posts, read 107,127,293 times
Reputation: 115880
Quote:
Originally Posted by tropix View Post
[SIZE=3][/SIZE] My concern about the Navypresence stems from the fact that where I live the vast majority of militarypersonnel and their families are Caucasian while the local population is not,so there's quite a bit of tension there which may not be the case inSilverdale. I do appreciate what they dofor the general population, I just wish that many of them were more sensitive toand accepting of the local culture.
You're in the Boston area, but the people in your community aren't Caucasian? What are they? I'm not aware of ethnic enclaves in that area (I don't know much about it at all), other than Native communities.

Macy's and Barnes & Noble are in Seattle. Safeway in Seattle got pretty run-down, you can do much better than Safeway. Port Townsend has its own locally-owned grocery which is fabulous! (I think they also have a Safeway). Be a little flexible and open to adapting to local venues, it could be a pleasant adventure.

Have you priced Port Townsend? Prices vary, and properties on the edge of town in some very scenic areas can be cheaper than those right in town.
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Old 02-06-2015, 12:34 PM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,624 posts, read 57,628,813 times
Reputation: 46064
Quote:
Originally Posted by tropix View Post
Hi everyone. I am considering a move in a couple of years to the Puget Sound area. Silverdale sounds cool ... I have no kids and enjoy a combination of activities - arts of all kinds (painting, photography, crafts, literary activities etc.), outdoor stuff and shopping. I love Gloucester Mass which is the perfect combination or urban (without being too big) and rural (lots of green areas with no houses!) and close to the ocean. Am looking for a similar spot in the Pacific NW as Mass is just too expensive! Also, is there an international airport close by? ...Anything anyone can tell me would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
Silverdale is quite 'suburban' and few PNW cities have the feel of Gloucester. Inland water of Puget Sound is nothing like exposed east coast ports. +/-

suggestions:

Poulsbo (bit far from Airport)
Gig Harbor (bit crowded)
Port Townsend (bit far from Urban)
Port Orchard (bit small / worker town, but nice and close to SeaTac (via ferry).
Fairhaven / Bellingham (very nice and CLOSE to VYR) Canada (Vancouver is international mecca of resources / events)


Beyond WA... consider BC and Oregon. (Probably Newport / Lincoln City / Depot Bay / Cannon Beach)

Drop over to Manchester or Logan and get a CHEAP SWA flight to PDX and / or SEA.
(I stay in $10/ night guest homes (with locals .. good info), and get $10 / day Hotwire car)

Come enjoy early May in PNW (Rhodie flowering trees).

I need to get to Gloucester to see an ole friend... been nearly 15 yrs!.
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Old 02-06-2015, 01:30 PM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,624 posts, read 57,628,813 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tropix View Post
...One last comment, I understand that -- like Gloucester which has ashuttle service at the airport to drive you up to all the other little towns onthe Cape -- that there are similar services departing from SeaTac which couldtake you to places like Silverdale, Poulsbo, Port Angeles, Port Townsend,Sequim etc . Are they shuttle vans todrive you or are they charter flights by air? Can just 1 or 2 people book one or do you have to have a group? Any information I can get about that would bevery helpful.
If you fly a lot consider Gig Harbor / Steilacoom / Fairhaven or areas near Portland, OR (Artsy)

There are shuttles, but it is a long ways, not cheap, and commercial businesses (profit centric) Public transit is not like NE USA where folks are used to 'teaming up' to save fare.

Personally I would not be living in West Sound / Peninsula if I needed an airport frequently. (I luv my WA artsy area that is <10k population and <20 min to PDX).

BTW: I have found the Naval Presence in Bremerton (and Ft Lewis near Steilacoom) to bring considerably more racial diversity, rather than 'white' centric. PNW is very racially 'blind'. (as compared to most of USA).
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Old 02-06-2015, 02:47 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,086 posts, read 107,127,293 times
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Originally Posted by StealthRabbit View Post
PNW is very racially 'blind'. (as compared to most of USA).
What?? Have you read the "racism in Seattle" threads, or lived in Seattle? The PNW has a very small non-White population (other than Asian). People have no experience in dealing with people of other races, and it doesn't always work out, when they have to. The PNW as often as not, isn't kind to people of other races.
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