Where to live in Washington? Please advise a nature lover :) (Seattle: home, high school)

[movin2mt]

Hello All,

I've recently finished 2 glorious years abroad, mostly backpacking solo on a shoestring budget. Now I'm looking for a place to call home and I would deeply appreciate your advice.

Here is my wish list:
1. Access to hiking trails or ocean…a place with natural ecosystems rolling along. Manicured parks are very nice, but nothing competes with untouched mountains, oceans, forests, lakes, and streams. Doesn't matter which one(s), I'm an all-around nature lover. Even bugs are cool in their own way.

2. International atmosphere. I feel that people are less likely to get stuck in the same old routines and ideas in diverse communities, and it supports a more active arts and culture scene.

3. Public transportation around town, and, if the city is small (around 40-80,000) some means of getting to a larger city on occasion. I'd rather not own a car.

4. Healthy environment. My chances of a cancer diagnosis are sky-high. One doctor actually recommended a couple surgeries and lifelong medications including "preventative chemotherapy." But I'd prefer to eat from farmer's markets, breathe clean, fresh air, and de-stress by focusing on the things in life that are important to me.

In regards to work, I hope to combine a few part-time jobs that challenge me in different ways:
- Teaching yoga (I've practiced several months in India and will soon have YA certification)
- Blogging/writing
- Tutoring high school and college math, chemistry and biology (I have degrees and experience in teaching all 3)
- I've also been asked to do school presentations in the past (regarding travel, common core math skills) but there wasn't time. It might be interesting to try.
- I can substitute teach as needed for some income in the beginning…

I think cities around 100-300,000 are most likely to support my work interests without pushing nature too far away, but of course that's flexible. I've been looking at Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota…Tacoma and Capital Hill sound especially interesting, but I've never been to the Seattle area, and I really need more information before planning a roadtrip to make a final decision.

Any thoughts or ideas would be most welcome! Thanks in advance!
(My apologies if my username is irrelevant now. I made it and Montana was wonderful, but I'm looking for a new start in a place with a stronger economy.)

[jacqueg]

Portland sounds like your kind of place. Seattle would be pretty good too, but it may be a bit too urban-frenetic for you.

Tacoma reminds me a lot of Portland, which is a good thing, but it is part of the Puget Sound metropolis.

Oregon has pretty strict land-use laws, which tightly control suburban sprawl. Portland has the largest urban forest reserve in the nation - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest...rtland,_Oregon)

Portland is also the gateway to the Columbia River Gorge, a hiker's paradise. And the Gorge is a world destination for windsurfing and related sports.

If you're not a member of Meetup, I recommend joining and looking at the meetup groups organized in any city you consider.

[Hemlock140]

I agree that Portland would be a better choice, also Eugene, Oregon. Seattle is too expensive to make it on the work you will be doing, and the far out less expensive suburbs are too small to find enough work. About the only WA city I could imagine being suitable is Bellingham.

[CrazyDonkey]

Bellingham, Bellingham, Bellingham.

[movin2mt]

Thanks for the insight, everyone!
I checked out Bellingham, it looks amazing from a nature standpoint!
Jaqueg and Hemlock, I'll look more closely at Portland and Eugene, too. Great to know about the urban forest, sprawl control, and Columbia River Gorge for sure.

[StealthRabbit]

Bellingham, Fairhaven


International and coastal is a significant limit. Portland / Hood River, OR will not meet these criteria.

Public Transit is bleak in most of PNW.

[bartonizer]

Hate to be repetitive, but I'd agree that your list of requirements has Bellingham written all over it. Housing is competitive (it's popular with active retirees and college students) and it's relatively culturally homogenous (though there's a diversity of interests, hobbies, etc.- and we're 20 miles south of the Canadian Border), but other than that, it should definitely be on the list. Oh, and regarding transportation....much of the city is hike/bike friendly (at least compared to where I've lived in FL, NC, and CO), and the bus system is surprisingly good in town, and even within the region. Also, there are multiple trains and buses daily to Vancouver and down to Seattle and Portland. It's definitely not perfect, but functional and much better than other places.

[Ira500]

I was going to suggest, like everybody else.....Bellingham.
I was just there yesterday visiting family, and it's got clean air, hiking trails, a farmer's market and a food co-op. Everybody and their uncle does yoga there. Transit is pretty good, including trains to Seattle and Vancouver BC, if you want the big city.

Olympia could also work.

[CrazyDonkey]

And your a scenic train ride away from a big Chinatown in Vancouver or a buffet of international cultures in Seattle.

Bellingham is also not entirely non-diverse, with about 20% non-white residents, with Hispanics and Asians the largest minorities. The Lummi Indian Reservation is just to the north of Bellingham - the Lummi Stommish is a great celebration of Native American culture.

[Flavia84]

Ashland, OR