best places to live near Seattle
 

We will be visiting Washington this summer to scout out areas to live in during retirement. We would like to live near the coast within an hour drive from Seattle in a scenic area. If anyone can recommend areas for us to look in, it would be greatly appreciated.

There are so many possibilities. Is cost a factor? Do you mind taking a ferry? If the answers are yes and no, I suggest Kitsap County--where Bremerton is.

Kitsap, Skagit, Island, Thurston, Mason, parts of Snohomish and Pierce Counties. Look at Camano Island, Poulsbo, Port Ludlow, Vashon Island and the southern half of Whidbey Island. Anywhere within an actual hour's commute will likely carry metropolitan prices.

Look at a couple of the big local realtors - windermere.com and johnlscott.com - for unlimited access to the MLS so you can see what house prices are like in various areas.

Great suggestions so far. One thing to think about with the ferries however...the prices keep going up considerably. If you would be using them very often that would definitely be a factor to think about. My dh commuted for over 2 years with them until recently and we are really enjoying the savings.

I have friends who retired to Union on the Hood Canal. They love it! The Gates family has purchased the old Alderbrook Resort there and it should be rather spiffy round that part soon.

I also think you should check out Whidbey Island and/or around Port Townsend.

Lots of good suggestions...but quite a few are not within an hours drive of Seattle.

An hour's drive isn't really far enough to get a good "value" property. How about Anacortes?

I live on Vashon Island. Totally rural, but with Seattle only 15 minutes away by ferry. As long as you don't have to commute, it's absolutely ideal.

Very good suggestions so far.
Is Port Ludlow only an hour from Seattle? For some reason I thought it was longer. At any rate, if you want the "dish" on Port Ludlow, go to the Port Townsend Leader (www.ptleader.com) and search Port Ludlow in their archives.
FYI, if you decide to extend your search to Oregon, you might want to check out McMinnville, in the heart of the wine country and not far from the coast or Portland. My in-laws just sold their home in Bellingham to move to McMinnville--apparently it's an increasingly popular choice with retirees.
My personal favorite place in the NW is Port Townsend, WA, but it's definitely more than an hour to Seattle. However, the little town has plenty of things to do on its own, so if you decide to venture farther out, definitely give PT a checkover.
A general FYI for anyone interested in the Sequim area (which is very attractive and a popular retiree choice). Check the depth of the home's well very carefully. The water table was unnaturally high for much of the 90s, so many of the newer homes have wells that have turned out to be not deep enough now that the water table has sunk back to normal.

My inlaws are building their retirement home on Camano Island. It is a great location. Smack dab between Seattle and Vancouver.

Are Gig Harbor or Olalla good locations?
We may be transferring to that area.

Both very nice areas, Olalla being more or less within the orbit of Port Orchard. Gig Harbor is great unless you're commuting to Tacoma, in which case the commute over the Narrows Bridge can be a nuisance.

BTilke, it's around an hour if you obey the speed limits more or less, fling the exact fare at the Bainbridge ferry cashier and then drive right onto the boat as the able-bodieds are starting to string the chain across the ramp. Piece of cake. ;)

Thanks to everyone who responded to my post. You have all been very helpful.

Check out Edmonds just north of Seattle (about 30 minutes from downtown). It's on Puget Sound and it's a very nice community. Plus, you don't have to take a ferry to get to Seattle.