Fall color yet?
 

I am planning to travel to the PNW during this exact week, next year.

My husband & I will be doing a loop beginning in Seattle, Lake Crescent, Quillayute River Resort, Lake Quinault, and finally ending the trip at Mt Rainier.

To anyone that is visiting now or near this week and to anyone that lives in the area: is there any fall color that has shown itself yet? Where did you see it?

Thanks!

I live in Seattle. While a few trees are turning, it's never really spectacular here, sorry to say. Hopefully others will have comments about the surrounding areas.

There is a little bit of color in the cascades, but it is just starting to turn. We were in the area around Leavenworth this week and just got back. We will be in ONP in a week and so can let you know how that is then if you want. Just remember though, it changes year to year depending on weather, so keep that in mind. Suze is right though, there just isn't the dramatic color like in New England.

I am not expecting New England color. My husband & I actually visited the PNW, for the first and only time, in Sept 2010. We were there from Sept 21-28.

I remember driving near Lake Crescent and leaves littered the road; the Hoh Rainforest had beautiful fall color; and at Mt Rainier the Grove of Patriarchs trail had leaves a plenty that were yellow. Here's hoping the fall color is in my favor next year!

Yes, mms, I would love for you to report back on any color. Have a good time!

Thanks suze and mms!

I used to live in New England (Vermont, NH, Massachusetts) before moving to Seattle, so I am spoiled about "fall colors"
:-)

This past Sunday we drove up the west side of Hood Canal, which is on the Olympic Peninsula. We were delighted to see changing colors, but there wasn't a whole lot of it.

HTtY

<i>I am not expecting New England color.</i>

Good. Then you won't be disappointed with our comparatively muted displays.

One of the biggest displays of color I see in Seattle each fall is on the hills to the right (west) driving south from Seattle on I-5.

My very established neighborhood on Capitol Hill in Seattle has a good display of color each year which you can check out by driving to Volunteer Park.

HTtY

Thanks HTty!

Suze and HTty...slight change of topic, if you don't mind offering up your expertise!

DH & I live in the suburbs of Austin. We sometimes dream about the adventure of moving. I love autumn most of all and miss out, in Texas, of the feel of things changing with the seasons. We love Colorado but snow for 8 months would be hard to adjust to. We love the idea that the PNW offers mountains, forest, and beaches without it being too cold.

What suburb would you suggest if we were to ever fulfill our dream of moving or most affordable neighborhood? Early 30's and no kids (schools not an issue).

Mostly, it is a pipe dream but would love, and appreciate, an answer just for fun!

Thanks!

I am not suze and HTTY, both of whom are experts on PNW. If you were to move to a "suburb", I presume you are talking about Seattle metropolitan area. Affordable is not how I would define any Seattle suburbs, unless you are willing to live in Snohomish County or South King County. Even those areas are experiencing exponential growth, similar to pre-housing bust years, circa 2000-2007/9.

Austin has a similar hipster culture, but, otherwise, Seattle is quite different in many respects. Could you define a bit more what you are looking for? Will you consider Central and Eastern Washington?

Would there be good fall color in the Japanese Gardens and/or the Washington Park Arboretum?

In any case my wife and I really enjoyed both of those on an early September visit a couple of years ago.

I live right in the city, on Capitol Hill. I'm sorry I'm really don't know a thing about the suburbs. If you want to talk about the various neighborhoods that make up Seattle proper (Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Fremont, Ballard, Wallingford, Ravenna, Central District, Columbia City, West Seattle, etc.) then I might be able to help. There really nothing most would consider "affordable" around here though.

I have seen a few trees with bright red leaves on them here and there over the weekend, and thought of this thread!

I can help with the suburbs, as that is where our place is. Finding something affordable means looking in south King County or further up in Snohomish County, like around Lake Stevens. While a lot of people do commute that far, it really is quite a ways from the city itself and you will not feel like you are part of it. Our daughter lives right in the city, so we have the best of both worlds, lol.

That's a good point. When you ask about affordable suburbs, do you need to be able to commute into Seattle or Bellevue every day for work?

OP, if you are still thinking of moving to Seattle, here is an interesting article in today's paper:
http://blogs.seattletimes.com/fyi-gu...rich-and-poor/