My husband and I recently visited Portland, OR, Port Townsend, WA, and Seattle (and few short stops in between) and absolutely fell in love with the area. We currently live in the NYC metropolitan area, so moving out to the Pacific NW would be a major change for us (my husband is originally from Ireland; I grew up WV and Ohio) and may not happen for a few more years because of his job. Still, I want some advice from all of you while the memory is still fresh in our minds. These are some of things we're looking for in a place to live: water (preferably water that we can swim, kayak in; we currently live on the Hudson River which can be beautiful but the possibility of pollutants keeps us out of it), a vibrant community, good schools (for when we do have kids), and proximity to a decent airport. Since my husband grew up in Dublin and I lived there briefly, we both know what it's like to live in a rainy climate, so it doesn't scare us away, though we'd like recommendations of towns/areas that are both in and out of the proverbial rain shadow. Thanks for your help, and I apologize if this is a repeat of anyone else's post.

Seattle itself fits everything you describe. And might be the least amount of culture shock coming from NYC area since it's the most urban setting you'll find in Pacific NW.

I moved here myself from back East "to try it out for a couple years" & 20+ years later I'm still here!

Are there any specific areas of Seattle you would recommend?

If rain and cloud aren't issues for you, Seattle or Portland might be good possibilities. Here in Seattle I can think of only a couple of 'flies in the ointment' you need to consider:
1) Schools. Seattle's schools are improving, but they've been underfunded for years. If you don't already have school-age kids, though, things might have improved greatly in that regard by the time you do have kids in that age bracket
2) Housing prices. No housing 'bust' here yet. Housing (whether to buy or rent) costs a good chunk o' change. At the moment, the main effect here of the home sales downturn has been to take the crazy edge off the frenzy. You may want to do some research before making any sudden moves.

The 'rain shadow' is found mainly on the north end of the Washington Peninsula and east of the Cascade range -- but not in the major metro areas in Washington. If small-town living is an option for you, the 'shadow' could be useful to you.

Check out a couple other current threads on 'living in Seattle', too. There's lots of useful info in them.

Well, I love Capitol Hill in Seattle the best (where I live). But I like all the more central neighborhoods really... First Hill, Central District, Madison Park, Fremont, Wallingford, Ravenna, Greenlake, Queen Anne, Ballard, to name a few I think have charm and appeal.

Depends somewhat if you plan to rent or hope to purchase (if buying a home or are you OK with a condo?). I'm single and have absolutely no idea about how the various school districts stack up.

SeaTac international airport is ~25 mins. drive south of Seattle proper.

mowrites---with respect to swimming---I lived near Seattle a number of years before I learned that there is great swimming in Lake Washington (which bounds Seattle on the east). We live on an island in that lake and can walk to a public swimming spot from our home---very nice on a hot summer day.

As to kayaking, you can do that on the lake or out in the sound. There are several very active kayaking clubs here.

As for schools, the Mercer Island and Bellevue achool districts are known for their excellence. The Seattle school district has some very good high schools, but friends I know with younger children (elementary and middle school) are not so happy with the public schools, and have their children enrolled in private schools.

If you want to be in the rain shadow, however, that would be Port Townsand. It is a very nice and lively community; lots of artists and authors up there. but it is a long way fromthe airport. My mother lived there and loved the people and the commucnity, but felt pretty isolated from the outside world.

Not too many places around Portland where you would consider the water swimmable. Yet, at least. And even if they do manage to clean up the Willamette, I don't know if swimming in a river is what you have in mind. I think Portland does have the rest of what you're looking for, though.

You mention proximity to an airport, which I assume means you like to travel. If Europe is a favorite destination, think twice. If I lived on the east coast, I'm sure I be traveling to Europe at least biannually, if not annually. Because of cost and distance from Portland, however, we're lucky if we make it every five years.

Seattle offers decent flights non-stop to London (British Air) and Paris (Air France).

You don't have to live in Seattle to enjoy kayaking here...I see cars with kayaks on their roofs every day.

My husband and I grew up in Illinois, but there are people from all over the world who choose the Pacific NW because of its natural beauty and laid-back lifestyle. We have French friends who lived here for five years, moved back to Paris for one year, and now have returned here because of the lifestyle and the schools. Although the Seattle School District has some problems, some of the outlying districts are generally considered very good, including Bellevue, Mercer Island, Northshore and Lake Washington. We can vouch for Lake Washington because we have a 15-year-old. Besides the activities you mentioned, there are hiking, skiing and boating opportunities, plus Washington is second only to California in U.S. wine production.

Compared to New York, Washington has low humidity in the summer, fewer bugs and infrequent major snowstorms (although the mountains get snow, of course, hence the skiing). And, yes, the winter can be cloudy, drippy and dreary. The summer is usually glorious.

Seattle is a vibrant city, as are several of its suburbs, but it is low-key and definitely not on a level with NYC for cultural offerings and intensity.

Some people who have lived on the East Coast miss the sense of history there, especially the architecture. Seattle is "new" by comparison, but I think the West allows you to be who you are, regardless of heritage. Also, so many great national parks are in the West, just a car ride, or quick plane trip away.

I know I may be working at cross-purposes with myself here, having posted a complimentary thread about Seattle only a few days earlier.

But I must do honor to the spirit of Emmett Watson, long-gone, founder and promulgator of "Lesser Seattle" and tireless warrior(in his Seattle P-I column years ago) for a less densely-packed Pacific Northwest.

So, in the spirit of Mr Watson: "No! Stay away! You won't like it here! It rains buckets constantly, year-round. And you must always, always be on guard against the vicious Attack Geoducks who infest the sewers of downtown Seattle. People have gone crazy here, watching the raindrops falling, constantly falling, unendingly falling...."

There, I feel better now.

fritzl, on a recent tour we sat with a couple who had relocated from Tulsa to Seattle. During a reunion in Tulsa last year, they had one of Tulsa's trademark torrential downpours, and the man told his relatives "It rains like this all the time in Seattle." A true Lesser Seattleite.

It is beautiful on the West coast, my husband and I lived in Oregon for a year. I am originally from Chicago and I missed the lifestyle of living in a big city. While we were in Oregon we did a lot of nature things that are not available in the midwest. He had a pretty good job opportunity in Seattle but we opted for Chicago because I wanted to be back in the city and closer to my family. Plus like I said I prefer this type of lifestyle. I was in total shock living in Oregon, in a small town, no starbucks or good restaurants!!! It was hard to find a job, I needed more opportunities. Seattle was a great idea because the job market is great and the pay is great as well. It all depends on if you are willing to deal with the shocker of a completely different lifestyle than what you are used to.
For me, I would retire out west, and if all esle fails in Chicago, Seattle would be a back up. But if I dont have to leave the city that I love, I wont. It all depends on what you prefer. I know that in Oregon the schools were pretty good, they hold high standards for thier teachers. I have a friend that teaches in SEattle and she loves it. Good luck!

Lots of opportunity down here, + a lot warmer and much less rain.
http://southernoregon.org/

I'm curious what is so shockingly and completely different about Chicago as a city, from Seattle?

Good on ya, primobacio. It is more than apparent that you are a died-in-the-wool midwesterner...long may you wave. I still have relatives in Chicagoland who can't imagine why I stay in Seattle...but everyone to his (or her) own taste. I'll be thinking about you when I see those icy winter stories about life in Chicago and at O'Hare this winter.

Better pizza, Suze.

The good thing about rain..
You dont have to shovel or scrape it.

Mowrites,

People keep telling you about the "rain shadow" near Seattle, but do not explain it. It is caused by the Olympic mountains on the coast shielding the area to the North East, as the storms come in off the Pacific from the South West.

This results in towns close to the Olympics, like Sequim, getting as little as 10 inches of rainfall. We live farther away in Anacortes, and we get around 26 inches per year. Seattle gets about 39 inches. New York City gets about 45 inches per year.

BTW, do NOT come to Anacortes. We are FULL!

Suze, Chicago is much different than Seattle in my opinion. There are so many more restaurants to choose from and parks to go to. It is the 3rd largest city in the US with endless possiblities, culture, food, food, food, parks, museums, and most importantly my family. You can walk down my block and hear at least 5 different languages being spoken there is a polish or italian deli practically on every block and the same goes for mexican restaurants. i didnt get that in Seattle.
Yes, the weather is the definite downfall but who cares when you are eating great pasta and sipping great wine at an italian restaurant with denzel washington on the next level...didnt see that in seattle either, suz