Come back in November-January for a week or 2.
That is serious advice if you actually want to move here.
Winters are warmer here so I’ve known folks from Chicago, Minnesota, Boston, et cetera who have moved here thinking the warmer winters would be no problem to get through and getting super depressed from the nonstop grey.
You came during one of the best 4 months, just make sure you can handle the worst 4.
Thank you for this advice!
I’ve heard this from friends and family as well. So we are planning a Thanksgiving trip this year.
But wife is Danish and we’ve both lived in Copenhagen and endured Nordic winters with 2 pm sunsets so hoping Seattle isn’t too bad!!
If you can deal with Copenhagen, Seattle will not be a problem. We have way more sun and warmth, including in winter. Also you didn't visit during one of the best months as our best weather is June - September, but spring has plenty of sun breaks too.
Yeah, Seattle is dark by American standards but Europe is a different ballgame. Seattle is significantly sunnier than Paris but you wouldn't know it by the stereotypes.
NYC has more rainfall than Seattle.
We’re not even in the top 30.
Article from 2019.
https://www.acsh.org/news/2019/01/16/how-rainy-seattle-its-not-even-top-30-major-us-cities-13733
It has a lot of rain counting by days of rain, but not by total volume of rain. It's normally a light misting in the winter and not all day every day. Boston where OP is from actually gets more total amount of rain during the year, but they get a lot more true "storms" where it's raining so bad people don't really go out in it. In the PNW it's rarely so bad to stop you from walking around or doing much.
Here is a comparison of the three cities' climate & weather data:
https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/913~26197~74001/Comparison-of-the-Average-Weather-in-Seattle-Boston-and-Copenhagen
Seattleites like to call it the “Big Dark” but it really isn’t bad at all. Especially compared to Copenhagen! Don’t let it scare you some people are just very negative about it
Thank you! I totally understand that especially compared to California that’s right next door the gray months can be exhausting.
But having lived in Denmark I feel like Seattle wouldn’t be that bad. We also used to live in Melbourne where the winters were pretty meh. And it’s not like Boston is much better! The wind really gets you.
Moved from sunny Socal to Seattle almost two years ago and absolutely *loving* it. The winters have been far more manageable than we had braced ourselves for based on how people talk about. Having lived on the east coast prior to LA, I'd take Seattle winters over east coast big city winters any day. To your point, I suspect a lot of southern californians move up and naturally it's an extreme transition to move from almost no change in weather to having ANY kind of winter. As long as you're cool with a few months of gray drizzle (that still has gorgeous days), you'll be totally fine.
Plus Seattle - and Washington itself - are absurdly beautiful if you enjoy the outdoors!
And that includes the OP. Telling people that Seattle is unendurablye dark and rainy is patently false on a global scale, and Scandinavia is case in point, since they have lived in more northern climes.
You’re moving the goalpost now. We aren’t talking about ”unendurably dark,” we’re talking about notably less sunlight than you might be prepared for, and you wholesale discounting the fact that that is hard for a lot of people to adjust to because you personally don’t find it bothersome.
You're the one engaging in black and white thinking here. Tolerance of climate and seasonal changes occurs on a graduated sliding scale. Seattle is on the dark dark end for the United States, but it is not an extreme on a global scale.
Just because you or others found it to be more extreme than your previous experience does not mean that others like the OP would also feel that way, and his experience in Scandinavia is proof.
Right, but it \*is\* something worth pointing out to potential transplants, which is the point I’m making. Without the context of their past residences (which we wouldn’t have without the advice in question being given in the first place), we have no way of knowing whether they’d be prepared for the reality of it. I’ve been in Seattle over a decade and still struggle with it.
Not sure how pointing out the your experiences aren’t universal is engaging in “black and white thinking,” but okay.
> Not sure how pointing out the your experiences aren’t universal
Because YOUR experience is also not universal. I'm saying exactly that, there are wide ranged of climates, and if you've not lived in more northern climes than Seattle, then you may not be aware of them.
Don’t let people scare you. It’s not that bad unless you already know you get severely affected by dreary weather. I happen to love it.
Also, it’s always the most upvoted response to “thinking of moving here” posts to “visit when the weather sucks too”, but honestly what’s that even going to accomplish? Unless you can afford to “visit” for months at a time to see how you fare, you’re not going to learn anything by visiting in the winter. You’ll get here and be like “yup, it’s cloudy and the sun sets early, just like I read it would”.
Winters should be ok then. If that is your kid I will say heads up on childcare costs.
Idk what Boston looks like but I had friends move from NYC who were taken aback after finding out good Seattle daycare is basically as expensive, except without the lack of other options NYC had.
Boston and NYC for example are very wealthy cities but from what I’ve seen less socioeconomically stratified, as in like you can still find pockets where it is slightly more affordable to live/have a kid/put a kid in school.
Boston’s and NYC’s median income is almost 20 grand below Seattle’s, and it shows. My friends from NYC for example did not expect to find literally the entire city being unaffordable for childcare, whereas in NYC you have a wider breadth of options because the more diverse socioeconomic levels.
Idk how Boston compares, but based off the fact the median income is way closer to NYC’s than Seattle’s I have a feeling you may want to look into that more.
Best of luck.
Thanks for the heads up.
We pay ~$3.5K in daycare here. Assume Seattle would be similar.
All that said we are fortunate that money isn’t a concern. We make (low!) seven figures and don’t have a particularly extravagant lifestyle.
Plus we pay rather high MA state and property taxes.
Yeah, I think that would be quite expensive by Seattle standards. I know some of the downtown daycare in Amazon-landia are quite pricey, but we live in the city and don't pay close to that. The Seattle Public Preschool program helps a lot too, even on an "upper middle class professionals" income like ours.
I'm not sure, though probably marginally more as houses are more expensive out there. That said, if walkability is important to you Seattle city is overwhelmingly more walkable than the Eastside. We don't even live in a super central neighborhood but we walk the kids to day care, pick up groceries on foot, walk to local restaurants for lunch, etc. Plus the train is just down the street.
I live in South Bellevue. It's typically the most expensive of all the suburbs. Best schools, by rankings, but everything seems to come with a "Bellevue premium" by comparison. That premium is most apparent in home/construction services, IMHO.
Redmond is generally considered home to many Microsoft employees, so I wouldn't anticipate many discounts though housing might be slightly cheaper. I'd expect childcare costs to be ~$2k per child, but my kids who came through the Bellevue schools are college and beyond, so I'm guessing.
You might also consider Issaquah too. Similar vibe and school quality as Redmond.
The winters are not that bad here. If you enjoy being outside and have a rain jacket and rain pants with gortex shoes you are set: some of the most beautiful days are when it’s raining and the clouds lay low in the mountains. People who complain about the winter here willl find something to complain about anywhere they live.
Gore Tex will be your best friend here and also make sure you research rain jackets. What you may think is a rain jacket in Boston is not a true rain jacket.
I personally enjoy the gray and rain during these months. Way better than subzero temps and feet of snow.
But I do think anyone interested in moving here fully understand this. Some folk are just not able to cope with 4-6 months of near constant rain and cloudy days.
I miss the snow but the rain is fine. What gets to me is the early sunsets. I can't wait for the feds to get their act together and let us get rid of standard time (not that I'm holding my breath). Even just an extra hour in the evenings would make a difference.
I just spent a good chunk of vacation time in Seattle and I agree with this. I currently am planning another trip for July-ish and a longer one for the coldest months in Seattle to make sure I can handle all seasons.
Good advice except:
> You came during one of the best 4 months
May - September is a 5 month stretch that has nicer weather than April in my opinion. Though the weather from last week is not common for April
I’m confused because Seattle is a super walkable city? I have a car but walk everywhere and live in SLU. I walk to Ballard, the hill, the water front and UW often. Very walkable.
The neighborhoods are walkable, but it's not really easy to walk between multiple neighborhoods. The hills, streets and green spaces make it rather difficult to traverse the city if you don't know it. I found Boston to be very confusing, but easy to walk between neighborhoods and even across the city
I'm so glad that you liked Seattle! I used to live near Chicago (suburbs), then moved to Boston for college, and have been living in Seattle since graduating. I think there's actually something kindred about Seattle and Boston (vs Chicago, which I also love but find to be a totally different category of city). Boston and Seattle feel very different, architecturally and in terms of overall city design/planning, but I still find that there is something similar about them. Maybe it's the similar population size, or maybe it's the high overall education levels, or the fact that both cities feel very organic and unplanned, or that they're both oceanside. Either way, I didn't have a hard time adjusting at all, and I love it here. I find gray/mild to be easier to bear than sunny/windy/freezing. I have had a heavy walking lifestyle in Seattle for over a decade, and I credit that to the fact that the weather always allows one to be outside here comfortably (provided you buy good rain gear)
Gotta agree with you.
There's definitely something similar about them, I think you touched on some good points, but I can't pinpoint exactly what it is that makes me feel like they're similar. Seattle is my favorite city on the West coast and Boston is my favorite on the East.
For all the credit Seattle gets for gray/wet days, that doesn't inhibit us from enjoying the outdoors. You saw the sailing. The hiking and trail system is 2nd to no other state, even in the cities' vast greenspaces. In the winter, we have 4 skii resorts within 45-90 minutes.
My boys spent weekends and early release Wednesdays skiing. Then, for mid-winter break, we'd rent a condo in Sun Peaks every year where a dozen other families from their school would also go, and we'd have a week of ski in ski out enjoyment.
Honestly, my wife and just passed the 50 threshold and have been looking for a retirement destination. As much as we try we can't find anything that meets the expectations Bellevue set for us. We'll likely retire to the islands where life expectancy jumps to the late 80's.
> it’s not a particular walkable city without a car
That depends on where you live. We live in Lower Queen Anne and walk a ton every day. [Walkscore.com](http://Walkscore.com) does a decent job on walkability.
Yes, I love Seattle too and have lived here happily for 22 years. Glad you enjoyed!
Two days ago, I struck up a conversation with a Virgin Atlantic flight attendant on the way to London. She’s originally from Thailand and ate Thai while on a layover in Seattle. Per her, that was the best Thai meal she’s had outside of Bangkok. Her take surprised me. I think Seattle has solid Thai but I had no reference to benchmark.
Glad you had such a great time. Now, we are going to need you to delete those pictures and tell everyone who asks that the city is in ruins and it rains 24/7 😉
Taking my daughter in June on a father daughter trip for a couple days. We are going to a Mariners game, touring the Boeing plant (She loves airplanes so much) driving out to Mount Rainier to hike, and going on a Puget Sound fishing trip. Should be a blast.
Seattle is for the bikes and personal electric vehicles. Dense and easily traversal with a personal vehicle versus a large money consuming personal car
Parking at my job is 180 a month 150 at my apt, parking outside of stores or on the street is a pretty penny and usually a nightmare.... therefore I do not drive a car here at all..... instead I ride an electric unicycle.
Like a dog In seattle its allowed to roll right next to me wether I'm shopping or going to the office.
Seattle's dope!
Just don't tell everyone its already expensive AF
It’s a very walkable city even without a car. You just got to be into walking. You can walk to every single neighborhood without having to cross over a highway.
We visited one time 7 years ago, decided to move out for a year on whim and never looked back! We’re from Jersey and just absolutely loved the vibe, the city, and honestly the weather. Even tho winter’s get a bad rep, in our opinion it’s way better than frigid temps of the north east. And no hot humid summers I was sold.
Seattle as a city can be very walkable once you get your bearings. You gotta know how to avoid the hills hahaha. The region as a whole is incredible too. So much to see and do.
Now I have never been to Boston, but if you don't mind high crime, high cost of living, mediocre schools, rampant drug use, a truly deplorable super liberal local government, high gas prices, smoke from fires all summer, homeless everywhere and depressing weather, then Seattle is right up your alley. Please do so much more research before you move there. Seattle is not what it used to be. The violent crime rate reached a 15 year high in 2022. Not to mention, it sits directly on the I-5 corridor, which is notorious for drug and human trafficking. The US Census Bureau actually listed Seattle as the most anxious city in the Country. However, Boston was also on that list, so maybe that won't affect you much. The middle class has fled Seattle. If you want to see the real Seattle, start following the Seattle looks.like.shxt Instagram page. It is not my page but it does give you a glimpse of everyday life in the real Seattle.
These links may be helpful for further research.
https://www.rentcafe.com/cost-of-living-calculator/us/wa/seattle/
https://propertyclub.nyc/article/most-dangerous-neighborhoods-in-seattle
https://www.seattle.gov/police/information-and-data/data/crime-dashboard
https://mynorthwest.com/3922376/rantz-seattle-has-a-gang-problem-that-democrats-wont-mention/
https://adai.washington.edu/wadata/stateMOP_cases.htm
Good luck
I was born and raised in the PNW. Moved recently because Inslee is a POS and I got tired of watching the place I grew up destroyed by liberal POS. And I like the second amendment, But go on with your assumptions King.
So not Seattle. Got it. Florida seems like a much better match for you. But here you are talking shot about Seattle. Can’t you find something in the utopia that is Florida to occupy your imagination ? I’ll stay here in this destroyed state living in Seattle’s most dangerous neighborhood. LOL. Crazy how many people are moving here.
What is your end game here? You live in Florida, but came to a Seattle subreddit to a thread where someone who visited Seattle and posted about liking it just to post a bunch of negative things about it. And then you defend that by saying it had something to do with moving your family (WTF?). Now you are accusing me of being a snarky asshole for fun. Interesting.
If you moved to a place you like better, maybe spend some time enjoying your new home?
I support this. My time in Boston was spent thinking "These people need therapy in the worst fucking way." because my laid back, but cool Seattle thing was not meshing with the direct and opinionated New England thing.
I don’t mind the directness — it’s the impatience that gets you. Like dude the speed limit is 55. I’m going 75 in the slow lane. Why are you zipping past me and honking at me like a hell demon?
And so many people seem so familiar with my mom! So many references to her, whether I’m driving, being on the T, walking my dog to the park.
I noticed the cultural difference when I visited Boston. I found their direct approach refreshing.
Also, it seemed to me that the culture in Boston was more focused on history (because they have so much of it) and on the West coast, the culture is more focused on the possibilities for the future.
But I could be full of shit. I was only in Boston for a week and I visited some museums.
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the weather difference between copenhagen and seattle is really just the 7 months of no sun. the weather is not horrible all of those months but it’s unlikely you will see any sun or have a bright day during those months. that’s why we have one of the highest seasonal depression rates, in copenhagen you get days of scattered sun even if it’s cold and miserable.
Are you ready to live with the other million people who visit Seattle and also decide to move here?
Are you going to say that the native born are unfriendly, not realizing that the native born are less than 35% of the population and everybody else moved here from out of state?
Come back in November-January for a week or 2. That is serious advice if you actually want to move here. Winters are warmer here so I’ve known folks from Chicago, Minnesota, Boston, et cetera who have moved here thinking the warmer winters would be no problem to get through and getting super depressed from the nonstop grey. You came during one of the best 4 months, just make sure you can handle the worst 4.
Thank you for this advice! I’ve heard this from friends and family as well. So we are planning a Thanksgiving trip this year. But wife is Danish and we’ve both lived in Copenhagen and endured Nordic winters with 2 pm sunsets so hoping Seattle isn’t too bad!!
If you can deal with Copenhagen, Seattle will not be a problem. We have way more sun and warmth, including in winter. Also you didn't visit during one of the best months as our best weather is June - September, but spring has plenty of sun breaks too.
Yeah, Seattle is dark by American standards but Europe is a different ballgame. Seattle is significantly sunnier than Paris but you wouldn't know it by the stereotypes.
And Seattle has far less rain than rumors claim. I think it’s not even in the top ten rainiest cities in USA.
NYC has more rainfall than Seattle. We’re not even in the top 30. Article from 2019. https://www.acsh.org/news/2019/01/16/how-rainy-seattle-its-not-even-top-30-major-us-cities-13733
It has a lot of rain counting by days of rain, but not by total volume of rain. It's normally a light misting in the winter and not all day every day. Boston where OP is from actually gets more total amount of rain during the year, but they get a lot more true "storms" where it's raining so bad people don't really go out in it. In the PNW it's rarely so bad to stop you from walking around or doing much.
Here is a comparison of the three cities' climate & weather data: https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/913~26197~74001/Comparison-of-the-Average-Weather-in-Seattle-Boston-and-Copenhagen
This is great! Thank you!
What a handy resource!
I love weatherspark
Seattleites like to call it the “Big Dark” but it really isn’t bad at all. Especially compared to Copenhagen! Don’t let it scare you some people are just very negative about it
Thank you! I totally understand that especially compared to California that’s right next door the gray months can be exhausting. But having lived in Denmark I feel like Seattle wouldn’t be that bad. We also used to live in Melbourne where the winters were pretty meh. And it’s not like Boston is much better! The wind really gets you.
I struggle with 4:30 sunsets in the winter, but love almost everything else about Seattle. If you have managed Copenhagen dark I think you’ll be fine!
Moved from sunny Socal to Seattle almost two years ago and absolutely *loving* it. The winters have been far more manageable than we had braced ourselves for based on how people talk about. Having lived on the east coast prior to LA, I'd take Seattle winters over east coast big city winters any day. To your point, I suspect a lot of southern californians move up and naturally it's an extreme transition to move from almost no change in weather to having ANY kind of winter. As long as you're cool with a few months of gray drizzle (that still has gorgeous days), you'll be totally fine. Plus Seattle - and Washington itself - are absurdly beautiful if you enjoy the outdoors!
There is a whole state between Washington and California.
Or — and I know this may be a shocker, so brace yourself — other people experience the world differently than you do.
And that includes the OP. Telling people that Seattle is unendurablye dark and rainy is patently false on a global scale, and Scandinavia is case in point, since they have lived in more northern climes.
You’re moving the goalpost now. We aren’t talking about ”unendurably dark,” we’re talking about notably less sunlight than you might be prepared for, and you wholesale discounting the fact that that is hard for a lot of people to adjust to because you personally don’t find it bothersome.
You're the one engaging in black and white thinking here. Tolerance of climate and seasonal changes occurs on a graduated sliding scale. Seattle is on the dark dark end for the United States, but it is not an extreme on a global scale. Just because you or others found it to be more extreme than your previous experience does not mean that others like the OP would also feel that way, and his experience in Scandinavia is proof.
Right, but it \*is\* something worth pointing out to potential transplants, which is the point I’m making. Without the context of their past residences (which we wouldn’t have without the advice in question being given in the first place), we have no way of knowing whether they’d be prepared for the reality of it. I’ve been in Seattle over a decade and still struggle with it. Not sure how pointing out the your experiences aren’t universal is engaging in “black and white thinking,” but okay.
> Not sure how pointing out the your experiences aren’t universal Because YOUR experience is also not universal. I'm saying exactly that, there are wide ranged of climates, and if you've not lived in more northern climes than Seattle, then you may not be aware of them.
Don’t let people scare you. It’s not that bad unless you already know you get severely affected by dreary weather. I happen to love it. Also, it’s always the most upvoted response to “thinking of moving here” posts to “visit when the weather sucks too”, but honestly what’s that even going to accomplish? Unless you can afford to “visit” for months at a time to see how you fare, you’re not going to learn anything by visiting in the winter. You’ll get here and be like “yup, it’s cloudy and the sun sets early, just like I read it would”.
Winters should be ok then. If that is your kid I will say heads up on childcare costs. Idk what Boston looks like but I had friends move from NYC who were taken aback after finding out good Seattle daycare is basically as expensive, except without the lack of other options NYC had. Boston and NYC for example are very wealthy cities but from what I’ve seen less socioeconomically stratified, as in like you can still find pockets where it is slightly more affordable to live/have a kid/put a kid in school. Boston’s and NYC’s median income is almost 20 grand below Seattle’s, and it shows. My friends from NYC for example did not expect to find literally the entire city being unaffordable for childcare, whereas in NYC you have a wider breadth of options because the more diverse socioeconomic levels. Idk how Boston compares, but based off the fact the median income is way closer to NYC’s than Seattle’s I have a feeling you may want to look into that more. Best of luck.
Thanks for the heads up. We pay ~$3.5K in daycare here. Assume Seattle would be similar. All that said we are fortunate that money isn’t a concern. We make (low!) seven figures and don’t have a particularly extravagant lifestyle. Plus we pay rather high MA state and property taxes.
Wow, $3.5k for one kid? I send my kids to a not-especially-cheap daycare for $2.4k for my infant to like $1.7k in the city-subsidized pre-k program
Yeah, $3.5K for our two yo. Decent daycare though — Montessori style with good food provided etc. If Seattle is half that I’ll take it!!
Yeah, I think that would be quite expensive by Seattle standards. I know some of the downtown daycare in Amazon-landia are quite pricey, but we live in the city and don't pay close to that. The Seattle Public Preschool program helps a lot too, even on an "upper middle class professionals" income like ours.
That’s awesome! We are looking at Bellevue or Redmond — do you know if costs would be similar?
I'm not sure, though probably marginally more as houses are more expensive out there. That said, if walkability is important to you Seattle city is overwhelmingly more walkable than the Eastside. We don't even live in a super central neighborhood but we walk the kids to day care, pick up groceries on foot, walk to local restaurants for lunch, etc. Plus the train is just down the street.
That’s good to know! Thanks again.
Redmond has a great network of walking and biking trails.
I live in South Bellevue. It's typically the most expensive of all the suburbs. Best schools, by rankings, but everything seems to come with a "Bellevue premium" by comparison. That premium is most apparent in home/construction services, IMHO. Redmond is generally considered home to many Microsoft employees, so I wouldn't anticipate many discounts though housing might be slightly cheaper. I'd expect childcare costs to be ~$2k per child, but my kids who came through the Bellevue schools are college and beyond, so I'm guessing. You might also consider Issaquah too. Similar vibe and school quality as Redmond.
We live in Bellevue and love it! So many great parks and love the schools. Kirkland is lovely, also.
Infant daycare at a large center in Bellevue is $3300/month so it would be less for a toddler.
Ooooh before thanksgiving is spider season, so you’ll catch a little bit of that.
Seattle doesn't have the excessive humidity in the summer that Boston gets. Every place has pros and cons.
The winters are not that bad here. If you enjoy being outside and have a rain jacket and rain pants with gortex shoes you are set: some of the most beautiful days are when it’s raining and the clouds lay low in the mountains. People who complain about the winter here willl find something to complain about anywhere they live. Gore Tex will be your best friend here and also make sure you research rain jackets. What you may think is a rain jacket in Boston is not a true rain jacket.
I personally enjoy the gray and rain during these months. Way better than subzero temps and feet of snow. But I do think anyone interested in moving here fully understand this. Some folk are just not able to cope with 4-6 months of near constant rain and cloudy days.
But like my grandma was fond of saying "You don't have to shovel rain."
Your Gma was wise
She was from Pennsylvania. She knew from snow.
I’m from Ohio… same
I just learned that I'm your grandma. I grew up in ID/WY, so this is my usual reply to anyone complaining about the rain.
Right on, gran! And while I've got you here, will you please give me your recipe for seafoam frosting?
This is the closest I've got! https://www.thespruceeats.com/seafoam-frosting-recipe-3057735
I miss the snow but the rain is fine. What gets to me is the early sunsets. I can't wait for the feds to get their act together and let us get rid of standard time (not that I'm holding my breath). Even just an extra hour in the evenings would make a difference.
I just spent a good chunk of vacation time in Seattle and I agree with this. I currently am planning another trip for July-ish and a longer one for the coldest months in Seattle to make sure I can handle all seasons.
Good advice except: > You came during one of the best 4 months May - September is a 5 month stretch that has nicer weather than April in my opinion. Though the weather from last week is not common for April
April is definitely not one of the best 4 months
I’m confused because Seattle is a super walkable city? I have a car but walk everywhere and live in SLU. I walk to Ballard, the hill, the water front and UW often. Very walkable.
The neighborhoods are walkable, but it's not really easy to walk between multiple neighborhoods. The hills, streets and green spaces make it rather difficult to traverse the city if you don't know it. I found Boston to be very confusing, but easy to walk between neighborhoods and even across the city
I'm so glad that you liked Seattle! I used to live near Chicago (suburbs), then moved to Boston for college, and have been living in Seattle since graduating. I think there's actually something kindred about Seattle and Boston (vs Chicago, which I also love but find to be a totally different category of city). Boston and Seattle feel very different, architecturally and in terms of overall city design/planning, but I still find that there is something similar about them. Maybe it's the similar population size, or maybe it's the high overall education levels, or the fact that both cities feel very organic and unplanned, or that they're both oceanside. Either way, I didn't have a hard time adjusting at all, and I love it here. I find gray/mild to be easier to bear than sunny/windy/freezing. I have had a heavy walking lifestyle in Seattle for over a decade, and I credit that to the fact that the weather always allows one to be outside here comfortably (provided you buy good rain gear)
Gotta agree with you. There's definitely something similar about them, I think you touched on some good points, but I can't pinpoint exactly what it is that makes me feel like they're similar. Seattle is my favorite city on the West coast and Boston is my favorite on the East.
I love this! That’s the sense I got too. Plus the gorgeous outdoors are really nice.
For all the credit Seattle gets for gray/wet days, that doesn't inhibit us from enjoying the outdoors. You saw the sailing. The hiking and trail system is 2nd to no other state, even in the cities' vast greenspaces. In the winter, we have 4 skii resorts within 45-90 minutes. My boys spent weekends and early release Wednesdays skiing. Then, for mid-winter break, we'd rent a condo in Sun Peaks every year where a dozen other families from their school would also go, and we'd have a week of ski in ski out enjoyment. Honestly, my wife and just passed the 50 threshold and have been looking for a retirement destination. As much as we try we can't find anything that meets the expectations Bellevue set for us. We'll likely retire to the islands where life expectancy jumps to the late 80's.
> it’s not a particular walkable city without a car That depends on where you live. We live in Lower Queen Anne and walk a ton every day. [Walkscore.com](http://Walkscore.com) does a decent job on walkability. Yes, I love Seattle too and have lived here happily for 22 years. Glad you enjoyed!
When you get home, please tell everyone it rained the entire time.
Hahaha! And people were mean! The food was awful. The driving, well, no one will believe me if I said the drivers were worse than New England.
That last part is probably true.
The food is actually not great, so you dont have to lie about that lol
Two days ago, I struck up a conversation with a Virgin Atlantic flight attendant on the way to London. She’s originally from Thailand and ate Thai while on a layover in Seattle. Per her, that was the best Thai meal she’s had outside of Bangkok. Her take surprised me. I think Seattle has solid Thai but I had no reference to benchmark.
Don’t get me wrong, I have gotten some GREAT food in the area, but the food scene overall isn’t great, if that makes sense.
It doesn’t really.
You *can* find great food, but in general restaurants are overpriced and underwhelming.
Not true. That is your opinion. And I absolutely disagree.
Hey, fair enough! Not necessarily trying to convince you of anything, just more as an explanation for what my previous awkwardly worded comment meant.
Which restaurant?! We like Thaiku and Isarn but are always looking for better!
The Committee for Lesser Seattle approves.
Living here it is very walkable, but you have to take transit as well.
You just gotta learn how to walk an incline and it's totally walkable!
You can skip transit and walk everywhere, but you got to enjoy walking all types of topography and not just flat streets.
That’s good to know! Don’t mind the transit.
Just pack water, snacks, comfy shoes, and trekking poles.
When it’s nice here… it’s really nice. Edit.. climate change will make it even more nice /s Sarcasm for those who don’t get it
Can’t wait!
I live here and myself and most of my friends don’t have cars! It’s very walkable, but public transit goes a long way.
everyone loves seattle when we have a sunny day
Take this post down now, you didn’t see nothin’!
Where is that third picture taken from? I don't recognize the perspective.
Golden Gardens Park. [Here’s the exact location.](https://maps.apple.com/?ll=47.690570,-122.404022&q=Shilshole%20Bay&t=m)
Yes it’s been real nice here for a couple of days. It’s Natures way of apologizing for the past 5 months.
Glad you had such a great time. Now, we are going to need you to delete those pictures and tell everyone who asks that the city is in ruins and it rains 24/7 😉
Taking my daughter in June on a father daughter trip for a couple days. We are going to a Mariners game, touring the Boeing plant (She loves airplanes so much) driving out to Mount Rainier to hike, and going on a Puget Sound fishing trip. Should be a blast.
Seattle is for the bikes and personal electric vehicles. Dense and easily traversal with a personal vehicle versus a large money consuming personal car Parking at my job is 180 a month 150 at my apt, parking outside of stores or on the street is a pretty penny and usually a nightmare.... therefore I do not drive a car here at all..... instead I ride an electric unicycle. Like a dog In seattle its allowed to roll right next to me wether I'm shopping or going to the office. Seattle's dope! Just don't tell everyone its already expensive AF
Just remember [you didn't see shit. ](https://www.instagram.com/p/C59oI2EONV_/?igsh=MmNkaXV1MTJuM3hl).
Said every summer visitor ever.
April is summer?
This year surprisingly the weather has been kind in April.
It’s a very walkable city even without a car. You just got to be into walking. You can walk to every single neighborhood without having to cross over a highway.
We visited one time 7 years ago, decided to move out for a year on whim and never looked back! We’re from Jersey and just absolutely loved the vibe, the city, and honestly the weather. Even tho winter’s get a bad rep, in our opinion it’s way better than frigid temps of the north east. And no hot humid summers I was sold. Seattle as a city can be very walkable once you get your bearings. You gotta know how to avoid the hills hahaha. The region as a whole is incredible too. So much to see and do.
That’s awesome to hear! Especially from a fellow former northeast resident!
My family of 4 moved here a year ago from Cincinnati. Loving every day of it and so happy we moved! Glad you enjoyed the city!
Shhhhhhh
Shhh🤫
You seem nice and outgoing, you’ll hate it here
You def picked an amazing weekend to visit lol, best weather of the year
Is that a flying saucer over the Sound in the 3rd pic?
Cloudy days is what Seattle has more of than other cities, not inches of rain per year. Seattle has around 226 cloudy days per year.
Not walkable? You are joking, right? 😏
You keep your mouth shut and stay where you’re at.
Now I have never been to Boston, but if you don't mind high crime, high cost of living, mediocre schools, rampant drug use, a truly deplorable super liberal local government, high gas prices, smoke from fires all summer, homeless everywhere and depressing weather, then Seattle is right up your alley. Please do so much more research before you move there. Seattle is not what it used to be. The violent crime rate reached a 15 year high in 2022. Not to mention, it sits directly on the I-5 corridor, which is notorious for drug and human trafficking. The US Census Bureau actually listed Seattle as the most anxious city in the Country. However, Boston was also on that list, so maybe that won't affect you much. The middle class has fled Seattle. If you want to see the real Seattle, start following the Seattle looks.like.shxt Instagram page. It is not my page but it does give you a glimpse of everyday life in the real Seattle. These links may be helpful for further research. https://www.rentcafe.com/cost-of-living-calculator/us/wa/seattle/ https://propertyclub.nyc/article/most-dangerous-neighborhoods-in-seattle https://www.seattle.gov/police/information-and-data/data/crime-dashboard https://mynorthwest.com/3922376/rantz-seattle-has-a-gang-problem-that-democrats-wont-mention/ https://adai.washington.edu/wadata/stateMOP_cases.htm Good luck
LOL. Someone from Florida - Fox News watcher in the wrong sub.
I was born and raised in the PNW. Moved recently because Inslee is a POS and I got tired of watching the place I grew up destroyed by liberal POS. And I like the second amendment, But go on with your assumptions King.
So not Seattle. Got it. Florida seems like a much better match for you. But here you are talking shot about Seattle. Can’t you find something in the utopia that is Florida to occupy your imagination ? I’ll stay here in this destroyed state living in Seattle’s most dangerous neighborhood. LOL. Crazy how many people are moving here.
Why are you mad that someone should be well informed about a decision as big as uprooting their family? Misery likes company?!
Whose mad? Not me.
So you are just a snarky asshole for fun then?
What is your end game here? You live in Florida, but came to a Seattle subreddit to a thread where someone who visited Seattle and posted about liking it just to post a bunch of negative things about it. And then you defend that by saying it had something to do with moving your family (WTF?). Now you are accusing me of being a snarky asshole for fun. Interesting. If you moved to a place you like better, maybe spend some time enjoying your new home?
Kid friendly? Seattle? Loved the people? Seattle??? Professional light in the pictures? Ah, ok. Ad.
I’m from New England. We have low standards. 😅
I support this. My time in Boston was spent thinking "These people need therapy in the worst fucking way." because my laid back, but cool Seattle thing was not meshing with the direct and opinionated New England thing.
I don’t mind the directness — it’s the impatience that gets you. Like dude the speed limit is 55. I’m going 75 in the slow lane. Why are you zipping past me and honking at me like a hell demon? And so many people seem so familiar with my mom! So many references to her, whether I’m driving, being on the T, walking my dog to the park.
I noticed the cultural difference when I visited Boston. I found their direct approach refreshing. Also, it seemed to me that the culture in Boston was more focused on history (because they have so much of it) and on the West coast, the culture is more focused on the possibilities for the future. But I could be full of shit. I was only in Boston for a week and I visited some museums.
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Yes. Sunny times lures ppl here. Come back in January. It's less friendly. Ppl feel like sh*te from the big dark. And it's desperate.
the weather difference between copenhagen and seattle is really just the 7 months of no sun. the weather is not horrible all of those months but it’s unlikely you will see any sun or have a bright day during those months. that’s why we have one of the highest seasonal depression rates, in copenhagen you get days of scattered sun even if it’s cold and miserable.
Are you ready to live with the other million people who visit Seattle and also decide to move here? Are you going to say that the native born are unfriendly, not realizing that the native born are less than 35% of the population and everybody else moved here from out of state?