The Best & Worst Places To Live

[Ivan Seeking]

How is the weather in Oregon?

Today
Showers increasing. Scattered thunderstorms developing. Some thunderstorms may produce small hail. Highs 50 to 55. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
Detail
Tonight
Showers and a chance of thunderstorms in the evening...some thunderstorms may produce small hail. A chance of showers after midnight. Lows around 35. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph decreasing.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly sunny. A slight chance of showers. Highs around 55. Southwest wind 10 mph.
Detail
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows around 35. Light wind becoming southwest 10 mph after midnight.

Friday
Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain. Highs 55 to 60. Southwest wind 10 mph.
Detail
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain. Lows around 45.

Saturday
Rain likely. Highs around 60.

Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Lows around 40.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Highs 55 to 60.

Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers. Lows 35 to 40.

Monday
Partly sunny. Highs around 60.

Monday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows 35 to 40.

Tuesday
Partly sunny. Highs 60 to 65.

 

[SOS2008]

So let's see...The northwest lacks sunshine, and may have eventual quakes/Tsunami, the west coast also is prone to quakes, and in L.A. add to that mud slides, fires, pollution, traffic, etc. -- so far Colorado looks pretty good (though rather close to Yellowstone). Arizona also is very diverse. Once I went on a 5-hour plane tour. We went over Sedona, then the Grand Canyon, then Lake Powell, the Meteor Crater -- what a tour.

 

[loseyourname]

Oregon has all that, instead of citrus groves, you have apple or pear trees and historical towns. Inactive volcanoes, less people, cheaper places to stay, no sales tax, and the coast has some of the most rugged cliffs and surfing spots to boast.

There are similar coastlines in California just north of San Francisco. Oregon definitely does not have the mediterranean weather, though. California has more of a booming and diverse urban culture as well. Real estate prices and high taxes are certainly the major downfall, those and the lack of a stable water source evenly distributed throughout the state. I wouldn't mind living in my neighbor to the north, though. Portland has to be one of my favorite cities to visit; I especially love all of the microbreweries . . . even if it isn't necessarily as relevant or exciting as LA and San Francisco.

 

[loseyourname]

So let's see...The northwest lacks sunshine, and may have eventual quakes/Tsunami, the west coast also is prone to quakes, and in L.A. add to that mud slides, fires, pollution, traffic, etc. -- so far Colorado looks pretty good (though rather close to Yellowstone). Arizona also is very diverse. Once I went on a 5-hour plane tour. We went over Sedona, then the Grand Canyon, then Lake Powell, the Meteor Crater -- what a tour.

I really can't stand the cities in Arizona, though. Phoenix, especially, is so sterile and boring. It's a glorified Palm Springs. LA doesn't have mudslides and fires, either. Those usually occur in either Malibu or south Orange County. The chapparal is basically gone within the city limits, aside from Griffith Park.

Edit: The earthquakes are overblown, too. There hasn't even been an earthquake that I was able to feel since Landers and Northridge both occurred in '94.

 

[SOS2008]

I really can't stand the cities in Arizona, though. Phoenix, especially, is so sterile and boring. It's a glorified Palm Springs. LA doesn't have mudslides and fires, either. Those usually occur in either Malibu or south Orange County. The chapparal is basically gone within the city limits, aside from Griffith Park.

I'm not trying to put any particular place down (I was born in L.A.), and I've said it before that I'll be complaining about the heat soon enough.

I've lived in several places in the state--not just the Phoenix area. I will say that most of the cities of the Valley do a good job of renewal (e.g., the plaza near where I live is being re-modeled now), and some downtown areas such as Tempe (where the university is) is rather nice, especially now with water in the Salt River there. But there's a reason why I really would like a cabin in the northern part of the state.

 

[Huckleberry]

I used to live in the Tempe/Mesa area about 3 years ago. It was alright. There was enough to do there to be interesting. I also was never interested in downtown Phoenix. I had to live there once in a motel on Indian School road after an altercation with a family member. That was one of the worst months in my life. They got a few good shops, especially for music stores, but that's about it imo.
SanFrancisco is a very interesting city if your open-minded. There are all types of people in a relatively small area there. You can walk just about anywhere and they have some of the best bookstores I've seen. Lots of great restaurants. I was only there a few times but it really seemed to me that culture was alive there.
I would also consider Seattle although I haven't been there since 98.

Huck

 

[SOS2008]

...in a motel on Indian School road...

That's the red light district, I mean, isn't that the red light district?

 

[Huckleberry]

It's not a very nice part of town to wander around at night. I wouldn't recommend a midnight stroll around there. Too many people hanging out on the streets and in front of the 7/11 all night, and not the crass but friendly Jay and Silent Bob type. I was very busy at my new job, working all the overtime I could get to save some money and get the hell out of there.

 

[Kerrie]

There are similar coastlines in California just north of San Francisco. Oregon definitely does not have the mediterranean weather, though. California has more of a booming and diverse urban culture as well. Real estate prices and high taxes are certainly the major downfall, those and the lack of a stable water source evenly distributed throughout the state. I wouldn't mind living in my neighbor to the north, though. Portland has to be one of my favorite cities to visit; I especially love all of the microbreweries . . . even if it isn't necessarily as relevant or exciting as LA and San Francisco.

Yes, the northern california coastline near eureka and such is absolutely gorgeous with lots of big trees and secluded beaches unaccessible by car :!) Portland has fantastic breweries, we can definitely boast about our ability to make beer...Rogue is certainly my most favorite brewery in Newport...once I am no longer pregnant, I plan to indulge again I was in SF in November, and a neat town to visit, but too much glamour in the downtown area, I am a pretty down to Earth gal.

I lived in Glendale/Phoenix for one year, and what I sorely missed were trees and seasons. The warm weather was great when I moved there in the middle of January, but once July hit, I was so sick of heat, I needed a cool off of sorts! Northern Arizona is one of my favorite parts of the western U.S., I loved Meteor Crater, Flagstaff, and Slide Rock near Sedona.

The northwest gets a lot of flack for its rain, but truth is, Portland gets less rain then Seattle on average. The Tsunami issue only endures on the coast line, Portland and the main cities along I-5 are at least an hour's drive away from the coast. The active volcanos are far enough away too that the most severe damage we would receive is ashfall (more of a pain then scary). Mt Rainier in Washington is dangerously close to Sumner (great town btw) and if it ever became more active, there would be serious fears about that place. Olympia Washington I truly like but lots of cops hangin' out. I could go on an on about the northwest since I had the opportunity to travel it extensively. I think my most favorite place to go was Vancouver BC, got to spend St Patrick's day in a Canadian City, good times.