Driving down to Eugene from mountains in winter??

[AnythingOutdoors]

It sounds like you should consider some of the small cities/towns in the Willamette Valley near Eugene. Places like Brownsville, Junction City, etc. Small town feel with basic amenities for every-day living, but easy drive on I-5 into Eugene for medical care or other specialized needs.

[ejisme]

Are you open to other smaller towns between the coast and a bigger valley city? There just isn't much between Eugene and the coast. Mapleton maybe? Veneta is so close in that you might as well pick Eugene itself. What about other valley towns?

Philomath right outside of Corvallis and on the road to Newport (or with a turnoff to Waldport. Tiny Alsea, OR is on this road), Dallas, OR west of Salem and on the way to Lincoln City, or McMinnville which is a big enough city halfway between Portland and Lincoln City. Finally, maybe the Forest Grove area west of Hillsboro, Beaverton, and Portland, and east of Tillamook, Cannon Beach and Seaside. You have options, unless Eugene is your only big city of choice.

[Metlakatla]

It's pretty in Mapleton, but there would be no advantage to living there over living on the coast as far as the drive to Eugene goes. And you'd have to go at least 10 miles to pick up even the slightest grocery and household items. McMinnville is a great selection IMO.