North Whatcom Co.- suburb of Vancouver BC? (Seattle, Bellingham: condos, tax)

[Śebb]

I've been looking at this area for a while- Blaine, Ferndale, Pt. Roberts etc as a potentially cheap, rural place to live that isn't too far from a metro area (Vancouver). I wonder from any of you who live there, how feasible/energy-draining is it to take a day trip or do an errand in Vancouver? The distance isn't far, about 35 miles, but it seems like it's a 50 min+ trip not including traffic, even if you have NEXUS.

[freepelican]

The border crossing is not simple every time. Sometimes you get lucky. Other times you don't. I wouldn't want to count on it.

What do you need a metro area for? Bellingham has a lot of shopping and some culture.

[jaja111]

I saw the title of this and thought, "is it?", but then thought solidly, no its not. The border proves to be just enough of a prospect of a hassle that trips for me are infrequent. A good show in town and going to Whistler have been the only trips to Vancouver since I moved here a year and a half ago. I'd like to see more, but I'm not in any rush. I do like the city. It has a rather un-city-ish feel to the most urban parts but exudes an enjoyable weirdness. Its an urban island like Manhattan in a way; you live there or visit infrequently if you're outside of the metro area. Bellingham and North Whatcom couldn't ever really be perceived as a burb of the Couve for that reason. I wouldn't even say Point Roberts would be a burb in that respect, only Vancouver's mailbox.

[Rail-to-Rail]

From Bellingham you can take Amtrak to Vancouver, I used to do that a couple of times a month. I think it's a much better option than driving. Once you're there, a Skytrain station is adjacent to Pacific Central Station.

The train trip is beautiful, the train goes along the water for a lot of the trip and you get beautiful views. Same is true going south from Bellingham, it's a gorgeous trip, right at the water's edge and looking right out into the islands, lots of eagles and other birds.

You'd be better off in Bellingham than further north, in my opinion. Then you have the option to go to Seattle too. It's one of the great things about Bellingham, being between two major metropolitan areas.

[freepelican]

Originally Posted by Rail-to-Rail

From Bellingham you can take Amtrak to Vancouver, I used to do that a couple of times a month. I think it's a much better option than driving. Once you're there, a Skytrain station is adjacent to Pacific Central Station.

The train trip is beautiful, the train goes along the water for a lot of the trip and you get beautiful views. Same is true going south from Bellingham, it's a gorgeous trip, right at the water's edge and looking right out into the islands, lots of eagles and other birds.

You'd be better off in Bellingham than further north, in my opinion. Then you have the option to go to Seattle too. It's one of the great things about Bellingham, being between two major metropolitan areas.

Do you need a passport to ride the train? What is customs like when you get off?

[beenhereandthere]

A Nexus card can make it feel like a suburb, or taking a bike or walking to the nearest bus stop to the city center, without that, no suburban feeling at all.

[beenhereandthere]

Originally Posted by Śebb

I've been looking at this area for a while- Blaine, Ferndale, Pt. Roberts etc as a potentially cheap, rural place to live that isn't too far from a metro area (Vancouver). I wonder from any of you who live there, how feasible/energy-draining is it to take a day trip or do an errand in Vancouver? The distance isn't far, about 35 miles, but it seems like it's a 50 min+ trip not including traffic, even if you have NEXUS.

Point Roberts is usually 1/2 an hour, Blaine 45 min, with no traffic and minimal border waits, from Downtown itself, it takes about 15 to get out of Vancouver itself.

[Śebb]

Originally Posted by jaja111

I saw the title of this and thought, "is it?", but then thought solidly, no its not. The border proves to be just enough of a prospect of a hassle that trips for me are infrequent. A good show in town and going to Whistler have been the only trips to Vancouver since I moved here a year and a half ago. I'd like to see more, but I'm not in any rush. I do like the city. It has a rather un-city-ish feel to the most urban parts but exudes an enjoyable weirdness. Its an urban island like Manhattan in a way; you live there or visit infrequently if you're outside of the metro area. Bellingham and North Whatcom couldn't ever really be perceived as a burb of the Couve for that reason. I wouldn't even say Point Roberts would be a burb in that respect, only Vancouver's mailbox.

I spent another weekend up there and I think I agree with you. Pt. Roberts, sorta, but not Blaine. The real killer is 99 north of Richmond but south of Downtown- lights every couple hundred feet, NO left turn lanes (wtf is up with that?) and huge backups. Massey isn't that great either. Combine those two with the border and you feel like you've been on a voyage, not a 'drive into town.'

As much as I want to love Vancouver I really can't say it's objectively that much more interesting than Seattle. The downtown is really kinda decrepit and aging in a lot of places, you never really 'feel' like you're in a city. It's also consistently colder than Seattle. It is a lot more international and there's a lot more attractive people around, but it also seems a bit more conservative and conformist than our weird friends in Seattle and Portland. The high condos are visually stunning (I stay in a friend's penthouse downtown, with unreal views), but that really isn't a reason to live somewhere.

[jaja111]

Plus, that "voyage" can turn into a real s%$#show when there's an accident or some other nonsense backing traffic up. Vancouver begs to be visited by helicopter when coming from out of town, but I'm certainly in no tax bracket to use a helicopter. I could also see it being a bit smoother coming in from the north side, taking 15 to 1 and then getting off near Hastings St? I've never tried it.

[freepelican]

I like Victoria more