Bellingham waterfront development condos

[elkotronics]

I recommend the Everett Clinic if you're going to choose Everett as a source. I got top-notch care there in the 80's and 90's!

[kavm]

Thank you! Very helpful!

To be clear, we do not have any specific medical needs at this point. So, the interest in having not too distant convenient medical options is more in line with the increasing needs as once ages. Of course, one'd rather live healthy and die without suffering medical issues for long but it is better to plan for the opposite in case that's the turn life takes.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by mayfair

From what you're describing, the smaller towns like Anacortes or Shelton wouldn't offer what you're looking for. They are sleepy small towns and would get old unless you are specifically looking for small town living or want to participate mostly in outdoor culture.

There's some specialized health care for as far north as Everett if you can't get in to a doctor in Bellingham. There are also more health care options in Burlington to the south of Bham. Good luck in your search.

The Birch Bay area (close to Blaine) has retirement developments on the Salish Sea. Close to Bellingham and Vancouver, BC.

Anacortes is on Puget Sound, so water views should be available. It has a well-regarded arts festival, with resident artists (and more in the La Conner area). Ferry service to the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island, and not far from the Coupeville-Port Townsend ferry to the Olympic Peninsula and ONP. Daytrips to North Cascades National Park and the Mountain Loop Scenic Byway. Shopping in Mt. Vernon and Burlington. Health care in Everett. Closer to Seattle than Bellingham.

The Shelton area is on Puget Sound and close to Olympia. Easy access to Hood Canal and ONP. Not far from the ocean beaches (North Beach and South Beach) via Aberdeen. Daytrips to Mt. Rainier NP and Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Washougal is close to the Columbia Gorge, Vancouver, WA, and Portland, OR. Daytrips to Long Beach, Oregon Coast, Willapa Bay (oysters), Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood, and Crater Lake.

[kavm]

Thank you! I will look some more...

At this time, we are not looking at retirement developments but nice apartments /condos (can consider SFH) where one can age in place. We were attracted by the combination of urban environment walking distance to downtown shops and restaurants and closeness to nature and hiking, biking, camping options nearby.

Will see how it goes. We are still a few years from retirement, so this is a slow burner quest. If something compelling comes up, we can move quickly but we are deliberative in our decision making and there is no hurry otherwise.

We did look at Vancouver, WA near Portland and did not find it compelling. Will look up Washougal when we are in that area again. In general, Bellingham seemed like close to how small a city we'd want to live in. But, unless we are blown away by something, we would want to spend a month or two at a minimum in winter to make sure that the attractiveness holds and the early impressions are confirmed (or not).