Camas Or Washougal????

[watkins6770]

Well, I just came across this post when my wife first found out that we were moving. Just an update....We chose a very nice area right on the border of Camas/Washougal. Very nice houses along the Washougal River Rd (newer housing in the hills). We ended up renting but the owner foreclosed on the home and we had to move about 8 months after arriving. Then we moved into a nice condo further into Washougal. Lived there a year and now we moved into a very nice housing area on the outskirts of washougal (sunset view). My overall opinion is that my wife made the better choice. Camas seems run down to me, at least in the downtown areas by the mill. Not so much towards Vancouver. Washougal is just a quaint small town. If you go to clubs and shop alot, then this is not the place for you. There is 0 shopping and just a couple mom/pop trashy bars in town. For the nightlife, you will have to venture into portland but that is the same for camas also. Vancouver is not even the hotspot for a good time in the evenings/weekends. I work near the airport which is right over the river from vancouver so it takes me about 20 minutes to get there. Dont care much for the politics of a city and I prefer the slower paced environment away from the major cities. We do our major shopping once every 2-3 weeks and we are very content. THE MILL....Stinks when you drive through camas, on HWY14 by the mill and the stench will sometimes float itself into washougal so I can just imagine what its like to live in camas closer to it. Where we live now, it doesnt reach us. Commute varies a little but most times its simple and people just need to learn how to drive. I dont find it any different than any other town accept access to major stores but the weather sure sucks. Outta here in two years back to warm weather.

[Summer belle]

I have lived here over 20 years, raised my kids here in washougal. Great schools compared to California where I moved my daughter for her first year in high school. Washougal schools are decidedly smaller than camas I hear and possibly a little friendlier? It takes me 35 minutes to get from my home in the hills which has a view of the Columbia river, Portland, and mt hood, to foster road where I work, driving the speed limit. I'm not living in an area near a wafer plant full of toxic chemicals like camas has, or which soaks in the aroma of rotting wood pulp! Closer to awesome hiking and river floating. I'm happy we chose Washougal to raise our kids, just not a great place to be single!