From Baltimore to Portland - Is Portland for me? (Dallas: ski resorts, fit in)

[lolavanatta]

I've lived in Baltimore now for almost three years. Grew up in Pittsburgh, went to college in St. Augustine, Florida. I'm not sure where to move next. I'm hoping this next move sticks. Here are the reasons I want to leave
Baltimore:
* living outside of the city is too expensive for what you get (NO acreage)
* it's ghetto in AND outside of the city
* not close enough to good ski resorts (always travel back to seven springs, pa near pittsburgh) - want to live near the mountains

What I like about Baltimore:
* the people, restaurants, bars, city life, music events, sport events, movie theatres, weather

Why not move back to Pittsburgh:
* gloomy and cold too often
* people who live there are not very well-rounded/traveled

Why not St. Augustine:
* good size town & good restaurants/bars, but no mountains, and the people are weird (i fit in better with northern and midwestern ppl, i think)

For my next move,
Wants/Needs:

* job market doesn't matter - i work from home/bf works for enterprise
* 4 seasons
* snowboarding within 1 or 2 hrs
* enough sunny days - from reading Portland posts, this bothers some and not others
* mountains AND trees (i like foliage)
* affordable to buy house in/near the woods or buy land and build log cabin (up to $300K)
* city conveniences within 30 minutes
* local bars, restaurants, boutiques
* 25-35 year olds - able to make friends around my age

My bf and I are very active ppl. Our favorite things are going to music venues/festivals, movies, hiking, biking, rafting, snowboarding, trying new restaurants, but we want a cabin in the woods with a fireplace and a nice yard for our dog...

Would Portland be a good fit? I'm wondering if the gloom would be worth it...

THANKS!
Lola
ps. I tried to do Advance Searches but didn't find enough info...

[Venusian_Artist]

From what you've listed, I think the only part you'd have a problem with is the lack of sun. Everything else, I think you can find in Portland.

The lack of sunlight is a big deal here. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Everyone I've ever known who moved here from a sunny location and thought it wouldn't bother them, has found out the hard way that they were wrong.

I've never known anyone who suffered from SAD that could get by with just vitamins and sunlamps. Someone will probably chime in to combat my statements--for the attention of contrarian spotlight, if nothing else. However, sunlight is something you have to take into consideration, if you take it for granted where you live currently.

But, as you've stated, there are a lot of other reasons to choose Portland. So you will have to weigh the pros and cons.

For me, I just schedule several vacations in the winter that take me to sunny locations. That works for me.

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by lolavanatta

Wants/Needs:

* enough sunny days - from reading Portland posts, this bothers some and not others.

But does it bother you?! Seeing as how you find Pittsburgh on the gloomy side, enough so not to want to return, I wonder why you even have PDX on your long list. PDX is for sure as gloomy as Pittsburgh and none of the PDXers that love it there say otherwise. What is said (and is true) is that PDX is no more (or less) cloudy (in winter) than a great many other places that do not get a reputation for being depressive environments.

H

[bobmulk]

I don't believe that it rains as much as people say. I think it's all perception. I've been trying to pay attention to how much sun we get and I've been pleasantly surprised at the number of sunny days we get in winter. And when spring comes, we get even more--we'll get days of rain with the sun coming out for awhile and then some clouds coming in. Don't be deceived--it isn't gray and gloomy all the time. For some people it can seem like it. And sometimes it can get dreary even for a native like myself.

However, when spring comes and everything starts to bloom, all is forgiven. And summer! Don't get me started. Our summers are glorious. Little humidity. Few oppressively hot days. Just awesome. Autumn has a wonderful Indian summer that usually lasts into November, with occasional rain.

As for everything else you've described, Portland fits to a tee.

Good luck.

[Venusian_Artist]

Originally Posted by bobmulk

I don't believe that it rains as much as people say. I think it's all perception.

It's not the rain, Bob, it's the lack of sunlight. Rain-wise, PDX ain't all that different than say, New York or Dallas.

I've been trying to pay attention to how much sun we get and I've been pleasantly surprised at the number of sunny days we get in winter.

I think you might be fighting an uphill battle on this one. This winter has had a lot of sun, but that's pretty atypical.

I've noticed that "debunking" Portland's winters seems to be your cause. Go for it. But do please still recognize that you're having to embark on such an endeavor because a LOT of people don't see it your way.

Don't be deceived--it isn't gray and gloomy all the time. For some people it can seem like it. And sometimes it can get dreary even for a native like myself.

I love Portland. But most years are at least six months of overcast skies, minus the occasional break through. It's a reputation that's well deserved.

https://pics2.city-data.com/w7/cld18094.png (broken link)

And summer! Don't get me started. Our summers are glorious. Little humidity. Few oppressively hot days. Just awesome.

Agreed. In all my travels, I've never seen a more beautiful sight than Portland in the summer. It is truly magical.

[Tesaje]

For comparison, the Baltimore area gets about 60% of the available sunshine every month of the year. PDX gets 30% of the available sunshine during the gloomy part of the year and 70% during the summer. Also, during the dark of the year, PDX is about 5 degrees further north than BWI so the day length is shorter (and longer in summer).

Only you can tell if this is bad for you. I always think that people who list sunny days as a must are probably not going to like the frequent cloud cover in the Pac NW.

[lolavanatta]

where did you get that neat cloudy day chart?! i'd lilke to compare other cities with that thing.

i don't think i'm going to get a good idea unless i make the move. maybe we'll just rent for a year and see if all the pros out way the cons for us...

See below: looks like Pittsburgh is gloomier than Portland. I also read on "****.com" that Portland gets less rain than Baltimore, Atlanta and Houston.

Compare citiesHousingEducationQuality of lifeLeisure and cultureWeatherMeet the neighbors
RankCityAnnual precip.
(inches)Area clear daysHigh temp
in July °FLow temp
in Jan °FRemove Pittsburgh, PA37.781684.5°19.8°Remove Portland, OR43.161978.9°36.7°Remove Baltimore, MD43.592990.6°29.4°Remove St. Augustine, FL47.422688.9°45.6°

[lolavanatta]

Hopefully this shows up better

Compare cities
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FinancialHousingEducationQuality of lifeLeisure and cultureWeatherHealthMeet the neighbors
RankCityAnnual precip.
(inches)Area clear daysHigh temp
in July °FLow temp
in Jan °FRemove Pittsburgh, PA37.781684.5°19.8°Remove Portland, OR43.161978.9°36.7°Remove Baltimore, MD43.592990.6°29.4°Remove St. Augustine, FL47.422688.9°45.6°

[lolavanatta]

darn - maybe this link:

MONEY Magazine: Best places to live 2007: Compare tool

[Venusian_Artist]

The chart comes from this site. Just leave the forum section. Here's the direct link.