looking for best place to live in washington state that resembles country living (Goldendale: sale, lease)

[509]

Actually, they are defined as METRO areas by the US Census.

One reason to stay away from them is METRO areas tend to come with a lot of baggage like vehicle inspections, outside burning bans, restrictions on animals and so on.

[mews]

I live in Randle, WA and find it is sunnier with less rain than other areas of Western Washington I have lived in. It is rural and has forests, lakes, rivers. There are some residential areas but it is a small rural town.
Mews

[cjg5]

Stehekin and Lucerne are practically off grid if that's what you're looking for. Winthrop is a very nice place. White Salmon too. Just a couple of off the top of my head ideas there.

[j_k_k]

Whitstran. Rural, near Prosser (a pleasant town), and near enough to Tri-Cities for necessary urban amenities, but still quite country. Sun shines a lot.

[cjg5]

Or Cle Elum. Not too far a drive to either Seattle or Wenatchee, but slow pace and a ton of outdoor activity year round.

[yip812]

Originally Posted by 509

Just for the record. Eastern Washington has more metro areas than western washington and its population is just slightly more urban than western washington.

Ok....

I live right smack in the middle of the Columbia Basin and we have small towns and slightly larger small towns, surrounded by cows, crops, rednecks, and meth labs.

[Dawlfin]

As far as some of the places in Eastern WA I would not recommend Yakima or the Tri-Cities. I'd suggest maybe some areas in Okanogan County or Chelan County, where there are few metro areas and a lot of great outdoor stuff. Anyplace by beautiful Lake Wannacutt or some areas in the northeastern part of the state would have just the feeling you want.

[bad apples]

Originally Posted by yip812

Ok....

I live right smack in the middle of the Columbia Basin and we have small towns and slightly larger small towns, surrounded by cows, crops, rednecks, and meth labs.

This is why I left.

[CarawayDJ]

I'd say Sequim or Whidbey Island. South Whidbey is country, intellectual, and just a short ferry ride away from urban. Even though I'm not in the best weather area of Whidbey, I absolutely have better/sunnier weather than on the mainland. While some will point out that ALL of Western Washington is gray and drizzly for a good part of the year, the sunnier microclimates absolutely make a noticeable difference. A rainy day in Seattle usually means a drizzly day here. A drizzly day in Seattle usually means sun breaks with isolated showers here. Dark gray clouds in Seattle are brighter here. Yeah, go east of the Cascades for truly sunny weather, but you can absolutely get appreciably sunnier weather in Western Washington too.

[RotseCherut]

Come up here to the North Country.. We are real friendly country folk up here..