# Portland vs. Seattle



## backwardsraft (Jun 4, 2009)

I may be biased as I grew up close to Portland but I would say Portland is better. Good selection of rivers and creeks within a reasonable drive, especially if you live on the east side somewhere.


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## Meng (Oct 25, 2003)

I asked this question here, on Prof Paddle AND some Oregon forum last year. I'm sure youll get some replies but searching those would get you more opinions. From what I can tell, you cant really go wrong...


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## mattoak (Apr 29, 2013)

My gf is interested in heading out to seattle for work as well. I'm a 3-4 boater, will I be just as happy as on the front range, or even happier with the much longer season?


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

Whichever ya choose, say goodbye to the blue sky for a BIG chunk of the year.
But who cares if you're kayaking, right... ?


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## rbrain (Aug 30, 2010)

Just got back from an Oregon trip. 2 things I noticed about this state. 
1. Oregon likes slow speed limits. You can be on a straight away in the middle of nowhere and they'll keep you at 45 to 55 MPH. 
2. Oregon doesn't believe you are competent enough to pump your own gas. So you sit and wait for someone to do it for you. 

Maybe 1 and 2 are related in some way...not sure. Anyway, lot's of river options from what I saw. I ran portions of the deschutes and some stuff off the west slopes of Hood. Although the water was a bit low right now around Hood I thought.

Oh and traffic blows in Portland. But it also blows in Seattle so pick your poison.


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

But the traffic also blows in SLC, Boise, Flagstaff, anywhere along I-25 or I-70, Bend, or any other towns that designed their highways 40-50 years ago. So you should take that factor out of the decision making process or you'll end up in...


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## rbrain (Aug 30, 2010)

DoStep said:


> But the traffic also blows in SLC, Boise, Flagstaff, anywhere along I-25 or I-70, Bend, or any other towns that designed their highways 40-50 years ago. So you should take that factor out of the decision making process or you'll end up in...


Nah...traffic in SLC can get bad but it doesn't come close to Seattle or Portland (yet).


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

rbrain said:


> Nah...traffic in SLC can get bad but it doesn't come close to Seattle or Portland (yet).


This is true. And while Boise has it's moments nothing like the Seattle Portland thing. SLC isn't bad either. Sucks sometimes is not the same as sucking for two hours anytime day or night. Or so it seems to this country bumpkin.


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## Yonder_River (Feb 6, 2004)

Some Portland pros would be better boating scene and lw/ws is close by, less traffic, slightly lower cost of living. 

Some Seattle pros would bigger mountains, along with the winter rains there is also a lot of snowmelt runs in the spring/summer, vastly superior skiing if that matters to you, imo a cooler, much prettier city with more going on, way better for career advancement. 

Not sure which of those you prefer, but you can't go wrong with either..well unless you need sunlight in the late fall/winter/early spring time of the year.  Interestingly enough it's like a desert up here in the summer. The last two months have been between 75 and 85 and sunny everyday.


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## flygolf65 (Nov 21, 2008)

rbrain said:


> Nah...traffic in SLC can get bad but it doesn't come close to Seattle or Portland (yet).


Last month I was in Portland looking for Andy and Bax to check out rafting gear. Heading north on I-5 I needed to go east on highway 26. Instead of one right turn it was left, left, right, right, right. Fun. 

Wayne


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## Dersu76 (May 24, 2010)

We've been contemplating this for some time. Have lived in Seattle for four years and loved it. Been going back to visit family there for a long time too and started boating there more recently on trips. If you like playboating one thing to consider is that Seattle is much closer to Skookumchuck; particularly if you live in the northern end of Seattle. Also late summer creeking northward in BC is supposed to be great. It may come down to simple work/lifestyle choices. As they say about boats, maybe demo first? 

Kinda outta date, but PP thread on the topic:
Professor Paddle: Living to Boat in the Pacific NW


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## laterwagged (Sep 29, 2011)

flygolf65 said:


> Last month I was in Portland looking for Andy and Bax to check out rafting gear. Heading north on I-5 I needed to go east on highway 26. Instead of one right turn it was left, left, right, right, right. Fun.
> 
> Wayne


/hijack C'mon now...Getting lost because you don't know your way around is no reflection on a city.

If you went east on 26 - you made a mistake. I-5 exit for I-84/Water Avenue /OMSI puts you about 10 blocks and two left turns from Andy & Bax.

/endhijack


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## slickhorn (Dec 15, 2005)

I'm from pdx; currently living in seattle. 

pdx is unique. Andy and Bax, the gorge scene, all the great multiday rafting in the state. PDX seems to be a bit more rafting oriented than seattle. 

I'd say the gorge has the edge for creeking destination.

but I think seattle wins for selection. the olympic peninsula has everything from scenic floats to epic wilderness cross country exploratory. you are 2 hours from BC and there is so much to do up there. 

both areas have vibrant kayaker communites. But sea has world class organizations like the mountaineers, and a lifetime of sea kayaking to explore too. 

I love pdx, but for me, living 20 min from a 15 mile IV road-less gorge (green river gorge) is just the best.


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## upshitscreek (Oct 21, 2007)

flygolf65 said:


> . Instead of one right turn it was left, left, right, right, right. Fun.


this made me laugh. 18 years of living in colorado, i never had the urge to buy a GPS for driving. 3-4 spread out,easy turns, i could be across the state at a put in or trailhead. up here, two weeks after the move , i bought one due to all left, left, right, right, right stuff. over two+ years later, i still use the hell out of it on allot of trips. 

fwiw, it's a cool place to live,boat,add sea kayaking in on things do,hike,climb,ect but i look forward to moving back to CO at some point too. it's been fun to have a new backyard to explore for a break but you know you've been here too long when you go "damn, i'm melting today!", look at the thermometer and it's 71 degrees. wtf?


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## Cbishop1 (Jun 19, 2012)

*thanks*

Great stuff guys. Keep it coming. I'm in the process of getting my teaching license in both states. I will apply to schools in both places. Hopefully I will have a choice  I don't suppose any of you are teachers or principals?


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

Cbishop1 said:


> Great stuff guys. Keep it coming. I'm in the process of getting my teaching license in both states. I will apply to schools in both places. Hopefully I will have a choice  I don't suppose any of you are teachers or principals?


PDX would allow for living in either state and teaching in either state. I'm not sure of specifics, but you should be able to take advantage of property vs. income tax disparities between the two states, and OR has no sales tax.

And yes, PDX is known for difficult highway navigation, no real grid to speak of west of the Willamette. If you miss an exit or are in the wrong lane at the wrong time, enjoy the tour!


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## Spanky (May 6, 2012)

Go with Portland more sun overall.

Portland = You get a summer and you can hit all the Southern Washington stuff, dirve to seattle area if you want to.

Seattle = It rains until July 5th (It's a local joke)

When I lived in Seattle, we would always drive down to Hood River in the summer to enjoy some warmer weather.


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## rivers2run (Jun 7, 2012)

If it makes any difference Washington has no income tax and Oregon has no sales tax. Portland has a much better light rail system, and it is extremely bike friendly.


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## laterwagged (Sep 29, 2011)

DoStep said:


> ...
> 
> And yes, PDX is known for difficult highway navigation, no real grid to speak of west of the Willamette. If you miss an exit or are in the wrong lane at the wrong time, enjoy the tour!


Not that I care whether or not people move to Portland OR Seattle...but misinformation is misinformation.

PDX (the city) west of the Willamette (Downtown) is exclusively a grid until you head to the south, which is a grid until the borders with Beaverton and Multnomah Village. Numbered streets run North and South, named streets run East and West. Are you including Beaverton in your comment? That would disqualify your advice immediately.

Your comment about missing an exit or being in the wrong land applies to pretty much any city over 100K. The fact is that mountains and rivers are inconvenient barriers to transportation, places that have them (like Portland) have issues that surround them. This community seems to be pretty OK with mountains and rivers so I would imagine the related transportation issues are ok too.










Ever been to Portland?


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## JIMM (Nov 3, 2009)

*PDX vs Seatt*

I lived in PDX for a year a long time back. Loved it.Have visited seatt several times more recently on my way to BC and liked it a lot too. I think the one deciding factor in favour of Seatt is the closer proximity to southern BC with its fab, relatively speaking, late season boating.

Compared to New England here, either place is like an aquatic paradise.


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

laterwagged said:


> Ever been to Portland?


Schooled in Eugene and still have family and friends in P-town, none of which live in a gridded area. Been there lots of times, but not enough to understand the lay-o-the-land. Thing is, I grew up on front range, and there was always the mountains to the west or the sun overhead to help stay oriented, neither is common in PDX. I am one who generally has a good fix on my whereabouts and not prone to getting lost, but that place gets me every time, and I usually have someone to drive me around and not miss critical exits. Love it there, and perhaps I should have explained that part a little more. So not really misinformation, just not enough on my part...

My only experience in Seattle was a Who concert in the early 80's in the Kingdome, so no help there. The Clash opened. 

I suppose the OP would be well off in either place.


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## mattoak (Apr 29, 2013)

I cant say I've been persuaded either way if i look to move out there. reading all the complaints about difficulty to navigate the highway systems, traffic, getting disoriented, rain, etc gives me an almost comforting feeling that I would feel right at home.... I grew up in nj. I cant imagine anything, except DC, being worse than that. I can see how it would be horrible for someone not used to it though.


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## Dersu76 (May 24, 2010)

mattoak said:


> I cant imagine anything, except DC, being worse than that.


 HEY! I take offense. Are you saying NJ is better than DC?!?


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

mattoak said:


> I cant say I've been persuaded either way if i look to move out there. reading all the complaints about difficulty to navigate the highway systems, traffic, getting disoriented, rain, etc gives me an almost comforting feeling that I would feel right at home.... I grew up in nj. I cant imagine anything, except DC, being worse than that. I can see how it would be horrible for someone not used to it though.


Haven't live either place but Seattle seems like the bridges cluster things up in a special way. Like sitting on a bridge not moving. At all. For 45 minutes. 

Portland just sends me in circles and one ways and then lost I am.


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## Max's Dad (Jan 5, 2010)

If you are moving to the Pacific NW, you have to consider moving to Vancouver, WA (nothern suburb of Portland) for the following financial reasons:
o Washington does not have an income tax.
o Oregon does not have a sales tax.

So living in Washington and buying all your stuff in Oregon will leave you with more $$$ for paddling.


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## LouisG (Aug 28, 2012)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMwCkZiEQ7A


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## mattoak (Apr 29, 2013)

Dersu76 said:


> HEY! I take offense. Are you saying NJ is better than DC?!?


Sorry that was too generalized. Regarding traffic, yes. There is nothing worse than traffic in/out and around DC


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## mattoak (Apr 29, 2013)

carvedog said:


> Haven't live either place but Seattle seems like the bridges cluster things up in a special way. Like sitting on a bridge not moving. At all. For 45 minutes.


If you mean around rush hour and certain times on the weekends, I'd say thats typical big city traffic. If its like that always, then that's another story and a huge pita


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## JCKeck1 (Oct 28, 2003)

Look the traffic blows. 

Portland has the LW.

Seattle has all of the other kayaking. If you want simply the best kayaking destination, Seattle wins. Hence, the reason I moved here (and the waaay better skiing). 

You can argue all the other finer points ad nauseum, but do they really matter? Either way, I've paddled in 8 countries, 30+ states, lived in the Rockies and SE, but the PacNW is the place to be if you want to kayak.

Joe


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## brandob9 (Jun 13, 2010)

I don't think you can go too wrong. The choice level of the boating here is such that the two crowds basically don't see each other. We already drive past so many great runs to get to another great run. We'll see those guys late in the summer at the border of the three-hour drive time windows, basically at the Ohane and Cispus. Otherwise, there are too many good rivers in a much smaller radius. 

For Portland, it is a solid 10-11 month season. We have better proximity to multi-day raft floats. Our traffic sucks, but generally only at the times you would expect it to suck. We can realistically get in an after work lap somewhere if you happen to be in downtown or east. 

Seattle has better access to BC, but much worse traffic over a longer portion of the day. You get paid more, but the cost of living is higher. Seattle has a bigger airport with better flights, if that matters to you. 

Most of the boating will be to the east, so favor your living to that side.


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## markb (Jul 16, 2008)

Portland is sunnier than Seattle. I drive between them all the time, and you can have full overcast in Seattle and get broken clouds with a little sun and blue once you're south of Olympia, but the reverse barely ever happens. You can get east 1-2 hours to sun from either, but way more glimpses of sun and full-on sunny days in Portland.


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