Member of the Month

hi_vis360
November, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Should I live in Seattle or Bellingham? Help!

profile picture
-dva-
Posts: 1530 - Karma: 23
After a round of interviews, it is my understanding that I'll probably be relocating to Washington for work in the very near future. Thing is, there are options in both Seattle and Bellingham that I'll probably have to choose between. I've been to Seattle a couple times before and loved it, but I've heard amazing things about Bellingham too. So I turn to you locals for help!

This is what I'm interested in:
Cheap housing. I'm going to be broke. Along the lines of subletting a room for $500/mo or less
Access to farmers market(s). I'm a big foodie.
Good public transportation and/or walkable/bikeable community
Access to hiking, parks, etc. Again, I'm going to be broke so free entertainment is key.
A fun city where it's easy to meet people in the 20-25 age range.
And of course, access to dope skiing. But given that I'm from PA, really anything is going to be a huge upgrade.

And if anyone wants/needs a housemate, in either of those places, holla back.
Aug 12 2009 10:05PM
0 0
profile picture
bigbuds
Posts: 651 - Karma: 41
B-ham for sure. I grew up in seattle but would relocate to B-ham in a heartbeat. Everything you listed is there. The question is do you want to live in the BIG city or live in a dope town?
Aug 12 2009 11:32PM
0 0
profile picture
charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 373
bellingham
Aug 13 2009 12:39AM
0 0
profile picture
wak_attack_542
Posts: 96 - Karma: 11
bellingham way more chill ppl and a better mountian, BAKER
Aug 13 2009 1:22AM
0 0
profile picture
erknz
Posts: 943 - Karma: 256

This is what I'm interested in:

Cheap housing. I'm going to be broke. Along the lines of subletting a room for $500/mo or less

Probably not going to happen IN Seattle, but the surrounding areas are less expensive, however if you are working in Seattle, the commute WILL suck.

In Bellingham it would be hard to find a place to live that would be over $500.

Access to farmers market(s). I'm a big foodie.

Seattle has millions more options in terms of farmer's markets and ANYTHING that has ANYTHING to do with any sort of culture. Bellingham has a market, but it is nothing spectacular.

Good public transportation and/or walkable/bikeable community.

Both are excellent for short to medium distances.

Access to hiking, parks, etc. Again, I'm going to be broke so free entertainment is key.

Both are excellent, however Seattle will involve a few more minutes of travel to said hiking, parks.

A fun city where it's easy to meet people in the 20-25 age range.

Depends on who you're looking to meet. Bellingham is full of poser ass hippies (Brett McChesney), white trash thugs (Jordan Bergeson), "college" kids (Zach Davison). The Seattle area, being populated by 3.4 some million people, has a wider variety. I guess with any situation it all depends on who you are and what you like and this will usually determine the people you will being kicking with.

And of course, access to dope skiing. But given that I'm from PA, really anything is going to be a huge upgrade.

Seattle is the best place to live for skiing. CRYSTAL IS THE BEST RESORT IN WASHINGTON and that is two hours away, Snoqulmie is one hour, Stevens is about 2, and Baker is 3. From Bellingham: Baker is 1:15, Whistler is 3 hours, Stevens is about 2:30, and Snoqualmie is a 2 hour drive.
Aug 13 2009 6:58PM
0 0
profile picture
erknz
Posts: 943 - Karma: 256
credibility: i've lived in seattle for 20+ years and in bellingham for five.
Aug 13 2009 7:48PM
0 0
profile picture
-dva-
Posts: 1530 - Karma: 23
wow dude, thank you. still so torn. i'm hoping that when they call on monday i only get offered one of the positions so i don't have to make the decision myself.

another question, how do season pass rates compare between baker, stevens, snoqualmie and crystal?
Aug 13 2009 8:22PM
0 0
profile picture
Scott22~
Posts: 649 - Karma: 10
baker 625 stevens 500 crystal 800 sno/alp 360. Plus WA sales tax.

Im a college student + pass renewal so stevens is 300 bucks for me. Cha-ching!~
Aug 13 2009 9:29PM
0 0
profile picture
cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,684
Steven's is 500 if you can get a referral, which any of us would be happy to provide. otherwise it is 850,
Snoqual is $360 untill the 15th of sept, when it then goes up.
another option is the $480 which includes 5 days at crystal, so $25 a day at crystal, which is a good deal if you can get to crystal.
there is also the L-T-D pass which is the same as a normal pass except you can not ski alpental on weekends. and I don't recomend skiing snoqualmie on weekends (see grant and my comments on chairlift lines in some other thread). Hour plus waits are not unheard of.
Crystal is 800, which is essentially a snoqual pass too since they don't really keep track of the number of days @ snoqual. goes up to 900 at the end of oct. These prices came down from last season.

Stevens is the best deal I think, although if I lived closer and was not in college I would be very tempted to spend the extra 300 for a crystal pass, since it really is amazing, but if you know your way around stevens you can find stuff that is just about as awesome, its just harder to get to/find. The one thing that tends to push me away from spending money at crystal is that they do like to close down their good terrain for a few weeks when they have good snow so film companies (re: Warren Miller) can film pretty girl Ms. Backstrom and others.

Aug 14 2009 2:41AM
0 0
profile picture
sdfjklioeur
Posts: 2082 - Karma: 114
Of all reasons not to like crystal this seems to make the least sense. crowds, racer pricks, overzealous ski patrol, lack of a park, wastes money on digging a pipe then doesn't maintain it.

on the plus side the terrain is epic and theres a shit ton of it. gets skied out in a second unless its a weekday.

come to baker and slow roast all day
Aug 14 2009 4:49AM
0 0
profile picture
sdfjklioeur
Posts: 2082 - Karma: 114
shit forgot about all the rain. my bad
Aug 14 2009 4:51AM
0 0
profile picture
cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,684
Its my way of not supporting practices that I don't approve of.
I don't like the way they run the place, and so I chose not to support it. Just like some hippies don't support nike because they use sweatshop labor.
Aug 14 2009 4:55AM
0 0
profile picture
Jeff_Thomas
Posts: 3144 - Karma: 184
Listen to that old man named Erich. hes a wise Owl

But also as a guy from near by and living in Seattle right now...spent many many a moons in Bellingham...Baker and Bellingham are great.

Plus, close enough to get to Vancouver Canada...more skiing, and more night skiing. If your funds ever go above being broke.
Aug 14 2009 12:28PM
0 0
profile picture
j.bird
Posts: 6680 - Karma: 15
white trash thuggin till I die. i'm actually moving next to the trailer park next to yo house. I havent decided to move *into* it yet, but i think they're warming up to me...
Aug 14 2009 1:03PM
0 0
profile picture
sdfjklioeur
Posts: 2082 - Karma: 114
well yea crystal mountain management=snow nazis. it sucks tho cuz they make so much money off of gapers that they dont really give a shit about anyone but their weekend warriors.
Aug 14 2009 2:10PM
0 0
profile picture
-dva-
Posts: 1530 - Karma: 23
thanks for everyone's input. when it came down to it, i knew i'd be happy either place, so i committed to bellingham since the job opening there was a little more appealing. for those who kick it there and ski at baker, i look forward to raging the west coast with all of you.
Aug 14 2009 6:52PM
0 0
profile picture
Schoening
Posts: 14332 - Karma: 1,268
no doubt haha
Aug 14 2009 7:19PM
0 0
profile picture
bmcchesney
Posts: 217 - Karma: 21
^^^ and Seattle is full of collar popping chad's(Kohl Schoening).
Aug 15 2009 3:36PM
0 0
profile picture
Deletedtoday
Posts: 4060 - Karma: 398
forget bham and sea.

go to shelton shits poppin
Aug 15 2009 4:58PM
0 0
profile picture
erknz
Posts: 943 - Karma: 256
you should probably contact bmcches about getting proform on boundary bay hoodies. its best you get one (or more) before you move, it will help your hazing process. see you soon!
Aug 16 2009 4:14PM
0 0
profile picture
cfox
Posts: 2286 - Karma: 40
downtown sea=awesomeness
Aug 16 2009 5:15PM
0 0
profile picture
Fatal
Posts: 22 - Karma: 10
You made the right choice. One of us...
Aug 31 2009 6:40PM
0 0
profile picture
j.bird
Posts: 6680 - Karma: 15
lolz
Sep 1 2009 9:52PM
0 0
profile picture
mtbakerteacher
Posts: 4185 - Karma: 20
hahaha
Sep 16 2009 12:50PM
0 0
profile picture
-dva-
Posts: 1530 - Karma: 23
my first meal in b-ham was at boundary bay, and it was pretty awesome, i have to say. however, for the time being i think my investments are better spent in buying their beer than their sweatshirts
Sep 16 2009 9:28PM
0 0
profile picture
erknz
Posts: 943 - Karma: 256
haha!
Sep 17 2009 12:16AM
0 0
profile picture
dooner
Posts: 4796 - Karma: 75
I regret in advance for the use of this somewhat politically incorrect term, but there are also a hefty handful of "art fags" (Erich Kunz) in Bellingham that you may see up on the hill one or two times during the season, but who prefer spending the majority of their time in their rooms with the door locked...

...drawing homo things.
Sep 17 2009 5:27PM
0 0
profile picture
Dukeybrains
Posts: 1030 - Karma: 11
Really? what part?

I've always thought it was pretty lame
Sep 17 2009 8:42PM
0 0
profile picture
Dukeybrains
Posts: 1030 - Karma: 11
I hope by now you've sampled some of the fine cannabis Bellingham has to offer.
Sep 17 2009 8:44PM
0 0
profile picture
erknz
Posts: 943 - Karma: 256
i'd think you would have noticed, but i went through my holden stage two years ago.
Sep 18 2009 2:08PM
0 0
profile picture
j.bird
Posts: 6680 - Karma: 15
don't worry Erich, Bretts holden stage is just starting. You're so far ahead of the curve dude. I can only fear the newest trend you're gonna set this year
Sep 18 2009 4:49PM
0 0
profile picture
erknz
Posts: 943 - Karma: 256
http://www.spokane7.com/blogs/soundwave/images/20080320_juggalo3.jpg
Sep 18 2009 5:47PM
0 0
profile picture
-dva-
Posts: 1530 - Karma: 23
god, i went to the royal with my housemates tonight and it suuuuucked. maybe its just because i'm wasted, but oi. not expecting that scene in b-ham.
Sep 19 2009 4:35AM
0 0
profile picture
j.bird
Posts: 6680 - Karma: 15
Your housemates don't seem too cool then.

The royal is the shiitiest bar in bellingham. By far. Thats where all the white trash, Lummi indians, dirty hood rat girls, and pimps/prostitutes roll.

I would recomend the copper hog because the beer and food is fucking awesome, lots of room, and not so many chads.

Boundary Bay is good, but gets realllll crowded, and there is a lot of too cool scenesters there.

As gay as it sounds, I've had a couple fun nights at Rammers, the gay bar next to boundary bay. They pour super stiff, and the crowd that comes in is more than entertaining.

The up and up is pretty much designated as the WWU bar, completely full of college kids, but the beer is shitty, and if you want something other than PBR it's not very cheap.

Kaps or Caps or whatever it is is aight, really small, kinda spendy, only been there a few times.

The ranch room smells like a dirty fucking bowling alley with 200 years worth of nicotine on the walls. That being said, the drinks are stiff, cheap, and the crowd is really entertaining (normally old, fat, and semi-handicapped). The food is huge dishes, but I havent dared to eat anything from there yet.

I guess thats all the bars right near downtown. There is a lot of dive places scattered throughout town.

I'm still  drawing up the business plans to open the first strip club in town. I'm gonna strike it rich...


Sep 19 2009 4:08PM
0 0
profile picture
-dva-
Posts: 1530 - Karma: 23
haha that was my exact read on the place. i don't remember how we got talked into going, but we were at boundary bay, which was chill, and then some slut wanted to go dancing. oh well, now i know better.
Sep 19 2009 4:58PM
0 0
profile picture
erknz
Posts: 943 - Karma: 256
A) How that fuck is that a bad thing?

B) You left out the bowling alley, itself. Best drinking establishment in town.
Sep 19 2009 11:03PM
0 0
profile picture
mccsteezy
Posts: 1170 - Karma: 38
potato burrito at the horseshoe is the best thing you can eat at 2am. go do it
Sep 19 2009 11:26PM
0 0
profile picture
coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
easy pickings
Sep 20 2009 12:17AM
0 0
profile picture
-dva-
Posts: 1530 - Karma: 23
i don't know man, my buffalo chicken pita from the pit was pretty fucking dank. i don't see how it could get better than that...
Sep 20 2009 1:14AM
0 0
profile picture
j.bird
Posts: 6680 - Karma: 15
ah yess. The Bowling alley.

And I never said the nicotine was a bad thing...
Sep 20 2009 2:00PM
0 0
profile picture
laughdamon
Posts: 1133 - Karma: 10
how can you leave out the beav?  thats the best place to start the night.
Sep 20 2009 2:54PM
0 0
profile picture
Mr.Panda
Posts: 17711 - Karma: 564
and the fact that the baker park tends to be shut down all the time and if it isnt its crowded as fuck with snowboarders?
Sep 28 2009 1:26PM
0 0
profile picture
-dva-
Posts: 1530 - Karma: 23
went to caps on friday, and it was pretty fun. really liked uisce (?) on saturday. a lot roomier and still pretty laid back.
Sep 28 2009 8:27PM
0 0
All times are Eastern (-5)