Sandpoint, ID / Vancouver

[gibbons]

My wife and I are starting to think about making a move. We're thinking about a place to live about 6 months out of the year. We are focused on outdoor activities, a sense of community, and a live-and-let-live attitude.

One of the places we think is interesting is Sandpoint, Idaho. We're also interested in learning more about Vancouver. Any general info you can provide on either place would be great. We know very little about either of them.

Thanks,

Chip

 

[woodstock]

I don't know tons about Vancouver, but, I spent 3 days there last year (as well as the rest of the week on Vancouver Island) and I still think of the area. It's high on my list of places to consider a move if/when I become so inclined. stunning scenery and friendly people.

 

[Ghery]

My wife and I are starting to think about making a move. We're thinking about a place to live about 6 months out of the year. We are focused on outdoor activities, a sense of community, and a live-and-let-live attitude.

One of the places we think is interesting is Sandpoint, Idaho. We're also interested in learning more about Vancouver. Any general info you can provide on either place would be great. We know very little about either of them.

Thanks,

Chip

OK, which Vancouver? Vancouver, Washington? Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)? Vancouver Island (also part of BC, Canada)? Sorry, but we have that confusion around here all the time.

Sandpoint is nice. You've got the lake right there for summer activities and the ski area in the winter. You said 6 months out of the year, but you didn't say which 6 months.

Vancouver, Washington is right across the Columbia river from Portland, Oregon. Living and working in Vancouver has the advantage of no state income tax (Washington) and a no sales tax state (Oregon) right over the river. Washington does not have a separate pilot registration (any more, done away with last year), Oregon does.

Summers in northern Idaho or western Washington state are fantastic. Not overly hot, no humidity to speak of and reasonable VFR weather most of the time. Winters, on the other hand, will ground you as often as not. Even with an IFR ticket the ice machine around here makes flying in the clouds less than fun.

Oh, and Vancouver has Mt. St. Helens right in its backyard.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

My dad lives on V. Is. and he likes it.
these are excerpts of some conversations of late:
Lots of retirees
Tourism is very strong
Logging and fishing both the traditional income sources are in the sewer
His property values have almost tripled in a handful of years
Climate is temperate much less hot in summer, no blizzards in winter. Theyve had years of raging fires and last winter was miserably wet and cold.
People are fun and they are always active, esp seniors. When I get off the phone Janet and I laugh about how he is, at 79, dancing, zooming around on a motorscooter, playing baseball ("but we don't play hard Dave, no sliding and stuff like that").
I think he found a great place.
Aviation is not that great there according to him; $$$ and the Victoria airspace seems intrusive - also kind of hemmed in by the mountains

 

[gibbons]

OK, which Vancouver? Vancouver, Washington? Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)? Vancouver Island (also part of BC, Canada)? Sorry, but we have that confusion around here all the time.

Ah, I should have been more specific. I was referring to Vancouver, BC - but we're open to suggestions.

Sandpoint is nice. You've got the lake right there for summer activities and the ski area in the winter. You said 6 months out of the year, but you didn't say which 6 months.

True enough. We would like to wind up with two places to live. We want a "winter sports / nice mild summer" place and a "summer sports / nice mild winter place". The other place will likely be close to our family here in Arkansas, although the "mild winter" criteria doesn't really apply. We are thinking that we'll commute back and forth a few times each year, enjoying each season at each place.

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Chip

 

[Tom-D]

Do You have a price range in mind?

I fly in Vancouver airspace often and find it quite easy. But the city is horrible, and known locally as little Vietnam.

If I were to move, Courtney Bay B.C. would be on my short list. It's half way up Vancouver Is. near Comox. and on the leeward side of the Island, and has a great harbor, and airport.

 

[woodstock]

Do You have a price range in mind?

I fly in Vancouver airspace often and find it quite easy. But the city is horrible, and known locally as little Vietnam.

If I were to move, Courtney Bay B.C. would be on my short list. It's half way up Vancouver Is. near Comox. and on the leeward side of the Island, and has a great harbor, and airport.

really? horrible? I thought it was delightful.

the whole area is so beautiful though, you could live anywhere along there. I really liked Van Isle.

 

[Everskyward]

really? horrible? I thought it was delightful.

I like Vancouver, BC too. It reminds me somewhat of San Francisco (including the multiculturalism) only with mountains.

Sandpoint is beautiful too, especially lake Pend Oreille, but it's pretty isolated. The nearest somewhat-big city is Spokane. Guess it depends what you are looking for.

 

[judypilot]

The only place I have ever had a crime perpetrated against me was in Vancouver, BC. So much for the US being high crime and Canada being low. Of course, I do know that one incident doth not a statistic make, but I always thought that was pretty ironic.

It really depends on what you want. Idaho is nice. Low taxes, friendly people, laissez-faire libertarianism, and Sandpoint is a small town. Vancouver, BC, is high taxes, friendly people, in-your-race liberalism, and it's a city.

Judy

 

[Tom-D]

The younger sailors I work with go to Vancouver BC on weekends, 5 have had their cars stolen, 3 have been mugged.

Traffic during rush hours is a parking lot mess. Smog is really bad up there also.

BUT, on the other hand, Victoria on Vancouver Is, is beautiful.

If you are looking for an area that has no killer weather, look at the northern Puget Sound. Winter temps are seldom below freezing, summer temps are rarely above 90. The San Juan Is are in the rain shadow of Vancouver Is, and Whidbey Is is in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, we average 22 inches of rain per year.

The best kept sking secret is less that an hour drive. They quit sking last weekend with 270 inches of snow for the season. (snow burried the lift twice this year)

Every town or city around here has a marina and an airport. EAA is alive and well here with several chapters, Boating and fishing are great all over the area, and medical facilities are second to none.

Housing is starting to get expensive. My house (1350 square feet, in town)was $85k in 1987, now would sell quickly at $340k. unapproved land is 35k per acre on the island.

John L. Scott reality has a web page of listings for your shopping pleasure, as does Windmere reality, and several others.

Most of the out Island pilots have a car stached at AWO, or Skagit Reagonal, or BLI, and do their shopping in bulk at Cosco, in Burlington, Arlington, or Bellingham.

Got questions? PM me for phone numbers

 

[Tom-D]

I like Vancouver, BC too. It reminds me somewhat of San Francisco (including the multiculturalism) only with mountains.

Sandpoint is beautiful too, especially lake Pend Oreille, but it's pretty isolated. The nearest somewhat-big city is Spokane. Guess it depends what you are looking for.

If I were required to live in Idaho, Bonners Ferry would be my choice.

 

[woodstock]

someday Tom, someday...

 

[flyersfan31]

My sister lives in Sandpoint. Beautiful place, great lake (but chilly - it's REALLY deep), great skiing just up the road at Schweizer Mtn. Plus you're a few hours from some great out-of-the-way skiing in Canada, such as Fernie.

I'd really love to live there, but no jobs to keep wife gainfully employed in her specialty. Very small town, pleasant community, no East Coast stress, but from what I understand Californians have been migrating northward, upsetting real estate prices and irritating locals. Kind of like the attitude you face as an outsider when you go to Maine. Silly, since almost everyone had to move there from somewhere! Even my sister pulls some attitude about the new arrivals, and she's only lived there 8 yrs or so.

Easy to get to, 1.5 hrs from Spokane, even in winter the drive is fine. In all, I love it. You probably would too.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Chip,

No direct experience, but... I had a friend who went through a divorce several years ago and he decided to pack his things into storage and go on a motorcycle tour of the US. His plan was to finish in San Diego (he had friends there), find a place to live and a job there, and then move his stuff.

Well, after seeing a very large portion of the US by motorcycle, he arrived in San Diego one evening, hung out with his friends the following day, and on the third day realized that SoCal was not for him. So, he hopped back on his motorcycle.

Fast forward past the ride all the way up the PCH... He decided to jump on the ferry to Victoria, BC and liked it so much there that he stayed.

BTW, be sure to check out Tillamook, OR as well. I haven't visited on the ground, but from the air it looked like a little piece of heaven. (Yes, there is an airport there.) Just a sleepy little valley right on the Pacific, isolated by mountains but probably only a 45-min drive or a very short flight from Portland:

 

[Ghery]

BTW, be sure to check out Tillamook, OR as well. I haven't visited on the ground, but from the air it looked like a little piece of heaven. (Yes, there is an airport there.) Just a sleepy little valley right on the Pacific, isolated by mountains but probably only a 45-min drive or a very short flight from Portland:

Not just an airport, an airport with a great museum on the field. In a WWII blimp hangar. Haven't been there in 10 years. Time to go back.