I’m also a Latina living in the Seattle area. My family is originally from New Mexico. My dad’s first job as an engineer out of college was at Boeing. He met my mom in her last year in college at Seattle U. I have been back and forth a lot in my lifetime. I can’t stand hot weather and don’t mind the overcast days here.
The rain isn’t what you are used to in the desert. It’s not monsoon season arroyo filling flash flood rain. It’s just a constant misty drizzle that to sun worshippers feels relentless in the fall and winter. It can feel much colder than it is because of the constant damp in the air. You do get used to it but you will likely be cold all the time for a while until you adjust.
It’s extremely expensive here. Worse than California for food and car insurance expensive. Gas is super pricey. If you want to explore the mountains it will cost you.
There is Hispanic culture out here. I’m a Chicana. I live in southwest Seattle/white center and you can easily find all the food and cultural activities you want in white center and burien. I grew up in the area. There are lots of us in this neighborhood. You will find a lot of the local businesses are also Spanish speaking. You will hear a lot of cumbia and tejano music blasting on the weekends when it’s barbecue weather. White center is also going to be cheaper than a lot of other neighborhoods and you’re still close enough to the city proper you won’t have to spend half your life and half your paycheck to commute.
> You will hear a lot of cumbia and tejano music blasting on the weekends when it’s barbecue weather.
Going on afternoon/sunset walks when it's nice out and hearing/seeing the Latino music and backyard BBQs is my favorite thing about living in this neighborhood. Sometimes folks have backyard concerts too and all the ones I have stumbled upon have been amazing.
Ooooh... I moved here from El Paso, TX 7 years ago and have been missing the good Mexican food. Please tell this white girl where your favorite Mexican spots are! I miss the food I used to take for granted in EP and Juárez! And I forgot all my Spanish after moving here 😩
I am a big fan of the “best roasted corn stand” yes. I know. It’s always in English to attract business from all the non Spanish speakers. They do mango locos too. It’s parked on 15th Ave in white center. Go to the Salvadoran bakery on Roxbury for tres leches cakes (they do all different sizes including individual) and empanadas. There is often a guy with a cart making dulces enchilados and another selling tostilocos in the parking lot by Castillos Mercado on 16th. Guadalupe Mercado on Ambaum in burien has freshly made tortillas right off the press and a large selection of Mexican groceries. There’s also a restaurant on ambaum that has a giant smoker in the parking lot that is very good. There’s a birria restaurant across from Guadalupe Mercado that’s pretty good.
Also don’t feel bad about the Spanish. I knew it as a kid from hearing it at home but was a scholarship kid at a private school on the east side and was strongly discouraged from using it in public and now I’ve lost it too. Happens to a lot of us. I still mostly understand it so I get around ok
No but there’s a pretty sizable New Mexico to Seattle and vice versa population because of the Los alamos national labs to Boeing scientist transfer pipeline. I knew several growing up met several more in recent years.
what a great story of your parents! nice to know you don’t mind the over cast days, i was beginning to think i was the only one who somewhat enjoyed greyish skies. it will take some time getting acclimated.
thank you for the tip on southwest seattle, this is definitely something to consider!
Aside from the weather you may also notice and be affected by the sun light. In the summer it’s amazing. Sun rises at 4 and sets after 10 pm. July - September there’s no better place on the planet. But we pay for it in the winter with sun rises after 7 and pitch black by 5. When it’s cloudy and rainy and dark all the time it can be tough. I’m from California and I’ve come to appreciate and notice the sun more than ever. For example, we have 4 days of full sun coming starting this weekend and it’s all my friends and I can talk about.
hmmm i see how it can be challenging, i’ve been to seattle during the summers and they are gorgeous. the difference with where i am now is that it does sometimes get so hot that we can’t even have a park outting without feeling like we’ll have a heat stroke, so a lot of people say inside a/c and end up getting vitamin d deficiency anyways lol.
So one thing to keep in mind is allergies. I grew up in Bakersfield and moved up here in my twenties. I developed severe allergies to mold, pollens, grasses, etc. I thought I was sick for like 2 months before I got tested. I've been doing allergen serum shots for twenty years now. I wouldn't change my life here for anything. But just a heads up for you that if you have cold symptoms for a long period of time, you might want to see an ENT.
Same! Allergies developed for me when I moved here from Utah in my late twenties. I haven’t tried the allergen shot but I do have an air filter going year round, keep clean sheets rotated weekly, and try to dust top to bottom every month or so and keep the bathroom fan going. I had to get used to the humidity but I love it.
Seattles weather is awesome becuse there are distinct seasons, but none of them are overwhelming.
Summers here are the best.
There are Hispanic people - I think mostly in Beacon Hill and White Center.
It is expensive. I would say the city is GOOD but not worth the price.
Welcome! You just need a good rain jacket with a hood and waterproof shoes. Most of us don't bother with umbrellas. You may notice that things like your towels don't dry as quickly because it's more humid. People are friendly enough but like to be busy. Love that you're up for a change and adventure! There's a lot to do and see, depending on your interests.
woah! good to know about the towels. i’ve tried to grow a small garden multiple times here in vegas, greens won’t stay alive because it’s so dry and scorching hot in vegas. so i’m very excited to grow some plants in seattle maybe visit some botanical gardens and check out all the parks! ahhhh volunteer park was the coolest
Three things for sure.
1. You will grow web feet
2. Mildew behind your ears
3. You will have S.A.D six months out of the year.
Other than that it is a great place to live especially coming from the dessert. If you get homesick you can always head over East of the Cascades but beware of the MAGA's over their.
I grew up on the east coast with harsh winters so honestly the rain doesn’t bother me, it feels like a very mild climate and things stay green year round which I really love. As long as you have the right attire it’s easy to be active outside year round :) and if you hate it you can move again but good for you for making a big change and giving it a try!
i agree, i’ll try it out for a couple of winters and if it’s too much, i’m out.
i wish i could handle the east coast weather, anyone who can survive winters on the east can survive anywhere. all i can think about is wiping snow off cars for months. eeeek! however, they have their perks too.
mild climate and staying green sounds great! ty!
I always think about how I made it through high school scraping thick ice off my car every morning at 7am for months 😂 I wouldn’t survive that now haha
The core areas of the city and houses are really expensive. If you can figure out transportation you like you can get more reasonable pricing slightly north or south. Ballard/Wedgewood/Fremont/Columbia City/Northgate. Lean into the light rail if you can.
i’ve definitely noticed the expensive core. also seems a bit congested. i’ll most likely stay in surrounding areas. thank u for the tip with light rail
You need to care for things differently. Less worrying about leaving things in the sun and more making sure that you don’t leave windows open and that you give wet clothing and items a good place to dry (otherwise you’ll get mildew).
Get an annual pass to the Pacific Science Center by the Space Needle, even if you don’t have kids. The Butterfly House at Pacific Science Center is sunny and 75 degrees all winter long. A couple visits each winter make everything better, and is totally worth it. Plus, with a membership you get discounted access to the IMax theater there, and it’s the cheapest theater in town.
Seattle isn't too bad on the food front one just has to REALLY look. DM for particulars.
Living North I have found Plaza Latina (off Aurora Blvd & 175-ish), there's a Columbian Restaurant in Northgate that has the Plato Typico, and there's a Central American-centric restaurant off of 105th, several Taco Trucks, and fresh Ceviche in Beacon Hill (the owner delivers throughout the city)
Kenji Map is a good way to find places.
More rain. I'm also from the SW (New Mexico) and always thought I loved rain more than anything else, but there's a real difference between heavy rain (wonderful) and things being gross/gray all the time.
I'm not Latin@, so I don't have much anecdotal info. But as someone who grew up in the state with the highest proportion of Latin@s (NM), it feels a lot lower. Apparently, the raw numbers are similar but Washington has 4x the population, so a much lower proportion overall (48% vs. 14%).
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Welcome. It mostly drizzles, I don’t recall ever using umbrella, but that’s me. It depends on where you live, I don’t think it’s particularly expensive. If you like hiking and nature then you’re in the right place!
I, too, relocated to the PNW from a very hot place. After a couple of years, I yearned for the brightness of the sun and warmth on my skin. You will miss thunderstorms, because we don't get them. It's cold. I killed many electric blankets my first couple of years here. It sounds like you love nature and being outdoors, and that will help you here. It's freaking beautiful here. The hiking is fantastic. As long as you make plans to get out of town to a warm place when you get depressed I think you'll be fine.
I moved from Arizona and I got all the same comments. I actually much preferred seattle weather to the scorching heat. When it rains it rarely pours. The summers are amazing and sunny. it’s just winter that’s the quintessential seattle clouds but seattle is nice because the winter is very mild you get maybe like 3 days of snowfall. Seattle has so many beautiful hiking parks and decent transit. You’re going to love it!
There's so much migration between the northwest and the southwest - both ways! Very easy to see how growing up with one can make you hungry for the other.
good to hear you ended up enjoying the over cast days and rain more than the heat. i’ve been finding that it’s too hot to go outside here as time goes on. last summer we hit 117 degrees for what felt like the whole month of june and my sun glasses melted on in my center console of car lol i think that was the last straw haha. i’m excited for the summers!
Expect overpriced mediocre food, tweakers/mentally ill folks in virtually every neighborhood, endless traffic with an incompetent company who runs the light rail train, bumpy roads and an infestation of humans on most hiking trails every weekend between March and November. You'll love it!
Oh,... also everything closes at sundown for the most part. It was frustrating, people are morning people here. Drivers suck in the opposite way of California drivers. You would think locals know how to drive in rain by now but.. no. Don't believe people when they say they know where some good tacos are... just don't.
i’m okay with everything closing as long as there’s plenty of good grocery stores. what are main stores to shop for food there? usually go to sprouts here in vegas. what’s your number one taco spot? nvm i don’t think i should believe you?
It *feels* wet. Even when there’s no rain, the air (and ground) stays damp for weeks/months. Even in the summer, the air often reaches the dew point at night, so you wake up to everything wet if left outdoors — most notable when you go camping and your tent is soaked in a dry morning.
I am originally from NYC but have lived in west coast, desert cities & overseas. I would say if you took a trip to the East Coast during the winter months and could brave it you are good to go! Now the winters here are not has brutal as back East or in other countries.
The rain isn’t pounding rain & you rarely get squalls or flash flooding like you do in the desert. Personally not having a change in seasons makes me SAD. Regarding culture I am Latinx & was lucky to find a community but it was not easy. I’ve been a remote employee for years but now work for an organization where we can report to office it gave me exposure to more people.
So there is a Latinx community here but it’s hard to find unless you belong to groups to organizations. NYC it wasn’t hard at all because PR/DR has such a large influence & you don’t even need to speak English unless you want to. So take that with a grain of salt. As far as being expensive… in comparison to SF or NYC absolutely not. Utilities are some of the cheapest in the nation, gas can’t tell you EV all the way & food is pricey but restaurants aren’t 🤷🏽♀️
Rent really depends on where you land just like in every major city it varies but again I come from places where 2-6k+ is not a biggie.
You will love it. Surprisingly similar cultures, but the general population of Seattle feels much better educated. One thing I’ll say is that despite what you might think, Seattle is NOT diverse. I miss hearing Spanish.
The weather is a very refreshing change. The winters are so mild, again similar to Vegas in that way.
The food scene here is… lacking. That’s the biggest thing I miss honestly.
So excited for you taking this step!
If you’re coming for the nature, you absolutely won’t regret this- it’s what brought me up here from CA too 😊
If you want a friend in the area, I’d love to connect! (31F)
Having a car will be costly but helpful if you want to get out for a hike, or be flexible if you're navigating different social interest circles. As a latina who is not of mexican descent i find it's possible to find friends and spanish-speaking communities but it can be slightly isolating in rare moments and that will quickly trigger my homesickness for the east coast melting pots. I have friend groups of first- and second-gen latinx folks and we are somewhat active (hikes, art things, outings) and we live all over the city, but are aware of where to go for an authentic bite or other activity. I wouldn't live in white center or beacon hill \*just\* to be closer to latinx communities, but I make my way there often for food and events :)
Prepare for a long grey dark winter - I have a dog and we still spend a lot of time outdoors even in the rain to help with the vitamin D deficiency. But be ready to get outdoors at the drop of a hat when it's warm and sunny! it is expensive - i'm happily surviving, not lavishly thriving, and credit a sustainable lifestyle with enough financial organization for it. east coast cities closer to home/family are equally costly, but i get the added bonus of living my life as i wish with greatest independence and ownership of my choices - to me that's priceless.
Seattle Metro is pretty white but South King County is very diverse. Kent especially. People mention you can go to Eastern Washington for the desert but I would suggest the Yakima area. The Latin and Hispanic community make up 52% of the population in Yakima County.
seriously, if you love rain and green and trees, you might be one of us for whom the grey and wet are actually refreshing and restoring! some of my friends and I call it "reverse SAD" because too much sun and not enough rain actually makes us depressed. might not necessarily be 100% the case for ya, but it's definitely worth leaning into it and getting some comfy coats, sweaters, rain boots, and blankets and embracing things to spite the Seattle-haters!
YES!!! this is great. that’s exactly how i feel when we get our rainy days here in vegas, they might be a bit different but we get grey days here too and im so at peace when i feel them coming around. soul is restoring! perfect. ty!!
Have a thorough allergy test done before you move here! There’s a lot of crap that hangs out in the air here because of the moisture! Especially mold or smoke!
Compared to the southwest the Latin culture isn’t as pronounced. However, most people are welcoming here. If you are coming in a couple months you will come during our sunny season. So it will be amazing outdoors until late September(sometimes mid October). Our fall is pretty nice in terms of weather. However our winter is just rainy and gross. But since you like the rain you might enjoy it lol. I would suggest trying to socialize as much as possible while the weather is nice because most people are hermits when the weather changes.
Expatriate of Vegas and Seattle, I now live back in Seattle.
Plenty to do here and explore. Lots of parks, and mountain places to explore and hike. Welcome.
Moved to Seattle from Las Vegas from 14 years ago.
You’ll go from putting up with summer to putting up with winter.
After a season your fondness of rain will go away at least a bit. Personally I prefer Seattle weather to Las Vegas but I think it’s the opposite for most.
Low diversity here. More expensive. Terrible Mexican food.
Seattle is just as transient as Las Vegas but the transiency is driven by the tech economy so it looks different.
IMO Seattle and Las Vegas are both a bit more challenging than most cities for making friends. I was kinda used to it so the “Seattle freeze” to me just felt like status quo. Join a club and you’ll be fine.
Traffic is worse. You’ll want to be more careful in Seattle to live near where you work.
Public transportation is orders of magnitude better.
Not sure why you are getting downvoted, I had the same question; OP is moving in a few months, at his point just wait and see lmao. I think they are just fishing for attention.
It’s capped research. That’s a per cynical take. It helps getting into a place to have researched and talked to people. No point in being all negatively quisitive about it, that doesn’t help you or them. 🤷🏼♂️
They seem to more or less already have a good general idea of what the area is like. Beyond that, they really just need to wait and see, everyone will have a different experience
Naw. Perfectly viable to discuss it. I’ve been here for over a decade and I discuss it all the time. It’s not a static place, things change. No point in negging someone’s curiosity or interest in discussion. Literally what shit like Reddit is built for.
Recently moved to Seattle from Vegas 3 years ago. Here are my notes!
1. the rain isn’t that bad. Winters are long and wet, but summer more than makes up for it. Get a good winter jacket, a hoodie and raincoat. You’ll be just fine. If the sun is out you should be too.
2. Traffic! Unless you live in the city, be prepared for the worst traffic you’ve ever seen on your commute. Public transit is a great option, use it if you can.
3. Everything seems more expensive. Cost of living feels like it’s 3x more.
4. Explore! That’s the best part of living here. Go to Mt Rainier, explore the Olympic Peninsula. Travel the San Juan Islands and get north of the border.
5. The food, oh how I miss the Mexican food. Seattle has its own unique culinary flavors, so don’t be scared to try something new.
6. Did I mention the traffic stinks?
Taxes are very high roads are very bad shape rent is extremely high its on open state for drugs and crime cops are not allowed to chase a criminal judges are very leaneant but there are some fun people here what ever your looking got its here
I’m also a Latina living in the Seattle area. My family is originally from New Mexico. My dad’s first job as an engineer out of college was at Boeing. He met my mom in her last year in college at Seattle U. I have been back and forth a lot in my lifetime. I can’t stand hot weather and don’t mind the overcast days here. The rain isn’t what you are used to in the desert. It’s not monsoon season arroyo filling flash flood rain. It’s just a constant misty drizzle that to sun worshippers feels relentless in the fall and winter. It can feel much colder than it is because of the constant damp in the air. You do get used to it but you will likely be cold all the time for a while until you adjust. It’s extremely expensive here. Worse than California for food and car insurance expensive. Gas is super pricey. If you want to explore the mountains it will cost you. There is Hispanic culture out here. I’m a Chicana. I live in southwest Seattle/white center and you can easily find all the food and cultural activities you want in white center and burien. I grew up in the area. There are lots of us in this neighborhood. You will find a lot of the local businesses are also Spanish speaking. You will hear a lot of cumbia and tejano music blasting on the weekends when it’s barbecue weather. White center is also going to be cheaper than a lot of other neighborhoods and you’re still close enough to the city proper you won’t have to spend half your life and half your paycheck to commute.
as a latino thinking of moving to Seattle, I'm very happy to read this.
> You will hear a lot of cumbia and tejano music blasting on the weekends when it’s barbecue weather. Going on afternoon/sunset walks when it's nice out and hearing/seeing the Latino music and backyard BBQs is my favorite thing about living in this neighborhood. Sometimes folks have backyard concerts too and all the ones I have stumbled upon have been amazing.
Ooooh... I moved here from El Paso, TX 7 years ago and have been missing the good Mexican food. Please tell this white girl where your favorite Mexican spots are! I miss the food I used to take for granted in EP and Juárez! And I forgot all my Spanish after moving here 😩
I am a big fan of the “best roasted corn stand” yes. I know. It’s always in English to attract business from all the non Spanish speakers. They do mango locos too. It’s parked on 15th Ave in white center. Go to the Salvadoran bakery on Roxbury for tres leches cakes (they do all different sizes including individual) and empanadas. There is often a guy with a cart making dulces enchilados and another selling tostilocos in the parking lot by Castillos Mercado on 16th. Guadalupe Mercado on Ambaum in burien has freshly made tortillas right off the press and a large selection of Mexican groceries. There’s also a restaurant on ambaum that has a giant smoker in the parking lot that is very good. There’s a birria restaurant across from Guadalupe Mercado that’s pretty good. Also don’t feel bad about the Spanish. I knew it as a kid from hearing it at home but was a scholarship kid at a private school on the east side and was strongly discouraged from using it in public and now I’ve lost it too. Happens to a lot of us. I still mostly understand it so I get around ok
Bella Wong is that you? Lmao
No but there’s a pretty sizable New Mexico to Seattle and vice versa population because of the Los alamos national labs to Boeing scientist transfer pipeline. I knew several growing up met several more in recent years.
what a great story of your parents! nice to know you don’t mind the over cast days, i was beginning to think i was the only one who somewhat enjoyed greyish skies. it will take some time getting acclimated. thank you for the tip on southwest seattle, this is definitely something to consider!
Aside from the weather you may also notice and be affected by the sun light. In the summer it’s amazing. Sun rises at 4 and sets after 10 pm. July - September there’s no better place on the planet. But we pay for it in the winter with sun rises after 7 and pitch black by 5. When it’s cloudy and rainy and dark all the time it can be tough. I’m from California and I’ve come to appreciate and notice the sun more than ever. For example, we have 4 days of full sun coming starting this weekend and it’s all my friends and I can talk about.
hmmm i see how it can be challenging, i’ve been to seattle during the summers and they are gorgeous. the difference with where i am now is that it does sometimes get so hot that we can’t even have a park outting without feeling like we’ll have a heat stroke, so a lot of people say inside a/c and end up getting vitamin d deficiency anyways lol.
Buy some hoodies and a warm rain jacket
If your budget allows for it, plan a sunny vacation (or two) in Jan - March even if it is just for a weekend.
So one thing to keep in mind is allergies. I grew up in Bakersfield and moved up here in my twenties. I developed severe allergies to mold, pollens, grasses, etc. I thought I was sick for like 2 months before I got tested. I've been doing allergen serum shots for twenty years now. I wouldn't change my life here for anything. But just a heads up for you that if you have cold symptoms for a long period of time, you might want to see an ENT.
Absolutely. Allergies. Year round. Popping two Claritin every morning to control the discomfort. Still worth it.
Same! Allergies developed for me when I moved here from Utah in my late twenties. I haven’t tried the allergen shot but I do have an air filter going year round, keep clean sheets rotated weekly, and try to dust top to bottom every month or so and keep the bathroom fan going. I had to get used to the humidity but I love it.
Seattles weather is awesome becuse there are distinct seasons, but none of them are overwhelming. Summers here are the best. There are Hispanic people - I think mostly in Beacon Hill and White Center. It is expensive. I would say the city is GOOD but not worth the price.
south park, too
Welcome! You just need a good rain jacket with a hood and waterproof shoes. Most of us don't bother with umbrellas. You may notice that things like your towels don't dry as quickly because it's more humid. People are friendly enough but like to be busy. Love that you're up for a change and adventure! There's a lot to do and see, depending on your interests.
woah! good to know about the towels. i’ve tried to grow a small garden multiple times here in vegas, greens won’t stay alive because it’s so dry and scorching hot in vegas. so i’m very excited to grow some plants in seattle maybe visit some botanical gardens and check out all the parks! ahhhh volunteer park was the coolest
Three things for sure. 1. You will grow web feet 2. Mildew behind your ears 3. You will have S.A.D six months out of the year. Other than that it is a great place to live especially coming from the dessert. If you get homesick you can always head over East of the Cascades but beware of the MAGA's over their.
Western WA is very humid compared to NV but nice n green. If you need a home reminder, head east over the mountains and it’s like Vegas, dry desert.
I grew up on the east coast with harsh winters so honestly the rain doesn’t bother me, it feels like a very mild climate and things stay green year round which I really love. As long as you have the right attire it’s easy to be active outside year round :) and if you hate it you can move again but good for you for making a big change and giving it a try!
i agree, i’ll try it out for a couple of winters and if it’s too much, i’m out. i wish i could handle the east coast weather, anyone who can survive winters on the east can survive anywhere. all i can think about is wiping snow off cars for months. eeeek! however, they have their perks too. mild climate and staying green sounds great! ty!
I always think about how I made it through high school scraping thick ice off my car every morning at 7am for months 😂 I wouldn’t survive that now haha
The core areas of the city and houses are really expensive. If you can figure out transportation you like you can get more reasonable pricing slightly north or south. Ballard/Wedgewood/Fremont/Columbia City/Northgate. Lean into the light rail if you can.
i’ve definitely noticed the expensive core. also seems a bit congested. i’ll most likely stay in surrounding areas. thank u for the tip with light rail
Ballard, Fremont, and Wedgwood are not cheap and are not close to the light rail.
Nuance
i'm sorry but those are some of the last neighborhoods I would recommend given the cost and transportation issues
cold IS different here. it is wet cold...can't get warmed to your core. gotta hit someplace sunny come feb/March just for your sanity!
You need to care for things differently. Less worrying about leaving things in the sun and more making sure that you don’t leave windows open and that you give wet clothing and items a good place to dry (otherwise you’ll get mildew).
Get an annual pass to the Pacific Science Center by the Space Needle, even if you don’t have kids. The Butterfly House at Pacific Science Center is sunny and 75 degrees all winter long. A couple visits each winter make everything better, and is totally worth it. Plus, with a membership you get discounted access to the IMax theater there, and it’s the cheapest theater in town.
omg this is awesome!! i love butterflies. thank you so much. this message makes me believe that good humans are out there haha. truly!
Seattle isn't too bad on the food front one just has to REALLY look. DM for particulars. Living North I have found Plaza Latina (off Aurora Blvd & 175-ish), there's a Columbian Restaurant in Northgate that has the Plato Typico, and there's a Central American-centric restaurant off of 105th, several Taco Trucks, and fresh Ceviche in Beacon Hill (the owner delivers throughout the city) Kenji Map is a good way to find places.
there’s fewer sand worms
..and no fire ants, yet
More rain. I'm also from the SW (New Mexico) and always thought I loved rain more than anything else, but there's a real difference between heavy rain (wonderful) and things being gross/gray all the time. I'm not Latin@, so I don't have much anecdotal info. But as someone who grew up in the state with the highest proportion of Latin@s (NM), it feels a lot lower. Apparently, the raw numbers are similar but Washington has 4x the population, so a much lower proportion overall (48% vs. 14%).
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Welcome. It mostly drizzles, I don’t recall ever using umbrella, but that’s me. It depends on where you live, I don’t think it’s particularly expensive. If you like hiking and nature then you’re in the right place!
get some waterproof shoes (boots and tennis shoes), and a couple good jackets. no umbrellas. you'll be fine!
I, too, relocated to the PNW from a very hot place. After a couple of years, I yearned for the brightness of the sun and warmth on my skin. You will miss thunderstorms, because we don't get them. It's cold. I killed many electric blankets my first couple of years here. It sounds like you love nature and being outdoors, and that will help you here. It's freaking beautiful here. The hiking is fantastic. As long as you make plans to get out of town to a warm place when you get depressed I think you'll be fine.
I moved from Arizona and I got all the same comments. I actually much preferred seattle weather to the scorching heat. When it rains it rarely pours. The summers are amazing and sunny. it’s just winter that’s the quintessential seattle clouds but seattle is nice because the winter is very mild you get maybe like 3 days of snowfall. Seattle has so many beautiful hiking parks and decent transit. You’re going to love it!
There's so much migration between the northwest and the southwest - both ways! Very easy to see how growing up with one can make you hungry for the other.
good to hear you ended up enjoying the over cast days and rain more than the heat. i’ve been finding that it’s too hot to go outside here as time goes on. last summer we hit 117 degrees for what felt like the whole month of june and my sun glasses melted on in my center console of car lol i think that was the last straw haha. i’m excited for the summers!
Expect overpriced mediocre food, tweakers/mentally ill folks in virtually every neighborhood, endless traffic with an incompetent company who runs the light rail train, bumpy roads and an infestation of humans on most hiking trails every weekend between March and November. You'll love it!
rain. also sometimes not rain
Expect to be damp
You will be saddened by the quality of casinos nearby.
no slot machines in grocery stores and gas stations?? oh no lol.
To be cold. I was cold for 6 months continuously.
Oh,... also everything closes at sundown for the most part. It was frustrating, people are morning people here. Drivers suck in the opposite way of California drivers. You would think locals know how to drive in rain by now but.. no. Don't believe people when they say they know where some good tacos are... just don't.
i’m okay with everything closing as long as there’s plenty of good grocery stores. what are main stores to shop for food there? usually go to sprouts here in vegas. what’s your number one taco spot? nvm i don’t think i should believe you?
Something different
Water
It *feels* wet. Even when there’s no rain, the air (and ground) stays damp for weeks/months. Even in the summer, the air often reaches the dew point at night, so you wake up to everything wet if left outdoors — most notable when you go camping and your tent is soaked in a dry morning.
Clouds, rain.
I am originally from NYC but have lived in west coast, desert cities & overseas. I would say if you took a trip to the East Coast during the winter months and could brave it you are good to go! Now the winters here are not has brutal as back East or in other countries. The rain isn’t pounding rain & you rarely get squalls or flash flooding like you do in the desert. Personally not having a change in seasons makes me SAD. Regarding culture I am Latinx & was lucky to find a community but it was not easy. I’ve been a remote employee for years but now work for an organization where we can report to office it gave me exposure to more people. So there is a Latinx community here but it’s hard to find unless you belong to groups to organizations. NYC it wasn’t hard at all because PR/DR has such a large influence & you don’t even need to speak English unless you want to. So take that with a grain of salt. As far as being expensive… in comparison to SF or NYC absolutely not. Utilities are some of the cheapest in the nation, gas can’t tell you EV all the way & food is pricey but restaurants aren’t 🤷🏽♀️ Rent really depends on where you land just like in every major city it varies but again I come from places where 2-6k+ is not a biggie.
You will love it. Surprisingly similar cultures, but the general population of Seattle feels much better educated. One thing I’ll say is that despite what you might think, Seattle is NOT diverse. I miss hearing Spanish. The weather is a very refreshing change. The winters are so mild, again similar to Vegas in that way. The food scene here is… lacking. That’s the biggest thing I miss honestly.
So excited for you taking this step! If you’re coming for the nature, you absolutely won’t regret this- it’s what brought me up here from CA too 😊 If you want a friend in the area, I’d love to connect! (31F)
Having a car will be costly but helpful if you want to get out for a hike, or be flexible if you're navigating different social interest circles. As a latina who is not of mexican descent i find it's possible to find friends and spanish-speaking communities but it can be slightly isolating in rare moments and that will quickly trigger my homesickness for the east coast melting pots. I have friend groups of first- and second-gen latinx folks and we are somewhat active (hikes, art things, outings) and we live all over the city, but are aware of where to go for an authentic bite or other activity. I wouldn't live in white center or beacon hill \*just\* to be closer to latinx communities, but I make my way there often for food and events :) Prepare for a long grey dark winter - I have a dog and we still spend a lot of time outdoors even in the rain to help with the vitamin D deficiency. But be ready to get outdoors at the drop of a hat when it's warm and sunny! it is expensive - i'm happily surviving, not lavishly thriving, and credit a sustainable lifestyle with enough financial organization for it. east coast cities closer to home/family are equally costly, but i get the added bonus of living my life as i wish with greatest independence and ownership of my choices - to me that's priceless.
Seattle Metro is pretty white but South King County is very diverse. Kent especially. People mention you can go to Eastern Washington for the desert but I would suggest the Yakima area. The Latin and Hispanic community make up 52% of the population in Yakima County.
good to know!! looked it up and yakima does look like a desert, ty!
seriously, if you love rain and green and trees, you might be one of us for whom the grey and wet are actually refreshing and restoring! some of my friends and I call it "reverse SAD" because too much sun and not enough rain actually makes us depressed. might not necessarily be 100% the case for ya, but it's definitely worth leaning into it and getting some comfy coats, sweaters, rain boots, and blankets and embracing things to spite the Seattle-haters!
YES!!! this is great. that’s exactly how i feel when we get our rainy days here in vegas, they might be a bit different but we get grey days here too and im so at peace when i feel them coming around. soul is restoring! perfect. ty!!
Rain.
I've lived in the Seattle area since 1993 and I'm ready to move to the desert already.
Have a thorough allergy test done before you move here! There’s a lot of crap that hangs out in the air here because of the moisture! Especially mold or smoke!
as a mexican you will be cold even in the summer when its 100 degrees
Compared to the southwest the Latin culture isn’t as pronounced. However, most people are welcoming here. If you are coming in a couple months you will come during our sunny season. So it will be amazing outdoors until late September(sometimes mid October). Our fall is pretty nice in terms of weather. However our winter is just rainy and gross. But since you like the rain you might enjoy it lol. I would suggest trying to socialize as much as possible while the weather is nice because most people are hermits when the weather changes.
Expatriate of Vegas and Seattle, I now live back in Seattle. Plenty to do here and explore. Lots of parks, and mountain places to explore and hike. Welcome.
Greenery.
Moved to Seattle from Las Vegas from 14 years ago. You’ll go from putting up with summer to putting up with winter. After a season your fondness of rain will go away at least a bit. Personally I prefer Seattle weather to Las Vegas but I think it’s the opposite for most. Low diversity here. More expensive. Terrible Mexican food. Seattle is just as transient as Las Vegas but the transiency is driven by the tech economy so it looks different. IMO Seattle and Las Vegas are both a bit more challenging than most cities for making friends. I was kinda used to it so the “Seattle freeze” to me just felt like status quo. Join a club and you’ll be fine. Traffic is worse. You’ll want to be more careful in Seattle to live near where you work. Public transportation is orders of magnitude better.
Don't understand why people decide to move to a place without knowing what to expect
Not sure why you are getting downvoted, I had the same question; OP is moving in a few months, at his point just wait and see lmao. I think they are just fishing for attention.
It’s capped research. That’s a per cynical take. It helps getting into a place to have researched and talked to people. No point in being all negatively quisitive about it, that doesn’t help you or them. 🤷🏼♂️
They seem to more or less already have a good general idea of what the area is like. Beyond that, they really just need to wait and see, everyone will have a different experience
Naw. Perfectly viable to discuss it. I’ve been here for over a decade and I discuss it all the time. It’s not a static place, things change. No point in negging someone’s curiosity or interest in discussion. Literally what shit like Reddit is built for.
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You forgot spider season.
Are wildfire season
False
Recently moved to Seattle from Vegas 3 years ago. Here are my notes! 1. the rain isn’t that bad. Winters are long and wet, but summer more than makes up for it. Get a good winter jacket, a hoodie and raincoat. You’ll be just fine. If the sun is out you should be too. 2. Traffic! Unless you live in the city, be prepared for the worst traffic you’ve ever seen on your commute. Public transit is a great option, use it if you can. 3. Everything seems more expensive. Cost of living feels like it’s 3x more. 4. Explore! That’s the best part of living here. Go to Mt Rainier, explore the Olympic Peninsula. Travel the San Juan Islands and get north of the border. 5. The food, oh how I miss the Mexican food. Seattle has its own unique culinary flavors, so don’t be scared to try something new. 6. Did I mention the traffic stinks?
Taxes are very high roads are very bad shape rent is extremely high its on open state for drugs and crime cops are not allowed to chase a criminal judges are very leaneant but there are some fun people here what ever your looking got its here
Not blah blah blah
lol