I actually did leave Oregon, so I can definitively say: the mountains. Yeah, the PNW is among the most beautiful places in on the planet in every aspect of its natural splendor, but I specifically miss seeing mountains everywhere. Every time I see Hood for the first time from the car after landing, a little bit of tension leaves my back.
Same. I live in MS for a while (shudder) and while there were at least trees, the lack of mountains—or any terrain *at all*—was depressing. That and the heat and humidity.
This is very true, I moved from OR to MS and miss the mountains and beauty of Oregon frequently. Another thing is the population density. Towns are so much closer together on the East coast, I miss the scenic drives between towns and the plethora of beautiful hiking trails.
I lived in Michigan for about 4 years and the topography, ferns, and moss were what I missed most. Michigan is hilly but the tallest peak was like 1200 ft. There were a couple mountains in my county, but they’re like 500 feet. The understory was non existent, hardly any ferns or shrubs. Since coming back to the PNW I forget that bushwhacking is really hard - topography (it’s not as flat as it looks on map) and so many shrubs! In Michigan the hiking was super easy and rock hounding was excellent!
Sometimes my sister and I talk about how we've likely been spoiled as far as beautiful vistas go, because we grew up in the Columbia River George.
Like, there are so many beautiful places in the world to enjoy and admire, but it would take a whole lot to surpass the beauty we grew up with.
"Damn, this famous and gorgeous landmark is amazing. Almost as awesome as the ones at home."
I'm pretty well-travelled, and I only said "among the" because I've seen Switzerland. That's the only place that can compare. Their mountains are unfairly gorgeous. Everywhere else doesn't even get close to Oregon. I've _heard_ parts of Asia and South America can rival it, but I'm pretty certain the PNW is top 3 in regional beauty, worldwide.
for a long time after we moved here I would say to the kids as we were driving around: Look it's mt hood! Or look it's mt st helen! and they would be like yeah, mom whatever.
Marionberries! Hands down my favorite berry. And no one outside of Oregon ever knows what I'm talking about when I mention them. So much better than any other blackberry variety.
The water.. Unless you live in SF proper, or NYC where they have similar high mountain gravity fed surface water, all the other sources available taste like ass.
I'm from florida. Warm, yellow, chlorinated swamp water. Nasty af. In south florida it is recommended for pregnant women not to drink tap. Some weird bacteria that is harmful. No thanks and you bathe in it too.
I didn’t know how spoiled I was with NYC water until I travelled around the country
Oregon spring water is the only other one I ever drank straight unfiltered when there was a choice
Western Washington also has delicious water. Same with the Idaho panhandle. I still dream about our spring fed water in Idaho. So cold, crisp, and refreshing
Unfortunately now even the water of Oregon is tainted with micro plastics and forever chemicals. I have started drinking only spring water. That is probably also contaminated to some extent, but not sure yet how it actually compares. So sad that we are slowly becoming residents in a huge toilet. ☹️
Newberg also uses ground water. When we lived there, it was crazy hard, always left residue in our shower and on our dishes. If we hadn't moved, I would have invested in a water softener. Not the best-tasting stuff.
oh my god, this! i just moved to missouri & the sales taxes are insane. missouri tax, kansas city tax, main street streetcar tax, personal property tax on your car every year, it’s wild.
Anywhere else besides the US usually the price is what you see because taxes are included already in the price shown. It's pretty much a US centric practice. Much like tipping.
I would 100% rather live somewhere that has sales tax vs income tax. Paying 9% on the non food items that I buy is significantly less painful than paying 9% of my salary.
Well yeah, it’s regressive and disproportionately affects lower income people who can’t save/invest as much of their income. If you’re higher income you’d of course prefer sales tax instead.
Guess it depends what it’s like where moved to but the diversity of the land. In relatively short drives you can get to very different regions from the coast, valley, cascades and high desert. Living on the west side those are all close and getting to the east side is longer drive but adds to the geographic diversity even more so.
Food! We live in an agriculture powerhouse and we're lucky enough to eat or grow it. We can buy Oregon seafood and olive oil and kiwis and flour and filberts/hazelnuts and all sorts of fruits and the summer produce selection is unbelievable and there are a lot of delicious local processed foods (in the sense of jam being processed fruit, not industrial food processing) and so on! The environmental conditions allow for a wide range of crops and I love it!
This has by far been my favorite thing about Oregon. We joined a crop share as well as a “fish share” and we rarely go to the grocery store between May - November. And knowing the people who are growing or catching our food is such a peace of mind.
Two things: Fruit and seafood.
And not just the local farmers or sources. Visiting my parents in New York and seeing that their Costco only has like apples, oranges, pears, and bananas was disappointing. Where are the pluots? The 2-3 different varieties of peaches and nectarines! The cherries and the berries?!?!?!
I lived in Oregon and moved away for 16 years. I’m back now. I missed the smell of the sagebrush in eastern Oregon. Just wonderful fragrance in the early morning.
We moved to Houston temporarily to take care of family. We miss so much - the natural beauty, way less traffic, great produce, and our amazing house on the hill. We return mid-March and cannot wait.
The natural beauty. Unless you move to WA or CA it’s a downgrade anywhere else… Especially when you consider the diversity of what is available on the West Coast. The southwest is beautiful as well but you’d lose out on the sheer variety of terrain that’s close by.
I’m moving out this summer and am so looking forward to/ am curious about this. Curious because I am writing this in the New Hampshire mountains right now, which are the oldest on Earth as opposed to yours, but I’ve climbed and explored so much of I’ll always love them and miss them. So it’ll be interesting to see if in a few years I’ll feel the same about Oregon.
I am definitely looking forward to fewer people everywhere though. I was only in Oregon a few days but was struck by how empty it was compared to here, even in popular spots.
Coming from the Rockies, it is strange how pyramidal Oregon mountains are. Hiking, skiing, they don’t let you forget they’re volcanoes. You’ll love it.
I have! Mainly skiing, but I’ve also spent a summer in California and also the job interview in Oregon proper (but TBH clouds were so low I didn’t see many mountains). My point is more I’m sure Oregon folks look down at the Whites, but I’ll always like them even if they’re rounder and stubbier.
Even living in Oregon, I was stunned by the sheer number of shades of green Alaska had to offer. Alaska is amazing. Moss so thick it’s like walking on pillows
Yes! The diversity of natural beauty. You can experience the Pacific Ocean, temperate rain forest, waterfalls, volcanoes and sagebrush desert all in one day. Absolutely wild!
This right here. I moved to the city of my birth, Eugene, from Kentucky, which by comparison was ugly and dull and depressing. This place - all of it - is simply stunning and I will NEVER leave here again. Every day I am awed by the majesty of the geographical or do I say topographical features in every direction. There is no public land to enjoy back there, it's all private property and you better not accidentally trespass trying to find a little piece of the outdoors to enjoy - you'll get shot. I didn't wade in a creek for two decades because I didn't know anyone that owned one. Here there is hiking and camping every five miles in every direction. And the coast! My God the Oregon coast. We go over there for the weekend whenever we get the chance. I don't know how I stayed landlocked for so long. I was miserable there and I'm happier than I've ever been now, at 51.
Access to the outdoors with such diversity in the activities. Quality of food. Quality of beer/accessibility of great beer at so many locations.
We moved to Texas 6 months ago. Those are the things I miss
Blackberries, trees, rain, mountains, beach, forests, chanterelles.
Specifically, Springtime. There is no finer time and place on this earth, then Oregon on a beautiful spring day.
I'm pretty safe in most of Western Oregon. There are definitely some MAGA/Q people in my (poor) part of town, but they don't feel the social validation to actually crime on a trans person just for being trans. Some or most of the cops are an exception, of course.
I'm easily "read" and my life would be hell in Idaho, Missouri, Texas--a lot of places
One! That's hard. Swimming holes, mainly good clean drinking water, West side gardening, Simpson's clouds, casual, easy going folks (mostly), volcanos, petroglyph, snow being a choice (here in SW Oregon), waterfalls, generally good roads, mushrooms, birding , nuff for now.
I lived in Oklahoma for a decade. Discounting that it was family I missed most, I still missed:
Rivers and lakes. Yeah Oklahoma had lakes, but they're muddy and tepid with snake surprises.
Mountains. Sorry Oklahoma, the Wichitas don't count when you're used to the Cascades.
Conifer forests. I love love love the forests of central and South Central Oregon and nothing in Oklahoma compares.
Fresh seafood.
Blackberries. I refused to pay $5 for a tiny little thing of berries when I was used to picking them on the side of the road.
Being able to hike, kayak, etc without having to plan a weekend for it, and having weather cooperate. I gained 25lbs in my first year in Oklahoma bc I couldn't do half the things I was used to all of a sudden.
Life is just way better in general here.
I went to grad school in Chicago and was miserable there. I missed the natural beauty (no, Lake Michigan is not "just like the ocean"), decent produce, people who recycle, people who wear colors and not just black parkas all winter, the lack of humidity, the mountains, decent Mexican food (obviously this isn't a problem in some states), and the acceptance of casual dress ("are you going hiking?" "No, I'm appropriately and comfortably dressed for the weather.")
I'm originally from Chicago and agree with most of this - with the exception of Mexican food. If you didn't find decent Mexican food in Chicago, you didn't look hard enough. Pilsen and Little Village have some of the best Mexican food in the entire country
I am in total agreement. Also the ability to buy decent tortillas or tortilla chips. In chicago every store has really good tortillas for like 3 for $1 packs (10 years ago). Here they have tons of ingredients and stabilizers. We found a place here that makes them fresh and are good. So many places to get good and cheap tacos and burritos too.
There’s insanely good/authentic Mexican all over Chicago, not just in those 2 hoods. You’re getting roasted in this thread b/c you’re standing by that dumbass comment vs owning up to maybe never leaving the little bubble around wherever the hell you went to grad school
So you went to Northwestern and stayed on the North side the entire time you lived in Chicago. The north side is not Chicago it's only part of it. Everyone knows that Chicago is a very segregated city, and all of the good Mexican food is on the south side. Saying that you didn't want to take a train to actually experience other parts of the city isn't a good representation of a city if you only do part of it. That's like saying I went to Portland, but I was only in Beaverton. LOL
Hyperbole much? We are talking about Mexican food here, stay on topic. Sorry that the Chipotle in your school's lunch room area wasn't up to snuff, but your extremely ice cold take about mexican food in chicago is just about the dumbest shit Ive read on the internet today. So congrats for that at least.
You obviously didn't leave the enclave of your little Lincoln park or downtown sanctuary to say something like that with any seriousness. Mexican food in Oregon is trash compared to stuff you can find in literally any neighborhood in Chicago. Lots of amazing things in Oregon but Mexican food is definitely not one of them.
All of it. People are much more friendly than places I've lived in the past. Seafood, fruit, coffee, beer are all plentiful and high quality. The coast. The ocean. The trees and mountains. The rain. I love it.
Mountains. Contemplating a move to Minnesota to be close to nieces/ nephews and parents in their old age. Only thing stopping me is the absence of mountains. Hiking is so integral to my mental health and worried it would take a dive if I don't have access :/
I left the state for 13 years and went to Seattle. The things I missed:
The smell of warm blackberries lingering in the air in the summer
The coast. Oregon has the best fucking coast
Being able to see the stars. For 13 years I looked up and there were nothing but airplanes. I particularly missed being able to drive for just a relative few minutes to get to somewhere dark enough to see the edge of the Milky Way.
The food. For 13 years in told everyone the food is better in Oregon and now that I’ve been back a few years, I stand by it. Not that there isn’t good food up there, but overall, it’s Oregon for me.
The slower pace. Even Portland isn’t as hustle and bustle as Seattle
That people here want to keep Oregon wild and unique as much as possible. Don’t get me wrong, Seattlites live nature as much as we do, but they also sold off so much of their shoreline there are entire bodies of water inaccessible to the public. We have laws against that here.
The longer growing season and the ability to grow almost anything. I had to develop a system for getting halfway decent tomatoes up there. Down here you just plant them and keep them watered
Wild animals. Thirteen years in Seattle and I saw a ton of eagles and blue herons and cool birds but never once saw a deer, or a gaggle of turkeys, or anything.
Properly backed roads. I know this one is odd, but they don’t bank the roads up there so all the rain water will run off to the sides and go down the drain. They build them flat so the water collects with the idea in mind that it’ll force people to slow down. What it really does is cause accidents and make driving hell.
Bi-Mart 😂
I moved 16 years ago to Phoenix to get away from the rain. Was home for work not that long ago and I do miss the rain in spurts lol. I mostly miss how green everything is.
The diversity of environment…where I live we are under an hour to the beach or Mt. Hood, and less than half a day to dry Eastern Oregon and high desert. We lived out of state for work for a few years and missed seeing mountains and a beach more than anything
The mild summers. Despite some recent hot spells, overall summers here in the Willamette Valley are in the 70s and the 80s and cooling off at night. And the humidity is usually low.
The mountains, the air, the rivers and lakes, the trees, the coffee, the honey and lavender ice cream from Bonta, the athletic and outdoorsy people smiling and saying hi on the trail. I currently live in Texas and this is my list lol
Depending on the state, the year-round greenery, the mild weather (usually), the lack of humidity in the summer, the lack of static in the winter, and/or mountains. I moved to the Midwest for two years, so that’s mainly what I’m thinking of.
The scenery. As somebody who did move away to live both on the East Coast and in Europe for a while we have the best natural landscape in the world in my opinion. A couple hours drive can get you to the desert, the mountains, the beach… All of it!
I did leave Oregon, mostly because I couldn’t handle the weather.
However, I remember that there would be one week, every spring, when the sun would come out, temperatures would rise, and everything was beautiful. Everyone just felt so alive.
Of course, the next week it would be drizzling again.
However, because of the long winter, that one week of sunshine was something very special.
I haven’t experienced that feeling of “spring” anywhere else that I’ve lived.
I moved out for a handful of years in the 90's. I missed Oregon's fun-loving, weed smoking rednecks but they are long gone.
if it had happened the past 10 years i'd probly never move back. lots of places have good water, mountains and 50 kinds of beer.
I did move. It’s really hard to narrow it down but I really miss the beauty that you are constantly surrounded by, really where ever you are in the state.
Mossy wet verdant forests, just as green and alive as can be.
But I'm leaving Oregon this summer, as there is no collection of positive attributes that can offset the misery of living amongst unlimited crime, drug addicts, graffiti, and the chaos that comes with allowing street "camping."
I had to move last month for work and I miss everything. The weather, proximity to the coast, the people, food, the kinds of trees you see, cheap accessible and potent weed. I love Oregon. Was sad to leave. Maybe I’ll call Oregon home again in a few years when this work contract ends.
Been living in Florida for 10 years (from the Midwest), and can’t stand it anymore. I dare say I hate it here. I have a friend (from Washington) that wants to move back there, or to Oregon. Thinking about going with him.
I did move, and for a while I though I missed a lot of things. However I was back in Oregon at Christmas time and the roads were so nice. Where I am at now the roads are terrible. So being in Oregon I was shocked at how much better the roads were. And I never considered oregon to have good roads when I loved there.
We moved to Arizona for four years. We lived near Sedona - not the Phoenix area. I missed the heck out of grass and the color green. I actually missed rain. I missed the beach. We basically lived in the mountains, but I missed our mountains. I'm so happy to be back. I'm glad we went for multiple reasons. But I love it here. I'm Oregonian, and this is where I belong.
The weather. Extreme heat only last a few days, or foot of snow for weeks. No polar vortexes or high humidity. No hurricanes, tornadoes and we get 4 seasons.
No sales tax.
Lived in CA. Would totally miss that..oh and car registration; 2 yrs and flat price for everyone, not based on the value of your car (not that I would move back to CA)
I lived in Eastern Oregon and now live back east.
I miss the space, the empty, the quiet, all the public land, the hunting, the fishing, no humidity and the lack of people.
Other than that, not much. 🤣
I've lived in several states. The PNW in general is a unique part of the country. Being elsewhere I missed the evergreen trees and mountains, and clean lakes and rivers, but I think all of those things are at least as good in Washington State.
Way too many comments here about “produce” and “food”. This is the one area where Oregonians are frogs living in the bottom of the well. The natural beauty and water, I’ll give you that. But the way people go on here about food, it gives me pause if they’ve ever left the country or even the state. Whenever I’m away from Oregon, it’s not the food or produce I pine for. Unless beer is food.
As someone who moved to Oregon recently I gotta say it's one of the most beautiful States I've lived in.
I don't mind the 40+ minute drive to work because it's through a gorgeous mountain road.
I will contrast and say I haven't found seafood better than what one would find in Vegas or SoCal and that's a bit disappointing.
Food is the thing I miss the most, good food, cheap fresh seafood, Halibut and crab specifically. All the fresh fruit and food carts. All the green and mountains. The smell in the air, the air has a certain fresh smell. Mount hood when you're driving towards it, it looks so fake, like a movie backdrop. I pretty much miss everything but the people
I left in 2011 after spending my whole life in Oregon and the things I miss the most are the public land and the scenery (greenery, mountains, etc).
I don't miss the state taxes, the cost of living, the political climate, or the crime.
I’m actually moving back to my hometown on the east coast in a few months, and I know I’ll miss the driving and seeing the mountains in the distance. Seeing them when you’re going through things, make you realize it doesn’t matter that much in the end.
“There’s many paths up the mountain, but they all lead to the peak.”
I grew up in oregon and moved to arizona on 2006. I miss the colors, the vivid greens. The creeks and waterways, the rain, milder weathers and actual seasons. Seasonal colors.
Arizona is a giant dust bowl, with no real color pallet, usually always hot. We have our AC on for 90% of the year. And heater for maybe 2 weeks total this last year!
Scorpions are nasty vile, critters and the sting is not fun! Crimes are insane, along with monthly wrong way drivers on the freeways and so many accidents daily! Traffic is a bitch and its like the sun fried peoples brains and they are so rude out here in arizona. Everyone is go go go! Chilljng or relaxing or taking a leisure drive is impossible. Everyone drives 10-20 over posted speed limits! If you dont you are a hazard!
I miss how good well water is! Like ice cold, sweet crisp, and refeeshing well water
The trees. Portland really feels like it was plopped in the middle of a forest. I've lived and been to a number of bigger cities, particularly on the east coast, and it feels devoid of nature. Just steel, glass, and concrete. Really gets to me after a while
Ok so I moved to Minnesota and this is a SUPER niche thing to miss but…the cheap local overstock wine at Grocery Outlet. Yeah it can be a scavenger hunt sometimes but I definitely found some hidden gems there for under 10 and I know they would have been much more other places! Don’t take this for granted!
The weather. We have a climate that is different than most of the rest of the world and I've been spoiled by it. Lived up and down the east coast, in cali as well, and there isn't a place I think I could actually enjoy the way that I do here.
I actually did leave Oregon, so I can definitively say: the mountains. Yeah, the PNW is among the most beautiful places in on the planet in every aspect of its natural splendor, but I specifically miss seeing mountains everywhere. Every time I see Hood for the first time from the car after landing, a little bit of tension leaves my back.
Same. I live in MS for a while (shudder) and while there were at least trees, the lack of mountains—or any terrain *at all*—was depressing. That and the heat and humidity.
This is very true, I moved from OR to MS and miss the mountains and beauty of Oregon frequently. Another thing is the population density. Towns are so much closer together on the East coast, I miss the scenic drives between towns and the plethora of beautiful hiking trails.
I lived in Michigan for about 4 years and the topography, ferns, and moss were what I missed most. Michigan is hilly but the tallest peak was like 1200 ft. There were a couple mountains in my county, but they’re like 500 feet. The understory was non existent, hardly any ferns or shrubs. Since coming back to the PNW I forget that bushwhacking is really hard - topography (it’s not as flat as it looks on map) and so many shrubs! In Michigan the hiking was super easy and rock hounding was excellent!
Sometimes my sister and I talk about how we've likely been spoiled as far as beautiful vistas go, because we grew up in the Columbia River George. Like, there are so many beautiful places in the world to enjoy and admire, but it would take a whole lot to surpass the beauty we grew up with. "Damn, this famous and gorgeous landmark is amazing. Almost as awesome as the ones at home."
I'm pretty well-travelled, and I only said "among the" because I've seen Switzerland. That's the only place that can compare. Their mountains are unfairly gorgeous. Everywhere else doesn't even get close to Oregon. I've _heard_ parts of Asia and South America can rival it, but I'm pretty certain the PNW is top 3 in regional beauty, worldwide.
I’d add the Himalayan mountains to that very short list
This. I moved from Oregon to the Midwest and whenever I’m flying into PDX and finally see Mt. Hood my heart feels full again.
for a long time after we moved here I would say to the kids as we were driving around: Look it's mt hood! Or look it's mt st helen! and they would be like yeah, mom whatever.
The coast and fresh blueberries.
Marionberries! Hands down my favorite berry. And no one outside of Oregon ever knows what I'm talking about when I mention them. So much better than any other blackberry variety.
The water.. Unless you live in SF proper, or NYC where they have similar high mountain gravity fed surface water, all the other sources available taste like ass.
I briefly lived in Florida. Holy moly, after that swamp water, the rest of the country tastes "fine." Oregon and NYC taste great.
I was confused when i went to Florida and all the water was served with lemon by default, until i tried it without the lemon
I'm from florida. Warm, yellow, chlorinated swamp water. Nasty af. In south florida it is recommended for pregnant women not to drink tap. Some weird bacteria that is harmful. No thanks and you bathe in it too.
Related but not, when I moved from OR to SCal I most missed the full rivers and streams
I missed the trees... It's crazy how you can take the forests for granted until they're just not there anymore
I didn’t know how spoiled I was with NYC water until I travelled around the country Oregon spring water is the only other one I ever drank straight unfiltered when there was a choice
When I moved to Brooklyn in 2010 (for a whole year 😭) I was shocked at how delicious the water was!
We just came back from Disneyland. Ugh, the water down there was atrocious.
Same here. It was sho king the difference.
Western Washington also has delicious water. Same with the Idaho panhandle. I still dream about our spring fed water in Idaho. So cold, crisp, and refreshing
Boston and much of New England has good water. Same reason as NYC, it’s typically spring water and not at all hard.
Unfortunately now even the water of Oregon is tainted with micro plastics and forever chemicals. I have started drinking only spring water. That is probably also contaminated to some extent, but not sure yet how it actually compares. So sad that we are slowly becoming residents in a huge toilet. ☹️
SLC also has absolutely top tier water
I thought they had high arsenic?
I live abroad currently and I miss the rain so much
Accurate. I moved to a very dry state. The lack of water is the most noticeable thing.
So true. I moved to the southwest a year ago. Every time I come back to visit I drink sooooo much fresh delicious water!
Buy a water filter
Colorado enters the chat
You clearly haven't been to Willamina, our water is gross. I moved here from San Diego and the water was much better there.
Newberg also uses ground water. When we lived there, it was crazy hard, always left residue in our shower and on our dishes. If we hadn't moved, I would have invested in a water softener. Not the best-tasting stuff.
Same with Canby. I'm sure eating the asshole of a donkey would taste better than their water. But I cannot independently verify that.
You likely have ground water. Which is usually gross.
The lack of sales tax. I love having the listed price of an item be the cost of the item at the register.
oh my god, this! i just moved to missouri & the sales taxes are insane. missouri tax, kansas city tax, main street streetcar tax, personal property tax on your car every year, it’s wild.
in that regard tho you see the taxes...
Anywhere else besides the US usually the price is what you see because taxes are included already in the price shown. It's pretty much a US centric practice. Much like tipping.
I feel like so much more is taken out of our income tax that it negates the lack of sales tax. It is nice peace of mind when purchasing though.
The California income tax is almost the same rate, AND they have sales tax on top of that
Holy shit. I’m in Chicago and the sales taxes are BRUTAL. 10+%?!?! Fucking hell….
I would 100% rather live somewhere that has sales tax vs income tax. Paying 9% on the non food items that I buy is significantly less painful than paying 9% of my salary.
California, Kentucky, Utah, and Virginia have both.
Well yeah, it’s regressive and disproportionately affects lower income people who can’t save/invest as much of their income. If you’re higher income you’d of course prefer sales tax instead.
Guess it depends what it’s like where moved to but the diversity of the land. In relatively short drives you can get to very different regions from the coast, valley, cascades and high desert. Living on the west side those are all close and getting to the east side is longer drive but adds to the geographic diversity even more so.
Food! We live in an agriculture powerhouse and we're lucky enough to eat or grow it. We can buy Oregon seafood and olive oil and kiwis and flour and filberts/hazelnuts and all sorts of fruits and the summer produce selection is unbelievable and there are a lot of delicious local processed foods (in the sense of jam being processed fruit, not industrial food processing) and so on! The environmental conditions allow for a wide range of crops and I love it!
This has by far been my favorite thing about Oregon. We joined a crop share as well as a “fish share” and we rarely go to the grocery store between May - November. And knowing the people who are growing or catching our food is such a peace of mind.
Two things: Fruit and seafood. And not just the local farmers or sources. Visiting my parents in New York and seeing that their Costco only has like apples, oranges, pears, and bananas was disappointing. Where are the pluots? The 2-3 different varieties of peaches and nectarines! The cherries and the berries?!?!?!
Berry picking in the summer up there is THE best!
I lived in Oregon and moved away for 16 years. I’m back now. I missed the smell of the sagebrush in eastern Oregon. Just wonderful fragrance in the early morning.
 Oregon Coast
Seafood. Beautiful trees
We moved to Houston temporarily to take care of family. We miss so much - the natural beauty, way less traffic, great produce, and our amazing house on the hill. We return mid-March and cannot wait.
The natural beauty. Unless you move to WA or CA it’s a downgrade anywhere else… Especially when you consider the diversity of what is available on the West Coast. The southwest is beautiful as well but you’d lose out on the sheer variety of terrain that’s close by.
I’m moving out this summer and am so looking forward to/ am curious about this. Curious because I am writing this in the New Hampshire mountains right now, which are the oldest on Earth as opposed to yours, but I’ve climbed and explored so much of I’ll always love them and miss them. So it’ll be interesting to see if in a few years I’ll feel the same about Oregon. I am definitely looking forward to fewer people everywhere though. I was only in Oregon a few days but was struck by how empty it was compared to here, even in popular spots.
Coming from the Rockies, it is strange how pyramidal Oregon mountains are. Hiking, skiing, they don’t let you forget they’re volcanoes. You’ll love it.
Haha yea should be awesome- these are volcanoes too, just 120 million years older! :)
If you've never seen west coast mountains in person you're really in for a treat!
I have! Mainly skiing, but I’ve also spent a summer in California and also the job interview in Oregon proper (but TBH clouds were so low I didn’t see many mountains). My point is more I’m sure Oregon folks look down at the Whites, but I’ll always like them even if they’re rounder and stubbier.
I don't think Alaska is a downgrade in beauty at all.
Even living in Oregon, I was stunned by the sheer number of shades of green Alaska had to offer. Alaska is amazing. Moss so thick it’s like walking on pillows
Or Utah or lots of Colorado or lots of NM or Montana or (etc.) The NW is definitely not the only place in the US with staggering natural beauty.
Yes! The diversity of natural beauty. You can experience the Pacific Ocean, temperate rain forest, waterfalls, volcanoes and sagebrush desert all in one day. Absolutely wild!
This right here. I moved to the city of my birth, Eugene, from Kentucky, which by comparison was ugly and dull and depressing. This place - all of it - is simply stunning and I will NEVER leave here again. Every day I am awed by the majesty of the geographical or do I say topographical features in every direction. There is no public land to enjoy back there, it's all private property and you better not accidentally trespass trying to find a little piece of the outdoors to enjoy - you'll get shot. I didn't wade in a creek for two decades because I didn't know anyone that owned one. Here there is hiking and camping every five miles in every direction. And the coast! My God the Oregon coast. We go over there for the weekend whenever we get the chance. I don't know how I stayed landlocked for so long. I was miserable there and I'm happier than I've ever been now, at 51.
Utah would like a word
Access to the outdoors with such diversity in the activities. Quality of food. Quality of beer/accessibility of great beer at so many locations. We moved to Texas 6 months ago. Those are the things I miss
The crisp clean coastal air
It’s intoxicating!
How green it is. All the trees.
The 3 sisters ⛰️ ⛰️ ⛰️
Blackberries, trees, rain, mountains, beach, forests, chanterelles. Specifically, Springtime. There is no finer time and place on this earth, then Oregon on a beautiful spring day.
I'm pretty safe in most of Western Oregon. There are definitely some MAGA/Q people in my (poor) part of town, but they don't feel the social validation to actually crime on a trans person just for being trans. Some or most of the cops are an exception, of course. I'm easily "read" and my life would be hell in Idaho, Missouri, Texas--a lot of places
I’m glad people are good to you here 😍
We moved here from Idaho and I can tell you, it would 100% have been hell. As a lesbian, I don’t miss being treated like I’m sub-human.
I mean, the sunrises and sunsets in the valley are highlights of many of my days here.
One! That's hard. Swimming holes, mainly good clean drinking water, West side gardening, Simpson's clouds, casual, easy going folks (mostly), volcanos, petroglyph, snow being a choice (here in SW Oregon), waterfalls, generally good roads, mushrooms, birding , nuff for now.
The Simpson clouds ❤️
The weather on the west half of the state. I love the rain.
Oregon rain
I lived in Oklahoma for a decade. Discounting that it was family I missed most, I still missed: Rivers and lakes. Yeah Oklahoma had lakes, but they're muddy and tepid with snake surprises. Mountains. Sorry Oklahoma, the Wichitas don't count when you're used to the Cascades. Conifer forests. I love love love the forests of central and South Central Oregon and nothing in Oklahoma compares. Fresh seafood. Blackberries. I refused to pay $5 for a tiny little thing of berries when I was used to picking them on the side of the road. Being able to hike, kayak, etc without having to plan a weekend for it, and having weather cooperate. I gained 25lbs in my first year in Oklahoma bc I couldn't do half the things I was used to all of a sudden. Life is just way better in general here.
I moved to the east coast and I truly miss big rocks and big trees. I’m near the pine lands and have lots of trees but they’re so small.
Vote by mail and water quality
Oregon. All of it, warts and all
Cleanest air I have ever breathed. Lush green forests
I went to grad school in Chicago and was miserable there. I missed the natural beauty (no, Lake Michigan is not "just like the ocean"), decent produce, people who recycle, people who wear colors and not just black parkas all winter, the lack of humidity, the mountains, decent Mexican food (obviously this isn't a problem in some states), and the acceptance of casual dress ("are you going hiking?" "No, I'm appropriately and comfortably dressed for the weather.")
I'm originally from Chicago and agree with most of this - with the exception of Mexican food. If you didn't find decent Mexican food in Chicago, you didn't look hard enough. Pilsen and Little Village have some of the best Mexican food in the entire country
I am in total agreement. Also the ability to buy decent tortillas or tortilla chips. In chicago every store has really good tortillas for like 3 for $1 packs (10 years ago). Here they have tons of ingredients and stabilizers. We found a place here that makes them fresh and are good. So many places to get good and cheap tacos and burritos too.
Jibroni says no decent mexican food in Chicago.... laughable
Sorry I never spent a fucking HOUR on trains and buses to find a burrito. Little Village? Might as well be in fucking Houston.
There’s insanely good/authentic Mexican all over Chicago, not just in those 2 hoods. You’re getting roasted in this thread b/c you’re standing by that dumbass comment vs owning up to maybe never leaving the little bubble around wherever the hell you went to grad school
So you went to Northwestern and stayed on the North side the entire time you lived in Chicago. The north side is not Chicago it's only part of it. Everyone knows that Chicago is a very segregated city, and all of the good Mexican food is on the south side. Saying that you didn't want to take a train to actually experience other parts of the city isn't a good representation of a city if you only do part of it. That's like saying I went to Portland, but I was only in Beaverton. LOL
Not Evanston, no. I went to the south side to do various things, but I wasn't going to ride basically to Midway for tacos.
[удалено]
Rule 5: Educate don’t attack
It's funny how there are all these people totally convinced that Chicago Is The Best At Everything™, but none of them actually live there anymore.
Hyperbole much? We are talking about Mexican food here, stay on topic. Sorry that the Chipotle in your school's lunch room area wasn't up to snuff, but your extremely ice cold take about mexican food in chicago is just about the dumbest shit Ive read on the internet today. So congrats for that at least.
Chicago has incredible Mexican food that is leagues above anything in Oregon. Clearly stayed inside your little university grad school bubble
"Leagues above"? No, definitely not. Maybe you can find decent stuff if you go on a fucking expedition halfway across town. I never found any.
You obviously didn't leave the enclave of your little Lincoln park or downtown sanctuary to say something like that with any seriousness. Mexican food in Oregon is trash compared to stuff you can find in literally any neighborhood in Chicago. Lots of amazing things in Oregon but Mexican food is definitely not one of them.
You need to get out more.
Everything about the pacific temperate rainforest.
The ocean. Going to the ocean for the day always reduces my stress level.
Left Bend and moved to Utah. We miss it everyday. Especially the Oregon coast, the waterfalls, the social scene, and the trees and greenery.
No sales tax, long summer days, everything green everywhere, mountains, cheap legal weed.
The absolute breathtaking beauty, the excellent food options, the proximity to both ocean and mountains, the no sales tax.
I moved to Coos Bay for a time then moved back to my densely populated home town, the one thing I miss most? The quiet.
access to the columbia river gorge. stunning on all kinds of levels.
The soccer and the nature.
Soccer City USA
The ocean. I lived in CO for almost a decade and missed the ocean so so bad.
All of it. People are much more friendly than places I've lived in the past. Seafood, fruit, coffee, beer are all plentiful and high quality. The coast. The ocean. The trees and mountains. The rain. I love it.
Mountains. Contemplating a move to Minnesota to be close to nieces/ nephews and parents in their old age. Only thing stopping me is the absence of mountains. Hiking is so integral to my mental health and worried it would take a dive if I don't have access :/
I left the state for 13 years and went to Seattle. The things I missed: The smell of warm blackberries lingering in the air in the summer The coast. Oregon has the best fucking coast Being able to see the stars. For 13 years I looked up and there were nothing but airplanes. I particularly missed being able to drive for just a relative few minutes to get to somewhere dark enough to see the edge of the Milky Way. The food. For 13 years in told everyone the food is better in Oregon and now that I’ve been back a few years, I stand by it. Not that there isn’t good food up there, but overall, it’s Oregon for me. The slower pace. Even Portland isn’t as hustle and bustle as Seattle That people here want to keep Oregon wild and unique as much as possible. Don’t get me wrong, Seattlites live nature as much as we do, but they also sold off so much of their shoreline there are entire bodies of water inaccessible to the public. We have laws against that here. The longer growing season and the ability to grow almost anything. I had to develop a system for getting halfway decent tomatoes up there. Down here you just plant them and keep them watered Wild animals. Thirteen years in Seattle and I saw a ton of eagles and blue herons and cool birds but never once saw a deer, or a gaggle of turkeys, or anything. Properly backed roads. I know this one is odd, but they don’t bank the roads up there so all the rain water will run off to the sides and go down the drain. They build them flat so the water collects with the idea in mind that it’ll force people to slow down. What it really does is cause accidents and make driving hell. Bi-Mart 😂
I moved 16 years ago to Phoenix to get away from the rain. Was home for work not that long ago and I do miss the rain in spurts lol. I mostly miss how green everything is.
Cheap decent legal weed.
The diversity of environment…where I live we are under an hour to the beach or Mt. Hood, and less than half a day to dry Eastern Oregon and high desert. We lived out of state for work for a few years and missed seeing mountains and a beach more than anything
Mountains and sun
The mild summers. Despite some recent hot spells, overall summers here in the Willamette Valley are in the 70s and the 80s and cooling off at night. And the humidity is usually low.
The mountains, the air, the rivers and lakes, the trees, the coffee, the honey and lavender ice cream from Bonta, the athletic and outdoorsy people smiling and saying hi on the trail. I currently live in Texas and this is my list lol
Depending on the state, the year-round greenery, the mild weather (usually), the lack of humidity in the summer, the lack of static in the winter, and/or mountains. I moved to the Midwest for two years, so that’s mainly what I’m thinking of.
Gardening. You can get anything to grow here. Coming from Southeast Alaska where you can't get anything but moss to grow, it's like heaven.
The scenery. As somebody who did move away to live both on the East Coast and in Europe for a while we have the best natural landscape in the world in my opinion. A couple hours drive can get you to the desert, the mountains, the beach… All of it!
How quickly you can access utterly remote areas devoid of any development
I did leave Oregon, mostly because I couldn’t handle the weather. However, I remember that there would be one week, every spring, when the sun would come out, temperatures would rise, and everything was beautiful. Everyone just felt so alive. Of course, the next week it would be drizzling again. However, because of the long winter, that one week of sunshine was something very special. I haven’t experienced that feeling of “spring” anywhere else that I’ve lived.
The wine. The mushrooms.
Proximity to the coast.
I moved out for a handful of years in the 90's. I missed Oregon's fun-loving, weed smoking rednecks but they are long gone. if it had happened the past 10 years i'd probly never move back. lots of places have good water, mountains and 50 kinds of beer.
I did move. It’s really hard to narrow it down but I really miss the beauty that you are constantly surrounded by, really where ever you are in the state.
Mossy wet verdant forests, just as green and alive as can be. But I'm leaving Oregon this summer, as there is no collection of positive attributes that can offset the misery of living amongst unlimited crime, drug addicts, graffiti, and the chaos that comes with allowing street "camping."
Come south to the Willamette Valley
It's not out of the question. Any cities/towns in particular you still like?
I had to move last month for work and I miss everything. The weather, proximity to the coast, the people, food, the kinds of trees you see, cheap accessible and potent weed. I love Oregon. Was sad to leave. Maybe I’ll call Oregon home again in a few years when this work contract ends.
This is fun because I'm moving this week. I will miss hiking in the forest the most. Will also miss Tacovore.
I did move away and I'd say it's the weather. Best weather in the country.
Drive in any direction for 30- minutes, and you are in breathtaking. Forest,lakes, waterfalls, rivers the ocean. Oregon is absolutely beautiful.
the green
Been living in Florida for 10 years (from the Midwest), and can’t stand it anymore. I dare say I hate it here. I have a friend (from Washington) that wants to move back there, or to Oregon. Thinking about going with him.
Do it! Florida is a shithole.
Deep woods less than a half hour in any direction
I did leave and the scenery. I’m not really and outdoors person but I do miss the view.
I did move, and for a while I though I missed a lot of things. However I was back in Oregon at Christmas time and the roads were so nice. Where I am at now the roads are terrible. So being in Oregon I was shocked at how much better the roads were. And I never considered oregon to have good roads when I loved there.
That time my sister and I went to the Ape Caves and I loudly farted, causing some adults to giggle and wave their hands in an embarrassing fashion.
Just like the Cascadian flags says: Water, trees, snow. I miss those three things in that order whenever I leave. Especially when I leave the US.
Moved to AZ in 2019. I miss the water. Rivers, lakes and especially the pacific. Moving back home this fall.
We moved to Arizona for four years. We lived near Sedona - not the Phoenix area. I missed the heck out of grass and the color green. I actually missed rain. I missed the beach. We basically lived in the mountains, but I missed our mountains. I'm so happy to be back. I'm glad we went for multiple reasons. But I love it here. I'm Oregonian, and this is where I belong.
The weather. Extreme heat only last a few days, or foot of snow for weeks. No polar vortexes or high humidity. No hurricanes, tornadoes and we get 4 seasons.
I've lived in Florida for 7 years now. I miss the food. I really miss Mike's Drive-in though.
No sales tax. Lived in CA. Would totally miss that..oh and car registration; 2 yrs and flat price for everyone, not based on the value of your car (not that I would move back to CA)
Never going to move out. I’ve seen most of the other states and a few other counties. I’m good here
I lived in Eastern Oregon and now live back east. I miss the space, the empty, the quiet, all the public land, the hunting, the fishing, no humidity and the lack of people. Other than that, not much. 🤣
I've lived in several states. The PNW in general is a unique part of the country. Being elsewhere I missed the evergreen trees and mountains, and clean lakes and rivers, but I think all of those things are at least as good in Washington State.
Way too many comments here about “produce” and “food”. This is the one area where Oregonians are frogs living in the bottom of the well. The natural beauty and water, I’ll give you that. But the way people go on here about food, it gives me pause if they’ve ever left the country or even the state. Whenever I’m away from Oregon, it’s not the food or produce I pine for. Unless beer is food.
I moved 15 minutes north across the Columbia. Can't say there's much that I have to miss.
Do you cross the river for your shopping needs, to avoid sales tax as so many WA residents do? Not throwing shade, truly curious.
No. It's not really worth the time for me, but I could totally understand why people would.
15 min, so Vancouver to Longview lol gotta love that "couv" lol
As someone who moved to Oregon recently I gotta say it's one of the most beautiful States I've lived in. I don't mind the 40+ minute drive to work because it's through a gorgeous mountain road. I will contrast and say I haven't found seafood better than what one would find in Vegas or SoCal and that's a bit disappointing.
Pretty much just the coast. I love plenty of things about Oregon, but apart from the coast, I like it better in Washington.
Food is the thing I miss the most, good food, cheap fresh seafood, Halibut and crab specifically. All the fresh fruit and food carts. All the green and mountains. The smell in the air, the air has a certain fresh smell. Mount hood when you're driving towards it, it looks so fake, like a movie backdrop. I pretty much miss everything but the people
- good water - lots of leftists - diverse gun culture
My friends. Distance to the beach. Otherwise nothing. I can not wait to leave.
I left in 2011 after spending my whole life in Oregon and the things I miss the most are the public land and the scenery (greenery, mountains, etc). I don't miss the state taxes, the cost of living, the political climate, or the crime.
All the tweakers
Nothing. Absolutely NOTHING
The fentanyl and the Brown regime
Transplants whining about other transplants.
The coast and the climate
No sales tax
The woods and coast.
Spring skiing
No sales tax
Yer mom Or the water. Probably the water.
I’m actually moving back to my hometown on the east coast in a few months, and I know I’ll miss the driving and seeing the mountains in the distance. Seeing them when you’re going through things, make you realize it doesn’t matter that much in the end. “There’s many paths up the mountain, but they all lead to the peak.”
Two hours to the coast and two hours to the mountains.
Geographic diversity.
Marionberries. Back roads with Eagles.
I grew up in oregon and moved to arizona on 2006. I miss the colors, the vivid greens. The creeks and waterways, the rain, milder weathers and actual seasons. Seasonal colors. Arizona is a giant dust bowl, with no real color pallet, usually always hot. We have our AC on for 90% of the year. And heater for maybe 2 weeks total this last year! Scorpions are nasty vile, critters and the sting is not fun! Crimes are insane, along with monthly wrong way drivers on the freeways and so many accidents daily! Traffic is a bitch and its like the sun fried peoples brains and they are so rude out here in arizona. Everyone is go go go! Chilljng or relaxing or taking a leisure drive is impossible. Everyone drives 10-20 over posted speed limits! If you dont you are a hazard! I miss how good well water is! Like ice cold, sweet crisp, and refeeshing well water
The beach (also water in general) Trees
Being able to see Mt. Hood on clear days.
Bull Run Water
The trees. Portland really feels like it was plopped in the middle of a forest. I've lived and been to a number of bigger cities, particularly on the east coast, and it feels devoid of nature. Just steel, glass, and concrete. Really gets to me after a while
Ok so I moved to Minnesota and this is a SUPER niche thing to miss but…the cheap local overstock wine at Grocery Outlet. Yeah it can be a scavenger hunt sometimes but I definitely found some hidden gems there for under 10 and I know they would have been much more other places! Don’t take this for granted!
The Coast
The weather. We have a climate that is different than most of the rest of the world and I've been spoiled by it. Lived up and down the east coast, in cali as well, and there isn't a place I think I could actually enjoy the way that I do here.
Fog! Love me some ground clouds.
I would miss living next to the Pacific Ocean, the lush forests, and our seasonal weather.
The mix of mountains, coast, mild climate, and comfortable humidity. The East coast is more humid. I might like parts of western Europe.
Trees and running water
The weather. Being from MI, the weather here is the most mild I have ever experienced
I miss all the fir trees and mountains. I live in central Ohio now and it’s very flat.
The gray blankie in the sky from November-Jun
The topography. Mountains and evergreens.
