Dwelling in Portland and Seattle

[erw1988]

I've read that Seattle is very friendly to van dwellers, and I imagine Portland -- being as liberal as it's portrayed -- is dwell-friendly, too.<br><br>Has anyone parked in these cities? Any advice to offer, or any places to avoid?

 

[dborla01]

I wish I could help you on that question. we live near portland. I would imagine that living in suburb areas would be safe, we live south west of city in a small town. Of course there are high crime areas in parts of portland to avoid. Good luck from Darrell.<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; PS/ Maybe near a well traveled area of morning commute and evening commute like off hwy 99 would be ok. example is a side street in tigard off 99 and there are lots of such examples. I do not think cops are that concerned as long as you do not stick out or park on private property. Would like to hear from you as time progresses.

 

[bk2valve]

I love both those cities but cannot answer you question. Portland may well be my favorite city in the world actually but the weather sux. I say that having been raised as a kid in Seattle and having two sons in the area...one in Port Townsend and one in Bremerton as well as having lived in the Willamette valley for six or seven years.<br><br>I can attest to the fact there are a many, many vandwellers in the PNW and I do know that it is easy to stay in Port Townsend in a van...I do it every so often. The city is very accommodating about letting folks overnite in the transit lot by Safeway...<br><br>Seattle and Portland have plenty Walmarts, and other 24 hour places around so I don't know why it would be different than any other city. I d have stayed in a Walmart lot in Bremerton but usually stay at my son's when there.<br><br>Best wishes,<br>Bri<br><br>edited for atrocious spelling and grammar lol

 

[peacetara]

I recently traveled thru there (November/December).&nbsp; If you search thru the forums there are a few threads on where good places to park are.&nbsp; I personally never had any issues there.&nbsp; I just try not to stick out.&nbsp; I have a giant white cargo van, that looks pretty industrial, so I go looking for other white cargo vans that look like mine.&nbsp; I park next to those, and so far haven't had any problems when I do that.&nbsp; Or I park next to all the other people that are clearly living out of their vehicles.<br><br>I don't treat any city any differently than another, and so far no issues.&nbsp; Except once in a tiny tiny small town in Montana, I couldn't find any vans that looked like mine, so I just gave up and pulled over where ever I was at the time.&nbsp; about 9AM I had a Sherriff stop by.&nbsp; I showed him I was deaf, and he just walked away and drove off. He never tried to communicate with me, other than the initial mouth moving(but he had a beard, so I have no clue what he said).&nbsp; I'm guessing he was just making sure I was alive, since it was a pretty chilly day (around 0 F).<br><br>Anyways, I wish you lots of successes!<br><br>With Love,<br>Tara

 

[oldnjung]

<p>H and I have been boondocking in the Tigard,'Tualatin, Wilsonville areas since July. Fred Meyer lots, Home Depots, Woodburn WalMart, Baldock Rest Area on I-5 (Wilsonville). Parks during day when warm weather. Also, libraries.&nbsp; We find these&nbsp;places in the metro&nbsp;to be safest and accepting. There are cheap or free campgrounds along rivers during summer. Also, Timberline Lodge lot during summer. Free with beautiful views.</p>

 

[Ballenxj]

I too have been wondering about the PNW area. Some day I would like to be able to split my time between a sailboat and van. I'd probably be on the sailboat way more than the van at that point. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"><br>If anybody has any thoughts on this I'd love to hear them. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[mockturtle]

I can tell you that living in a sailboat in the Seattle area will cost you a pretty penny!

 

[Ballenxj]

Seattle area is expensive? Uh Oh. Any recommendations of an area in the PNW that is not? <br>-Bruce

 

[Kurgan]

This is an interesting topic to myself as well. In April i'm driving my car from northeast PA to the Portland area. I have no place to live or work lined up, so it's looking like i'll be doing quite a bit of camping along with occasional sleeping in the car i'm sure. My longterm goal is to build a camper van, but really just need to get out of the Poconos asap.

 

[twokniveskatie]

What part of the poconos are you from?

 

[Cubey]

Having the setup I do... and the budget for it, I'm going to just rent a no-frills RV park space in the Seattle area (already have my eye on one) so I don't have to worry about staying on the move. Even if i didn't have a trailer I am going to pull behind, a 20ft van takes up 2 spark spaces most of the time. And the van gets about 7 or 8 mpg city without towing. It would cost me move to move it constantly than to rent an RV park and have a legal place to stay.

 

[Kurgan]

What part of the poconos are you from?

<br><br>I lived in Tobyhanna, Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg, and currently living in Delaware Water Gap.&nbsp;

 

[Ballenxj]

OpenMinds, I've often thought that a Kayak would make a GREAT Dinghy. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce