Review of Ocean Shores, Washington


Cost of Living Higher Than It's Worth in Ocean Sho
Star Rating - 2/25/2012
It needs to be known that anyone living in Ocean Shores has only one, very small, very poorly-stocked, very high priced grocery store in the entire town. If you want better prices (and you will) or better selection you have to drive 45 minutes to Aberdeen/Hoquiam. The government classifies Ocean Shores as a "food desert", meaning that there is little to no availability of healthful, fresh foods at reasonable prices. There are a few restaurants, though the lifespan of an Ocean Shores restaurant is very short, and there are only a couple that could be considered low cost. During the winter (read: non-tourist season) stores and restaurants close very early, if they open at all, which means a permanent resident has an even harder time accessing healthful foods. The one and only road out of town can be treacherous-to-impassable after winter storms and high winds, which happen a couple of times a year. If you are considering moving to Ocean Shores, please do it with both eyes open; it looks lovely on a sunny summer's day when you're on vacation, but it is very grey and dismal most of the rest of the year.
Also, schools are of very poor quality throughout Grays Harbor County.
TheGem | San Diego, CA
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2 Replies


Everything is relative, my friend. Living past Alpine, CA it was a 45 minute ride to a large grocery store. You have not driven treacherous roads til you have driven in New England in February. A 22 mile ride to Aberdeen isn't much to those of us who have traveled 80 miles each way commuting in bumper to bumper. The traffic in Boston, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, LA and so on makes that 40 minute jaunt at 55 MPH not a problem at all. Impassable is a bit much. As to gray skies I suppose you would know better than I who have lived here year round, flying kites and regularly looking across the 80 mile stretch to see Mt Rainier in the distance. On to high winds, all utilities in ocean shores are underground, though we are susceptible to high tension wires outside of town going down. Yet in the middle of winter it is rarely below 35 and I have spent three weeks in suburban Boston without power with no way to heat the house in sub zero temperatures. It is all relative.
TheCapn | Ocean Shores, WA | Report Abuse

You share some very valid and good points!
Christine | Menifee, CA | Report Abuse
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