Reviews & Comments
Sequim, WA
Meh. -
5/5/2023I moved to Sequim in 2013. Being here for the last 10 years I have seen a lot of changes. It is not for the better. As a 38 year old single mother to a teenage boy, I can give some deeper insight for the “younger” generations of what to expect. This will be long, but I hope it seems thorough.
- If you have school aged children or grandchildren, I would not recommend the public school system. Unfortunately as in many areas, schools are underfunded and are unable to perform to their full potential. It’s not a horrible school district, but everything stays the same and there is no growth or opportunity for development. However, that can be applied to everything else going on in this community or lack thereof.
-There isn’t much for kids to do around here after school except for The Boys and Girls Club. Their program is wonderful! I am grateful for this and have seen how much my child has grown into a more mature, responsible young man with this program’s help. Outside of this program, there is very little to offer.
- Restaurants are few, the food is mediocre with most of them and it is expensive. As for opening new restaurants or a variety of food options you won’t find it in this town. There are about 10-15 restaurants in this town and 90% of them I do not recommend. They are just O.K.
- If you are wanting to experience “happy hour” or a restaurant staying open after 8 p.m., it almost doesn’t exist. I can name 1 restaurant that stays open after 8. I can name another restaurant who actually offers Happy Hour, besides Applebees. If you don’t care about this, then this town might be a good option for you.
-If you’re an outdoor enthusiast or gardener then this is a great area to be. However, you are limited to how often you are able to go out hiking, walking, camping excursions throughout the year. Best bet is April through October. Even April can go either way.
-Speaking of weather. As of it being known as “Sunny” Sequim is a hard one to agree with. Yes, in the summertime that is USUALLY the case. Although summer of 2022 we still had the “cloudy/gloomy overcast” weather with the temperatures maybe reaching 60 degrees up until July. Is this common? No, this was the first I’ve seen this happen in the time I have lived here. But the point is, it can and has happened.
-From October to April, there is several overcast, gloomy days, similar to Seattle. When we do get sun, especially after overcast season, the common joke/question is, “What is that bright light up in the sky?” Seriously.
The wind is horrible throughout this time (gusts of 50+ mph) and the area becoming dark by 4 p.m. and the sun out by 5 a.m. The chances of needing to repair your fence or do some cleanup of the debris after a windy storm is at least 50%.
-We have had fluctuating amounts of snow. It seems every 10 years we get 2-3 ft of snow in one storm. Snow shovels and bags of ice melt are best to have on hand. Most years, it has been anywhere from 2-3 inches or a foot of snow in total for the entire season. If you live right in town, the snow removal crew are usually really good about getting the roads cleared pretty quickly.
-As for the people in this community, it used to be genuinely friendly and social. I have noticed in the last 5 years this has changed significantly. People in general, not all, are not as patient, friendly or go with the flow when it comes to going about your day to day routines. Driving, going to the grocery store, shopping, etc. The chances of coming across people being rude, inconsiderate and disrespectful 5 years ago was maybe 10%. Nowadays, I would say it’s closer to 50%.
-The ages you will see are about 60-70% over the age of 60. The common saying among the locals Sequim is known as, “Heaven’s waiting room”. Not that this is a bad thing, but the businesses mainly cater to this age bracket. Frustrating to the rest of us as the other age brackets seem to not exist especially when it comes to shopping for clothes and other things to do. You are better off going to Silverdale with a lot more options. Which is a 1 hour drive.
-Lack of diversity. Although this is S.L.O.W.L.Y. Improving, I can say the community is over 85-90% is white. I wish there is more diversity to help this community grow successfully. Again, change does not happen quickly or easily here.
-Medical care is horrible here. If you’re a retiree, you can get into appointments, once established, 2-3 weeks out. Everyone else, 6-9 months. This has not improved since I have lived here. With the regular public medical facilities, you may get 30 minutes with a Dr. and most of the time you have to make another appointment after that if you want go further in depth with any medical concerns you might have. See ya Dr. in another 6 months to get further in depth with my medical concerns! Frustrating is putting it mildly.
-I would recommend going to an Integrative Health Dr. for all ages. As I am able to be in for an appointment 2 weeks out, sometimes less. AND I also get a full hour appointment with my Dr.
-Emergency room services are dirty and appalling. This has been a consistent problem since I have moved here. Go to Port Townsend where it is at least clean and their services are a lot better. Not perfect, but what medical facility is? I’d rather drive 45 minutes to Port Townsend where I know the chances of me recovering from whatever ails me will not be added with an additional infection due to the lack of sanitation.
Or if your ailments are more severe, they will usually have you go to Seattle or Bellevue to get more in-depth care. Commute is at least a 2 hour drive one way.
-Renting or buying? Good luck! Prices are sky high here. The only relief or availability to get affordable housing is catered mostly towards the 55+ community. Again, what about the rest of us?
-If you have pets and are trying to rent, most places are not pet friendly. They are out there, but you have to dig deep and be fast on the application process.
-My suggestion? Offer to pay a non-refundable pet deposit per pet. That’s how I was able to get into a rental when I first moved here. I had 4 pets! And the property listed for rent stated no pets. Was it worth it? Yes! You don’t know until you ask and don’t be afraid to.
-I was able to buy a home a year after that, but that was before the big rush/demand for people wanting to move here.
SUMMARY: Would I recommend this town to everyone? No. Who would be the best fit? Retirees who want a mundane, boring life. Was this a good place to raise my son? In some ways. However, we have outgrown what this area has to offer. This town is not a good fit for some, but doesn’t mean it’s not for others depending on what is important to you.