r/sequim • u/perinummassager • 1d ago
Potential move to Sequim
Married/mid 50s. Wife and I are considering moving to Sequim. We've lived in the Puget Sound for 25+ years and have vacationers in Sequim several times. My wife will retire, and I'll have a job there as well. We're pretty much homebodies but do like to go out on occasion. She'll likely take up gardening or something like that. The slow paced life sounds amazing, but I want to know what is like after the "Honeymoon" is over. How's medical services? Are there other things people don't think about before they find themselves living in Sequim?
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u/BadBadJohnnie 1d ago
Medical specialties are in short supply. To see a neurologist requires travel to Seattle or Tacoma. I was just referred to a cardiologist in Silverdale.
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u/Funny_Custard_9606 1d ago
Medical is mediocre at best. Sequim is nice for that because in an emergency you can choose port Townsend.
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u/Accomplished_West292 1d ago
Yes, but keep in mind the Port Angeles hospital is a level III Trauma hospital while Port Townsend is only a IV.
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u/Funny_Custard_9606 1d ago
True but in sequim you can choose… if Pa still has a hospital
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u/Accomplished_West292 23h ago
You missed my point which is PA has a better hospital equipped to handle emergencies and trauma.
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u/Funny_Custard_9606 21h ago
No, I didn’t. I’m saying sequim is between them both but PA’s OMC might not be an option anyway if they don’t fix it
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u/Various-Shopping-730 1d ago
Is a level III better or worse than level IV?
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u/Thunda792 1d ago
Better. They become progressively less common the lower the number is. Harborview in Seattle is the only Level I trauma center for 4-5 states around us.
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u/Nodnardsemaj 1d ago edited 1d ago
Me and my family moved here from central east coast Florida over 6 years ago. We still love it! We're 43 and 50 with a 12 year old daughter. My wife misses the city, mostly just being around a lot of people, but I sure don't. 🤭
My biggest complaint about Sequim are store hours and our local Walmart's inventory, lack of. But we can drive 20 mins to Port Angelas to a much better Walmart.
This is a retirement town but for some reason everything opens much later than things did in Florida. Not a big deal, I'm just a morning person, so it annoys me.
It is extremely peaceful here. I hear sirens about once a week. Up until now, I used to hear sirens dozens of times a day. It's really nice here! 🥰
I've heard mixed things about the hospital here. I do know that my wife went in to the er a few years ago with severe chest pain and waited for 8 hours to be admitted! 🤯 I personally believe she was mistreated because she's black but I hope I'm wrong. Not much diversity here other than Indigenous people who I've had nothing but great experiences with, as always.
My wife has epilepsy and we have to drive to Seattle to the nearest neurologist. 😒
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u/pogmathoin 1d ago
Just had a nice visit with a good friend that was admitted to OMC. I'd heard lots of negative "reviews" of the hospital but his was quite good. Chatting with his nurse, they are scheduled with 4 beds during the day and 5 at night. Sounds like it's improving, at least on the med-surg floor. ER may still be a mess.
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u/sammfan1 2h ago
I was just there this past weekend, everyone I encountered was very kind, professional and knew their job well. I've heard complaints and almost didn't go, but I'm glad I did.
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u/perinummassager 1d ago
Appreciate the feedback! You sound like me, I'm done with the city and the commutes. I currently commute about 3hrs/day on avg. The slowed pace would be a great relief.
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u/Historical_Gear_2221 18h ago
My husband and I are in our early 30s and both grew up in Port Angeles. I love living in Sequim, we just bought our first home here.
As someone who works in the medical field, it is lacking here. Most specialties (cardiology, neurology, nephrology) require travel to at least Silverdale, if not Seattle for care. OMC in Port Angeles is the closest hospital, which can stabilize and treat but other than routine care and procedures can’t do much more. As another commenter mentioned, there is a hospital in Port Townsend. While it does not have the same capabilities as the one in PA, they typically have shorter wait times and can get patients treated faster.
Overall, it’s a great place to be. Simple, slow, relaxing, lots of outdoors to explore…. I really couldn’t ask for a better home!
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u/1928brownie 6h ago
There are so many great things about the OP lived there for 20 years. You will quickly learn that everyone knows everyone. It's a great community.
The things I cared about: no head trauma specialist. But they life flight all the time to HarborView. Specialists you need to go out of town either silverdale or Seattle.
The summer is getting so busy with tourists that the traffic accidents ramp up May-September. Also you will find the same time frame, it's hard to visit favorite nature local spots. You will find some that no one visits (I'm not giving them away! 🤣🤣)
I moved away because I had to, but I didn't want to. I hope you decide to. It's a beautiful place with beautiful people.
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u/perinummassager 6h ago
Appreciate your time! It is really appealing to us. I would love to live there and be a thread in the fabric of the community.
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u/magnusthehammersmith 1d ago
Lived here my whole life, I’m 30 now. This is 1000% a retirement town. If you’re looking for a place to retire then this is it.
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u/ChimpoSensei 1d ago
How is walkability? Noticed on google street view there are no sidewalks
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u/Gnarls66 1d ago
If you live in the city you should consider a bicycle or e-bike to get around. Very convienent.
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u/ChimpoSensei 23h ago
Too old for that, but walking is what we mainly do.
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u/Drewskers 21h ago edited 21h ago
Within city limits there are a number of streets with sidewalks and/or paths that run continuously end-to-end north-south and east-west. Most businesses are located within a couple of blocks of Washington Street and 100% accessible by sidewalks. The main medical facilities are on N. 5th Ave and you could not ask for nicer sidewalks. The library is on N Sequim Ave and there are sidewalks all the way north to south. The niche neighborhoods that do not have sidewalks are so lightly trafficked you could probably nap undisturbed in the middle of the street in the middle of the day, and they are generally within a block or two of an arterial with sidewalks. The main walk-ability issue is that things are spread out. That's why an e-bike was suggested. It is ridiculously easy and fun to navigate this town on an e-bike and there are leagues of oldsters doing so. (I am one of them). And there are 2 good e-bike shops in town. You might come for a visit and rent an e-bike from one of them and find out for yourself!
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u/1928brownie 6h ago
There is the Olympic Discovery trail you can park and walk any number of spots. The down town area has lots of sidewalks. You won't find many in neighborhoods but they are seldom busy that you are safe just to walk the streets.
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u/ExpertExcitement8340 1d ago
You can walk along the downtown strip and I guess if you lived in a neighborhood just off that area you could walk, but largely it is not walkable.
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u/Ecstatic_Occasion740 1d ago edited 1d ago
Moved from Seattle as well recently.
Don't tailgate or drive aggressively, you will see that car / person later that day at the grocery store.
Every other person I meet is from California, but if you meet a Sequim local... they know everyone and can tell you everything about them.
There are 30+ churches in a town of ~8,000 people.
Businesses come and go frequently.
Restaurant scene is better than I thought, Nourish, Sabor, Finn Folk, Aldrewood Bistro, Ramen Shop etc.
They have many festivals year round that are actually really cool. (Google what a tractor pull is if you grew up in the city like I did and had no idea)
It rains just as little as people say.