Brookings - considering for retirement but health care issue? (Medford: RV parks, extended stay)

[Metlakatla]

One of the biggest complaints from retirees on the Central Coast is the inaccessibility of medical care. Driving to Eugene on 126 looks easy enough on Google maps or whatever online resource you're using, but it's only a reasonably easy road when conditions are just right, which typically only occurs on long summer days. There've been a lot of bad wrecks on that highway in recent years.

It's easier to live in the valley and pick and choose the times you want to drive to the coast than to live on the coast and have to drive to appointments no matter what the weather or road conditions.

Before you move anywhere on the coast, join whatever local social media groups you can find and really listen to what people are saying.

[NW4me]

Originally Posted by leastprime

Central to North Coast, Florence to Astoria, would be your best option with access to Eugene, Corvallis, Salem, Beaverton area meds. Med facilities would be about 60-70 miles from coast. Reasonably easy roads, except for the Newport-Corvallis.

However, North Coast doesn't have Palm trees as does the South Coast.

The highway to the coast from Corvallis isn't as good as those from Eugene or Salem?
In what way is it inferior?

[Wile E. Coyote]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

My family goes back 6 generations in Oregon. I have had numerous older relatives who have, at one point or the other, owned properties on the coast for weekend homes and with the eventual intent to retire there. More in the northern and central coast (Manzanita, Yachats, Florence, Depot Bay, etc.).

Not one of them has stuck it out. My last cousin who retired to the coast (gated community outside Manzanita) finally threw in the towel and moved to Hawaii a few years ago. I have one more relative who has a custom retirement home somewhere in the Depot Bay area that they have been trying to sell for a few years without success. I suspect they could easily sell it if they drop the price enough, but I guess they dumped much of their retirement savings into it and feel like they need to get their money back out. Good luck with that.

One thing I hear mentioned is that you spend all this time finding the perfect location, fixing up your vacation/retirement home, and then when you finally get settled in it turns out that all your neighbors are either AirB&B rentals or shuttered up weekend homes that might get a visit once a month or so.

On the other hand, I have lots of the same relatives who are happily retired around the Willamette Valley. Newberg, Canby, Albany, Salem area, Eugene, etc.

Honestly if you live in the Willamette Valley the coast is close enough to do anything you want there. Like fishing? Beachcombing? Finding the best clam chowder? If you are retired you can do that any day you want with an easy pleasant and scenic drive over to the coast. It's not that far. Especially if you are retired and can run over on any random Tuesday.

The Willamette Valley is the safest and most reasonable place to live in Oregon in reality. Just about everywhere else you are living in the forest (with the wildfires).

[leastprime]

Originally Posted by NW4me

The highway to the coast from Corvallis isn't as good as those from Eugene or Salem?
In what way is it inferior?

The Alsea highway is just windier (more curves), IMO.
The straightest is the Sunset(26). IMO.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by leastprime

The Alsea highway is just windier (more curves), IMO.
The straightest is the Sunset(26). IMO.

It isn't just a question of highways though.

Corvallis is the valley city that is closest to the coast by a considerable margin. So even if the road is a bit more twisty, it is shorter:

Corvallis - Newport: 49 miles
Salem - Lincoln City: 58 miles
Eugene - Florence: 61 miles
Portland - Canon Beach: 81 miles
Medford - Brookings: 126 miles

[NW4me]

Originally Posted by leastprime

The Alsea highway is just windier (more curves), IMO.
The straightest is the Sunset(26). IMO.

I haven't been up there in a while, but I understand there were improvements made to US 20.

126 does have some beautiful scenery, though.

[leastprime]

I'll admit that I haven't been on the Alsea for awhile.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

It isn't just a question of highways though.

Corvallis is the valley city that is closest to the coast by a considerable margin. So even if the road is a bit more twisty, it is shorter:

Corvallis - Newport: 49 miles
Salem - Lincoln City: 58 miles
Eugene - Florence: 61 miles
Portland - Canon Beach: 81 miles
Medford - Brookings: 126 miles

The other consideration is elevation gain crossing over the mountains. While 26 from PDX to Cannon Beach is the best developed, well maintained road with passing lanes, it also climbs pretty high and can get icy during winter. Whereas heading out 18 from McMinnville to Lincoln City is only 50 miles and lower elevation. The drive isn't overly windy either compared to the others. If one lived in McMinnville or the outskirts of Salem, it could me the 'safest' drive to the coast year round.

Granted I've never driven Corvallis to Newport to compare. If someone needed greater access to medical services including more specialists, I think they would find more options in and around Salem. So, the reverse might also work best if one had to live on the coast around Lincoln City.

Or they could live in Hillsborough and drive to Cannon Beach via 26 which is only 66 miles. They would just have to avoid beach trips during the coldest times of winter which I think most likely do anyway. When its icy, snowy and/or cold, windy and rainy the beach doesn't quite have the same appeal.

Derek

[Wile E. Coyote]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

The other consideration is elevation gain crossing over the mountains. While 26 from PDX to Cannon Beach is the best developed, well maintained road with passing lanes, it also climbs pretty high and can get icy during winter. Whereas heading out 18 from McMinnville to Lincoln City is only 50 miles and lower elevation. The drive isn't overly windy either compared to the others. If one lived in McMinnville or the outskirts of Salem, it could me the 'safest' drive to the coast year round.

Granted I've never driven Corvallis to Newport to compare. If someone needed greater access to medical services including more specialists, I think they would find more options in and around Salem. So, the reverse might also work best if one had to live on the coast around Lincoln City.

Or they could live in Hillsborough and drive to Cannon Beach via 26 which is only 66 miles. They would just have to avoid beach trips during the coldest times of winter which I think most likely do anyway. When its icy, snowy and/or cold, windy and rainy the beach doesn't quite have the same appeal.

Derek

Dallas to Lincoln City is very easy. Corvallis to Newport is okay. Like you said, I live off Hwy 26 and Hwy 26 to the ocean is kind of a mountainous drive and then you drop down to the coast. It's not the best maintained road. I would put them in that order. If I wanted to get to the coast a lot after retirement I might pick to live in Dallas and access through Lincoln City. I mean, before the prices jumped the last couple of years...

[ExNooYawk2]

My latest plan for the future is to sell my large house and buy another, smaller one and the same area. The coast beckons but being near family, my great medical care and comfort zone win out. However, if I can swing it, would like to buy a small camper van to bring to the coast during the summer. I don't have to live there but can spend time near the beach on my own terms when I can find an RV spot. When the weather gets bad or I don't like the neighbors, I can just drive away.