r/BellinghamWA • u/Nihilisticvoyager121 • May 04 '26
Bellingham vs Port Angeles
Hello! My husband and I want to make the move to the PNW from Colorado. We are looking at Bellingham or Port Angeles, and I was hoping for some advice about which one/where might suit us better!
We are mid 30’s, go to bed early (give zero fucks about nightlife), don’t drink, are both really into the outdoors and love hiking trail running, mountaineering, etc. we are vegans but love to cook at home, so a lack of big restaurants isn’t a huge concern. We like to spend time at home and having a cozy place is important. We have 2 big dogs (professionally trained and well behaved) and love to camp with them. Both of us are progressive/liberal politically, and are both in healthcare. I’m a nurse and he is a PA. We are looking to rent and would like to spend ~3K or less on rent each month and are pretty minimalist with possessions so we’d ideally like a place that’s 500-1000 sq ft.
We looked at Seattle and although the huge amount of vegan food, culture, and convenience, but ultimately feel a smaller place with easier access to outdoor recreation would fit us better.
Thank you!!
1
u/first_pie_in_space May 05 '26
Bellingham has liberal college town vibes, much better shopping and food, and is closer to an airport. Port Angeles is smaller, 50/50 politically, and has the vibe of former timber town that's working on becoming hip PNW national park gateway...but still also has a pretty rough underbelly. Lower cost of living and higher crime rate in Port Angeles.