The 12 Greatest Things About Living in the Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest celebrates unparalleled natural beauty and a distinctive lifestyle. If you’re familiar with Dungeness crabs, Aplets & Cotlets and Molly Moon’s, then you have a taste of what the Pacific Northwest has to offer the world beyond a great cup of coffee. But there’s much more to the PNW than these tasty treats. The region offers a unique way of life and cities that support the PNW’s individuality. There’s something for everyone, from places that celebrate the area’s rich Native American heritage to vibrant major cities and even spots with vast, wild landscapes for those looking to connect with nature.
This blend of urban sophistication and wild adventures has earned the Pacific Northwest endless accolades, and you’ll find a whole mix of residents, from newcomers to long-term residents. From serene solitude to tech titans, living in the Pacific Northwest gives residents a quality of life that is truly unlike anywhere else. Here are the best things about living in the Pacific Northwest.
1. Dungeness Crab and Chinook Salmon and Geoduck Clams, Oh My
Fresh fish is easy to find in the Pacific Northwest, thanks to the region’s unparalleled bounty from its plentiful waters. Dungeness crab, named for Dungeness, WA, offers slightly sweet-tasting meat, and people worldwide consider it a delicacy. You can find them in local eelgrass beds and your favorite seafood restaurants. The PNW’s rivers teem with Chinook salmon. So, fishing is a popular pastime, supplying local kitchens and restaurants with hyper-local seafood. For a truly unique delicacy, geoduck clams are a favorite, frequently featured in innovative dishes throughout the area.
2. The Diversity of Culture
You don’t have to be on the East Coast or in Europe to find exceptional museums and arts. Seattle and Portland both are known for their symphony orchestras, and the museums throughout the PNW region showcase everything from the best of the art world – at the Boise Art Museum and Seattle Art Museum, to natural history at the Burke Museum on the University of Washington campus, to local industry at the Oregon Maritime Museum in Portland. Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture celebrates pop culture, including the city’s immense contributions to the music world.
3. Nature is Everywhere
Living in the Pacific Northwest means easy access to a gorgeous natural environment that is unrivaled. The region boasts a breathtaking juxtaposition of towering mountains, old-growth forests, saltwater coastlines, islands, waterfalls, and pristine freshwater lakes and rivers. Residents also have a variety of city, state, and national parks to choose from. There are also expansive wilderness areas where they can immerse themselves in the region’s diverse ecosystems. Explore iconic spots like Oswald West State Park in Oregon, Nez Perce National Historical Park in Idaho, and Olympic National Park in Washington. The area’s wild places bring you closer to the animals that live here, including bears, wolves, seals and whales.
4. Fresh Fruit & Sweet Treats: Tastes of the Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest boasts a rich agricultural landscape known for its extensive fruit orchards. Residents can enjoy direct access to a bounty of fresh, local produce. Among the area’s most iconic delights are Aplets & Cotlets Fruit and Nut Candies, known as the “confection of the fairies.” Locals know to tour the Liberty Orchards factory in Cashmere, WA, to watch how the apple, apricot and walnut treat is made. Outside the factory are seemingly endless acres of fruit orchards, which have brought fruit fame to eastern Washington.
5. Exceptional Education: Top Universities Across the Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest offers a strong educational landscape, from highly rated K-12 schools to world-class higher-ed institutions. Residents benefit from access to this academic environment as it cultivates innovation and provides companies with a strong talent pipeline. The region is home to many excellent schools and colleges, including Gonzaga University in Spokane, Concordia University in Portland, Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, Boise State University in Boise and the University of Washington in Seattle, which is ranked as one of the world’s best universities. This commitment to quality education makes the PNW an ideal place for families and lifelong learners alike.
6. Sunbreaks: Embracing the PNW’s Golden Moments
The phrase “sunbreak” likely originated in the Pacific Northwest. This phenomena describes the euphoric moments we experience when sunshine occasionally breaks through the frequent cloud cover. During sunbreaks, it’s acceptable to momentarily drop everything and run outside to soak in the sun.
7. The Professional Sports Teams
Locals are among the most loyal and exuberant fans in the world. In 2013, the Seattle Seahawks broke the Guinness World Record for the loudest crowd roar at an outdoor stadium, a testament to the fervent support that locals have for their teams. Seattle residents can also cheer on the Seattle Sounders FC soccer club.
Further south in Portland, residents dedicate themselves to the Trail Blazers basketball team and the Timbers FC soccer club. There isn’t really anywhere that can compete with the love the people of Portland show for their Thorns FC, who play in the National Women’s Soccer League. The Thorns averaged more than 18,725 fans per game during the 2024 season. The Thorns are the second-highest-attended WNSL team in the league. For the first time the 2024 NWSL season attendance hit a record 2 million fans. To put this in perspective, the Thorns draw more fans than more than a dozen NBA and NHL teams and a handful of MLB teams.
8. Celebrate Native American Culture in the Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest deeply connects to its rich heritage, including diverse Native American cultures. Residents have ample opportunities to connect with this history. The area has numerous museums, art exhibits and galleries dedicated to honoring native culture and traditions. There are several can’t-miss spots, including the Suquamish Museum in Seattle, which celebrates Chief Seattle’s tribe; the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles, OR; and the Shoshone Bannock Tribal Museum in Fort Hall, ID.
9. The Burgeoning Food Scene: From Local Seafood to Fine Dining
Over the past 25 years, the Pacific Northwest has experienced a culinary boom, with a significant increase in the variety of restaurants. Residents can enjoy iconic, tried-and-true seafood at Ivar’s, which has several locations in Seattle and is known for its deck dining. Acclaimed chefs lead the charge in the farm-to-table movement at spots like The Herbfarm in Woodinville, WA; Farm 12 in Puyallup, WA; The Hook & Plow in Bend, OR; and Jory at The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg, OR. Restaurant Beck on the coast in Depoe Bay is a favorite among Oregonians, and Sun Valley’s Trail Creek Cabin is considered one of Idaho’s best, showcasing the region’s commitment to outstanding food.
10. Celebrate Year-Round at the Many PNW Festivals
Pacific Northwesterners sure know how to celebrate and have fun. The region has a calendar chock full of year-round events and festivals that are sure to keep the entire family entertained. Summer brings Seafair, which has been Puget Sound’s favorite tradition for 75 years and features parades, boat races and airshows. Art enthusiasts flock to Gresham, OR, for the Festival of the Arts, which turns the historic downtown area into a giant art gallery and even broke the Guinness World Record for chalk pavement art in 2015. When winter arrives, the Idaho Winter Carnival transforms McCall into a winter wonderland with snow-sculpting contests, tubing races and events and competitions like a beard contest.
11. Honey Lavender Ice Cream at Molly Moon’s
Life is sweet in the PNW, thanks in large part to its incredible foodie scene. As we mentioned before, PNW residents have access to a variety of locally sourced foods and creature comforts, but come summer (or really any time of year), everyone flocks to Molly Moon’s. The ice cream shop has several locations throughout the greater Seattle area, offering creative flavors and seasonal scoops. Some beloved mainstays include honey lavender, salted caramel and iced latte, which is made with local beans. The company sources 90 percent of its ingredients from the Pacific Northwest and leans on local flavors to help shape the menu. You’ll know you’re there when you see the line out the door.
12. Experience the Magic of Alpenglow
Few phenomena capture the beauty of life in the Pacific Northwest quite like the Alpenglow. At 11,250 feet for Mount Hood and 14,416 feet for Mount Rainier, both can be seen rising into the air from miles around. Awe-inspiring in every season and time of day, there is something especially beautiful when the mountains reflect the late-day sun and those snow-covered peaks turn an otherworldly orange-pink.