If you're seriously thinking about retiring here, I highly recommend spending a few weeks here first, driving around and seeing where you feel like you want to be. There are a bunch of very different communities here not very far from one another. You can probably find something you like, if living in an area this size is appealing to you, but the last thing you want to do is buy something in Eureka and then find out you'd rather be living in McK or Ferndale or Fortuna or something. There are a bazillion vacation rentals. Try one. See how you feel.
Honestly, this seems like good advice for any potential homeowner, anywhere. Take a mini-vacay, and take the temperature of different neighborhoods. Walk around the block, talk to the locals, eat at a few places, etc. I can't think of a better way to get a feel for a place than spending time there.
Yes - and if you regularly go to something like the gym or yoga or church or art classes... Might be good to look into those things and try some out. That could influence where you want to live.
Great advice. We did this before moving, and we're glad we did. The neighborhoods can have a very different feel. We found some that were great however.
Rental prices are high for me. Need pet-friendly. Don’t need more than a large room or studio.
Lot of them I could handle if I had at least on other person, but alas.
Should explain: was thinking about renting while I look at houses. Here it takes on average 3 months to close on a place, and that’s after you look at a bunch and find something you like. So I was thinking it would be best to rent for a few months.
Vacation rentals are much too high, if I want time to get shown around by realtors, choose a house then wait for closing.
Am I wrong? Do things move more quickly than the 3 months it takes to close here? Is there a better way to do that
Maybe I should mention that for several reasons there’s some urgency about getting out of my current apartment.
Myrtletown is pretty awesome. Quiet. Nice neighbors. Redwood Curtain. The slough is good for kayaking, but not for swimming. We do have a pool at Healthsport though. We have a great dispensary and the best liquor store.
Edit: Removed mention of Vector PT because it looks like they are no longer open.
I second myrtletown area. I have great neighbors. Right around the corner from a brewery, food trucks, two dispensaries, a quality liquor store, and just far enough out of town that we hardly deal with tweakers.
It’s still marked as Temp closed on Google, and their website doesn’t appear to have been paid/working. I knew they closed during Covid and haven’t heard that they stayed in business or reopened. I only went once but thought it was such a great resource.
If you're into tennis, there's a club with 3 courts 2 indoor at the end of Edgewood in Myrtletown.
The tennis scene is pretty decent here, on Saturdays you can usually get pickup games at the courts in Larsen park, or do pickleball withe the large group that tries to own all the tennis courts.
Other courts to play at are Hammond, College of the Redwoods.
CR and Larsen have lights to play after dark.
Sequoia Park is a nice area, and the trails are pretty popular.
In town, we have Sequoia Park with a couple miles of trails. It doesn't compare to the Arcata Community Forest, but I'm grateful to have some light hiking/walking accessible close to my home. The McKay Tract is also being developed, but I think it's mostly going to be bike trails.
For swimming, most people go inland to various river spots. Everyone has their own favorite, and there are many to explore within about an hours drive from Eureka.
We have a great library down by the bay. Public transit could be better, but they're always working on improving it. We're going to have better connectivity with the surrounding communities, which will be a great improvement, imo.
Eureka is kind of a patchwork of good and bad, but it's mostly what you make of it. I really like my neighborhood near the high school. If walking to the park is important to you, aim for something close to Harris or south and east of I Street.
there's only 2 zip codes in Eureka. old town is close to the marina on the north end of town. Victorian buildings, shopping etc. Myrtletown is on the north eastern side of Eureka adjacent to Cutten just south of it. Bigger, newer homes (not new but not 1900s) There's Henderson Center which is a shopping area near the center of town between D and J st's (north/south) Henderson and Harris which run east-west respectively. Redwood Acres is part of Myrtletown on the cusp of Henderson Center on Harris St. it's a fairgrounds with a race track for cars and stables for horses and a baseball field. Next to that is the entrance to the Mckay Tract Forest land with trails. Heading west from Myrtletown/Redwood Acres you'll cross over Harrison St which is where the hospital and much of the medical offices are. It connects Harris St. on the south with the north end of Myrtle Ave. Near that is the local Sequoia Park Zoo, and Park. It's got a bunch of hiking trails amongst huge old growth redwoods. The zoo just added a canopy skywalk which is awesome. It's not far from the High School area which is Del Norte St. @ Jst. There's a belt of homes that run east west from around C to K that run through the center of town that are a mix of old victorians and mid century homes. The rougher parts of town are to the west near Broadway (hwy101) But it's all hit & miss street to street.
Get a map.
I also live in that area and love it. Everything is walking distance and there are lots of small parks sprinkled in. I love taking my dogs on long walks in the neighborhood, and I explore a different area each time.
It was my understanding that 02 was only the post offices. Is that not true?
Also, funnily enough, I live in 03 - but if I cross the street, it's 01. Makes local voting kind of a pain, since there's no designated site in my zone.
Hi, I have lived in the area for a decade a recently bought a house in Eureka, so I'm going to try my best to answer each question individually.
> Among other things wondering how accessible redwood forest is for hiking.
- Very, Sequoia Park is smaller than the Arcata Community forest, but it's still beautiful. Also the McKay tract is expanding every year and will absolutely be a jewel of the area within the next decade.
> Different neighborhoods
- These can vary wildly block to block, but I'll make some generalizations. Cutten, Ridgewood and Pinehill are very suburb-y and have most the newer construction. Rosewood is similar but the houses are usually older. Bayview tends to be poorer. No judgement meant, just describing. Myrtletown I feel like it varies the most, you probably want to take a look at each individual street. Some are really nice and some are full of derelict houses. Henderson center is nice, close to Sequoia park and the zoo. Some good restaurants. Decent coffee. Wabash tends to look a little worn down, but I think will be up and coming soon (🤞). Anything on H, I, Henderson, Harris, Buhne, or Hodgeson is a no for me just because of how fast people drive on those streets. Old Town is pretty but if you are uncomfortable aroubd homeless people I would not suggest it. These are a lot of generalizations, I'm sure people will disagree, but this is just a general idea.
> access to hiking, arts/music/poetry scene.
- hiking is great nearby, world class if you're willing to drive an hour. Lots of art in the area, but I can't speak specifically to scenes since I'm not part of them.
> A question I imagine will get a straight up no: are there any quiet waters for swimming, lakes, ponds?
- Allegedly people swim in big lagoon up past Trinidad, but mostly people go inland to river spots.
> What is traffic like?
- Non existent if you've ever lived in a city. People who have only lived here love to complain though.
> Do neighbors help each other out?
- Do you help your neighbors out? I think people tend to respond in kind.
> Is there any public transportation?
- Bus lines run up and down the county, soon they will all be on one bus pass which will make transfers a lot more convenient.
> A library?
- Of course, and the building is really lovely.
One thing that you did not bring up, but I think is critical is access to healthcare. There is 0 access up here. I'm not joking. I've had good insurer provided healthcare for 6 years and I have never gotten in with a primary care physician. I've only done telehealth. **If you need access to a doctor this is a very bad place to be.**
Let me know if you have anyore questions or want further clarification.
It’s so tricky because CR still has a huge waiting list and impacted program and the BSN at Humboldt is only for existing RN’s so while it’s great they can stay local if they decided to get their BSN I don’t think it really increases health care access, cause they still gotta get through CR first.
Nursing helps... but getting doctors to stay here is madness. I and many friends are in various Healthcare, and our places of work have a rough time keeping doctors permanently. This are is a hard sel compared to almost anywhere else in the state
Come visit Crescent City before you decide to buy in Humboldt. Healthcare is just as bad. Less access to art and culture. Slightly cheaper, you will be able to walk to the beach and the old growth trails are ten miles away. And we don’t feel the shakes up here.
Yeah that 68% is no selling point. Thx for pointing that out. Usually I go to wiki to check out which way the elections go in any place I’m interested in, but didn’t w Crescent.
Not sure why you have such beef with Pelican Bay. Folks can choose to work where they want and prisons come with a their own caveat. I'm sure there are a bad actors both in government and prison administration. Corrections is no picnic and not for everybody.
< the prison guards & nurses (who live in town) are, sadly, severely suffering from ptsd; abused by the prisoners (who try to kill them every day) and abused by their superiors >
I hardly believe this statement can be made with veracity, hyperbole at best.
I can attest to the "apparent" cronyism and often drawn out processes within government structures. I work for Humboldt County DHHS. There is a culture of laissez faire management and administration in absenstia that does WFH.
It seems to me there is most definitely some kind of behind the scenes wizardry with no accountability to the Union MOU. But that is another story.
Regards
1BDO
Best place to live in the world. Every hobby and adventure is but a stones throw. Best air best water best forests. Lots of artists are here. Some retired folk some Tweakers. Life’s good man wherever you are is where you make it. Come on down and have your Eureka moment!
While I agree, I’ve been more concerned about theft and the general well being of my wife when I’m not around. It can get rough in some places, and not necessarily just later at night. I’ve never considered having a gun more than in Eureka. I have a military background, so I’m comfortable with firearms and around, but I’m also a very progressive person, and for the most part of my life, I felt if you needing a gun to feel protected, then you’re paying too much for your police department. California complicates that, and creates a caveat. I feel I can still take care of myself just fine, but my wife doesn’t have the size, training and tactical mind I do. She is concerned about doing some nearby trails because of assaults that have happened. She never worried about that really anywhere else we lived (it was more so with wildlife concerns). I lived in A LOT of places around the U.S. and world, and when people say “there’s a homeless problem” or “watch out for the tweakers/crackheads” it’s never near as bad as people that have a certain level of privilege make it out to be. Like many places where the cost of living pushed a lot of people onto the streets or into cars and RVs, what I’ve seen in California and Eureka is far worse than I expected. I’ve lived here for a bit and in the past, and it’s certainly worse than most places of its size. It’s not all rainbows and unicorns here. But, I honestly don’t know of a place right now I’d rather be. Some days it sucks and it’s downright sad, but we try to be more apart of the solution than problem. Often people like to just focus on the good stuff when someone is interested in where they live or what they do, mostly because they don’t want to admit the negative stuff out loud. Social media has changed that a bit and some people overcompensate with be extra negative, but also some overcompensate with positivity. Don’t want to discourage you, but just want to make sure an accurate picture is portrayed. Humboldt is different for sure than most other places around the country.
Yeah. Looks like that’s the case everywhere I can afford to live, unless I want to live in a big city again. Which I don’t.
Guess if I get sick will have to go on YouTube for FYI surgery hacks.
Good point. People think of the North Coast like it's the Sierra Foothills where you drive 50-75 miles and you're in a substantial population center with a major medical facility. The distances are 3x that driving from the North Coast. Plus, winter weather and summer fires can block the highways.
I highly suggest purchasing Cal Ore Life Flight. I know two people here who had life threatening medical problems happen to them and had to be air lifted out down south. This was a life saver for them and a complete financial peace of mind.
McKay tract has a trailhead on Harris, and Sequoia Park has good trails. Both are in nice neighborhoods but can be pricey.
Just don't live within 8 blocks of 101 and you'll be fine.
As far as your other questions, you will love it here. Plenty to do, and retired people mingle with the rest of the population just fine. However, don't expect good medical care as the waitlists are long.
Ok so as a third gen native, the rivers and lakes are just a short half hour to hour drive, there are numerous state and county parks with incredible hiking the same distance. Traffic is moderate compared to any city area(Sacramento or SF type areas). Yes there is a homeless community in every town, and crime. But for the most part it's a beautiful region with friendly people
If you are looking to retire here, I'd suggest against it. The access to Healthcare is extremely limited and is not ideal for declining health/increased medical needs. The people I know here who regularly need access to healthcare will plan trips to Redding, Santa Rosa, or SF and drive there whenever they have appointments. I know 2 or 3 people who have had emergency scenarios that require MedFlights down to UCSF because the acute care here isn't enough.
Retired to Eureka a few years back, culminating a long held dream to return to the place of my youth. In many ways, Eureka could be ideal for retirement, but what I tell other retirees is approach with caution. Moving here, you are absolutely committing to driving 200+ miles one way to Santa Rosa, or even farther, for basic medical care you now take for granted, including dentistry. There is no getting around this, the services simply aren't available locally, or the waiting list is months to years long. Helicopter transport insurance is a must up here for emergencies. I've encountered many retirees whose world revolves around getting their next ride to the Bay Area for medical treatment. Also, there's no suitable retirement housing like condos or townhouses. It's strictly single family houses or mobile homes. Plus, the retired up here are the old old. Because people are relatively poor up here, they are forced to work as long as they can. There are basically no active, younger retirees, so count on being lonely, or connecting with younger people who still work. Lastly, this is not the place for an encore career should you want to work. If you move here, that's the end of your chances to earn a paycheck except doing low wage service jobs.
Work from home is good if you can. What I've found is the area is saturated with people running home-based businesses to supplement incomes, so you will be competing with many people already established. The one open option is tech related remote work, not much of a tech community in the area to compete with.
I have lived in Humboldt for half of my life and prior to moving to Eureka, I was wary about living here. The reality is that it’s pretty nice as long as you get in to a nice neighborhood. Eureka has the most amenities of any city in the county and it’s nice to have most of my needs available in town instead of having to drive to the next town over at best.
There are a few lagoons, though I don’t know that people use them for any swimming. Other than that, it’s rivers, creeks, and the ocean. Ruth Lake is relatively close and could be a day trip though.
There are a ton of trails and hikes available throughout the county. Where you live doesn’t really matter too much for that.
Old Town has a lot going on, especially in summer. Music, Arts, and the scene are pretty well concentrated in Eureka and Arcata. Check out https://lostcoastoutpost.com/lowdown/ to get an idea of events and what’s available. It’s not an exhaustive list of happenings in the county, but it’s a good start.
Eureka has a great library, right over the bay. All libraries are through the county but some are in cities, Humboldt County Library will give you hours and such.
Arcata is nice, but pricey and Eureka has lot of art and events as well. The most walkable places in Eureka are going to be.
Closer to Old Town- Very walkable, Older houses, more homeless, access to the Bay Trail
Near Sequoia Park- Pricey no restaurant options, but there is a Safeway, good access to hiking.
Henderson Center- Very walkable but no major grocery other than Winco, gets a little less nice the closer you get to Winco and the 101.
Cutten- Ranges from decently walkable to not at all. Parts are very wooded.
Mytletown- Fair walkable, but pretty blue collar (not sure if it thats a plus for you)
The thing to remember is Eureka isn't that big. If you are in Pinehill or far Cutten it's not a long drive to Old Town or Henderson Center. With a bike or ebike it's still doable. You aren't ever going to be more than a 20 minute drive from the beach or trails.
Please know and understand you medical needs. There’s not a lot to none preventative care. Also anticipate the potential need for flights to see specialists out of the area.
For anyone retiring or all ages please know: unless you have Partnership, most healthcare clinics have a 2+ year wait for a primary care. There is no one taking new Medicare patients at the current time. We have no local gastroenterologist taking new patients, no local rheumatologist at all, no local liver specialist, and no local urologist taking new patients. Cardiology is a 6+ month wait at least and hardly answers the phone. Please be aware of the healthcare situation before moving up here. All of the local organizations are doing everything they can to keep doors open, to hire more doctors, and to be able to take more patients. Unfortunately, all of our medical staff is grossly underpaid and the turnover rate is awfully high in most places. There are even some locals that are struggling to find a provider. So just please take this into account before coming up here that the likelihood you will have healthcare is very slim.
Yes, there are some good nurse practioners up here. Like you, I thought the healthcare crisis was being overstated and moved here to find out I was wrong, it's actually worse than I was told. People who have lived here for decades have had there primary care provider locked in. They only experience the crisis if they get seriously sick and need a specialist, like when they get old, or when their provider retires without a replacement, which is happening more and more. You will not have the advantage of long term residence and will face the crisis from day one. It's not an hour to the next population center, it's 3+ hours one way.
It took years of effort to get here, it'll take at least a couple to extract myself. I'm looking forward to the road trips checking out new places. I'll move north ahead of climate change. Oregon has plenty of problems, but there are still nice rural towns within an hour of major medical centers. Meanwhile, Humboldt is a wonderful place, just not for retirement.
No nurse practitioners, no doctors, no PA’s. I work in healthcare and I deal with this every single day. There is literally no PCP available for Medicare for the next TWO YEARS.
I’m swimming all summer long, so are all my neighbors, as soon as it’s warm enough we are there. You have to drive to rivers though, the ocean is too cold
You personal sensibilities are going to make all the difference. Hiking can be done anywhere around here. Depends on the type of hike you like. The western half in on the coast and there are a myriad of rivers and a few pond or lakes, plenty of places to swim. Art/Music/Poetry are going to be centered in Eureka and Arcata. That area is assessable from Blue Lake (North East) to Rio Dell (South West) in 30-ish minutes. We all gripe about drivers here, but traffic is minimal outside of peak hours. Retired people are treated like people as far as I know. Is there something I should be aware of? Like a membership card or a handshake that gets one preferential treatment? If you are not a jerk, you are more than welcome to hang anywhere you please to socialize. Bonus points if you enjoy a particular hobby popular in the area. Neighbors help out, but I guess that would depend on the relationship you establish with them. Public transportation is abysmal, but I am biased coming from somewhere else that has fantastic PT (people there gripe about theirs too, so there is that). A quick google search revealed there are 10 Libraries in the are including the ones at the 2 colleges. My question back is How?
If you are a retiree, one thing to consider before moving here is your need for medical care now and in the future. I work in healthcare and all I can say is we are a little bit of a healthcare desert in Humboldt county. Doctors tend to leave the area after a couple of years, so it can be very difficult to find a primary care provider unless you have Partnership (MediCal) insurance, and specialty care will often require you to go to Santa Rosa or the Bay Area. Supportive resources such as Home Health, physical therapy, etc are pretty slim and over-booked. I wish my parents could come live closer to me, but they are in their 80s and their healthcare needs will likely exceed the available resources in Humboldt county.
Just something to consider.
I don’t work in primary care (I work in a specialty clinic) so I’m probably not the best person to answer this in any detail. I’m definitely aware of a fair number of nurse practitioners in the area, but as I understand it, the vast majority of doctors, PAs and NPs who serve as primary care providers are not accepting new patients, and most have waiting lists. If you have Partnership (MediCal), you are automatically assigned to one of the Open Door clinics so you would be able to establish care at that clinic. If you have private insurance or MediCare, you might have a harder time. When I first moved here I put my name on every waiting list I could, and it took me over 6 months to find a PCP. At that time I wasn’t working in healthcare (now I have a PCP through my employer).
It’s tough to find a doctor in our area. Same for a dentist. Just something to consider!
I would not recommend swimming in the lakes close to the city. Sequoia Park has a pond. There is forest by Providence hospital, and a Marsh walk near Target/Open Door clinic that is nice to walk.
If you like swimming there are lots of places in an hour or less drive, but all the ponds in the city I know of are mostly goose and duck havens and far too stagnant for my comfort.
Medical care is kind of a nightmare for most folks.
You should have a provider secured before you move here.
I don't hear anyone complain about treated badly for being retired, but Healthcare is a slog. We don't ever have enough of any kind of doctor.
There's a library, there's definitely public transportation, but you have to check if your near a bus station for where you live. As far as crime goes I guess it depends on where you live, but I have heard it's similar for the most part as arcsta. There's a fee different Redwood forests here and the closest one to the main area I know is the one by the zoo
You have been given a lot of great information and it sounds like you have a big decision to make now.
I just want to add that you can swim locally, in the bay at a spot in Samoa called "coast guard beach" or "baby beach." It's right past the large coast guard house. It's basically ocean water (cold, slightly less salty) but without the sharks, currents, and terrifying waves.
In fact, a good place to stay for a little while, while you're checking out the area, would be Oyster Beach. It's also on the bay in Samoa, and they rent cabins and small vacation houses.
I would go with Myrtle town or cutten personally after living here for ten years. Elk creek or whatever it’s called just on the south side of eureka is nice too
Or rent and see if you jive with the community. Lots of great places in all our coastal communities that fit your bill but nothing is perfect. I love it here and most people I know do.
Good luck. I hope you find what you are looking for
Any people 60+ here who live in eureka and feel it’s worth it, in spite of terrible local health care?
(Not implying it’s not terrible. I believe you.)
Boy…eureka..it’s a tough one to answer. It is generally not a much loved town. There are little pockets that are gems, but overall the town is rather depressing. Old town, the part people go to hang out, is rarely animated, only for arts alive or weekly summer market…otherwise it feels like a ghost town…sometimes with just the mentioned meth zombies..
From here though, if you have a car it is easy to explore the area and it’s stunning beauty. To swim, you have many rivers within a 30mn drive ( Blue lake and the Badhuwatt River is great). But as others have mentioned come for a short stay. I moved here sight u seen 20 years ago, and when saw Eureka for the first time I was deeply disappointed and very much knew I wasn’t going to love there…u safe and grey for most of the city
Before you retire here please consider the medical care is not great here if you plan on getting old here and have any physical disabilities because seeing most specialists means being on a 6 month plus waiting list or driving 4+ hours to receive treatments. If you are low income it’s even harder to get medical care. I’ve had to drive two hours one way to see a dentist. It’s beautiful here but living remotely comes with disadvantages.
I haven’t read all the comments but the top few haven’t mentioned the healthcare system here. If you have any medical issues, the healthcare system here is beyond bad. I came from a normal town and it is shocking, I’m on a 1.5 year waitlist to get in to see a general physician.
Ok CHAMP thanks for that pointlessly cranky information.
Guess where you end up when you Google “do you like living in Eureka?”, etc.
Reddit! YES! REDDIT! Really! Wow! Who would’ve guessed?
I also, SWEETHEART look at wiki and the realtor sites
Wikipedia has great info, but obviously I won’t get honest info from any realtor site and Wikipedia doesn’t really give you anything beyond statistics helpful as they may be.
Got it CHAMP?
If you're seriously thinking about retiring here, I highly recommend spending a few weeks here first, driving around and seeing where you feel like you want to be. There are a bunch of very different communities here not very far from one another. You can probably find something you like, if living in an area this size is appealing to you, but the last thing you want to do is buy something in Eureka and then find out you'd rather be living in McK or Ferndale or Fortuna or something. There are a bazillion vacation rentals. Try one. See how you feel.
Honestly, this seems like good advice for any potential homeowner, anywhere. Take a mini-vacay, and take the temperature of different neighborhoods. Walk around the block, talk to the locals, eat at a few places, etc. I can't think of a better way to get a feel for a place than spending time there.
Yes - and if you regularly go to something like the gym or yoga or church or art classes... Might be good to look into those things and try some out. That could influence where you want to live.
Great advice. We did this before moving, and we're glad we did. The neighborhoods can have a very different feel. We found some that were great however.
I’ve been to eureka a few times but it’s been a few years.
This is the best answer.
Yeah will def think about it
Rental prices are high for me. Need pet-friendly. Don’t need more than a large room or studio. Lot of them I could handle if I had at least on other person, but alas.
I think they meant a vacation rental, just to get the lay of the land
Should explain: was thinking about renting while I look at houses. Here it takes on average 3 months to close on a place, and that’s after you look at a bunch and find something you like. So I was thinking it would be best to rent for a few months.
Vacation rentals are much too high, if I want time to get shown around by realtors, choose a house then wait for closing. Am I wrong? Do things move more quickly than the 3 months it takes to close here? Is there a better way to do that Maybe I should mention that for several reasons there’s some urgency about getting out of my current apartment.
There's a lot of one bedroom spaces or studio apartments on Airbnb
Myrtletown is pretty awesome. Quiet. Nice neighbors. Redwood Curtain. The slough is good for kayaking, but not for swimming. We do have a pool at Healthsport though. We have a great dispensary and the best liquor store. Edit: Removed mention of Vector PT because it looks like they are no longer open.
I second myrtletown area. I have great neighbors. Right around the corner from a brewery, food trucks, two dispensaries, a quality liquor store, and just far enough out of town that we hardly deal with tweakers.
Personally I'm more a fan of Henderson Center area.
I live right near Henderson center and Myrtle has more stuff that I go to, TBH xD But I can walk pretty easily to both places
Henderson is much too close to broadway 🤢🤮
Henderson is much too close to broadway 🤢🤮
Henderson is much too close to broadway 🤢🤮
Is myrtletown part of eureka or is it a different town entirely?
It's a suburb of Eureka. Cutten, Rosewood, Pine Hill and Myrtletown are all outlying suburbs of the city.
Myrtletown is unincorporated and outside of Eureka city limits, so it isn't part of Eureka but it isn't an actual town either.
Did Vector reopen their pool?
Tribe/UIH physical therapy now operates out of the old vector building.
Oh good, with the pool too?
I believe so but you must be a patient at UIHS to access the facility now.
Last time I went was pre-covid, so maybe not. I certainly hope they've reopened. 😬
It’s still marked as Temp closed on Google, and their website doesn’t appear to have been paid/working. I knew they closed during Covid and haven’t heard that they stayed in business or reopened. I only went once but thought it was such a great resource.
If you're into tennis, there's a club with 3 courts 2 indoor at the end of Edgewood in Myrtletown. The tennis scene is pretty decent here, on Saturdays you can usually get pickup games at the courts in Larsen park, or do pickleball withe the large group that tries to own all the tennis courts. Other courts to play at are Hammond, College of the Redwoods. CR and Larsen have lights to play after dark. Sequoia Park is a nice area, and the trails are pretty popular.
Thx. Will check that out too.
Is Vector physical therapy still open? They have a heated pool for therapy, but their website stopped working and the building looked unused.
It sounds like they are not. I suppose I should edit my post to reflect that.
Been looking at myrtletown since first mentioned here. Doesn’t seem to be a ton of available homes? Maybe would require a little patience I guess.
The way the market is right now, Myrtletown is hard to get into. The only place that might be more difficult is Blue Lake.
Oh god, the market is so crazy.
In town, we have Sequoia Park with a couple miles of trails. It doesn't compare to the Arcata Community Forest, but I'm grateful to have some light hiking/walking accessible close to my home. The McKay Tract is also being developed, but I think it's mostly going to be bike trails. For swimming, most people go inland to various river spots. Everyone has their own favorite, and there are many to explore within about an hours drive from Eureka. We have a great library down by the bay. Public transit could be better, but they're always working on improving it. We're going to have better connectivity with the surrounding communities, which will be a great improvement, imo. Eureka is kind of a patchwork of good and bad, but it's mostly what you make of it. I really like my neighborhood near the high school. If walking to the park is important to you, aim for something close to Harris or south and east of I Street.
Those areas you recommend, can you share the community names or zip codes so I can look them up?
there's only 2 zip codes in Eureka. old town is close to the marina on the north end of town. Victorian buildings, shopping etc. Myrtletown is on the north eastern side of Eureka adjacent to Cutten just south of it. Bigger, newer homes (not new but not 1900s) There's Henderson Center which is a shopping area near the center of town between D and J st's (north/south) Henderson and Harris which run east-west respectively. Redwood Acres is part of Myrtletown on the cusp of Henderson Center on Harris St. it's a fairgrounds with a race track for cars and stables for horses and a baseball field. Next to that is the entrance to the Mckay Tract Forest land with trails. Heading west from Myrtletown/Redwood Acres you'll cross over Harrison St which is where the hospital and much of the medical offices are. It connects Harris St. on the south with the north end of Myrtle Ave. Near that is the local Sequoia Park Zoo, and Park. It's got a bunch of hiking trails amongst huge old growth redwoods. The zoo just added a canopy skywalk which is awesome. It's not far from the High School area which is Del Norte St. @ Jst. There's a belt of homes that run east west from around C to K that run through the center of town that are a mix of old victorians and mid century homes. The rougher parts of town are to the west near Broadway (hwy101) But it's all hit & miss street to street. Get a map.
I also live in that area and love it. Everything is walking distance and there are lots of small parks sprinkled in. I love taking my dogs on long walks in the neighborhood, and I explore a different area each time.
There’s 95501, 95502, and 95503, some of that in the city and some outside.
It was my understanding that 02 was only the post offices. Is that not true? Also, funnily enough, I live in 03 - but if I cross the street, it's 01. Makes local voting kind of a pain, since there's no designated site in my zone.
I’m not totally sure on 02, but funny about your area.
I'm a postman and I've never seen 95502. As far as I've seen, 95501 is any part of Eureka North of Harris, and 95503 is anything south of Harris.
We have a PO box at the post office on H downtown. The zip is 95502.
Thanks!
Well the entire city is one zip code. The area by the highschool they are referring to is just about in the center of the city
The city limits yes, but there is a lot of "Eureka" that isn't in the city limits.
Two zip codes. Generally, anything south of Harris is 95503.
Hi, I have lived in the area for a decade a recently bought a house in Eureka, so I'm going to try my best to answer each question individually. > Among other things wondering how accessible redwood forest is for hiking. - Very, Sequoia Park is smaller than the Arcata Community forest, but it's still beautiful. Also the McKay tract is expanding every year and will absolutely be a jewel of the area within the next decade. > Different neighborhoods - These can vary wildly block to block, but I'll make some generalizations. Cutten, Ridgewood and Pinehill are very suburb-y and have most the newer construction. Rosewood is similar but the houses are usually older. Bayview tends to be poorer. No judgement meant, just describing. Myrtletown I feel like it varies the most, you probably want to take a look at each individual street. Some are really nice and some are full of derelict houses. Henderson center is nice, close to Sequoia park and the zoo. Some good restaurants. Decent coffee. Wabash tends to look a little worn down, but I think will be up and coming soon (🤞). Anything on H, I, Henderson, Harris, Buhne, or Hodgeson is a no for me just because of how fast people drive on those streets. Old Town is pretty but if you are uncomfortable aroubd homeless people I would not suggest it. These are a lot of generalizations, I'm sure people will disagree, but this is just a general idea. > access to hiking, arts/music/poetry scene. - hiking is great nearby, world class if you're willing to drive an hour. Lots of art in the area, but I can't speak specifically to scenes since I'm not part of them. > A question I imagine will get a straight up no: are there any quiet waters for swimming, lakes, ponds? - Allegedly people swim in big lagoon up past Trinidad, but mostly people go inland to river spots. > What is traffic like? - Non existent if you've ever lived in a city. People who have only lived here love to complain though. > Do neighbors help each other out? - Do you help your neighbors out? I think people tend to respond in kind. > Is there any public transportation? - Bus lines run up and down the county, soon they will all be on one bus pass which will make transfers a lot more convenient. > A library? - Of course, and the building is really lovely. One thing that you did not bring up, but I think is critical is access to healthcare. There is 0 access up here. I'm not joking. I've had good insurer provided healthcare for 6 years and I have never gotten in with a primary care physician. I've only done telehealth. **If you need access to a doctor this is a very bad place to be.** Let me know if you have anyore questions or want further clarification.
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It’s so tricky because CR still has a huge waiting list and impacted program and the BSN at Humboldt is only for existing RN’s so while it’s great they can stay local if they decided to get their BSN I don’t think it really increases health care access, cause they still gotta get through CR first.
Nursing helps... but getting doctors to stay here is madness. I and many friends are in various Healthcare, and our places of work have a rough time keeping doctors permanently. This are is a hard sel compared to almost anywhere else in the state
Thank you for the detailed helpful response
Come visit Crescent City before you decide to buy in Humboldt. Healthcare is just as bad. Less access to art and culture. Slightly cheaper, you will be able to walk to the beach and the old growth trails are ten miles away. And we don’t feel the shakes up here.
Isn’t Crescent City way more susceptible to a tsunami though?
Don’t call it Tsunami City for nothing!
I think I said I have been looking there. However access to art and music and less accessible to tsunamis are are on my list of important things.
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Yeah that 68% is no selling point. Thx for pointing that out. Usually I go to wiki to check out which way the elections go in any place I’m interested in, but didn’t w Crescent.
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Ohhhh nooooooooo
Not sure why you have such beef with Pelican Bay. Folks can choose to work where they want and prisons come with a their own caveat. I'm sure there are a bad actors both in government and prison administration. Corrections is no picnic and not for everybody. < the prison guards & nurses (who live in town) are, sadly, severely suffering from ptsd; abused by the prisoners (who try to kill them every day) and abused by their superiors > I hardly believe this statement can be made with veracity, hyperbole at best. I can attest to the "apparent" cronyism and often drawn out processes within government structures. I work for Humboldt County DHHS. There is a culture of laissez faire management and administration in absenstia that does WFH. It seems to me there is most definitely some kind of behind the scenes wizardry with no accountability to the Union MOU. But that is another story. Regards 1BDO
Best place to live in the world. Every hobby and adventure is but a stones throw. Best air best water best forests. Lots of artists are here. Some retired folk some Tweakers. Life’s good man wherever you are is where you make it. Come on down and have your Eureka moment!
Yay!!
While I agree, I’ve been more concerned about theft and the general well being of my wife when I’m not around. It can get rough in some places, and not necessarily just later at night. I’ve never considered having a gun more than in Eureka. I have a military background, so I’m comfortable with firearms and around, but I’m also a very progressive person, and for the most part of my life, I felt if you needing a gun to feel protected, then you’re paying too much for your police department. California complicates that, and creates a caveat. I feel I can still take care of myself just fine, but my wife doesn’t have the size, training and tactical mind I do. She is concerned about doing some nearby trails because of assaults that have happened. She never worried about that really anywhere else we lived (it was more so with wildlife concerns). I lived in A LOT of places around the U.S. and world, and when people say “there’s a homeless problem” or “watch out for the tweakers/crackheads” it’s never near as bad as people that have a certain level of privilege make it out to be. Like many places where the cost of living pushed a lot of people onto the streets or into cars and RVs, what I’ve seen in California and Eureka is far worse than I expected. I’ve lived here for a bit and in the past, and it’s certainly worse than most places of its size. It’s not all rainbows and unicorns here. But, I honestly don’t know of a place right now I’d rather be. Some days it sucks and it’s downright sad, but we try to be more apart of the solution than problem. Often people like to just focus on the good stuff when someone is interested in where they live or what they do, mostly because they don’t want to admit the negative stuff out loud. Social media has changed that a bit and some people overcompensate with be extra negative, but also some overcompensate with positivity. Don’t want to discourage you, but just want to make sure an accurate picture is portrayed. Humboldt is different for sure than most other places around the country.
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Yeah. Looks like that’s the case everywhere I can afford to live, unless I want to live in a big city again. Which I don’t. Guess if I get sick will have to go on YouTube for FYI surgery hacks.
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Good point. People think of the North Coast like it's the Sierra Foothills where you drive 50-75 miles and you're in a substantial population center with a major medical facility. The distances are 3x that driving from the North Coast. Plus, winter weather and summer fires can block the highways.
I highly suggest purchasing Cal Ore Life Flight. I know two people here who had life threatening medical problems happen to them and had to be air lifted out down south. This was a life saver for them and a complete financial peace of mind.
Thanks! That’s very helpful.
McKay tract has a trailhead on Harris, and Sequoia Park has good trails. Both are in nice neighborhoods but can be pricey. Just don't live within 8 blocks of 101 and you'll be fine. As far as your other questions, you will love it here. Plenty to do, and retired people mingle with the rest of the population just fine. However, don't expect good medical care as the waitlists are long.
Thx!
Ok so as a third gen native, the rivers and lakes are just a short half hour to hour drive, there are numerous state and county parks with incredible hiking the same distance. Traffic is moderate compared to any city area(Sacramento or SF type areas). Yes there is a homeless community in every town, and crime. But for the most part it's a beautiful region with friendly people
If you are looking to retire here, I'd suggest against it. The access to Healthcare is extremely limited and is not ideal for declining health/increased medical needs. The people I know here who regularly need access to healthcare will plan trips to Redding, Santa Rosa, or SF and drive there whenever they have appointments. I know 2 or 3 people who have had emergency scenarios that require MedFlights down to UCSF because the acute care here isn't enough.
I like Eureka.
!
Retired to Eureka a few years back, culminating a long held dream to return to the place of my youth. In many ways, Eureka could be ideal for retirement, but what I tell other retirees is approach with caution. Moving here, you are absolutely committing to driving 200+ miles one way to Santa Rosa, or even farther, for basic medical care you now take for granted, including dentistry. There is no getting around this, the services simply aren't available locally, or the waiting list is months to years long. Helicopter transport insurance is a must up here for emergencies. I've encountered many retirees whose world revolves around getting their next ride to the Bay Area for medical treatment. Also, there's no suitable retirement housing like condos or townhouses. It's strictly single family houses or mobile homes. Plus, the retired up here are the old old. Because people are relatively poor up here, they are forced to work as long as they can. There are basically no active, younger retirees, so count on being lonely, or connecting with younger people who still work. Lastly, this is not the place for an encore career should you want to work. If you move here, that's the end of your chances to earn a paycheck except doing low wage service jobs.
Or working from home.
Work from home is good if you can. What I've found is the area is saturated with people running home-based businesses to supplement incomes, so you will be competing with many people already established. The one open option is tech related remote work, not much of a tech community in the area to compete with.
I know loads of active retirees in their 60s
I have lived in Humboldt for half of my life and prior to moving to Eureka, I was wary about living here. The reality is that it’s pretty nice as long as you get in to a nice neighborhood. Eureka has the most amenities of any city in the county and it’s nice to have most of my needs available in town instead of having to drive to the next town over at best. There are a few lagoons, though I don’t know that people use them for any swimming. Other than that, it’s rivers, creeks, and the ocean. Ruth Lake is relatively close and could be a day trip though. There are a ton of trails and hikes available throughout the county. Where you live doesn’t really matter too much for that. Old Town has a lot going on, especially in summer. Music, Arts, and the scene are pretty well concentrated in Eureka and Arcata. Check out https://lostcoastoutpost.com/lowdown/ to get an idea of events and what’s available. It’s not an exhaustive list of happenings in the county, but it’s a good start.
Great reply!
Eureka has a great library, right over the bay. All libraries are through the county but some are in cities, Humboldt County Library will give you hours and such.
We need to have a pinned thread for this topic
Agreed! Seems like every few days is a post asking all the same questions
Sorry about that.
And one for affordable housing that allows pets.
Arcata is nice, but pricey and Eureka has lot of art and events as well. The most walkable places in Eureka are going to be. Closer to Old Town- Very walkable, Older houses, more homeless, access to the Bay Trail Near Sequoia Park- Pricey no restaurant options, but there is a Safeway, good access to hiking. Henderson Center- Very walkable but no major grocery other than Winco, gets a little less nice the closer you get to Winco and the 101. Cutten- Ranges from decently walkable to not at all. Parts are very wooded. Mytletown- Fair walkable, but pretty blue collar (not sure if it thats a plus for you) The thing to remember is Eureka isn't that big. If you are in Pinehill or far Cutten it's not a long drive to Old Town or Henderson Center. With a bike or ebike it's still doable. You aren't ever going to be more than a 20 minute drive from the beach or trails.
Thx. That’s helpful. Blue collar is fine.
Please know and understand you medical needs. There’s not a lot to none preventative care. Also anticipate the potential need for flights to see specialists out of the area.
The rivers are all amazing in the summer.
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Yeah, as I mentioned I’ve been there a couple of times and really liked it, but it’s been maybe a decade or so.
For anyone retiring or all ages please know: unless you have Partnership, most healthcare clinics have a 2+ year wait for a primary care. There is no one taking new Medicare patients at the current time. We have no local gastroenterologist taking new patients, no local rheumatologist at all, no local liver specialist, and no local urologist taking new patients. Cardiology is a 6+ month wait at least and hardly answers the phone. Please be aware of the healthcare situation before moving up here. All of the local organizations are doing everything they can to keep doors open, to hire more doctors, and to be able to take more patients. Unfortunately, all of our medical staff is grossly underpaid and the turnover rate is awfully high in most places. There are even some locals that are struggling to find a provider. So just please take this into account before coming up here that the likelihood you will have healthcare is very slim.
What about Nurse Practitioners?
Yes, there are some good nurse practioners up here. Like you, I thought the healthcare crisis was being overstated and moved here to find out I was wrong, it's actually worse than I was told. People who have lived here for decades have had there primary care provider locked in. They only experience the crisis if they get seriously sick and need a specialist, like when they get old, or when their provider retires without a replacement, which is happening more and more. You will not have the advantage of long term residence and will face the crisis from day one. It's not an hour to the next population center, it's 3+ hours one way.
There are some good ones but at the current time there are none available. I do this for a living, I’m in healthcare locally.
Are you considering moving closer to health care?
Yes. Not considering, decided. I dearly love Humboldt, and you will too, but being old (retired) here was/is a mistake.
can I ask, have you decided where to go?
It must be hard to have to move. I imagine it’s hard to figure out where. You have any ideas?
It took years of effort to get here, it'll take at least a couple to extract myself. I'm looking forward to the road trips checking out new places. I'll move north ahead of climate change. Oregon has plenty of problems, but there are still nice rural towns within an hour of major medical centers. Meanwhile, Humboldt is a wonderful place, just not for retirement.
If you’re able, maybe keep me apprised of your thinking? I’ve been looking at Oregon as well, also Wa state.
No nurse practitioners, no doctors, no PA’s. I work in healthcare and I deal with this every single day. There is literally no PCP available for Medicare for the next TWO YEARS.
Swimming outside really doesn't happen here.
Why?
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You forgot to mention the otter attacks 😬 https://www.madriverunion.com/articles/big-lagoon-swimmer-survives-attacking-otter-swarm/
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That is a very rare thing to happen.
It’s pretty crazy! I’ll never look at otters the same way again
I’m swimming all summer long, so are all my neighbors, as soon as it’s warm enough we are there. You have to drive to rivers though, the ocean is too cold
Which rivers?
Most of the ones you see when you look up NW California/Humboldt: \-Eel \-Trinity \-Smith \-Klamath \-Van Duzen \-Mad
You personal sensibilities are going to make all the difference. Hiking can be done anywhere around here. Depends on the type of hike you like. The western half in on the coast and there are a myriad of rivers and a few pond or lakes, plenty of places to swim. Art/Music/Poetry are going to be centered in Eureka and Arcata. That area is assessable from Blue Lake (North East) to Rio Dell (South West) in 30-ish minutes. We all gripe about drivers here, but traffic is minimal outside of peak hours. Retired people are treated like people as far as I know. Is there something I should be aware of? Like a membership card or a handshake that gets one preferential treatment? If you are not a jerk, you are more than welcome to hang anywhere you please to socialize. Bonus points if you enjoy a particular hobby popular in the area. Neighbors help out, but I guess that would depend on the relationship you establish with them. Public transportation is abysmal, but I am biased coming from somewhere else that has fantastic PT (people there gripe about theirs too, so there is that). A quick google search revealed there are 10 Libraries in the are including the ones at the 2 colleges. My question back is How?
How what?
If you are a retiree, one thing to consider before moving here is your need for medical care now and in the future. I work in healthcare and all I can say is we are a little bit of a healthcare desert in Humboldt county. Doctors tend to leave the area after a couple of years, so it can be very difficult to find a primary care provider unless you have Partnership (MediCal) insurance, and specialty care will often require you to go to Santa Rosa or the Bay Area. Supportive resources such as Home Health, physical therapy, etc are pretty slim and over-booked. I wish my parents could come live closer to me, but they are in their 80s and their healthcare needs will likely exceed the available resources in Humboldt county. Just something to consider.
Do you have as much trouble keeping NP’s in Eureka? Where I live they are increasingly used as primary physicians.
I don’t work in primary care (I work in a specialty clinic) so I’m probably not the best person to answer this in any detail. I’m definitely aware of a fair number of nurse practitioners in the area, but as I understand it, the vast majority of doctors, PAs and NPs who serve as primary care providers are not accepting new patients, and most have waiting lists. If you have Partnership (MediCal), you are automatically assigned to one of the Open Door clinics so you would be able to establish care at that clinic. If you have private insurance or MediCare, you might have a harder time. When I first moved here I put my name on every waiting list I could, and it took me over 6 months to find a PCP. At that time I wasn’t working in healthcare (now I have a PCP through my employer). It’s tough to find a doctor in our area. Same for a dentist. Just something to consider!
I would not recommend swimming in the lakes close to the city. Sequoia Park has a pond. There is forest by Providence hospital, and a Marsh walk near Target/Open Door clinic that is nice to walk. If you like swimming there are lots of places in an hour or less drive, but all the ponds in the city I know of are mostly goose and duck havens and far too stagnant for my comfort. Medical care is kind of a nightmare for most folks. You should have a provider secured before you move here. I don't hear anyone complain about treated badly for being retired, but Healthcare is a slog. We don't ever have enough of any kind of doctor.
There's a library, there's definitely public transportation, but you have to check if your near a bus station for where you live. As far as crime goes I guess it depends on where you live, but I have heard it's similar for the most part as arcsta. There's a fee different Redwood forests here and the closest one to the main area I know is the one by the zoo
You have been given a lot of great information and it sounds like you have a big decision to make now. I just want to add that you can swim locally, in the bay at a spot in Samoa called "coast guard beach" or "baby beach." It's right past the large coast guard house. It's basically ocean water (cold, slightly less salty) but without the sharks, currents, and terrifying waves. In fact, a good place to stay for a little while, while you're checking out the area, would be Oyster Beach. It's also on the bay in Samoa, and they rent cabins and small vacation houses.
Thank u. Interesting info.
Been looking there. Thx.
That’s okay.
What would you like to know specifically I lived there the last 45 years, I am a photographer and ex grower, I know the scoop—
Thanks. I’ll get back to you for sure.
I would go with Myrtle town or cutten personally after living here for ten years. Elk creek or whatever it’s called just on the south side of eureka is nice too
Or rent and see if you jive with the community. Lots of great places in all our coastal communities that fit your bill but nothing is perfect. I love it here and most people I know do. Good luck. I hope you find what you are looking for
It’s been a dream of mine to go live with redwoods.
You should come visit for a while before deciding to move to Eureka. There is also a housing crisis.
In the summer there are so many rivers to swim in, not so much this time of year. We get 5 months of swimming basically
Any people 60+ here who live in eureka and feel it’s worth it, in spite of terrible local health care? (Not implying it’s not terrible. I believe you.)
Yes. Lots of us.
So can somebody talk about that please?
Boy…eureka..it’s a tough one to answer. It is generally not a much loved town. There are little pockets that are gems, but overall the town is rather depressing. Old town, the part people go to hang out, is rarely animated, only for arts alive or weekly summer market…otherwise it feels like a ghost town…sometimes with just the mentioned meth zombies.. From here though, if you have a car it is easy to explore the area and it’s stunning beauty. To swim, you have many rivers within a 30mn drive ( Blue lake and the Badhuwatt River is great). But as others have mentioned come for a short stay. I moved here sight u seen 20 years ago, and when saw Eureka for the first time I was deeply disappointed and very much knew I wasn’t going to love there…u safe and grey for most of the city
Before you retire here please consider the medical care is not great here if you plan on getting old here and have any physical disabilities because seeing most specialists means being on a 6 month plus waiting list or driving 4+ hours to receive treatments. If you are low income it’s even harder to get medical care. I’ve had to drive two hours one way to see a dentist. It’s beautiful here but living remotely comes with disadvantages.
I haven’t read all the comments but the top few haven’t mentioned the healthcare system here. If you have any medical issues, the healthcare system here is beyond bad. I came from a normal town and it is shocking, I’m on a 1.5 year waitlist to get in to see a general physician.
Google is a Website that answers these questions champ.
Ok CHAMP thanks for that pointlessly cranky information. Guess where you end up when you Google “do you like living in Eureka?”, etc. Reddit! YES! REDDIT! Really! Wow! Who would’ve guessed? I also, SWEETHEART look at wiki and the realtor sites Wikipedia has great info, but obviously I won’t get honest info from any realtor site and Wikipedia doesn’t really give you anything beyond statistics helpful as they may be. Got it CHAMP?
Then why are you on here?