Salem area or Pahrump?

wildmanbaker wrote:
but I want to know more about the "plenty of nice parks on the coast" part.

Definitely, lots of parks. Are they nice? You have to check them out for yourself, I suppose. One word of caution is just because something is labeled as an "RV Park" doesn't mean it's nice. The coast is full of small/med parks with full time residents living in beat up old trailers and all the wonderful things that come along with that.

Doing actual drive-by missions is about the only way to know if a place meets your standards. For some reason, the pictures on the website always look nice :h

I agree that Oregon is not a nice place to be in the winter, I would rather stay in Pahrump. I have been in both places and Salem would not be my choice. Just got back from Pacific city which is on the west coast of Oregon and it was perfect for August, Sept, and October, but then it started raining everyday. So we headed back to southern California. Weather here in the high desert has been really nice.

I like the desert in the winter and the coast of Oregon and Washington in the summer.

I've been in Pahrump for a month now, and it's very nice here. It's my first visit over 13 years of full timing. Wish I'd come earlier.

Many low cost RV parks...there's even a very nice small one at only $285/mo (but no WiFi). Casinos, winery, several big box stores, small box stores, bargain stores, a highly rated RV repair shop, things to do and see. Weather has been very good and it is getting chilly at night now but the days are still mild and warm. Haven't seen any rain since I got here. I was home based in Portland for the last 12 years (only spent a couple weeks to a month at a time after my retirement), but it's getting too crowded for RVers so I've moved my base to Burns. Lived in Oregon most of my life and would never consider Salem as an anchor town, but would visit in summer perhaps.

Now that I've lived here a while, Pahrump will definitely be one of my major stop areas over the next few years, at least during the shoulder seasons.

But I'll be heading to Mexico soon. Isn't that what a full timer does, avoid the rain, cold, and snow?

One thing to consider if you need to stay close while your house is up for sale...rain. RVs can develop leaks quickly in the cold, and the rains in Salem are unrelenting for weeks at a time. Maybe consider a short visit to your inlaws in Salem but then hang out in Burns or Bend where it's much dryer over the winter.

Wherever you choose, have a great time!

rhagfo wrote:

enblethen wrote:
Salem can get cold.
I would think more of staying on the wet and windy Oregon Coast before Salem.

Yes, plenty of nice parks on the coast, I will tell you how it is in the windy, forecast for for Gale force winds here in the Newport area with gust to 60mph. :E

I kind of agree with most of the comments, but I want to know more about the "plenty of nice parks on the coast" part. During this time of the year, you may have an easer time finding a spot, but most of the time, you need reservations. A lot of the private RV parks are not the great, and give a good boost to Walmart parking.

Flarpswitch wrote:
I have to ask how two choices got narrowed down to Salem or Pahrump. There has to be something more to the story. For me, it would be like the warden asking me to choose between hanging or firing squad. Wet and dark or out in the desert. I would choose San Diego as a winter destination. Most of my RV friends are snowbirds. We travel all year and the destination only has to be relatively free from hurricanes, tornadoes, landslides or floods. Oregon residents are obligated to dissuade anyone from coming here by omission of facts, outright lies or selective facts. If you are used to seeing the Sun on occasion during the winter, don't come to Salem. Salem is a boring place. It is the state capital and we have two kinds of criminals here: in the capitol building and the state penitentiary. That being said, it is an ideal location from which to explore. In an hour or two you can be in the Cascade mountains, Oregon Coast, Portland or other great places to spend time other than Salem. The climate in the Willamette Valley is fairly moderate and the winter is not severe. All I know about Pahrump is Art Bell and it's proximity to Sin City. If I had to pick one reason for western Oregon over Nevada, that would be the Oregon Coast. If you have never been there or not spent a lot of time, camping on the beach would be good for the soul.

This is awesome.... and completely true. I'm a lifelong Oregonian just up the I5 45 minutes from Salem but have spent a lot of time in Salem. Climate? There must be better places in the winter. While the Willamette Valley tends to be mild-ish in the winter it can have blasts of severe weather. At best it will be rainy and 45. At worst, you'll have a foot of snow on the ground.... or, worse yet, an ice storm.

And the weather in Salem is the best part :) Okay, it's not a terrible place but hardly a destination to hang out in. As Flarpswitch mentions, the best thing about Salem is getting out. The beach and the mountains are close and there are some other good places to travel to. I just don't think you'll find Salem, OR on Forbes list of top spots to vacation or retire in any time soon.

Pahrump is not the place to be in the winter. Cold and gets snow. Limited stores if you need something.

in salem you will rust in one winter and be sure your roof is sealed.

enblethen wrote:
Salem can get cold.
I would think more of staying on the wet and windy Oregon Coast before Salem.

Yes, plenty of nice parks on the coast, I will tell you how it is in the windy, forecast for for Gale force winds here in the Newport area with gust to 60mph. :E

In October, we ended up in Pahrump after a late start leaving Las Vegas. OK, I can see the attraction, that is, if you like the desert. We spent three days kicking back and losing the modest winnings from Las Vegas just to break even. I would not make it a destination, but I would definitely put it on my list of "Everywhere is on the way to where I'm going."

ncrowley wrote:
Given those two choices, I would pick Pahrump. They have some very nice RV parks and the weather is nice. You are close to Death Valley and Vegas.

And Frontsight to sharpen your skills.