By Sarah Wengert
No matter the season, it’s always a good time for a travel nursing assignment in the beautiful Pacific Northwest! The United States portion of this epic region is known for its mild climate and majestic mountains, beautiful coastlines and cool cities, lush forests and fertile farmlands — and so much more.
From hidden gem locations to universally beloved bigger cities, we hear from SO many travelers that their favorite location was in the Pacific Northwest. So, what makes this region so special for travelers? Is it the ample craft beer, famous coffee, or the top-shelf Pinot Noir? The gorgeous natural surroundings or the unique cities? The tech/entrepreneur boom or the many artists in robust creative communities? It’s probably best to just find out for yourself! In that spirit, we’d like to suggest some of our travelers’ favorite cities for travel nursing jobs in the Pacific Northwest.
Top Cities for Travel Nursing Jobs in Washington
Tacoma has a consistent need for travelers and it’s perfect for those who love art, parks, and being on the water. Its location on the banks of Puget Sound gives this city extra curb appeal, whether you’re the type to go explore it up close by boat or kayak, or the type who just wants to take in the gorgeous view while relaxing at a waterside restaurant. Tacoma also allows proximity to the bigger city hustle and benefits of Seattle to the north, but with a more friendly cost of living!
The city is known for its world-class glass art scene, plus many other cultural and arts-forward spaces. Here you can explore museums and history, see live music and dig into the foodie scene. The waterfront is a cultural hotbed but after a long day/night at work you can also just sit back and enjoy the scenery. Speaking of scenery, this area of Washington has an abundance of natural beauty to explore — from the various islands to lighthouses to hikes. Oh, and there’s a little place called Mount Rainier National Park just southeast of town, plus Olympic National Park to the northwest!
Some more favorite locations for travel nursing assignments in Washington include:
- Bellingham
- Seattle
- Port Angeles
- Wenatchee
- Silverdale
- Burien
- Bellevue
- Vancouver
Explore travel nurse assignments in Washington now!
Top Cities for Travel Nursing Jobs in Oregon
Medford sits in Oregon’s beautiful, rugged Rogue Valley about 27 miles north of the California border in the southeastern part of the state. This comfortable city of approximately 77,000 has a cost of living right about at the national average, but it’s one of the more affordable places to live when compared to other cities in Oregon which often exceed the national average cost of living. There’s a huge demand for travelers here and it’s an absolutely gorgeous place to call home for 13 weeks. Win-win!
Medford has a cute, walkable downtown and a really cool network of parks and green spaces. Although Medford is a welcome space for anyone, it’s especially friendly to families, nature lovers, foodies, wine lovers, and people who love art, theater, and other cultural events. It’s truly a no-brainer for outdoorsy types who’ll want to visit Upper and Lower Table Rock — known as Oregon’s “Islands in the Sky” — as well as many other natural jewels of the area. The famous Crater Lake National Park makes a fantastic day trip on your time off. The Rogue Valley is very well known for its circuit if great wineries, so trips to visit and taste at those is another fun regional activity.
Some other favorite locations for travel nursing assignments in Oregon include:
- Grants Pass
- Klamath Falls
- Springfield
- Bend
- Roseburg
- Portland
- Corvallis
- Coquille
Search Oregon travel nursing assignments now!
Top Cities for Travel Nursing Jobs in Idaho
One top traveler fave city in The Gem State is beautiful Boise. This capital city is known for being surrounded by natural beauty and chock-full of outdoor activities, history, cuisine, arts, and culture. Luckily for travel nurses and travel allied health professionals, Boise’s a great place to work and live. The “City of Trees” is very affordable with its lower cost of living, plus there’s a consistent need for travelers here — which means a steady stream of travel opportunities.
The Boise National Forest sits adjacent to the city’s northeastern edge. This majestic paradise for outdoorsy types covers more than 2.5 million acres of forests, mountains, canyons, and grasslands, including 500-plus trails and 250-plus lakes and reservoirs. If you’re more into winter sports, there’s also nearby Bogus Basin Recreational Area & Ski Resort. Plus, the Boise River Greenbelt winds through town alongside the Boise River.
Boise is family friendly yet still has nightlife, and it’s also known as a foodie town. Downtown Boise — or, BoDo — is filled with great art and culture, galleries, cute shops, and incredible restaurants. The Basque cultural history here is also quite unique and interesting to learn about during an assignment in Boise.
Some other favorite locations for travel nursing assignments in Idaho include:
- Coeur d’Alene
- Twin Falls
- Nampa
- Moscow
- Pocatello
Explore Idaho travel nursing jobs now!
We hope this helps inspire you to explore travel nursing jobs in the Pacific Northwest and find the perfect fit! This beautiful region can offer you so much to see and do — from natural to humanmade.
When you take a job with Medical Solutions you’ll always enjoy industry-leading benefits, incredible customer care, and a great compensation package. If that sounds perfect but the Pac NW isn’t your thing, no worries. We’ve got tons of other jobs throughout all 50 states, Guam, and Washington, D.C. Search jobs now!
