Vancouver – Southwest Washington

Offering its residents a complementary blend of urban energy and rural charm, Southwest Washington has received enthusiastic recognition over the past decade for its rapid growth and livability.
SCHOOLS

Families in Southwest Washington are served by several different school districts, including: the Vancouver School District, Camas School District, Ridgefield School District, Battle Ground Public Schools and the Washougal School District.

Several of the public school districts in Southwest Washington also offer nontraditional education programs. The Vancouver School District, for example, includes the Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, a school for grades six through 12 that revolves around art education.
 
Additionally, the Battle Ground district includes the Center for Agriculture, Science and Environmental Education, which boasts a wildlife habitat, greenhouses and interpretive nature trails on an 80-acre campus.

Southwest Washington is also home to Clark College and a campus of Washington State University at Vancouver. Both colleges offer an assortment of degree and certificate programs.

RECREATION

Clark County in Southwest Washington encompasses a number of area parks, wildlife refuges and urban green spaces.

Featuring picturesque views of a panorama of nearby mountains – Mount Hood, Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens – Vancouver Lake Park is comprised of 234 acres. At the park’s core is Vancouver Lake, a hot spot for area residents to spend their days windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing and swimming.

Another area lake, Lacamas Lake Park in Camas, features 311 acres of parkland, miles of trails, a waterfall, playground and picnic shelter. Lacamas Lake Park is also a favorite fishing spot amongst locals.

With 5,000 acres of everything from marshes to woodlands, the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge hosts nearly 200 species of birds and other wildlife.

ENTERTAINMENT

In addition to the many entertainment options available in its sister city to the south, Portland, Oregon, Southwest Washington also offers a rich abundance of theaters, museums and visual arts opportunities.

The former center for fur trade in the Pacific Northwest is found in Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver. Now a museum, Fort Vancouver displays a collection of historical fur trade artifacts as well as guided tours and other events.

In downtown Vancouver resides the Clark County Historical Museum, which also exhibits artifacts from the mid-1200s through the late 20th Century, including Native American items, historical maps and rare books.

Residents living in Southwest Washington can also take in live theater productions at the  Vancouver Dance Theatre, Arts Equity Inc. Main Street Theatre, Magenta Theater Company and the Public Playhouse.

Art enthusiasts living in Clark County enjoy the Art on the Boulevard gallery hosted by nonprofit organization Friends of the Arts. The 10,000 square foot exhibition hall featuring the work of 50 artists in a variety of media.

Also located in downtown Vancouver is Esther Short Park, which has become a popular venue for the Vancouver Farmers Market as well as a variety of music concerts. In addition, the park hosts the Vancouver Wine and Jazz Festival, dubbed the number one wine and jazz festival on the West Coast.

Another popular summer event in Southwest Washington is the Clark County Fair held at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Ridgefield. The fair draws thousands of people from across the region to take in its live entertainment, carnival rides, livestock exhibits and carnival fare.