We get a lot of calls to replace decks that are only a few years old. Almost every time, the problem is water: a ledger board that was never flashed, joists with no protection, or fasteners that rusted through. The boards on top were fine. The structure underneath wasn't.
Start with the ledger, the board that attaches the deck to the house. It needs proper flashing behind the siding and structural fasteners, not lag screws driven into whatever was there. A bad ledger is the number one cause of deck failure, and it's also the one nobody sees.
Protect the framing. Joist tape on top of every joist keeps water out of the fastener holes, and it costs very little compared to replacing the frame. Use footings that reach below frost depth and keep the posts off the ground on standoff bases.
For the surface, cedar looks great and needs regular sealing; composite costs more up front and needs almost nothing. Either way, leave proper gaps for drainage, and if you want a covered deck, plan the roof and gutters so the water goes somewhere other than the deck edge. Built this way, a deck in the valley lasts decades instead of seasons.