ARe you squeezing in Butchart Gardens? Its beautiful.
http://www.butchartgardens.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

I hope to get to Butchart Gardens. After posting on another forum, I'm considering the following changes to my itinerary...without listing specifics:
I will be arriving in Seattle on August 1. I'd like to spend the first afternoon and evening in Seattle. We'll have had a long day on and off planes, it's our 25th wedding anniversary, and I'd just like to peruse the market, and have a nice dinner in the evening. We could leave fairly early on Thursday morning, arrive in Vancouver in the afternoon, and spend the rest of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Vancouver. On Thursday, I'd like to stop at the Chateau St. Michelle Winery on our way to Vancouver...we love their wine. Sunday morning ferry to Victoria. The rest of the day Sunday and Monday in Victoria/Vancouver Island...I know there's not time to explore much more of the island. Early ferry to Port Angeles on Tuesday, drive to Seattle, and spend the rest of the day Tuesday and Wednesday in Seattle.

Thanks for your response, irecommend.

Be aware that the first week-ish of August is the absolute peak of the Seattle tourist season ("Seafair", etc.) and that detail won't help with regard to lodging or car availability/prices, let alone comfort.

I recognize that you want a whole lot from your 25th anniversary trip, AND you are targeting a nice area, but I just sense that, like sooooooooooooo many others, you are overdoing it by adding in Victoria.

Geez, Canada is having a holiday/3-day weekend on that weekend in addition to all else.

Were it me, "arriving in Seattle on August 1"... I would indeed stay (here/Seattle) and relax on that first evening, as well as for the 2nd day.

I would leave for Vancouver, Canada by NOON on Friday (110 miles to the border from central Seattle, and 30 more to Vancouver). Upon arrival up there you'd be going AGAINST rush hour traffic, but Vancouver roads are not so efficient for Vancouver not being on the way to ANYWHERE, unlike the case with most U.S. cities.

Of critical importance is to secure lodging for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, if inclined to stay in BC that long. (again, holiday Monday August 6) Additionally, you just don't want to be dealing with ferry traffic up there, on "the largest ferry system on earth" on a holiday weekend.

Vancouver just... has everything... and is routinely rated the most livable city in North America. If you've never been, then 3 or 4 days probably isn't even enough...

Oh, and you will want to return to the U.S. at an ODD/late hour, perhaps unless you're leaving on Monday evening (at which point most Americans will have already begun the work week, and the Canadians will merely be heading home, on the other side of the road).

If looking to suitably fill-out the rest of your trip, a grand plan from Vancouver would be to dip down into western Washington, and then go east from Burlington/Sedro Wooley... along the "North Cascades Highway", and eventually toward the town of Winthrop.

From there (after a night spent) you could trek southward via Wenatchee to visit Leavenworth, before deciding along which path you want to return to the Seattle area.

The timing of your return flight home dictates how much you can do before getting back to Seattle, but a trek farther south and a return via Mount Rainier is definitely within reason.

Let me try it by nights:

1. Seattle
2. Seattle
3. Vancouver
4. Vancouver
5. Vancouver or Bellingham, WA /Mt. Vernon, WA ???

(in hindsight, Bellingham/Mt. Vernon option best for optimum viewing of the scenery on the North Cascades Hwy the next day)

Heavy emphasis on LEAVING LATE from central Vancouver for the border... AFTER 8pm... (and even 10pm if you can occupy yourselves that long) (Vanc. to Bellingham = 54 miles, with the BORDER slowing you down enroute)

6. Winthrop, WA
7. Paradise, WA (Mount Rainier) ??? (wild thought)

(Clarity: Winthrop to Paradise is 290 miles, and 5 1/2 hours of driving, according to Bing Maps) You'd want to stop many times throughout such a path, unlike a straight shot on an interstate.

On the bright side, you could literally awaken in "Paradise" )

Sunset happens at about 8:30pm in Seattle on August 7-8, so you can do such a one-day path if you give yourselves an early start.

SeaTac airport is south of Seattle, and quite reasonable for Mt. Rainier convenience, and that goes double for an "11pm flight" home. (it is 90 miles, or 2-ish hours) from Paradise to SeaTac.

I have the sense that you'd gain plenty to remember from a 25th anniversary trip such as that which I've described here, even if it is a tiny bit light on 'Seattle' proper.

NorthwestMale - I think you've helped me reach a solution. I really wanted to see Seattle and Vancouver...hoped to see Victoria, but the ferries were starting to make me crazy with decisions. Since we enjoy driving scenic routes, your idea sounds like a plan...I need to do a little more research, but I will probably follow much of your plan. I may not go all the way to Mt. Rainier...but I might...need to chat with the hubby. Leavenworth looks like a fun stop. Perhaps we'll spend the last evening there. Would the Woodinville Wineries work out on our last day after leaving Leavenworth?

Thanks again to all. I find these forums to be SO helpful! Although I can become a bit obsessed when planning a trip

If you decide you'd like to stop in Leavenworth:

We took another couple with us on vacation one year and stayed a night in Leavenworth. They are still talking about the cute little Bavarian-styled place we stayed in: http://www.pensionanna.com/

Happy anniversary!

Lets see...

Flight leaves at 11:00pm...


Lets agree the theory is 'be at the airport by 9:00pm'...


Woodinville to SeaTac is 30 miles/30 minutes... but you DON'T want to be battling the rush hour part of that.

and let me emphasize, that when going from Woodinville, go all the way around on Interstate 405, as it goes south and then west, right TO the airport exits.

In the event of choking traffic, after rush hour, you'd have options of going over either of two bridges (the opposite way of likely rush hour traffic) or even around the lake (Washington) on either side.

(all of this relates only if you are indeed IN Woodinville on the day you fly out. Indeed you could stay that last night in Leavenworth (instead of Mt. Rainier) and then drive across Hwy #2 and eventually to Woodinville)

I promise that the North Cascades Highway will be every bit worth your travel (I myself just drove it over and back last summer) and that Winthrop, WA is a unique and cutesy little town on the other side.

Hope it all works out well.

PS - you say "See-Dro (as in "Drove") Wooly" when reading "Sedro Woolley" on the map.


Also, the specifics about the U.S.-Canada border are these:

going into Canada isn't typically THAT bad... but coming OUT of Canada, during daylight hours, and extremely so near the end of weekends, is a total bog-down. I soooooooo prefer to linger happily in/near the Vancouver area, and to go back late at night (crossing the border after 8pm at the earliest).

Yes, do skip Victoria this time around. Vancouver Island is wonderful and worth a trip on its own. Even then, I wouldn't count too much on Victoria--go see the rest of the island.