Is Seattle worth visiting?
 

My wife an I are thinking of going to Vancouver on October for 9 days. We are in the 40's and we live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Is Seattle (USA/WA) worth visiting during our next trip to Vancouver?

I VISITED SEATTLE FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST SUMMER AND I HAVE TO SAY IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. WHATEVER YOU DO YOU MUST GO TO THE PIKE PLACE MARKET-THE SMELLS,SOUNDS, AND SIGHTS ARE GREAT. I HOPE YOUR PALNNING A WHALE WATCHING TRIP WHILE YOUR IN THE AREA SUCH AS ONE THAT VISITS THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS AND FRIDAY HARBOR. PRICELESS EXPERIENCE FOR OUR FAMILY OR A COUPLE!

VANCOUVER is AWESOME... good choice...

I live in Seattle... and the answer depends on whether you've been to the USA before.

The trip is 150 miles each way, most by direct freeway. You'd do well to time your USA border crossings so that you don't hit weekend crowds.

There was a recent LIFE magazine publication called "Heaven on Earth ~ 100 must-see destinations" and Canada, 2nd-largest country on earth had just 2 listed:

"Churchill, Manitoba" (where polar bears can be viewed)

and "Vancouver"

So when you start from such a place (Vancouver, that is)... Seattle may not add tons to it. There is much about the two that are similar (climate, water, mountains) but Vancouver has those elements and more diversity in a more compact area.

The answer to your question ties closest with your remote-to-either-place location. Follow your instincts.

(FYI I have lived in Seattle all my life and I visit Vancouver 10-25 times per year)

I am a Vancouverite and have visited Seattle many times.

There are similarities between the two cities, and also major differences. As much as I enjoy Seattle, Vancouver wins for me (but I'm biased!).

Depending on your interests, a visit to a more rural spot in B.C. would make a good add-on to Vancouver (i.e. a train trip to The Hills Ranch & Spa in the Caribou, a driving and wine-tasting trip through the Okanagan Valley, explore the west coast of Vancouver Island at Tofino, relax for a few days at Whistler, etc.

I live in Toronto and used to have a client headquartered in Vancouvber, with bracnhes in Bellingham, Wahsington, and Seattle.

I used to go to all three cities a lot, and sometimes, I would plan to be in Seattle on the weekend, becuse it was such a nice place to visit.

Here's an idea. If you have a Canadian rental car, drive south from Vancouver to Seattle one day, stopping along the way when you see opportunities to get beside the water. Spend that night in Seattle, enjoy the next half day in Seattle, and then drive up to the Olympic Peninsula to Port Angeles. Stay there overnight, and take the ferry to Victoria. You can spend most of the day there, and take another ferry back to the mainland, and be back at your Vancouver hotel mid-evening.

This uses up several days of your Vancouver time, but it will get you to beautiful places, and interesting places, and give you a good idea of the way people live in two very big cities, and in smaller communities, including some based on tourism, some based on fishing, and some based on the lumber industry.

BAK

"...very big cities" ???

Don't insult the man, he is from Buenos Aires... and his area dwarfs Seattle and Vancouver put together and multiplied.