We are planning a trip to Seattle the middle of May, (1st time visitors to the Northwest from Chicago) and want a good variety of things to do and see in and around Seattle, to include the city, pennisula, as well as British Columbia. Any suggested itenararies would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Your request is quite general. It would be helpful to know how many days you will be in the NW and what your priorities are (Victoria vs. Hoh Rainforest, for instance).

Perhaps there is a guidebook for this area in your local library.

I would assume it's seven days based on the thread title.

Days 1-3, Seattle
Day 4, Ferry to Bainbridge Island, drive to Port Angeles (Olympic Peninsula) and up to Hurricane Ridge (Olympic NP). Overnight in PA.
Day 5, day trip to Victoria BC on ferry from PA - do not take car, back that night, second night in PA.
Day 6, Drive to Port Townsend, ferry to Whidbey Island, drive down Whidbey to Clinton/Mukilteo ferry, cross to mainland, past Boeing pland (biggest building in the world) then overnight in Seattle.
Day 7, Seattle to home.

If you want to visit Vancouver BC instead of Victoria, your time really doesn't allow much on the Olympic Peninsula except maybe a day trip (Day 4) from Seattle. In that case you could drive to Vancouver on Day 5, spend one or two nights there, then back to Seattle either the night before or the day of your flight, depending on time. However, one or two nights in Vancouver is like having an appetizer without the entree.

Dear Power of the Cowpow,

OK, now we know: 7 days and 6 nights, arriving early the first day and departing late the last day:

Night 1-Seattle
Night 2-Lake Quinault Lodge ONP
Night 3-Crescent Lake Lodge ONP
Night 4-Victoria, BC (leaving car in Port Angeles).
Night 5-Port Townsend, returning to Seattle early in the day on the Bainbridge ferry which affords fabulous views of the Seattle skyline and, if it is clear, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, the Olympics and the Cascades.
Night 6-Seattle

This is such a great itinerary, I'm going to do it it again myself.

Very truly yours, happy trails

A variation on happytrails' suggestion would be to skip Lake Quinault Lodge, spending two nights at Crescent Lake Lodge which is conveniently located for visiting Hurricane Ridge, the Hoh Rain Forest, Ruby Beach, and for the hike to Marymere Falls.