Starting July 1st my family and I are spending 2 days in Seattle, then driving to Whidbey Island for 1 nite. Then on to Vancouver for 3 days, before driving back to Seattle area for the last 3 days of our vacation. Looking for advice on routes, ferries and sites to see and to avoid.

I would take a day from Seattle and add it to Whidbey. It's beautiful and a nice respite from your other days in large cities.

Hi Pilot, i would take a day (or two!) away from vancouver. Instead, take the whidbey island ferry to port townsend, a charming victorian seaside town. From there i would explore part of the olympic pennisula, including olympic national park. Hurricane Ridge and Crescent Lake are nearby and if you have another day, drive to Hoh Rainforest, truly an amazing site in america. Have you considered whale watching cruise? There are several companies in the port townsend area (we used capt. jacks).

Or take a day or two from vancouver and visit Mt. Rainier Nat'l Park and Mt. St. Helens Nat'l Park. Probably too late to get into Paradise Lodge but worth a try. Or at least have dinner there. Enjoy your trip.

You can book reservations for the Boeing widebody factory tour in South Everett, right on the way (SR 526) to the Whidbey Is. ferry from Mukilteo. Worth the tour - it's the biggest building (by volume) in the world.

Once on the island, stop at Langley on the southeast shore - a very cute village with some decent restaurants/cafes - good for a late breakfast or lunch. Stop again in Coupeville, ditto.

You can visit Port Townsend on the ferry if you like, even spend the night there, then ferry back over to the island and continue over Deception Pass (very scenic) and back to the mainland (by bridge this time) to continue on to Vancouver.

Just south of the road back to the freeway (SR 20) is the small town of LaConner - also quite cute if a bit over-touristy.

You don't have to take freeway all the way to the border: you can go north along the coast on SR 11 ("Chuckanut Drive") to Fairhaven a quite attractive historic neighborhood in Bellingham, then finally onto the freeway and up to the border. From central or North Widbey following this route it's maybe 3 driving hours to the border; add another hour or so from Port Townsend via ferry back to Whidbey. Perfect for a morning's touring.

Accommodation in these areas tends to motels and B&Bs, not much between.

I wouldn't spend a lot of time in Oak Harbor - big navy town, not much for the visitor, or Anacortes.

Some GREAT tips. I may have to rearrange my time to give more to the transit. Sounds beautiful. Thanks

After you've done Seattle, Vancouver may seem like a re-run of what you just saw in Seattle...water, seafood restaurants, salmon, whales, ferries, etc.. Congested downtown Vancouver is a tough place to drive and park. You can also waste a great deal of time stuck behind left turners.

Getting to Vancouver by car is a challenge with long lines (and waiting time) at the border.)

So I'd scratch Vancouver and spend a day on Whidbey and the rest of your time in Seattle. A good starting point in Seattle is the Duck land and water tour. With that and a visit to Pike Place market, the Ballard Locks, Museum of Flight, the Underground Tour, and the Space Needle you will have seen everything worthwhile seeing in the city over a 3 day period without running yourself ragged.

Whidbey Island is more laid back easliy covered in a day. Rolling hills farmland, a vineyard or two and views of Admiralty Inlet, and Possession Sound. Be sure to visit Deception Pass..the high bridge overlooking the whirlpooling channel below..and the adjoining great beach at the state park.