Driving from Seattle to Vancouver
 

We are planning a summer trip to Whistler, B.C. and are in the process of trying to decide whether to fly into Seattle and drive up (cheaper in many ways) or fly into Vancouver (easier in many ways). Has anyone made the Seattle to Vancouver drive? Is it scenic all along the way? Is the border a pain to cross? Any thoughts in general about driving that route? Thanks, PJK

It is a straight shot up I-5 (freeway) and takes about 3 hours, not counting border crossing. It is not particularly scenic imo.

Can you take a rental car into Canada from the US? I know you can't take one into Mexico.

I've done it a few times as well as taking the train. The train is quite scenic but slow. I was able to take a rental car across the border.

The train leaves early in the morning and is quite inexpensive; of course it requires an overnight in Seattle before. While it's a bit slow as trains go, it can sometimes be competitive with driving in that if the highway border crossing is particularly congested, or traffic heading into Vancouver proper is thick, you can be delayed in the car too.

If you have sufficient time, there are several scenic alternatives to I-5, including WA SR 9, or driving up the length of Whidbey Island before rejoining I-5, or even heading over to the Olympic Peninsula, ferry across to Vancouver Island, then ferry back to the mainland - either south of Vancouver or north of the city (Horseshoe Bay) - right on the road to Whistler. Numerous options.

Car hire might be cheaper in an all-Canada rental too (thus arguing for the train.)

PJK, we just don't know where you're from, to have any sense of whether you would find it scenic along the northern I-5 trek.

If you want added scenery, you could take a detour of perhaps 30 miles along "Chuckanut Drive", separating from the interstate roughly 65 miles north of Seattle and meeting up with it again some 20 miles north.

Otherwise, the trip north of Everett, WA to the Canada border is a lot of trees and some water mixing wide-open spaces with smaller cities along the path.

If the $$$$ savings are significant, then definitely fly into Seattle and drive up, because you'll have to rent a car anyway.

No problem taking rental vehicles from the BIG rental companies across the border - I do this all the time.

As for the border, I ALWAYS take exit #275 (one of the last exits in the USA) toward "truck customs" and cross the border there, less than a mile from the main path that all of the tourists tend to take. (it is a bit faster)

On return to the U.S. that is when you need to really time your trip so that you simply don't have to waste an hour or two in line.

If coming back on a Sunday night... wait until LATE to depart Vancouver. The border delay is much worse when entering the USA than when entering Canada. I've not been delayed more than 20 minutes entering Canada in years, and typically it is 5 minutes.

So I think that it depends on what you're used to where you're from, to decide how "scenic" I-5 north of Seattle is.

hope this helps.

Thanks to all for your helpful responses. I like in the Missouri Ozarks, but I don't know if that tells you what I consider scenic any better. We have traveled in Washington and Oregon many times. I have traveled down the Oregon coast and through Whidbey, so I suppose that is what qualifies as truly scenic. Thanks for the crossing suggestions as well. I had not thought about taking the train. I will check into that. PJK

Hi PJK- have spent much time in the Ozarks- around Ironton- beautiful part of the country - but much different from the PNW
I live in Oregon now and have driven to Vancouver several times. Really not a lot to see on the way along I-5-
The border crossing can be a pain- I would say it took 45 min the last time I did it and that was not peak season.
And the Seattle traffic can be a pain also- last time I drove it, it took over an hour to get through downtown Seattle on a Thur morning around noon.
It really was awful!
I think I would be tempted to fly to Vancouver if I were you

The drive is not unpleasant, but it is also, as others have said, not especially scenic. Driving north, I like the view of the Cascades driving through Everett and the Tuscan-like hills just south of Bellingham, but the rest is pretty tame.

Unless you plan to spend time in Seattle or to get off I-5 on your way to Vancouver, I think you'd be happier flying into Vancouver and being fresh to savor the scenic drive that lies before you as you head for Whistler.

By chance we drove from Seattle to Vancouver this past weekend and, while doing so, I noted my reaction to the countryside.

Conclusion: The portion of the drive from Everett to Vancouver is quite pleasant, passing through three valleys: Snohomish, Skagit, and Fraser. It is much more appealing overall than, say, the drive from Seattle to Portland.

The wait at the border going north was ten minutes and returning it was over an hour.

However, given the choice of flying into Vancouver or Seattle, I would pick Vancouver.

You should consider driving up to Whistler (during the day) after spending a day or 2 in Vancouver. It is about an hour 20-30 minutes away and much more scenic than the drive to Vancouver. It is not a difficult drive and there are a few waterfalls you can see along the way.