I have the last two weeks of Aug. 2014 free for vacation. I was thinking of visiting San Diego, but my wife has always wanted to visit Seattle. Which may be a better trip at that time of year? We are NY residents.

W/ two weeks why not do both and both of you can be happy. A week in San Diego, fly to Seattle, a week there, fly home . . .

janisj has a good idea. But if you can't go both places, part might depend on what you want to do for your vacation. The weather would be better in San Diego for the beaches, etc.

If you're music fans, the Bumbershoot music festival in Seattle over Labor Day weekend is terrific. Late August and early September is usually when we have the best weather of the year in Seattle.

Apples and oranges (literally.) Both have their strengths - Seattle is close to gorgeous countryside, other wonderful cities (Vancouver, Portland) islands, mountains... San Diego has the beaches, Tijuana... hm. ;-)

IF from New York, and visiting the west coast for two weeks in August, with urges for both San Diego and Seattle, it really does make sense to look into an Open Jaws flight itinerary to visit both spots for about a week each.

You can toggle that a bit to suit the best airfares, etc.... but given what you've said (or omitted?) it is perfectly do-able that you can cover both spots when affording yourselves this one opportunity from so relatively far away.

If open to such a two-destination trip, it probably makes sense that you shouldn't allocate too much time to the northern coast, when San Diego fills the other half of your trip, and it makes similar sense to make any side trip(s) to the mountains in Washington. Perhaps the best brief getaway from Seattle is Vancouver, Canada, but if you don't want to do that, then maybe a loop heading north from Seattle and over the North Cascades Highway... and then via Winthrop, Chelan, Leavenworth, Yakima and back via Mount Rainier.

The mountain scenery on such a path would make for a great complement to the San Diego ocean views.

Another vote for both...

The response depends entirely on your interests. The weather will be good in both cities (with slightly more chance of rain in Seattle).

For proximity to snow-capped mountains and National Parks (Mt Rainier & Olympic) - it's Seattle.

For sandy Pacific beaches and nearby desert areas, it's San Diego.

What are your interests? Nightlife, dive bars, hiking, sipping margaritas poolside, slumming, opera?

the first thought that came to mind when i read your post..."happy wife, happy life". both would be doable in two weeks. love san diego so i'd probably go there. can you go into canada? if i sent to seattle, i'd consider a few days on vancouver island. ocean sands resort (get an ocean view room) in parksville has a really gorgeious beach and shallow water so it's warm in august. so that would give you the beach. also, a day trip to hornby island is fun. again, has a really nice beach. i'd also enjoy the ferry ride from washington to the island. or i'd take a few days and drive down the oregon coast. wouldn't want to stay in seattle for 2 full weeks.