drsol

Visiting Seattle in Aug. We're an active 60 yr old couple from BOS. Have 9 days. What are "must see/do" in SEA? Want to go to Vancouver and Victoria too. Should we take train? Ferry? Drive? How much time should we allow for Seattle?

zinfanatic

Just returned from a week in Seattle- though I have friends there. I suggest four to five days-especially if you have never been and tend to be a city person. There is the Seattle Art Museum, Asian Art, Burke Museum, Seattle Center-ok- Pike Place Market of course. and don't miss the new Central Library- a gem- take the architectural tour. There are also some good historical and architectural walking tours given by the local society- google it. Seattle is a city of neighborhoods and water- great scenery-I'll let others advise on the transport. If you need places to stay or restaurants write again Have fun

drsol

Thanks for the help. Any nice hotels with deals that you could recommend?

Orcas

I'd allow plenty of time for Vancouver, which is actually way cooler than Seattle.
Days 1,2,3 Seattle, with day 3 at Mt. Rainier. Days 4,5,6 Vancouver (no less than 2 full days) - Stanley Park, UBC Museum, Granville Island,
Days 7,8,9 Victoria (2 days of things to do, visiting town and Buchardt Gdns. Leave on Day 9 to return to Seattle if you are leaving on Day 10), Day 10 Seattle. Lots of hotel discussions if you do a search. Drive to Vancouver. Ferry to Victoria. Ferry back to Seattle via Port Angeles on Olympic peninsula, also including ferry from Bainbridge Island back to Seattle.

Jr44

I just "finished?" putting together a trip to Seattle for a conference. This board was very helpful by reading back through all the posts and making notes. Then checking a bit on www.tripadvisor.com a bit more. When I couldn't figure something out, then I'd post a message and these folks were great.

It depends really on what you like...nature, hiking, vineyards, seeing Mt. Rainier. I also got a travel book at my local library for quick reading. You could always get a cup of coffee at the local bookstore, sit back and read abit without even buying the book.

For us, staying at Paradise Inn at Mt. Rainier was a top choice.
http://www.guestservices.com/rainier...modations.html
We are going at the end of May. I'd prefer to be there on an August weekend when the Rangers do more hiking trips etc. If you plan on being in that area in the summer, better make the reservations today!

zinfanatic

In answer to your specific question about hotels I too would check with tripadvisor.com. We stayed at the Hotel Andra. It is a good location, near shopping- if that is important, and within about a mile of Seattle Center and very near Belltown. Be sure and get a room high up and away from the street- as you would in any city hotel. The other place I like to stay is Inn at the Harbor Steps. It is a smaller property and therefore the room tax is lower- 8%vs 15%. They serve continental breakfast and wine and cheese also. The only drawback currently is that it is right across the street the the consturction of the new wing of the Seattle Art Museum and may be noisy. I met the manager on the bus and he said the rates vary according to the season, but now they are $165. Of course there are cheaper places also. If you want to stay at either one of these properties, it would be best to make reservations soon. Hope this is helpful.

wanderluster

IMO Vancouver is over-rated.
I wouldn't spend more than 1/2 - 1 day there.
However Victoria is wonderful in every way, and much more deserving of your time.

Orcas

What do you think is overrated about Vancouver? How recently have you visited?

Have you been bike riding around Stanley Park? Been to the Museum at UBC? Visited Granville Island? Gone to the comedy clubs on Granville Island or plays in Stanley Park? Visited the Yorktown area? We feel like we barely touched the surface in our 3 days there.

starrsville

No offense to anyone but I prefer Victoria to Vancouver as well.

E

We really liked the Inn at the Market--great location virtually on top of the Pike Market, and surprisingly quiet.

How about taking in a baseball game? Safeco field is pretty cool.

Orcas

Honestly, no offense taken. I am only wondering why.

jojo7

I thought I was the only one who was less than impressed with Vancouver and I say that in all honesty. Most people seem to love it as many posts have been written with favorable comments on this and other forums. Although much smaller in size, I just prefer Seattle. It's a great little city which I love! BUT hey... everyone is entitled to their own opinion. For the couple who are visiting Seattle in August,if you happen to come 8/5-8/7 there is an event called "Seafair" which it not to be missed. The US Navy Blue Angels perform an air show that is simply amazing. It also has speed boat races and is just a fun day on the lake. Website is www.seafair.com tells you all about it. If you want to go to Victoria, it will be very convenient from Seattle if you take the Victoria Clipper Ferry (www.victoriaclipper.com) passenger only (don't need vehicle in Victoria, either can walk or almost all hotels have free shuttle service within the harbor area). I would visit each city for three days each. At least three days in Seattle and in Vancouver as well. The westcoast has great weather in August. Have fun!

David_II

Seattle and Vancouver are both great places. Each has something different to offer.

If you are arriving in Seattle I would spend the majority of my time in Seattle, unless you like to drive and go from place to place.

Vancouver is about a 3 hour drive north, and a 3 day visit would probably be ideal.

My family found this site useful for coming up with things to do in Vancouver, www.findfamilyfun.com

vanillabean

Great to find this site. I booked tickets to fly into SEA on 7/26, leave on 8/3. Plan to go to SEA (7/26 - 7/29), VIC (7/29 - 7/30) and Vancouver, BC (7/30 - 8/3), is this a good plan? i can't decide if i should ferry to Victoria from SEA or from Vanc/BC. Any good advice? Too bad that we'll miss seafest. Will save it for the next visit.

Gardyloo

Lies, d@mn lies, and statistics.

Seattle and Vancouver are the same size. In metro area population, Seattle is bigger. Vancouver looks bigger because it has more highrise apartments in the West End.

There is no car ferry from Seattle to Victoria, only a high-speed passenger boat (Victoria Clipper) and (my vote) scheduled floatplane service. Likewise on the Canadian side, there is no direct car ferry between Victoria and Vancouver; the car ferries load and unload a half hour (on a good day) distant from each city. There are also floatplanes between the Inner Harbour in Victoria and Canada Place in Vancouver. IMO, a car is not a necessity for seeing much of what Victoria has to offer (localized cute, generalized bleh - again IMO) so if you're on a tight timetable, flying RT from Seattle, then driving to Vancouver conserves time better than the half-day each way involved with ferry transport.

With 9 days I'd do Seattle 4, Vancouver 4, and Victoria 1, using a floatplane from Lake Union in Seattle. Beautiful ride, see the cute bits, take a tour bus to Butchart Gdns if you must (although note that the Queen Elizabeth II Gardens in Vancouver are quite wonderful and way more accessible than Butchart, also way cheaper).

Day trips from Seattle or Vancouver are so numerous that it's silly - Mt Rainier, ferry rides, Cascade Loop, Boeing factory, Museum of Glass in Tacoma, on and on (Seattle); Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler, aerial trams, Sunshine Coast, Fraser Valley (Vancouver)... sheesh.

Depends on your interests, of course. But I would not let the transport infrastructure control your itinerary.

Missing Seafair is hardly grounds for remorse. IM (not very H) O.

NorthwestMale

Correction:

Vancouver's recent metro area population listing of 2,188,567 is more than 30% higher than Seattle's 1,662,839.

This trend has been OBvious for years and years now, ever since the impending handover of Hong Kong to mainland China, which happened nearly eight years ago now.

Vancouver even "lives" like a more populous area.

Seattle, by contrast, has seen only minor population increases within the city limits since 1970.

suze

for vanillabean- missing SeaFair is cause for celebration not anything to boohoo about IMO!

dgarland

Husband and I took the Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver. It was @ 2-4 hour ride, don't remember exactly, with beautiful views. The train was directly next to the water for the majority of the trip. You could literally look down into the Sound, and the countryside was on the other side of the train. It was a great experience. We had time to eat a nice meal in the dining car. I would highly recommend it.

hester

A couple of fun things in Seattle to do is to go to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (Ballard Locks). Besides the locks themselves the grounds are lovely and there is the fish ladder. One of my favorite parks in Seattle is Gas Works Park, be sure to bring your camera. On a clear day the view of downtown Seattle and the water is spectacular! Have a great time!

SusanCS

dgarland - Do you remember how much the Amtrak trip to Vancouver cost?