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

Well the Seattle-Everett-Bellevue PMSA in <i>2000</i> was a little over 2.4 million, and that's not counting anything in Pierce County, so I don't know about the smaller thing. It was growing at an annual rate of 1.5% for the prior decade, so that would make it around 8% more now, i.e., around 2.6 million.

Susan, the train's around $30 each way.

The Royal Museum in Victoria is a must do. There are four floors, If you can only do one, absolutely see the First Peoples Exhibit.

In Vancouver:take a walk for some or all of the seawall in Stanley Park, visit the anthropology museum @UBC,definitely take in the Van Deusen Botanical Gardens and take a small boat across Fall Creek to Granville Island. While it is a bit touristed, lunch at the Sandbar overlooking Fall Creek is a nice thing to do. Try Dim Sum @ Kirin (The Georgia Street location).

I visited Seattle last August with some friends, and we had a wonderful time. The weather was absolutely beautiful, except for one rainy day. We stayed at the Seattle Waterfront Marriott, which was a great hotel. We stepped across the street and went to Pike Place Market, went to the Seattle Aquarium, and saw a Seahawks game at Qwest field. Those were all very enjoyable things to do, so if you have time I recommend them.

I would recommend the Moore Hotel for price and location. Its very clean but pretty spartan - if you are looking for roomservice, TV, etc., its not your cup of tea (or coffee, since its seattle :) )