My wife, daughter and myself is making plan for a trip to the pacific North West this summer. Seattle, Vancouver and vicinity. About 1 week-10 days. We have never been there and would like to hear some recommendations. Thanks.
Bring warm clothes. Seriously though depends on what you want to see and how long you'll be there. The farmer's market in Seattle is cool as is the whole area in general. If you have time, on the way up to Vancouver try to make it out towards Whidbey Island. Deception Pass out there is beautiful. Vancouver is a cool place too.
Go to Banff and Jasper. Mt. Ranier in WA was also beautiful and the drive/country-side as well. Portland has a great art culture, try visiting some galleries. Tour the Boeing plant in Everett.
For Vancouver: - Eat at Vij's Restaurant - Drive on the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler - Grouse Mountain for great views of the city - Granville Island (fresh food market, good for kids) - Chinese food in Richmond, BC - Japanese hotdogs on Burrard Street downtown - Stroll around Stanley Park (the largest urban park in the world)
Lake Moraine and Lake Louise (Banff) are spectacular. A sampling of some of the lakes in and around Banff: http://www.google.com/images?q=lake...dO8Wt8AbSx4z-Dg&ved=0CEgQsAQ&biw=1259&bih=870
Take the ferry from Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Vancouver Island). I did a similar trip with my wife back in 2001 and we loved the beauty of the Northwest...but were blown away by Vancouver Island. Spend at least a few days there.
He's going to Seattle/Vancouver for 10 days, not 3 months. Banff is an 11 hour drive from Vancouver...
what 3814 said! Banff is 11 hours from Vancouver. Portland is 6. I'd narrow the trip to at most: Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler, and possibly the San Juan Islands. Tell us what you want to do?
I grew up just outside of Vancouver (from the age of 7 to 22). Here are my recommendations: -1-2 days in Seattle: Space Needle and Pike Place Market -2-3 days on Vancouver Island, Victoria specifically. The ferry ride between Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay (Victoria-Vancouver) is beautiful. Optional tourist activities include visiting the Butchard Gardens, Victoria Waterfront Tours (kayaking and whatnot), going to the Parliament Buildings, playing a round of golf (many stunning courses), and just enjoying the outdoors. Victoria is beautiful. -3 days in Vancouver. You gotta go to a Canucks game! They sell out every game every year, so make sure you get your tickets in advance or be prepared to pay even steeper prices from scalpers outside Rogers Arena. You should also check out Stanley Park (do the stroll around with the kids... walking, biking, or rollerblading). Make sure to check out Granville Island and maybe catching one of the Improv shows there in the evening. If you want a beautiful view of the city you should take the gondola up Grouse Mountain in the evening. YOu can have dinner up there or whatever as well. And if you're into science, check out Science World. Very cool exhibits. But there's a hundred other things depending on what you like. -2-3 days in Whistler. It doesn't matter what time of the year you go there, it's always amazing. Summer is actually nice because it's not so busy and you get a better feel for the local flavor. There are all sorts of outdoor adventures year-round. I enjoyed the Ziptrek adventure (ziplining really high up) when my wife took me there in October for my birthday... but there's lots of other options. But make sure you're staying in or close to the village - walk around at night, and make sure to eat at the Old Spaghetti Factory... a true classic. Hope that helps a bit!
lol, Banff is 531 miles away. That's like saying, "I'm going to Chicago" and somebody responds "Make sure you catch a show on 6th street in Austin while you're there"
Some good, actually advice for you. Which I won't provide. I'll just add on like many have and say have a great time. The PNW is my favorite geography of North America. It's just spectacularly beautiful and awe-inspiring, especially in the summer, when it's sunny and the temperatures are spectacular. I think advice also depends a lot on what you like. Do you want to spend a lot of time doing outdoor activities, or do you want to really get to know the cities (Seattle/Vancouver), or a little bit of both? Mt. Rainier NP and Olympic NP would both be great outdoor options, but are a bit of a drive from Seattle. I thought Pike's Place market was fun, but don't expect to be blown away by an amazing market - it's just fun and "nostalgic" feeling. have fun!
Actually I have heard that Victoria is really nice and maybe even better than Vancouver. I've never been, but you should check it out. I just visited that region last month. Few places are as beautiful.
I went to Victoria for the first time this past September. The ferry ride from Vancouver was beautiful, but the city itself is EXTREMELY touristy (or at least it was during the long weekend we went). Also, the "we're more British than Britain!" sentiment permeating through the city was a bit much.
Is it a good idea to rent a car for the trip? If we take the bus or ferry from place to place, how do we get around at our destinations?
If I were going to another country and it may be my first and only time to visit that country, I would consider taking a couple of days to visit a worthwhile place.
