SF - Vancouver - Seattle - SF (June)

[rnr]

I have be in Vancouver from June 20-22 and figured it would be great road trip in the Elise. My plan is to make a mad dash from SF to Seattle on the 16 and work from there for a couple of days before driving to Vancouver on the 19th. Once my work in Vancouver is done I will drive back to Seattle on the 23rd and pick up my wife who will fly in from SF on the 23rd afternoon.

I have from June 23 until July 1 to take a leisurely drive down the coast and do some sightseeing along the way. The wife and I have never been up the west coast of the US and really want to check out Seattle, apart from that the rest of our itinerary is completely open. Anything you guys recommend?

[Randy Chase]

Seattle area:
Take a ferry over to Victoria. Spend a couple days there. Visit Bourchard Gardens.
Take the Underground Seattle tour.
Drive out to Snoqualmie.
On the way south, go out to the Olympic Peninsula. Visit Port Townshend. Or skip the peninsula.

Drive south and visit Multnomah falls on the Columbia River Gorge. Definitely drive west to Astoria and head down the coast.

Visit the Tillamook cheese factory. Really.

There are a lot of great towns and viewpoints to stop at along the Oregon coast.

In NorCal, Eureka, Redwoods, Samoa Cookhouse, Avenue of the Giants.

[jasond]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

Drive out to Snoqualmie.

+1 About the time you will be visiting will be the perfect time for hiking as well If you do the hike, there are some great views. It's also a fairly easy hike, even for beginners.

[khamai]

There's lots to do in Seattle. Be sure to hook with the great members of Evergreen Lotus Club - http://www.elcc.org/

I agree with Randy... follow the coast aka Hwy 101. Both the WA and OR coast are fabulous. The Olympic Nat'l Park is pretty special.

Randy suggested a ferry to Victoria. You can go from Seattle to the island and then take a ferry back to Point Angeles, see the Olympic mountains and hook with Hwy 101.

Once in CA just stay on Hwy 1.

It's an awesome drive!

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

[Bleu Omdurman]

If you mean Vancouver, BC then I would try to take a quick trip up to MT Baker. The views are great, the road is better, and you don't need to hike if you don't want to. 2 hrs round trip from bellingham on HWY 542.

You could also drive up HWY 20. 3 hours round trip from Burlington takes you to Diablo and the views from there are incredible. No hiking required.

If you do the pennisula, go to chowhound and find a good clam chowder or crab place. IT's really good there.

[rnr]

Thanks for the suggestions guy. Unfortunately my wife wont be able to enter Canada (visa issues) so anything Canadian is out. We will definitely be doing the drive down 101, along with a photo op next to a Salem sign (I grew up in a town in India also called Salem )

Any Seattle area Etalkers up for lunch/dinner?

[Tintin]

Originally Posted by rnr

My plan is to make a mad dash from SF to Seattle on the 16

I did that drive on I5 one day a long time ago in a Miata. Its a long drive along I5. Give yourself lots of time.

P.S, I also got a ticket just north of Redding