Vancouver and Seattle visit

[lasomeday]

I am going to Vancouver and Seattle in a few weeks. I have been to Seattle five times. So I have seen all the tourist spots there. Where should I go that's not touristy. Also spending time in Vancouver. Haven't been there since 1999. What should I see there. I am definitely going to Victoria island to see Buchart gardens. That's all I know. Help!

[ljbab728]

I am going to Vancouver and Seattle in a few weeks. I have been to Seattle five times. So I have seen all the tourist spots there. Where should I go that's not touristy. Also spending time in Vancouver. Haven't been there since 1999. What should I see there. I am definitely going to Victoria island to see Buchart gardens. That's all I know. Help!

I spent a couple of days in Vancouver last month and was given a tour by the Vancouver Tourism Department. They make sure you see all of the main attractions. We started out at the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which is good for a couple of hours. Then we went to Stanley Park and took a horse drawn carriage tour before going to Granville Island Market for shopping and lunch. From there we took the Acquabus Ferry across to the Yaletown area. From there we went to the historic Gastown area and went to the top of the Vancouver Lookout Tower. We ended up doing the FlyOver Canada ride at Canada Place and the cruise port. Hopefully you won't try to see all of that in one day like we did. It was exhausting.

Here are links to information about those attractions.

Exciting Things to Do in Vancouver | Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
Stanley Park | City of Vancouver
Home | Granville Island
The Vancouver Aquabus
Gastown Information
Vancouver Lookout Tower | Vancouver Sightseeing & Attraction
Home - FlyOver Canada

I'm glad you're making it to Buchart Gardens on Vancouver Island. I use a picture I took there years ago for my computer desktop. It is spectacular.

[Pete]

Be sure to connect with Sid while you're there.

Bet he'd meet for a beer in his 'hood which is very charming and much more 'local'.

[bradh]

Yes it's at the Market in Seattle so it's touristy but have breakfast at Lowell's and get a crab omelette, they are amazing.

[Bellaboo]

I am going to Vancouver and Seattle in a few weeks. I have been to Seattle five times. So I have seen all the tourist spots there. Where should I go that's not touristy. Also spending time in Vancouver. Haven't been there since 1999. What should I see there. I am definitely going to Victoria island to see Buchart gardens. That's all I know. Help!

I'm going to Seattle and Vancouver too, in a few weeks..... I'm calling you tomorrow.

[Dennis Heaton]

Used to have a Cousin in Issaqua. The few times I got to visit him (while I was in Dallas, OR) he'd always take me to some spot down in the Market for theeeeeeeeeeeee best Clam Chowder. I loved the Issaqua area.

[lasomeday]

My cell is 206-317-4606. Feel free to text me or call me if anyone wants to meet up. I'm in Upper Queen Anne.

Thanks Sid, I will be with my cousins in Seattle the whole time and won't have a car. So I am not sure if I will be able to meet up.

[CCOKC]

My son and I will be in Seattle next Friday. He has decided to move there and we are going to check the city out.

[onthestrip]

Sid, what do you know of the Pioneer Square area? Will be coming to Seattle soon and will be staying a couple nights in that area?

[Bellaboo]

Sid,
Were at the Roosevelt in late August. Any thoughts ?

[Bellaboo]

Thanks, we're doing a Market Street tour.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Sid, what do you know of the Pioneer Square area? Will be coming to Seattle soon and will be staying a couple nights in that area?

Now that I live here I can chime in

Like Sid said, this area can be a bit sketchy if you're not used to a large homeless presence, especially at night.

Pioneer Square is the oldest part of Seattle and is full of some amazing turn-of-the-century architecture. There is a lot history to be seen here. I have heard great things about the Underground Tour but I haven't yet had a chance to go. The Smith Tower has a great observation deck that is worth checking out. If you are interested in history, this is definitely a good place to discover Seattle.

[onthestrip]

Sid or Cuatro...any must visit restaurants, whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner, that one needs to visit? Mainly in downtown or pioneer square area.

[HangryHippo]

I'm headed to Seattle for the first time next week. Any new recommendations/sights to see, places to eat?

[ctchandler]

I'm headed to Seattle for the first time next week. Any new recommendations/sights to see, places to eat?

Hemingstein,
I'm no expert, been there a few times but nobody on this thread has mentioned the Boeing Museum of Flight and my my late wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a good half day, so it might not be for you. Just thought I would pass it on.
C. T.

[CuatrodeMayo]

I'll work you up a list...

[CuatrodeMayo]

Obviously Pike Place Market is a must-see. It's mostly filled with touristy junk so I wouldn't plan on spending must time there. The best thing about the market (for me) is cheap flowers. Avoid the tourist trap that is the first Starbucks and head upstairs to Storyville Coffee. Its an amazing space with great coffee. Make sure you check out the Gum Wall in Post Alley.

Find your way down to the waterfront. There are stairs & elevators that connect the market to the waterfront, but it takes a bit of navigation. Parts of it are closed due to seawall construction. The Great Wheel and the Aquarium are highly recommended.

Pioneer square & Underground Tour (see the comments upthread)

If you want to shop, downtown's retail core is just to the east of the market. Plenty of chain stores, etc.

The Roastery is Starbucks' new high-end coffee shop that just opened in Capitol Hill. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet, but I hear it is a must-see.

If bars and clubs are your thing, Capitol Hill & Belltown are your best bets. That's not really my scene, so Sid may have to give you some recommendations.

The Seattle Center has some interesting attractions (including the space needle), especially if there is a festival going on.

Taking the ferry the Bainbridge Island is a neat experience, especially if you have kids. Admittedly there is not a whole lot to do there if you are on foot. It's more about the journey. There is also a ferry to Bremerton, but I haven't been there yet.

Outside of downtown, one of our favorite neighborhoods is Ballard. It's full of shops, restaurants and bars. A must-see is the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks and fish ladder nearby. Being Oklahoma kids, we are mesmerized by ocean-going ships and boats. Further down the road is Golden Gardens (a popular beach and one of the few with sand). Across Salmon Bay is the Fisherman's' Terminal building. The restaurant Chinook's is pretty good and has a great view of the bay.

The Fremont Troll is pretty cool. And if you go on Sunday, there is a great street market. (Same with Ballard)

Parks
Olympic Sculpture Park
Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill is a great Olmsted-designed park
Kerry Park (up on Queen Anne Hill, near Sid) is the postcard view of Seattle's skyline
South Lake Union Park has the Museum of History and Industry

If you have wheels, get out of the city and into the mountains. Mount Rainier is only a couple of hours away and has some breathtaking hikes. We haven't gotten a lot of snow this year so the mountains are more accessible.

We don't eat out a whole lot, so I don't know enough about the restaurant scene to make solid recommendations. Tom Douglas is a pretty big deal here, so any of his restaurants would probably be a sure-thing. Don't bother trying to find tex-mex, it doesn't exist here. Sid would probably be more helpful on the restaurant front.

If I think of more, I'll add them later.

[Tigerguy]

See: The Pacific Northwest, D.B. Cooper, And Me — Trip Reports Forum | Airliners.net

There are some repeats from above, and some that aren't. Also, be mindful that this report is from late 2011, so some of the information therein may have changed. I've naught to say about Vancouver, though, so you're out of luck on that one.

[TheTravellers]

Pike Place Market is pretty touristy, as Andrew said, but there are (or used to be) a couple of nice used record and book stores in there somewhere, lower level, I think, not really hidden, but if you don't know they're there, you'll miss them.

Also lots of Chihuly around the area, Tacoma has the glass-blowing museum, but that's way south and can have traffic woes trying to get there from Seattle proper.