[mtdjed]

Two Village couples planning a trip to Seattle/Vancouver in July /August time period. plans likely would include 7 day cruise to Alaska and back from Seattle.

Notice that Seattle appears to have great metro system.

Looking for opinions/ ideas for agenda planning. Transportation, lodging, sites to visit.

Also, somewhere in my past contacts , I seem to recall some negative thoughts regarding Vancouver.

Would appreciate any comments, recommendations etc.

Thanks in advance.

JED

[jane032657]

Originally Posted by mtdjed

Two Village couples planning a trip to Seattle/Vancouver in July /August time period. plans likely would include 7 day cruise to Alaska and back from Seattle.

Notice that Seattle appears to have great metro system.

Looking for opinions/ ideas for agenda planning. Transportation, lodging, sites to visit.

Also, somewhere in my past contacts , I seem to recall some negative thoughts regarding Vancouver.

Would appreciate any comments, recommendations etc.

Thanks in advance.

JED

I lived in British Columbia for 26 years and Seattle for about 10 years before coming here to The Villages. I am not sure what you heard negative about Vancouver but it is one of the most stunning and magnificent cities anywhere. You have the mountains and the ocean, the people are wonderful, it is a multicultural city with top rated food, shopping, and attractions. You have Stanley Park which if you are able, you can walk around and see various views, huge ships, totem poles, and people doing all types of fun activities. If you cannot walk the full circle, you can choose certain parts of the park to visit. You can shop the upscale Robson Street, go to Granville Island for eclectic food and shops, with outdoor entertainers; get a car and go up to Whistler or take a ferry and spend a day in Victoria and Buchart Gardens. The food choices are endless but you want to have Asian and seafood. Google Vancouver activities, you will not go wrong no matter what you choose. Lovely hotels, check out Hotel Vancouver and the Pan Pacific. Stay away from Hastings and Main Street, where it has been difficult to deal with the drug and homeless issue and can be a little rough looking.

Seattle is also a beautiful city but not as stunning as Vancouver. You have the Space Needle, Pike Place Market where you can watch the Flying Fish and see seafood like you have never seen before; there is Alaskan Way where you can stroll along the shops by the water; go to the Seattle Zoo; go to the Fifth Street Theater. Lots of downtown shopping. Check out the Seattle Waterfront Marriot-we were their third wedding when they opened and it is beautiful to stay at. Oh and take the new ferris wheel ride-very safe and stunning views of the city and well beyond. It is a must do.

Traffic in both cities horrendous. Metro not that great in Seattle but there are buses. Walking is good in both cities. Take a light jacket and be prepared for rain of course but less so in summer. Again google for attractions in each city. The Pacific Northwest is a gem in the United States. Sadly Seattle has gotten so expensive that housing is beyond achieving for so many and the homeless situation has increased to an untenable situation-I used to sit on a committee for the homeless. Our friend just told us yesterday that in Pioneer Square, there are tents set up everywhere. The infiltration of the Amazon, Google, Microsoft has been a blessing and a curse and the development of affordable housing has not kept pace so expect to see some astounding situations. People are living under the bridges in Seattle as well.

You will see a lot of beauty, experience some lovely sites, top cuisine, kind people, magnificent flowers, and you will never forget the sea to sky views.

[TCRSO]

We have property in British Columbia and spend summers there. Vancouver is a beautiful vibrant city. Like any large city, traffic is an issue. We highly recommend taking a city tour offered by several companies.