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Pacific Northwest Tourism What What
Gafoto
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So I'm planning a trip with my family to the pacific northwest. We will be flying into Seattle and then at some point driving up to Vancouver. We'll be going sometime in late July for about 10 days.
We'll be renting a car so we're interested in doing things both in the cities (galleries, museums, music, shops, whatever) and outside the cities. I personally love landscape photography and hiking so any suggestions for hikes and natural attractions in the area would be much appreciated. I'm seriously open to any kind of neat experience though. Tell me your secrets people!
We'll be renting a car so we're interested in doing things both in the cities (galleries, museums, music, shops, whatever) and outside the cities. I personally love landscape photography and hiking so any suggestions for hikes and natural attractions in the area would be much appreciated. I'm seriously open to any kind of neat experience though. Tell me your secrets people!
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As far as hiking, if you REALLY like hiking, I recommend the Grouse Grind.
Also, not sure if you'll be here by then but the Folk Festival starts on/around the 17th in Vancouver, I think?
Also be sure to hit up Granville Island (not actually an island) in Vancouver, I live on it and it seems to be a fat tourist attraction.
Mt. Si
Rattlesnake Ledge
These are busy though, so if I were you I'd be sure to get there by about 8 AM.
Mount Rainer looks pretty boss, is there anywhere in particular in the park that I should visit?
Speaking of scenery, I see that there are many neat areas around Banff park, but this is quite a drive to make. Are there other good places like Lake Louise but...closer? I'm from the east coast and seeing some glaciers, lakes and snow capped mountains would be neat. I think around 4 hours is probably the limit of our driving capacity from Vancouver or Seattle.
Let's hang out and drink overpriced cocktails downtown.
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
Yeah, this is key to remember.
There is a lot to see and do here in Vancouver. How long are you planning on staying? Granville Island has been mentioned and is a cool place to check out. You can go on a kayak tour from there as well, though I imagine the prices are pretty crazy.
You should visit Stanley Park which also houses the Vancouver Aquarium home of legions of cute aquatic creatures (hand holding sea otters, yo) and a new baby beluga whale. The Sun Yat Sen garden is neat in a low key sort of way. You could also check out the Capilano Suspension Bridge. I've never actually gone there, but I'm going to check it out this summer.
Depending on your schedule, and if you're a football fan the CFL season is starting up, so there might be a chance to see a Canadian football game. The BC Lions are the local team and play in BC Place, which will host the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Oh, and if you want snow I guess you could go up to Whistler. I think they Heli-ski on the glacier at Blackcomb year round. Also, Alberta is not a day trip from Vancouver! Way too far away.
Look, I don't know what that is but it sounds like I would die if I did it.
I have my passport in hand thankfully.
How difficult is it to get football tickets?
Oh, football tickets are easy to get, and also affordable. While the dome seats 60 thousand or so, attendance is usually around half that, so the upper bowl is usually tarped off.
Here's a pretty famous iconic image of the sign above the market, this cellphone picture taken by yours truly.
Here you'll see street musicians, people throwing fish, tons of kitschy little shops, it's basically amazing.
And Pike Place is pretty much a must.
Also, while you're in North Vancouver (for the Grind, either bridge, or any of the other hiking up there) there's a great place to have lunch and/or dessert hidden away behind an auto mall - Thomas Haas. Middle of nowhere but will be packed because of their really tasty sandwiches and incredibly awesome chocolates and dessert pastries. I take my out of town visitors there all the time.
The pictures of Olympic peninsula very much make me want to fit it into the trip, are there any particular hiking trails or sights that I should go see?
Arch,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_goGR39m2k
Sushi in Richmond is pretty good, and super cheap.
$13 for all you can eat late nite (after 9 pm weekdays) and that includes sashimi
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
Matsuyama is excellent and cheap, also a la carte.
Richmond Sushi is also pretty good and cheap and all you can eat. The "deluxe" menu isn't worth it for $17, but the normal $13 late nite menu is ideal if you're hungry.
Samurai Sushi on Cambie is good and huge and cheap cheap cheap!
Edit: That's Cambie in Vancouver, not Richmond. Don't get the two mixed up; they never meet. Same with Granville street (Vancouver) and Granville avenue (Richmond).
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
Also worth checking out if you like weird things is the Freemont Troll.
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.