Post-cruise sightseeing - Vancouver, Seattle or both?

Trying to decide how to handle our post-cruise time. Trip is not until June 2018, but I am using June 2017 flight/train/bus info assuming 2018 will be similar. We (three ladies, ages 53, 55, 557 if it matters) arrive in Vancouver after our southbound Alaska cruise (w/ DIY land tour before the cruise) Sunday around 7AM. We will be flying back to NC from Seattle (using Southwest points, so have to go to Seattle). Latest flight out is 3:30 PM (Monday and Tuesday), but we wouldn't get home until like 1:30 AM. If we want to get home before 11 PM, we need to fly out by 6:30 AM.

Which is better for sightseeing, Vancouver or Seattle? We can:

1) do a short tour and take the 5:30 PM Sunday train to Seattle, tour Seattle all Monday and fly out Tues morning

2) tour longer in Vancouver and take the 6:30 AM Monday train to Seattle, have a half day in Seattle and fly out Tues morning

3) catch a bus/shuttle right off the ship Sunday to Seattle, have a half day Sunday and Monday morning to tour Seattle, and fly out Monday 3:30 PM.

If the hop on hop off Vancouver tour is enough, then we could do #1. We can check our luggage either at the cruise port or the train station and then jump on the bus or trolley (need to find out which is better and how early we can check luggage at train station) and then get to the train station an hour before the train leaves.

If the Vancouver hop on hop off is not enough, then we can do #2. Is there something that we really need to see/do that is not available via the HOHO transportation? We don't want to do Victoria, Whistler, etc. After a land tour and a week cruise w/ excursions, we will be getting tired, so no big hiking or really long days.

In Seattle, we definitely want to see Pike Market and maybe take the ferry over to Bremerton or Bainbridge. Need to research Seattle more to see what else we want to see.

I guess my question is: should we split our time between Vanc and Seattle (Option 1), concentrate on Vanc (option 2) or concentrate on Seattle (Option 3)? I know it's subjective, so maybe should I say what would YOU do?

I vote for #2.... this maximizes your Vancouver time. Vancouver has lots to offer.

Grouse and Capilano are my highlights and they are excluded from the Hop On.

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Add on opportunities with Whistler and possibly Victoria.... you may not have time for Seattle.

Post one is an unfortunate opinion in that you have given no idea what sort of thing you like to see. Without knowing what your interests are any sort of advice is just conjecture but there's a great deal to see in both Vancouver and Seattle you could spend several days in both. What did you think of the things to do in Seattle listed several threads down. By the way there is no Pike Market in Seattle it is Pike Place Market

I don't know what I want to do. That's why I am asking what would YOU do, so I can get some ideas. Sorry if I didn't word it correctly for you. I know for sure that the suspension bridge and cliffwalk thing in Vancouver is a no go (fear of heights). I'm thinking of more "city" type things since we will have done a lot of "nature" type things in Alaska. My sister and her friend live in a small town, so seeing the city is exciting.

Re the Market name: I was so intent to leave the "s" off so I wouldn't be ridiculed as I see here so often for saying Pikes that I left off the Place and got ridiculed anyway. Oops!

I don't know what I want to do. That's why I am asking what would YOU do, so I can get some ideas. Sorry if I didn't word it correctly for you. I know for sure that the suspension bridge and cliffwalk thing in Vancouver is a no go (fear of heights). I'm thinking of more "city" type things since we will have done a lot of "nature" type things in Alaska. My sister and her friend live in a small town, so seeing the city is exciting.

 

Re the Market name: I was so intent to leave the "s" off so I wouldn't be ridiculed as I see here so often for saying Pikes that I left off the Place and got ridiculed anyway. Oops!

Interpreting a small correction as ridicule just means I'm going to back out of this you're on your own

[quote=geeko1;52780291

I would go up to Snoqualmie in visit the Railroad Museum. Interpreting a small correction as ridicule just means I'm going to back out of this you're on your own.

I think it would be a shame to bypass either city. Both of them have lots to offer. With the limited time you have, I would spend some time in the Granville Island Market in Vancouver and do the Hop-On Hop-Off tour. In Seattle I would spend some time in Pike Place Market and do the Hop-On Hop-Off tour. The nice thing about combining the markets with the tour is that the tours take you right to them.

Have fun! I am sure you are going to have a blast. :)

Let me offer a fourth option.

Get off the ship and pick up a rental car. Throw the bags in the back and use the car that day to explore Vancouver. Yeah, you might have to pay for parking here and there - big deal. Visit the Granville Island market (a bit more spread out hence less congested than Pike Place, but still a lot of fun.) Drive around Stanley Park; maybe walk a bit through the old-growth forest. Or maybe drive out to Kitsilano Beach or the Spanish Banks for terrific views of the city over the water.

Then head south and cross the border. Drive south to Mukilteo, around half an hour north of Seattle, and stay at the Silver Cloud hotel perched on pilings over the water. Have dinner at Ivar's, an iconic local seafood chain, which is next door to the hotel, then walk a couple hundred yards past the ferry terminal to the cute little lighthouse and driftwood-covered beach to watch the sun set behind the Olympic mountains.

The next morning (Monday) get up early, have the hotel's free breakfast, then hop in the car and drive into Seattle. Use the carpool lanes and you won't be overly bothered by Monday morning traffic.

Park the car near the Pike Place market and visit the market, but be gone by 10:30 to avoid the awful crowds that hit during the cruise season (although Mondays won't be anywhere near as awful as weekends.) Drive out to Alki Beach in West Seattle for great views of the city, ferries, mountains. The views are just as good as those from the ferry, but easier and cheaper.

If you want to spend Monday night in the area, fine, otherwise head to the airport, drop the car and fly out on the afternoon flight. If you want to spend the rest of the day in the city and fly the next morning, also fine. Use the car to visit Seattle Center (Space Needle, Chihuly, etc.) or take the opportunity to see some other local sights - the Ballard Locks, or Lake Washington Boulevard and Madison Park. Eat at some of our marvelous neighborhood-based restaurants. Or head out to Snoqualmie Falls, which in June will still have plenty of water going over them.

At any rate, end up at the airport. Return the car and stay someplace close to the airport for your early morning flight. And off you go.

Even though you'll be paying one-way rent, the car will almost certainly end up saving you money overall, especially when you count all the additional taxi or limo fares you'd need to pay using the train or the bus. And by staying outside the city (Mukilteo the night before, then the airport if you spend the second night) you'll save enough compared to staying downtown, given our eye-watering hotel prices in the summer, that you might save most of the car cost.

But this will give you the flexibility to explore, to go at your own pace, to take little detours (I can supply a list if you want) along the way, and still have a convenient and cost-effective time of it.

I think it would be a shame to bypass either city. Both of them have lots to offer. With the limited time you have, I would spend some time in the Granville Island Market in Vancouver and do the Hop-On Hop-Off tour. In Seattle I would spend some time in Pike Place Market and do the Hop-On Hop-Off tour. The nice thing about combining the markets with the tour is that the tours take you right to them.

 

Have fun! I am sure you are going to have a blast. :)

That sounds like good advice. Thanks!

Then head south and cross the border. Drive south to Mukilteo, around half an hour north of Seattle, and stay at the Silver Cloud hotel perched on pilings over the water. Have dinner at Ivar's, an iconic local seafood chain, which is next door to the hotel, then walk a couple hundred yards past the ferry terminal to the cute little lighthouse and driftwood-covered beach to watch the sun set behind the Olympic mountains.

 

The next morning (Monday) get up early, have the hotel's free breakfast, then hop in the car and drive into Seattle. Use the carpool lanes and you won't be overly bothered by Monday morning traffic.

 

Park the car near the Pike Place market and visit the market, but be gone by 10:30 to avoid the awful crowds that hit during the cruise season (although Mondays won't be anywhere near as awful as weekends.) Drive out to Alki Beach in West Seattle for great views of the city, ferries, mountains. The views are just as good as those from the ferry, but easier and cheaper.

This sounds good, too. Cute hotel! Would the border crossing be too crazy on a late Sunday afternoon? An hour or so wouldn't be bad, but I don't want to wait forever. :D What time would we need to leave Monday morning to get to Pike Place Market to be done by 11 or so. We'd mostly just be looking around there, but we want to see the fish tossing. We're touristy, LOL.

Would the border crossing be too crazy on a late Sunday afternoon? An hour or so wouldn't be bad, but I don't want to wait forever. :D

There are two border crossings Blaine (I5) and Pacific Truck Crossing, both accept passenger vehicles. The PTC is the only crossing allowed for commercial vehicles such as trucks & buses, due to space at the Blaine crossing. They are close together, so if one has a long wait use the other. Border times are posted near the border crossing and online.

Spend as much time as you can in Vancouver. Granville Market is fun and interesting. Taking the ferry over is enjoyable. There is a real Asian flair in the city. Lunch in the Stanley Park area - lots of interesting little restaurants.

We are doing a Seattle - Vancouver Alaskan cruise on Oceania in August and have booked a hotel for two nights in downtown Vancouver. It's a wonderful city!!

That sounds like good advice. Thanks!

 

 

This sounds good, too. Cute hotel! Would the border crossing be too crazy on a late Sunday afternoon? An hour or so wouldn't be bad, but I don't want to wait forever. :D What time would we need to leave Monday morning to get to Pike Place Market to be done by 11 or so. We'd mostly just be looking around there, but we want to see the fish tossing. We're touristy, LOL.

The border will be busy but not too bad. Get Global Entry cards and you can use the NEXUS fast-track lanes, which will speed things up enormously.

Using the HOV lanes on I-5, you ought to be able to get to the Pike Place market in around half an hour, 40 min. at most. Of course no promises, but traffic moves well southbound in the morning. There are reversible "express lanes" that you can use from around the Seattle city limit to downtown, including a carpool exit right on Pike Street. It's pretty easy. If you were away from the hotel by 8 or 8:30 you'd have plenty of time to see the fish flingers and/or join the queue at the "first" Starbucks (it isn't) before the crowds hit.

Check out the border waits for your anticipated day/time from time to time and get an average to have an idea what to expect:

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/ATIS/index.htm (south bound in to US)

If staying in Mukilteo taking SR-526 (Boeing Freeway) to I-5 (rather than the more direct SR-525/Mukilteo Speedway) will pass by the Boeing assembly building - the world's largest building by volume.

join the queue at the "first" Starbucks (it isn't) before the crowds hit.

Starbucks - blech! *ducks* Not a fan. Well, the hot chocolate is good, but I can get that at McD's (tastes just as good) for a lot cheaper. :D If sis and her BFF want to wait in that line, have at it, LOL!

Check out the border waits for your anticipated day/time from time to time and get an average to have an idea what to expect:

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/ATIS/index.htm (south bound in to US)

 

If staying in Mukilteo taking SR-526 (Boeing Freeway) to I-5 (rather than the more direct SR-525/Mukilteo Speedway) will pass by the Boeing assembly building - the world's largest building by volume.

Cool bldg! Reminds me of the Hyundai car plant bldg in Alabama. That thing is huge!!! I assume it's still there. I saw it back in 2009 or 2010 driving down to Misssissippi..

I agree with Gardyloo, renting a car is the best way to see the beautiful pacific northwest. Border crossing should not be too bad. I would go through the Peace Arch crossing and stop at the Canadian side provincial park. You can walk under the arch and also cross into the Washington park side. Also, remember it will stay light quite late in June. You can count on daylight into the ten o'clock hour. Several nice towns to see along the way. Bellingham, about 20 min south of crossing offers some great dining down at the water and cute town to walk around. During non-commute times, Seattle is less than 1.5 hours down the road.