Any must-sees? (Seattle, Vancouver, Bainbridge Island: beach, eat, vacations)

[Vinylly]

If you can make it the last week-end in July, there is the Pacific NW Arts and Crafts Fair in Bellevue. It's one of the biggest and best in the country.
Other then that, Seattle is very much like any other city in the country. If you've seen one city, you've seen them all, same modern highrise office towers which obscures anything you could see. Only difference is, in Seattle your lucky to see anything because it's always so dark, rainy, and foggy, -eccept we finally had one day to 'see' as this Sunday we actually saw some sun. Today it's back to the same-o-same-o dark, rainy dismall days as usual.

[PollyGlott]

Originally Posted by Vinylly

If you can make it the last week-end in July, there is the Pacific NW Arts and Crafts Fair in Bellevue. It's one of the biggest and best in the country.
Other then that, Seattle is very much like any other city in the country. If you've seen one city, you've seen them all, same modern highrise office towers which obscures anything you could see. Only difference is, in Seattle your lucky to see anything because it's always so dark, rainy, and foggy, -eccept we finally had one day to 'see' as this Sunday we actually saw some sun. Today it's back to the same-o-same-o dark, rainy dismall days as usual.

How about injecting a little sunshine, light and warmth into your replies, Vin?

[godhead]

Originally Posted by Vinylly

Today it's back to the same-o-same-o dark, rainy dismall days as usual.

today it's sunny & blue skies

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by PollyGlott

How about injecting a little sunshine, light and warmth into your replies, Vin?

For some reason, when I think of sunshine, light, and warmth, Vinylly doesn't usually come to mind

[jojo7]

Definitely take a ferry to the San Juan Islands and see Orcas Island in particular. Beautiful ride on the water, quaint town filled with very friendly people. If you like a bigger town feel, you could also check out Friday Harbor but Orcas is personally my favorite. Be warned it's a long wait to get on the ferry in the summer time but it is so worth it. Hopefully August will be nice. Our weather has been very unpredictable lately even in the summer. Enjoy your trip!

[MarkCanWrite]

Thanks, all. We're really looking forward to visiting, since I haven't been to the Pacific Northwest since I was a baby, and that doesn't really count. I'm a little concerned about August, though - read online that it was fairly cool then, but now I hear conflicting reports of hotter days. Would September be better? Of course, that's when we get hurricanes here in NC. Guess no place is perfect.

[Ira500]

August is generally the nicest month in Seattle, weatherwise. Usually highs in the upper 70's, low 80's.

[TotalFat]

I've never gone to Seattle without visiting Mt. Rainier at least once. In fact, I think I usually schedule one full day just for that, then end up going two days and deleting some other planned activity because it is (for me) just that good. On the way there or back, I can also recommend the Northwest Trek wildlife park. One of the residents was featured on Fox's "When Animals Attack!"

Northwest Trek

On my first trip out, I got a City Pass, and enjoyed most of the activities so I think I could recommend that too.

http://www.citypass.com/seattle

[sean98125]

I'm surprised that no one mentioned the Sculpture Garden on the waterfront in Seattle seeing that you like museums, public art and the outdoors. All three are right there.

[MarkCanWrite]

Ooh, more good ideas. City Pass sounds like a good idea, as does the Northwest Trek and sculpture gardens. You guys rock.