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I was in Vancouver and loved it. Seattle: not so much.
Which would you recommend to a college kid looking for a nature retreat?
I'm not exactly sure what you are asking?
I'm assuming your American and if that is the case then you probably are going to want to stick to American schools.
I will say that Seattle is a great city if you want easy access to the outdoors. Really great skiing is within a 1 hour drive of the city. Additionally some really kick A#$ national parks are near by: I.E. Olympic National Park, Mt. Rainier, North Cascades National Park.
As for Vancouver goes, its got some great outdoors oppurtunties as well. I think the main difference to me between Seattle and Vancouver is the fact that I-5 goes through the middle of downtown Seattle.
Both cities are equally great. If your an American college student stick to Seattle.
No. There's far less violence and desperate poverty on the whole in Canadian cities, but I wouldn't say that they're intrinsically better. I think it's good to compare like cities, and I think putting Seattle and Vancouver side-by-side makes sense. If you loved Vancouver but not Seattle, then you'll probably find insight into what it is you like in Pacific Northwest/West Coast Canada cities and what you don't.
For example, I hugely disliked Vancouver BC, but really enjoyed my time in Portland, OR. Perhaps it's because I'm not moved by tall mountains and austere vegetation of Vancouver while I appreciated the sociability of the Portlanders I met and the aesthetics of a city that has not completely forsaken its working class (read: I could afford beer, gas, and trips to Powell's Books). Also, Vancouver lacks the "Canadian" feel that I get from other cities, though it is in Canada. When I moved there returning from the States, I felt as though I merely gone to yet another country. Strange place.
Oddly, Vancouver doesn't provide much in the way of retreats as far as I could tell--the surrounding area is treated more as a playground than a place where one might be inclined to read Thoreau. Don't know about Seattle.
I'm the opposite of the OP. I actually think when you make a true comparison of the two cities of Seattle and Vancouver, that Seattle, while maybe not as well planned as Van, is my favorite. Vancouver is the darling of the PNW presently and receives accolades from rankings on livability and magazine articles, but what is no one ever points out is how little culturally the city offers to its residents and to the world. Seattle is a truly creative city. Slightly larger metro than Van but look what it has produced. Musically, it ranks among the most prolific of any world city and spawns bands that are known the world over. This began before grunge and continues to this day.World class opera, some of the best small theater, great ballet company. The city of coffee, computer software giants, KEXP, the Stranger, a mid century modern masterpiece for a city icon that is the Space Needle. A huge public market full of character, a progressive city full of great neighborhoods. So, yeah having the I-5 go right through the middle might be a drag but then you realise it's because Seattle has to move products and services to and fro while producing airplanes to the north and blowing glass to the south. Seattle creates, Vancouver seems to sit there and look pretty, waiting for the Olympic spotlight to come or the next filming crew from Hollywood to use it as a backdrop. Nice city for sure, but not a very interesting or creative one.
I'm the opposite of the OP. I actually think when you make a true comparison of the two cities of Seattle and Vancouver, that Seattle, while maybe not as well planned as Van, is my favorite. Vancouver is the darling of the PNW presently and receives accolades from rankings on livability and magazine articles, but what is no one ever points out is how little culturally the city offers to its residents and to the world. Seattle is a truly creative city. Slightly larger metro than Van but look what it has produced. Musically, it ranks among the most prolific of any world city and spawns bands that are known the world over. This began before grunge and continues to this day.World class opera, some of the best small theater, great ballet company. The city of coffee, computer software giants, KEXP, the Stranger, a mid century modern masterpiece for a city icon that is the Space Needle. A huge public market full of character, a progressive city full of great neighborhoods. So, yeah having the I-5 go right through the middle might be a drag but then you realise it's because Seattle has to move products and services to and fro while producing airplanes to the north and blowing glass to the south. Seattle creates, Vancouver seems to sit there and look pretty, waiting for the Olympic spotlight to come or the next filming crew from Hollywood to use it as a backdrop. Nice city for sure, but not a very interesting or creative one.
I actually sorta agree with this assessment. It seems to me that Seattle is more a center of culture/production/ideas and trade then Vancouver.
Vancouver to me seems more transient, and more built around tourism then Seattle. Seattle is the economic and cultural hub of the Pacific Northwest. Arguably its the heart of the NW.
Compared to Seattle I can't think of much that has come out of Vancouver. Seattle produces world class airplanes, music, educated people (I.E. Bill Gates, Paul Allen), some of the world best explorers and mountaineers (Lou Whittaker, Steve House, Mark Twight), and much much more.
Seattle also has a much deeper history intertwined with the northwest from Norwegian fishers, to Chief Seattle himself. Alot of the very rich in Vancouver are recent transplants from China who have really reshaped the city and skyline, but it does not have the depth that Seattle has.
Portland is the grungy alternative sister, Vancouver is the beautiful spoiled brat paris hilton, and Seattle is the intelligent good looking sister. That pretty much sums up the three major cities of the PNW.
Portland is the grungy alternative sister, Vancouver is the beautiful spoiled brat paris hilton, and Seattle is the intelligent good looking sister. That pretty much sums up the three major cities of the PNW.
I'm the opposite of the OP. I actually think when you make a true comparison of the two cities of Seattle and Vancouver, that Seattle, while maybe not as well planned as Van, is my favorite. Vancouver is the darling of the PNW presently and receives accolades from rankings on livability and magazine articles, but what is no one ever points out is how little culturally the city offers to its residents and to the world. Seattle is a truly creative city. Slightly larger metro than Van but look what it has produced. Musically, it ranks among the most prolific of any world city and spawns bands that are known the world over. This began before grunge and continues to this day.World class opera, some of the best small theater, great ballet company. The city of coffee, computer software giants, KEXP, the Stranger, a mid century modern masterpiece for a city icon that is the Space Needle. A huge public market full of character, a progressive city full of great neighborhoods. So, yeah having the I-5 go right through the middle might be a drag but then you realise it's because Seattle has to move products and services to and fro while producing airplanes to the north and blowing glass to the south. Seattle creates, Vancouver seems to sit there and look pretty, waiting for the Olympic spotlight to come or the next filming crew from Hollywood to use it as a backdrop. Nice city for sure, but not a very interesting or creative one.
I'm from Vancouver and I agree with you on just about everything.
One thing I have noticed is that as much as Seattle gets picked on for having rainy weather, you never really hear the same criticisms of Vancouver, which has virtually an identical climate (they actually get less sunlight on average and more precipitation). Can anyone explain this? A search on google of "Seattle rain" yields around 14 million hits, while "Vancouver rain" gets about 6 million. Interesting.
If you're planning on attending a Canadian College, just be sure that the credits you get there will carry over to the States.
As a 3rd generation Seattle boy myself, I find Vancouver to be incredible. Hard to blame anyone for loving the place. That said, if you didn't care for Seattle and you loved Vancouver, I'm suspecting you didn't have the right tour guide. The two cities, although different in some ways, are far more alike than you might think.
Portland is also a great town. The difference being I would call Portland a town, Seattle and Vancouver have the feel of much larger cities.
Last edited by JustCallMeTC; 01-22-2010 at 10:45 AM..
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