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I live in San Jose and I have seen here a lot in Bay Area and San Francisco. I have been to LA (by car) and had blast there and been to Las Vegas before moving to San Jose. I moved few months ago from Chicago which I truly miss and like to visit every year to see family and experience walk in dense city with beautiful lakefront, cool cheap places to eat out and house of blues, jazz. I like to go to concerts sometimes (rock or pop) see bands playing.
Sometimes I really get bored in Bay Area and wish to get out for 2 day getaway weekend in another metro area. I'd prefer city where I can easily walk and take public transport (like right rail) but dont mind to rent car if rental is cheap (under $20).
LA is quite cheap to fly to (average $60 one way) from my place, but then where I am supposed to go without a car? And once I get a car what's the high chance of probability oh hitting traffic anytime of the day or night? Last time I traveled there, there was always some highway with a slow moving traffic for some stretch.
Other cities i consider is Portland and Seattle, but Portland seems like a quiet little large town. Seattle seems to me more walkable like San Francisco or Chicago and from pictures it skyline and waterfront little reminds me Chicago. But is there a lot to do? Concerts? Any bike trails near body of water (like in Chicago) not obstructed by buildings (like Pier in SF). I also would like to see city clean and have a lot less homeless than San Francisco.
I might consider Vancouver but because its international flight it is already expensive to fly there. I found out though if I fly in there but fly from US (SEA) rates are a lot cheaper like to roundtrip to SEA. But then is added cost of car rental, gas and time to cross border.
so which city you would take within 500 miles from SF for weekend off, Friday, Saturday? Leave on Thursday afternoon/evening, come back Saturday evening or Sunday morning.
1) Los Angeles
2) San Diego
3) Portland
4) Seattle
5) Vancouver
6) Other?
Other cities i consider is Portland and Seattle, but Portland seems like a quiet little large town. Seattle seems to me more walkable like San Francisco or Chicago and from pictures it skyline and waterfront little reminds me Chicago. But is there a lot to do? Concerts? Any bike trails near body of water (like in Chicago) not obstructed by buildings (like Pier in SF). I also would like to see city clean and have a lot less homeless than San Francisco.
Actually, you'll probably find that Portland fits more of your criteria than Seattle does. It's downtown area is much more walkable, and bikeable. And you have light rail service from the airport, making it an easy trip.
Which is right downtown all along the river. Or you can go further out, and ride Marine Drive, along the Columbia River. There are many other rides listed at that website.
Stay at one of the McMenamin's properties, where you can get music and lodging at one property. The Crystal Hotel or the White Eagle are in the center of the city. Or stay at the Jupiter Hotel/Doug Fir Lounge, which is much the same.
I would second Portland, with San Diego probably my second choice. Have you considered Denver? Their downtown is pretty walkable, and I believe you would find the restaurants, concerts, etc. that you're looking for.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Portland and Seattle are both good weekend trips, both have light rail service from the airport, both have walkable downtowns, no car needed. I'd imagine Portland would have better hotel rates. See them both or see one and bucket list the other for your next trip to the Northwest.
Seattle probably has the most tourist friendly downtown , Space Needle , Pike Place Market , The Great Wheel, South Lake Union, Waterfront, Skyvue Observatory , Seattle Center, and the most urban shopping downtown out the choices.
Vancouver or San Diego are the most fun as a tourist just going for a couple days and want to stay downtown. Seattle and Portland are okay if you know where you're going, have friends there or do research on cool places to go. LA is awesome, but if you want to explore walkable areas without a car, you probably just want to find places around the Downtown and Hollywood cores--though you can take the train to Pasadena too.
Vancouver or San Diego are the most fun as a tourist just going for a couple days and want to stay downtown. Seattle and Portland are okay if you know where you're going, have friends there or do research on cool places to go. LA is awesome, but if you want to explore walkable areas without a car, you probably just want to find places around the Downtown and Hollywood cores--though you can take the train to Pasadena too.
Not really everything is downtown Seattle why would you need to do research ? If your into Amusment parks I would go with San Diego if your into a more urban dense city go with Seattle. Some people like Amusment park oriented cities . Seattle is more of a city everyone ends up downtown as a tourist not at an amusment park . Seattle may not have big amusment parks but it has lots of world class museums . The two largest car museums in the world are a short train ride from seattle in Tacoma. One of the largest air and space museums in the world Have the Space Shuttle Trainer. Dozens of museums downtown . Seattle has the best shopping downtown out of the choices also. Downtown Seattle is the most dense out of the choices 15,000 + hotel rooms , 100,000 + population with great public transportation downtown make it vibrant .
Not really everything is downtown Seattle why would you need to do research ? If your into Amusment parks I would go with San Diego if your into a more urban dense city go with Seattle. Some people like Amusment park oriented cities . Seattle is more of a city everyone ends up downtown as a tourist not at an amusment park . Seattle may not have big amusment parks but it has lots of world class museums . The two largest car museums in the world are a short train ride from seattle in Tacoma. One of the largest air and space museums in the world Have the Space Shuttle Trainer. Dozens of museums downtown . Seattle has the best shopping downtown out of the choices also. Downtown Seattle is the most dense out of the choices 15,000 + hotel rooms , 100,000 + population with great public transportation downtown make it vibrant .
Dear lord, do you work for the Seattle regional tourism board or something?
I said Seattle's a fine city and worth a visit, though much of what's interesting about it besides the obvious sites isn't really right downtown--Pike Market is fun for tourists, the Seattle Center is getting better with EMP and the Chihuly exhibit though still kind of werid, but once you've seen that and walked around the main areas it depends whether someone finds Belltown or Pioneer Square/International District interesting. The places I go in Seattle are more likely to be outside downtown much of the time, there's a handful of music venues I like. Much of downtown can seem kind of dead on weekends though outside the Pike Corridor or something going on at the Seattle Center. Now if one know's where to take a bus to outside of there, you have more options.
What world-class museums are there in downtown Seattle? The art museum is okay, EMP exhibits are an okay, but I wouldn't call of them huge world class museums. The other museums in Tacoma aren't really a quick jaunt from downtown without a car. Balboa Park has a huge concentration of museums just up the hill from downtown and has a very nice location to hike around. I don't even find downtown San Diego to be the best on the West Coast(and Gastown ranges from cool to tacky in parts), but all the same I always have fun staying there. Same with downtown Vancouver, staying in the West End(which yes, is touristy) and walking around Robson to the waterfront and on to Gastown and Chinatown is always enjoyable even if it's fairly touristy.
Dear lord, do you work for the Seattle regional tourism board or something?
I said Seattle's a fine city and worth a visit, though much of what's interesting about it besides the obvious sites isn't really right downtown--Pike Market is fun for tourists, the Seattle Center is getting better with EMP and the Chihuly exhibit though still kind of werid, but once you've seen that and walked around the main areas it depends whether someone finds Belltown or Pioneer Square/International District interesting. The places I go in Seattle are more likely to be outside downtown much of the time, there's a handful of music venues I like. Much of downtown can seem kind of dead on weekends though outside the Pike Corridor or something going on at the Seattle Center. Now if one know's where to take a bus to outside of there, you have more options.
What world-class museums are there in downtown Seattle? The art museum is okay, EMP exhibits are an okay, but I wouldn't call of them huge world class museums. The other museums in Tacoma aren't really a quick jaunt from downtown without a car. Balboa Park has a huge concentration of museums just up the hill from downtown and has a very nice location to hike around. I don't even find downtown San Diego to be the best on the West Coast(and Gastown ranges from cool to tacky in parts), but all the same I always have fun staying there. Same with downtown Vancouver, staying in the West End(which yes, is touristy) and walking around Robson to the waterfront and on to Gastown and Chinatown is always enjoyable even if it's fairly touristy.
When I visited the car museum from Seattle I took the 7am train to Tacoma when I got to freighthouse square ate breakfast then spent day at museum then took 4pm train back. Thats the Sounder Trains. I guess it depends how long you stay When I visit Seattle I always have fun but Vancouver is alot of fun also and very easy to get around. Just alot more expensive than Seattle .
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