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Old 05-28-2013, 01:17 PM
 
Location: Ohio
231 posts, read 294,735 times
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Washington; Mt. Ranier, Seattle, Space Needle, Cascades, Olympic Mountains.
Bay Area: Point Reyes Beach, SF, Wine Country, Redwoods, Yosemite.

I'm looking to camp and do some urban site seeing as well. I'll also be going in the dry season so Seattle rain shouldn't be an issue.

I could probably do both but It would take a lot more time, planning, & money.
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Old 05-28-2013, 01:40 PM
 
Location: pacific northwest
419 posts, read 656,671 times
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What dry season are you referring to? Good luck with that. Don't believe we actually have a dry season. If you don't mind then yes all those areas are nice to visit. Olympics over Mt Ranier - different ends of the state depending on your time factor. Space Needle ok but maybe the San Juan Islands or Whidbey Island or Bainbridge Island for that matter - a ferry ride away from Seattle.
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Old 05-28-2013, 01:43 PM
 
Location: Ohio
231 posts, read 294,735 times
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you do have a dry season...June-August
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Old 05-28-2013, 02:09 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,218 posts, read 107,977,655 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewC7 View Post
you do have a dry season...June-August
Yeah, it's funny about that. When I first moved to Seattle as a college student, there used to be summer rains. A warm rain is nice, and then the sun comes out to dry everything (and everyone) off. But that hasn't happened for a very long time.

OP, if it weren't for the Olympic Peninsula, I'd say "no contest--the Bay Area". But the peninsula has some great hikes and great camping areas (check out Crescent Lake). And the mountain views can't be beat. Also, check out the Makah and Quinault Reservations on the coast5. Makah has a great museum, and Quinault has amazing rock formations on the beaches at LaPush. Dramatic scenery. Cabins can be rented affordably there, and I'm pretty sure there's camping. There are interesting day hikes through the coastal rainforest around LaPush, too.

On the other hand, the Bay Area has redwood forests for hiking and camping, and great beaches. Climbing Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County, and going down the Pacific side to the beach is a highly-recommended 2-day hike, among others.

So it's a tough call. I say do both; pick one this summer, the other next summer.

Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 05-28-2013 at 02:19 PM..
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Old 05-28-2013, 04:06 PM
 
Location: Seattle area
9,182 posts, read 12,134,850 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pnwretired View Post
What dry season are you referring to? Good luck with that. Don't believe we actually have a dry season.
what did you say?

40 days without rain! Seattle 11 days from record dry spell | Local News | The Seattle Times

Rain, finally! Seattle's dry-spell ends
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Old 05-28-2013, 04:10 PM
 
Location: Seattle area
9,182 posts, read 12,134,850 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewC7 View Post
you do have a dry season...June-August
It's more like July-September.
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Old 05-28-2013, 04:24 PM
 
Location: Kirkland, WA (Metro Seattle)
6,033 posts, read 6,152,910 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewC7 View Post
Washington; Mt. Ranier, Seattle, Space Needle, Cascades, Olympic Mountains.
Bay Area: Point Reyes Beach, SF, Wine Country, Redwoods, Yosemite.

I'm looking to camp and do some urban site seeing as well. I'll also be going in the dry season so Seattle rain shouldn't be an issue.

I could probably do both but It would take a lot more time, planning, & money.
That is a tough one, I've camped and toured both extensively (and lived both places for many years each).

To me it is two trips. The other will always be there next year. I think it is apples to oranges comparison.

From a nature standpoint, hiking in particular, my highlights:

Bay Area: Sunset District (beach), and Sutro Baths in same general area; Hwy 84 and Hwy 9 to Sky Londa and other sites (Alice's Cafe); Pt. Reyes Station (Marin County); Golden Gate Bridge and park; Avenue of the Giants a few hours north (adjacent to Hwy 101).

Seattle area: 1,001 Cascades destinations, including: most any hike in Darrington District and/or Mount Loop Hwy/Monte Cristo areas; Mt. Rainier; Mt. St Helens. Limitless interesting things to see, though some of the hikes can vary from "mild" to nail-biters (latter including scree slopes, washed out trails, don't get "too" lost, etc.). Use basic day hike protocols for Cascades hikes, please, in terms of equipment and common sense.

Urban vs. urban, SF and Seattle, another subject entirely.

July-September, they should be similar in terms of weather, yes (warm to hot, dry).
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Old 05-28-2013, 05:33 PM
 
Location: Seattle area
492 posts, read 1,042,118 times
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In Seattle's dry season you do the Seattle area. Best in the last 2 weeks of August for Mt. Rainier.

You do Yosemite etc. in the week before or after Memorial Day weekend (i.e. this week), for the waterfalls, except try to skip a low water year like this one. You make Yosemite reservations by January, otherwise you'll be staying outside the park even if you're willing to camp.

So this year the choice is clear: Seattle area. Or do the Bay Area in July-August, replacing Yosemite with Lassen Volcanic National Park.
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Old 05-28-2013, 05:46 PM
 
Location: Oregon
1,378 posts, read 3,213,623 times
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We're doing the Seattle area in September. Puget Sound. Olympic Peninsula. San Juan Islands, Whidbey and Bainbridge Islands. (I need to start my own thread to get all the recommendations from the locals.)
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Old 05-28-2013, 05:56 PM
 
Location: San Diego, California Republic
16,588 posts, read 27,400,357 times
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It's really hard to pick between the two. others have given reasons for both places and all are good. I agree with the one who said do one this year and one next year. Figure out which might be easier this year and just pick that one.
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