· Get on a ferry and go to Victoria. It's probably one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and very quiet, rather small, and peaceful - and surrounded by ocean. Walk on one of the many beaches, go out to the forest and then walk on a beach. Go to one of the big tourist attractions, Butchardt Gardens - beautiful, even if it is a tourist attraction.
Take a horse-drawn carriage through the city - beautiful drives through leafy streets, along the beach, through the park. Go to the Royal BC Museum - another tourist attraction, but well worth it.
Victoria's small, so in one or two days you can see a lot. And go out to eat - there are many wonderful restaurants - try the Herald Street Cafe, Il Terrazzo, Cafe Brio, Oak Bay Marina, The Bengal Room at The Empress - I could go on and on.
For that matter - forget Seattle - go to Victoria!
Sherry
· If you have five days and a rental car, there's quite a bit you can see and do without killing yourself with too much driving. The weather usually turns in third week of October, and then it generally rains until mid-February - on the Seattle side of the Cascade range. However, if you cross the Cascades to East Washington at that time of year, you should get much better weather, since most of the weather comes in from the Pacific and hangs up on the west faces of the Cascades. Also, the colours in the mountains are amazing at this time of year - lots of reds and gold.
I would rent a car and drive north over the North Cascades Highway to Mazama, and stay at one of the lodges/hotels there (see methow.com/lodging.html). The Freestone Inn is great if you have the dollars, and otherwise I've heard good things about the Mazama Country Inn and the Sun Mountain resort a little further east. (I usually stay with friends who live locally.) As you drive from Seattle, turn off I-5 at Arlington and go east on 530 through Darrington, as opposed to going all the way up to Burlington, which many guide books recommend. The Darrington route is quicker, and much more scenic. The scenery on the North Cascades Highway is spectacular - lots of mountains and mountain lakes. You'll cross Washington Pass just before you drop down to the Mazama valley - really spectacular golden granite peaks. You can hike there if you choose. Driving time to Mazama is about four hours - but there won't be much traffic so the drive is pretty relaxing. Watch out for deer in the Mazama valley if you're driving in the dark.
Mazama is a quiet village where you can get to relax. If you want a little more activity, carry on east for 20-30 minutes to Winthrop, which retains many old "Western" type features, and has more restaurants and hotels. You can hike, ride and fish in all of these areas. Go to the ranger station in Winthrop or talk to the people at the Mazama Country Store for ideas. I'd spend two-three days exploring the Mazama/Winthrop area, then drive south along the Methow river valley, then the Columbia river valley to Wenatchee, from where I'd head west on Highway 2 to Leavenworth, and stay there at The Sleeping Lady resort (sleepinglady.com). Driving time from Winthrop is about three easy hours. Downtown Leavenworth has been dressed up in a faux Bavarian theme, and is very touristy (though probably less so in October). But the tourist side is confined to the main street, and the valley and surrounding rivers, mountains and orchards are gorgeous. The Sleeping Lady is just outside town, and highly recommended. You can catch the scenery by driving up Icicle Creek, and then hiking along any of the trails there. Again, check with the ranger station for ideas on where to go.
From Leavenworth, follow Highway 2 west over Stevens Pass (a good winter ski area), then back into Seattle (driving time about three hours).
Have fun!
Jeremy Freeland
· Here is one of my favorites - the Olympic National Park. Go to nps.gov/olym for information (note the map takes a while to load). I'd travel south from Seattle on I-5 to the Highway US101 cutoff and follow US101. My personal favorites include: Lake Quinault Lodge; I'll admit it's quiet, but it is hard to beat the smells of the forest, the peace and quiet, and the yummy food there (visitlakequinault.com). The lodge is on the southwest side of the Park (actually in the National Forest).
Then head north on US101 and stop at Kalaloch to check out the beach. A quick stop in Forks - once a lumber town until the age of the spotted owl. Just north of Forks is a dead-end road that leads to La Push and Mora - head to Mora and take a walk on Rialto Beach - the sea stacks are something else! Again north on 101 and stay in either Lake Crescent Lodge or a motel in Port Angeles.
If you aren't completely tuckered out, get on the ferry and do Victoria BC - the Empress, the Museum at least.
Take the same ferry or a BC or Washington state ferry (reservations recommended) through the San Juan Islands back to the main land. Head south to Seattle. Note both BC and Washington State ferries have websites.
Have fun.
Martha,
Seattle.
· Come to Vancouver Island!
Take the ferry system to the Island and drive to Victoria and then up over the Malahat pass to the Cowichan Valley with its lovely little wineries and farms islandwineries.ca. Cowichan means "the warm land" in the Qu'wuts'un dialect and the valley stretches from Lake Cowichan, down along the world famous fishing river to the seaside town of Cowichan Bay. The wineries here are all small estates which produce some fantastic Pinot Gris and excellent Gewurtztraminer.
Saturday mornings in Duncan will introduce you to the farmer's market and lunch at Gossips will let you taste the local produce. When you are done with the valley head back down to Victoria and take the ferry over to Port Angeles on Washington State's Olympic peninsula and drive along the west shore of Puget Sound back to Victoria. Have fun!
Lesley
