Help with post-cruise Vancouver to Seattle plans

[RichYak]

Hi all,

 

I will be disembarking Celebrity Millennium on a July Friday morning in Vancouver. Here is my current "inventory":

• 1 wife, 3 teenage daughters, lots of luggage :o
  
• 1-way Minivan rental from National at Vancouver Sandman Hotel to Seatac Airport
  
• Seattle Airport hotel reservation for Friday nite
  
• 2:30 flight home from Seatac on Saturday afternoon
  

My flight was originally a Saturday morning flight, thus the Seattle hotel booking instead of Vancouver. My airline just moved it later. In addition, I'll need to get the minivan returned at the airport within 24 hours of rental pick-up, so that ties my hands a bit. Here are my questions in no particular order:

 

Should I drag my family/luggage to the car rental place or go alone and double back to Canada Place to get them?

 

What to do in Vancouver until starting the drive to Seattle?

 

What to do in Seattle after the drive?

 

What's the best time to cross the U.S. border on a Friday (this affects the prior 2 questions)?

 

Given the new, later flight departure time, have any additional alternatives been created, ie, stay in Vancouver and take some other form of transportation to Seatac on Saturday morning?

 

Those last 2 questions are the big ones, but I threw in the first 3 just to get opinions. Thanks so much in advance.

[Appygirl]

If its really that much luggage you might want to leave your family guarding it at Canada Place, go get the car, and then come back for them!

 

Teenagers? You might want to consider going to Hastings Park and letting them loose at Playland to go on the rides. Otherwise for a nice drive going through Stanley Park and crossing to the North Shore and then taking the gondola ride up Grouse Mountain for some good views. Up there is a bear sanctuary and a zip line (more $$) stuff than teenagers should like.

 

In Seattle I like the underground city.

 

As for the border crossing on a Friday in the summertime and now that the limit for Canadians has been raised to $200 bring back duty free after 24 hours the borders are packed. Even during the week its busy. I was planning to go down to Bellingham for lunch last Thursday and I checked the line up at Peace Arch and the truck crossing around 10:30 am and both were an hour. I've driven down on Fridays going late morning in the summer and its about an hour wait to cross into Washington. As the day goes on and people start getting off work and wanting to head into Washington for the weekend or overnight to get that $200 duty free shopping in the waits will increase anywhere up to 3 hours. If you have a cell phone with a data plan this is the best website to check http://www.borderlineups.com/ It shows you the web cam plus the approximate times and this site is better than the government one. If you can see cars in the picture the wait is about 30 to 40 minutes depending on how many lanes are open. If you can see cars but you can't see the end of the line up for cars its going to be at least an hour wait.

 

Your best time to cross the border on a Friday with less than 10 minute wait? Before 6am or after 11pm. Not always. I got to the border once at 10pm and had to wait an hour and a half and there were still tons of cars getting in line the whole time.

 

Have fun!

[Northshorecruisers]

When we get back from the Zuiderdam on Aug 4th, we have a car rented at Avis not far from the cruise terminal. We are then driving down to Seattle - stopping in Woodinville for the Chateau Ste Michelle tour. We have a room booked in downtown Seattle for the Saturday night so we can sightsee Saturday and a good part of Sunday. Once we checkout from our hotel room the car can store our luggage and we drop the car at Seattle airport in time to make our flight home at 5:30pm.

[RichYak]

... As the day goes on and people start getting off work and wanting to head into Washington for the weekend or overnight to get that $200 duty free shopping in the waits will increase anywhere up to 3 hours...

3 hours? :eek: I'm starting to regret the one way car rental.

[irvington]

When we get back from the Zuiderdam on Aug 4th, we have a car rented at Avis not far from the cruise terminal. We are then driving down to Seattle - stopping in Woodinville for the Chateau Ste Michelle tour. We have a room booked in downtown Seattle for the Saturday night so we can sightsee Saturday and a good part of Sunday. Once we checkout from our hotel room the car can store our luggage and we drop the car at Seattle airport in time to make our flight home at 5:30pm.

 

Speaking of Woodinville, I recently stayed at the Willows Lodge. What a wonderful hotel! Walking distance to various wineries and breweries, across the street from the Herbfarm, an incredibly expensive but very interesting restaurant (5 hour dinners with multiple courses and commentary). Anyway, might be a nice add on to a cruise, but maybe not the OPs with teenagers.

 

Taking the teens to Seattle I would go to the EMP.

[scottbee]

3 hours? :eek: I'm starting to regret the one way car rental.

 

3 hours. Generally about double of what the northbound wait is. Bottom line is that the US CBP don't have enough staff

 

This excellent website will give you an idea: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Congestion/border/TravelDelays.htm

 

The general things to take away from it

 

• Weekdays are better than weekends
  
• Northbound is better than southbound
  
• Earlier in the day is better
  
• (and the one thing you can control); the Pacific Hwy (Truck Crossing) between Hwy15/SR543 is better than Hwy99/I5 (Peace Arch/Douglas). Exit Hwy 99 at 8th ave, head 1 mile east and turn right onto Hwy 15/176th St.
  

[mapleleaves]

It's easily a 3 hr trek between Vancouver and Seattle.

Traffic starts building at the border by 3pm as people try to get a head start on the weekend. And Seattle traffic is always miserable after 3pm on a Friday (stop and go for 50 miles north and south of the city).

I don't think you can sightsee in both Seattle AND Vancouver. If you spend the morning in Vancouver, you'll hit heavy traffic at the border, then in Seattle and it will be stop 'n go from Everett to SeaTac. By the time you get to your hotel it will be close to 6pm and you won't feel like going into Seattle to sightsee for a few hours.

You might need to choose. Either spend an enjoyable day in Vancouver, overnight there, then leave for Seatac at 8am Saturday morning. OR, disembark, drive to Seattle, check into your hotel around 1pm, then catch the Light Rail into Seattle to sightsee for the rest of the day.

Did you check the price and schedules of Amtrak train or Quick Coach ? As pricey as a one-way rental is, it's probable cheaper than 5 train/bus fares.

[Appygirl]

When we get back from the Zuiderdam on Aug 4th, we have a car rented at Avis not far from the cruise terminal. We are then driving down to Seattle - stopping in Woodinville for the Chateau Ste Michelle tour. We have a room booked in downtown Seattle for the Saturday night so we can sightsee Saturday and a good part of Sunday. Once we checkout from our hotel room the car can store our luggage and we drop the car at Seattle airport in time to make our flight home at 5:30pm.

 

Northshorecruisers - I must say you are extremely brave to tackle the US border crossing on a holiday weekend. August 6 is a stat holiday in BC and the borders will be jammed. There are a lot of people in BC who will have the same idea as you. As scottbee said the biggest delays are the US borders because they don't put enough staff on.

 

Here are the dates this summer that are no go days for me to cross into Washington because of stat holidays and BCers are heading south either for a weekend of shopping or on holidays which means by 7am the borders will easily have a 1 hour wait and it'll only get worse as the day progresses:

 

June 29 to July 2

July 4

August 3 to 6

August 31 to September 3

 

Those are the absolutely worst dates this summer to drive into Washington - IMO. I won't be heading south unless there is some kind of emergency! And no buying cheap cheese is not an emergency!

 

If I have to head down to Washington this summer I'll be travelling on a week day before 9am to avoid waits.

[RichYak]

One piece of good news: I checked with National Car Rental, and it appears I can pick up my minivan from the cruise ship terminal (which is where I had originally reserved it). I'm not sure why they changed it to a nearby hotel. I used a free day that I've accumulated from previous rentals to book this--would have cost me $299 for the one-way. Thanks, National.

 

To minimize border-crossing pain and Seattle traffic, it sounds like I should either immediately leave Vancouver on Friday morning, or spend the day in Vancouver through dinner and make the drive at night. I think the latter gets my vote.

 

I'm still open to suggestions if you have any additional comments.

 

Thanks!

[SpokaneDan]

Knowing both cities well, I'd pick Vancouver too, and here are some suggestion for the day in the city:

 

1. Stanely park/West End. While one could drive around the park, biking and walking also are options. Bike rentals at Georgia and Denman - ride around the Sea Wall. Stroll around English Bay. Aquarium, Totem Pole Park, etc. There are tons of restaurants on Denman. Shopping along Denman or walk up hill on Robinson street which is full of boutique shops/restaurants.

 

2. North Shores. Get to North shore via Lions Gate bridge, visit Capilano Bridge, and/or Grouse Mountain (via Gondola), have meals at Lonesdale Cay (a waterfront shopping center). Or drive the Sea to Sky highway towards Whistler.

 

Others, Granville Island - mostly for shopping; University of British Columbia campus (sightseeing, museum); Richmond Night Market (Asian food stalls). Chinatown - only if you never being to one.

 

Leave late for Seattle(after 7PM), it'd save you time.

[mapleleaves]

Check the info on this site for the next couple of Fridays at various times to see how things look:

http://www.wsdot.com/traffic/border/default.aspx

My vote is still for overnighting in Vancouver (or a burb like Richmond) then leave for Seattle at 8am.

[scottbee]

Check the info on this site for the next couple of Fridays at various times to see how things look:

http://www.wsdot.com/traffic/border/default.aspx

My vote is still for overnighting in Vancouver (or a burb like Richmond) then leave for Seattle at 8am.

I'd probably spend the day/evening in Vancouver, cross the border to and stay somewhere between Bellingham and Everett to make a nice short drive in the morning. Lots of inexpensive options along I5.

[scraplady]

Weare also cruising into Vancouver, and plan to spend a night there. But we will also fly out of Vancouver back to the east coast. That may also be a good option and save you the price of the rental car.

[RichYak]

I'd probably spend the day/evening in Vancouver, cross the border to and stay somewhere between Bellingham and Everett to make a nice short drive in the morning. Lots of inexpensive options along I5.

I do like this idea, however, the problem for me is the 24 hour car rental. I need to return it at Seatac early in the morning to avoid paying for a 2nd (very expensive) day.

 

Check the info on this site for the next couple of Fridays at various times to see how things look:

http://www.wsdot.com/traffic/border/default.aspx

My vote is still for overnighting in Vancouver (or a burb like Richmond) then leave for Seattle at 8am.

Great idea. Also, I found a WSDOT app for my smartphone that I will keep an eye on while in Vancouver. Like I wrote above, unless i pick up the car rental later in the day in Vancouver, which I suppose is possible but far less convenient, I do need to overnite near Seatac to return the car within the 24-hour period.

 

Knowing both cities well, I'd pick Vancouver too, and here are some suggestion for the day in the city:

 

1. Stanely park/West End. While one could drive around the park, biking and walking also are options. Bike rentals at Georgia and Denman - ride around the Sea Wall. Stroll around English Bay. Aquarium, Totem Pole Park, etc. There are tons of restaurants on Denman. Shopping along Denman or walk up hill on Robinson street which is full of boutique shops/restaurants.

 

2. North Shores. Get to North shore via Lions Gate bridge, visit Capilano Bridge, and/or Grouse Mountain (via Gondola), have meals at Lonesdale Cay (a waterfront shopping center). Or drive the Sea to Sky highway towards Whistler.

 

Others, Granville Island - mostly for shopping; University of British Columbia campus (sightseeing, museum); Richmond Night Market (Asian food stalls). Chinatown - only if you never being to one.

 

Leave late for Seattle(after 7PM), it'd save you time.

+1! After doing some reading and soul-searching yesterday, this plan is exactly where I was heading. Thank you so much for the details. Lots of great ideas here.

[RichYak]

Weare also cruising into Vancouver, and plan to spend a night there. But we will also fly out of Vancouver back to the east coast. That may also be a good option and save you the price of the rental car.

Thanks Scraplady. The flight home from Seattle is shorter (direct), domestic, much cheaper (x 5 people), and upgraded with FF miles. It's well worth all this effort to make the drive down and fly biz class. The normally very expensive one way car rental was free due to National Car Rental credits I have accrued.

[scottbee]

I do like this idea, however, the problem for me is the 24 hour car rental. I need to return it at Seatac early in the morning to avoid paying for a 2nd (very expensive) day.

 

Ahh. then I'd just stay at one of the airport hotels along the strip of hotels at Seatac (Pacific Hwy). Almost all of them have a free shuttle to the airport too... Also, you'll avoid driving south through Seattle in the morning (where 20 miles = 1 hour)

[Northshorecruisers]

Northshorecruisers - I must say you are extremely brave to tackle the US border crossing on a holiday weekend. August 6 is a stat holiday in BC and the borders will be jammed. There are a lot of people in BC who will have the same idea as you. As scottbee said the biggest delays are the US borders because they don't put enough staff on.

 

Here are the dates this summer that are no go days for me to cross into Washington because of stat holidays and BCers are heading south either for a weekend of shopping or on holidays which means by 7am the borders will easily have a 1 hour wait and it'll only get worse as the day progresses:

 

June 29 to July 2

July 4

August 3 to 6

August 31 to September 3

 

Those are the absolutely worst dates this summer to drive into Washington - IMO. I won't be heading south unless there is some kind of emergency! And no buying cheap cheese is not an emergency!

 

If I have to head down to Washington this summer I'll be travelling on a week day before 9am to avoid waits.

 

As a Canadian, well aware of the busy weekends. However, it is just one way into the States so my husband can see Washington state. We originally booked a cruise for his birthday in mid-July out of Seattle and we were going to spend 3 days there sightseeing. Ended up changing to HAL out of Vancouver so friends of ours from there could go with us. (Yes, my husband will find it very different that the border crossings/customs he has gone through when we fly to my former home in Toronto).

Besides, the considerable savings in airfare out of Seattle helps pay for the rental car - and we both love road trips.

Anyone looking to do the one way drive might want to check Avis. We are renting the car for 32 hours at not much more than a 24 hour rental.

[RichYak]

Ahh. then I'd just stay at one of the airport hotels along the strip of hotels at Seatac (Pacific Hwy). Almost all of them have a free shuttle to the airport too... Also, you'll avoid driving south through Seattle in the morning (where 20 miles = 1 hour)

That's exactly where I'm booked, just outside the airport.