Vancouver, BC and Seattle, WA

If you ever get the chance to visit the Pacific Northwest, I suggest you make the time to visit at least one of these bustling cities.  Although we only had time for brief visits, each of these places deserves more time than we had to spend.

Before we left the state of Washington, we knew we wanted to visit British Columbia.  Vancouver was only a 90-minute drive from where we were in Mount Vernon, so we decided to visit for the afternoon before we headed south.

Crossing the border into Canada was a breeze.  It was exciting for me.  I imagined we had alternate lives as international spies while we were being questioned by border patrol.  Silly, I know, but these thoughts are a product of my overactive imagination and child-like naiveté.

Vancouver is beautiful.  After the morning mist cleared we had perfect weather.  We took the scenic route, of course, passing the coast and the University of BC campus.  We stopped at a beach park along the road and snapped a few photos.

We stumbled upon Granville Island, a very small island tucked away deep in the English Bay.  We parked the car and walked around the city.  Complete with street performers, waterside cafes, and streets full of shops, we found Granville Island to be very charming.  The gem of this place was the Public Market.  We were getting hungry, and decided to pick up something at the market before heading back to the states.  The market is huge.  You can get everything from fresh seafood and produce to locally made candies.  I stopped at an Italian deli and picked up some pesto pasta salad and tomato boccini salad.  It was the best pasta salad and fresh mozzarella we had ever tasted.  It made the trip across the border more than worth it.  We wished we could have stayed longer to explore the city, but it was time to get back on the road.

That afternoon we headed back to the states after a 2-hour wait to cross the border.  We stayed at a hotel in Marysville, just outside of Seattle.  The next morning we headed towards the city, and spent about an hour in Seattle.  We parked (be prepared to pay $$) and saw the Space Needle and walked around City Centre before making our way towards our next camp in Trout Lake.

As we drove through Seattle, we knew we would be back someday (without dogs next time).  They also have a huge market place right by the water.   Fresh produce and seafood, locally made products, and plenty of people watching were abundant at Pike’s Market.  We didn’t have time to stop, but it’s definitely a place you would want to spend some time in.

Next stop: Trout Lake, Washington.