10-14 Day Trip Leaving from Seattle

[AZDesertFamily]

Hi, we're flying to Seattle and have 10-14 days. (Parents, kids ages 9 and 11.) One parents wants to do a major road trip, while the other wants to not drive and take it easy. Help!

1. One possible route is Seattle + day trips, then to Vancouver by train. Maybe rent car and go to Whistler.
2. Another Seattle, then train to Glacier National Park, rent a car for a few days and take the train back.
3. Stay largely in Seattle, take a few day trips.

Kids have never seen the Pacific Northwest. I'm dying to go to Glacier.

Advice? Thanks!

[glc]

Welcome!

I really don't think we can help you much with a major difference in wishes between the 2 parents!

With that said, I would not consider renting a car in Seattle and "touring the Pacific Northwest" a "major road trip". However, it would involve overnight stays in other places. The places you want to see are close enough together where you could simply drive instead of taking trains. If you plan on going to Canada, the adults will need passports and the kids will need birth certificates.

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

Without wanting to step into the middle of a "domestic dispute", I would just add that as we are a road trip forum, that is gonna get the most votes. If you want to get a different response you might be better of posting on "I love Seattle" or "We R train lovers" ! Lol.

Seriously though, only you can sort out the difference's of opinion. If this isn't happening try compromise, let the kid's have there say or when all else fails, flip a coin ! Good luck.

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

You've already pretty much hit on the obvious compromise between a full-up RoadTrip and a take-it-easy, no driving vacation, and that is to stay put in one place/motel - thus avoiding having to pack and unpack each day - and take occasional day trips - thus satisfying the desire to be on the road. You can even alternate days, spending one day in the greater Seattle are or even just at pool side, and another heading out to somewhere within a couple of hours of your base, such as a ferry ride on Puget sound, the Olympic Peninsula, Mount Ranier, and the like. While you can't fit Glacier National Park into such a scheme, you can do North Cascades National Park which is quite similar in many aspect. As glc noted, you will need passports for the adults and passports or birth certificates for the children to cross the border. I'd also recommend using the same car you rent in Seattle and returning to Seattle after visiting Vancouver in order to save on car rental fees and 'open jaw' plane tickets. Just make sure that the rental company knows about your plans and permission to take the car into Canada is included explicitly in the contract. You cannot drop an American rental in Canada nor vice versa.

AZBuck

[AZDesertFamily]

Thanks, guys! I think as long as I leave some down time on the front and back ends of the trip, my husband will be OK with driving. He used to love to drive - but coming from Tucson, it's always a long, and usually ugly, drive to get anywhere. I'm hopeful that being in green, near water again will inspire as well. If the scenery is pleasant, that'll help tremendously.

North Cascades sounds like a good idea. Thanks so much. So two questions --
1. I hear Mount St. Helens is a must-do. Agree? If so, that could be a day trip.
2. What might be a good route for Seattle-Cascades-Mt. Ranier-Vancouver-ish? Some sort of loop?

Thanks!

[glc]

I would do a Mt. Rainier/Mt. St. Helens as one day trip, and a North Cascades/Vancouverish as another day trip.

[AZDesertFamily]

Thanks, GLC!