Pacific Northwest

Vancouver

Recommendations

  • activities: biking around the Stanley Park seawall. A classic for a reason.
  • outside: hikes on the north shore
    • Quarry Rock - old favorite from Regent days
    • Cleveland Dam/Capilano Canyon - beautiful view of the lions, great view of Grouse Mountain, nice short hike through forest / around the canyon. If you only have 1-2 hours to do something in North Van (not including transit), this is what I would recommend.
    • Brother's Creek - kind of hard to get to on transit (the last time I did this I hiked from Capilano Canyon to the hike, which I don't recommend, as it added elevation to an already climbing hike), but beautiful. Lots of trees, bridges over creeks, nice view of downtown from the trail head.
  • activities: snowshoeing on Mt. Seymour. (winter)
    • Only did this once, as a grad student, but it was fun.
  • food: Fable Diner. NOM NOM NOM.
  • food: sushi, doesn't matter where.
  • food: the million flavors of gelato place
  • events: Celebration of Light (summer)
  • events: Outdoor movies (summer)
  • events: Vancouver Canadians (summer)
    • Minor league baseball. Features a "sushi race."
  • outside: QE Park
  • outside: favorite neighborhoods / walks / bikes
    • Shaunessy
    • West Point Grey
    • Jericho Beach
    • Main Street
    • False Creek (Granville Island to Science World)
    • West End / English Bay
    • Kits
  • activities: public transit
    • The seabus
    • the skytrain
  • sights: the downtown library
  • sights/shopping: Granville Island
  • activities: paddleboarding or kayaking on false creek (summer)
  • events: Canucks game. :)

Also Seen

  • Grouse Mountain
  • Japadog
  • Lonsdale Quay

To See

  • Curl at the Olympic curling rink
  • Canada Flyover
  • Seaplane / air tour thing
  • Science World
  • Lighthouse Park

Seattle

Recommendations

  • Pike Place Market
  • Ballard Locks
  • Gasworks Park
  • Fremont Troll
  • Monorail
  • Musical fountain
  • Living Computer museum
  • Experience Music Project (now has a different name)
  • Boeing Factory Tour
  • the Underground tour

Also seen

  • Space needle
  • Museum of Flight

Want to see

  • Chihuly Glass museum (?)

Portland

Recommendations

  • OMSI
  • Rail Heritage Foundation
  • Holiday Express train ride
  • Powell's Books

Also seen

  • donuts, banh mi
  • yarn store