Seattle or other vacation in the Winter

[Cataboo]

Vancouver, Vancouver island & Alaska cruises are gorgeous.


I just booked tickets to Costa rica for NOvember because the airfares were quite reasonable ($277 roundtrip)

You would of course need a passport for that... but you can have an expedited one made.

[Aggie_Ama]

We are going to Alaska next summer, college close friend moved there. Since we don't have to have a hotel we can really save a lot and see someone we don't get to see nearly enough.

We like going places in the off season, low crowds and can see the real personality of a place. Plus we have always discussed moving the PNW, so why not go at a "great weather" time. We just need to buy raincoats, because you rarely need one in Texas!

Is there a way to find out about the ferry and buses? We would prefer not to deal with the headache of a rental car!

[KnottedYet]

We like going places in the off season, low crowds and can see the real personality of a place. Plus we have always discussed moving the PNW, so why not go at a "great weather" time. We just need to buy raincoats, because you rarely need one in Texas!

Is there a way to find out about the ferry and buses? We would prefer not to deal with the headache of a rental car!

The Big Picture: http://www.kingcounty.gov/transportation.aspx
The busses: http://transit.metrokc.gov/
The ferries: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/
The light rail: http://www.soundtransit.org/Riding-S...Light-Rail.xml

As far as raincoats are concerned: our rain is fairly light, but quite steady. I'm happiest in a good wool sweater carrying an umbrella. Some folks wear hats and dispense with the umbrella. Often we just walk around in the rain without bothering. It isn't a thunderstorm kind of rain, more like a persistent annoying drizzle. If you don't already have raincoats, don't bother buying any for this trip. Just bring collapsible umbrellas and a sweater. You'll be fine! (and if you do need a rainjacket after all, REI's flagship store is easy to find! http://www.rei.com/stores/11 )

Good place to rent bikes (and on a major urban rails-to-trails): www.recycledcycles.com and specific to their rentals: http://www.recycledcycles.com/rentals You can ride the trail to Theo Chocolate, and my (and a few additional TE'er's) other favorite bike shop www.freerangecycles.com ! Going the other way on the same trail will get you to this fantastic brewery in the county: http://www.redhook.com/AgeCheck.aspx?p=41

(oh, and the trail will take you to the Pacific Ocean in one direction, Lake Washington in the other direction, and stuff like that... but who cares when there's bikes, chocolate, and beer?)

[Trek420]

The chocolate http://www.theochocolate.com