Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 4.05 Days in Seattle and Vancouver: A Cross-Border Pacific Northwest Trip
Three days in Seattle, then north across the border for two days in Vancouver: this Pacific Northwest trip pairs Pike Place Market and the Space Needle with the Stanley Park Seawall and Granville Island. Days are walkable, neighborhoods flow together, and the page re-plans itself around how you travel: your pace, budget, and style reshape every day.
Pick a style, a budget and a pace — the route and days below re-plan themselves.
14 stops · 10 meals · 2 hotels · 1 transferThis is the editor’s pick.
5 days, 2 cities
From Seattle to Vancouver, with 1 move between cities. The map shows the whole route — pick a day to zoom in.
Seattle
Downtown & Pike Place · Pioneer Square · Queen Anne
- Day 1Downtown & Pike Place: Pike Place Market & a Pike Place food tour
- Day 2Pioneer Square: The Underground Tour & Pioneer Square
- Day 3Queen Anne: The Space Needle & Kerry Park
- Rental car to Vancouver · 3h 30m
Vancouver
Gastown & Chinatown · Stanley Park & West End
- Day 4Gastown & Chinatown: Canada Place & the Vancouver Lookout
- Day 5Stanley Park & West End: The Brockton Point totem poles & the Stanley Park Seawall
Seattle's 1907 public market: fish-throwing fishmongers, produce stalls, flower rows, and hundreds of small businesses along the waterfront bluff. Walk the main arcade, then the levels below for the odd shops.
- Arrive before 10am to beat the crowds: more than 20 million visitors come every year.
The Pike Place Market cheesemaker: watch cheddar being made through the glass, then order the 'World's Best' mac and cheese or a grilled cheese flight.
- Beecher's sits inside the market: watch cheddar being made through the glass, then the cult mac and cheese.
A 2.5-hour guided tasting walk: chowder, cheese, charcuterie, and doughnuts, with a local guide who gets you behind the counter at market icons.
- Book ahead: tours run daily and routinely sell out, especially on weekends.
- The 2.5-hour guided tasting walk gets you behind the counter at market icons: book your first market morning.
The 1909 Pike Place Market lunch counter: the 'Sleepless in Seattle' bar scene, diner classics, and market views. The signed movie poster still hangs inside.
A technicolor alley of chewed gum under Pike Place Market, started by 1990s theatergoers. It is a two-minute photo stop, not a destination.
- It was steam-cleaned in 2015 with over 2,300 pounds of gum removed, and visitors rebuilt it within months.
- The Gum Wall hides in Post Alley under the market: a two-minute detour between stalls.
Hidden behind an unmarked door in Post Alley: the independent Italian institution since 1981. Lasagna, seafood risotto, live music, and trapeze on the waterfront deck.
A 1916 gentlemen's-club-turned-hotel: walrus-ivory lobby, Polar Bar, and elegant rooms steps from Pioneer Square.
A 75-minute guided walk through the buried 1890s storefronts beneath Pioneer Square, told with vaudevillian humor. The streets above were raised up to 22 feet after the 1889 fire.
- You walk the original 1890s ground floors: the streets above were raised up to 22 feet after the 1889 fire.
Seattle's birthplace: the 1909 iron-and-glass pergola, Chief Seattle statue, totem pole, and the Underground Tour entrance, ringed by brick Romanesque blocks.
- Pioneer Square Park holds the Underground Tour entrance: tour the buried 1890s storefronts after the pergola.
An artisan bakery cafe in Pioneer Square: breads, pastries, and cafeteria-style sandwiches. A weekday lunch staple near King Street Station.
The Batali family's legendary cured-meat shop: porchetta, soppressata, and lamb prosciutto sandwiches. Lines form before opening and popular sandwiches sell out early.
- Popular sandwiches sell out by early afternoon: go before noon.
A Prohibition-era observatory in the 1914 Smith Tower. Ride the manually operated Otis elevators to the Chinese Room for wraparound views and a speakeasy cocktail.
Seattle's oldest Japanese restaurant: a Japantown landmark since 1904 with sushi, black cod collar miso, and tatami-mat rooms, revived by the Sato family after WWII internment closed it.
Closer: Damn the Weather, 5 min out of your way
Stay put: 3 min walk back from Smith Tower Observatory tonight, ~15 min by taxi to Chihuly Garden and Glass in the morning.
A charming Belltown bistro from chef-owner Ba Culbert: Dutch babies in cast-iron skillets, plus European-Northwest brunch and dinner.
- The Dutch babies draw weekend lines: reservations are essential.
Seattle's 605-foot 1962 World's Fair icon. The 2018 renovation added the revolving glass-floor Loupe and floor-to-ceiling glass on the observation deck.
- Walk the revolving glass-floor Loupe: the 2018 renovation added 196% more glass to the tower.
Dale Chihuly's glass wonderland at Seattle Center: eight galleries, a glasshouse with a 100-foot suspended sculpture, and a garden of glass flowers that glow at night.
- The Needle and Chihuly share the Seattle Center grounds: one plaza, two icons. Book them as a single morning.
The postcard viewpoint: a tiny Queen Anne park framing downtown, Elliott Bay, and Mount Rainier behind the Space Needle. Go at sunset.
- On clear days Rainier rises behind the skyline: arrive early for sunset crowds.
The fifth-generation shellfish company's oyster bar: a dozen oyster varieties, geoduck, and Dungeness crab with a Washington-focused wine list.
A beloved Philly-style deli: towering cheesesteaks on Amoroso rolls shipped from Philadelphia, with lines out the door at lunch.
- Kerry Park's postcard view at sunset, then a cheesesteak at Tat's on Lower Queen Anne: Amoroso rolls shipped from Philadelphia.
Stay put: ~20 min by taxi back from Kerry Park tonight, ~15 min by taxi to the Space Needle in the morning.
Seattle to Vancouver
192 km, rated for speed and cost. For a first-timer trip on a comfortable budget at a balanced pace, take the Drive via I-5. It's only 30 min slower than the quickest option, at $ instead of $$.
The Baja taco icon born from a Tofino food truck: fish tacos and crispy oyster mushroom tacos, with a buzzing patio off Blood Alley.
A glass elevator up Harbour Centre's flying-saucer top for 360-degree views over the city, harbour, and North Shore mountains.
- Most guests spend 30-45 minutes on the deck: buy tickets in advance.
A local organic coffee chain cafe in historic Hudson House, Gastown: fair-trade coffee and award-winning cheesecakes, open late daily.
- The cheesecakes are voted among Vancouver's best: the Gastown cafe stays open to 10pm.
Vancouver's sail-roofed waterfront landmark: the cruise-ship terminal, harbour promenades, and the nightly Sails of Light display.
- The Heritage Horns sound O Canada at noon daily: time your waterfront stroll for it.
A stretch
The aburi sushi pioneer on the waterfront: flame-seared salmon oshi and harbour views at Canada Place.
- Order the Aburi salmon oshi with wild sockeye, jalapeno, and house sauce.
- Miku's flame-seared sushi sits on the Canada Place waterfront: book for harbour views.
Canada's first Aboriginal arts boutique hotel: 18 suites each designed by an Indigenous artist, with a rooftop sauna and fair-trade gallery.
The famous 9 km waterfront loop: ocean, mountains, and skyline in one walk or ride. Rent a bike at the park entrances; most riders finish in about an hour.
- Bike rentals cluster near the park entrances: the loop takes most riders about an hour.
Nine First Nations totem poles at the park's eastern tip: BC's most visited tourist attraction. The ninth pole, by Squamish Nation artist Robert Yelton, was added in 2009.
- The collection began in the 1920s: read the plaques to learn each pole's nation and story.
A West Coast bar and grill inside the historic Stanley Park Pavilion: lunch and early dinner with BC craft beer on the park's largest patio.
- It is open daily 11am-5pm: lunch and early dinner only.
Canada's largest aquarium in the heart of Stanley Park: 65,000 animals, sea otters, and a 4D theatre.
- Buy tickets online in advance: last entry is 90 minutes before closing.
- Ride or walk the Seawall, then the Aquarium inside Stanley Park: Canada's largest, with 65,000 animals.
- Stanley's Bar & Grill sits in the park Pavilion: lunch with BC craft beer on the park's largest patio after the Aquarium.
A beloved West End ramen bar since 1999: rich tonkotsu and spicy garlic ramen with customizable broth richness, cooked in an open kitchen.
- It is closed Mondays: the spicy garlic ramen is the standout.
Stay put: ~17 min by taxi back from the Vancouver Aquarium tonight, ~15 min by taxi to the Stanley Park Seawall in the morning.
Where to stay in Seattle & Vancouver
Ranked for first-timer travelers on a comfortable budget. The places this plan sleeps in come first.
Seattle
The Arctic Club
A 1916 gentlemen's-club-turned-hotel: walrus-ivory lobby, Polar Bar, and elegant rooms steps from Pioneer Square.
Hotel Ballard
A boutique hotel above Stoneburner on historic Ballard Avenue: 15 stylish rooms in a 1920s building, steps from the Sunday farmers market.
Green Tortoise Hostel Seattle
A budget hostel across from Pike Place Market: dorm bunks with privacy curtains, free daily breakfast, and twice-weekly pub crawls.
Vancouver
Skwachays Lodge
Canada's first Aboriginal arts boutique hotel: 18 suites each designed by an Indigenous artist, with a rooftop sauna and fair-trade gallery.
Moda Hotel
A historic boutique in the Arts and Entertainment district: 67 chic rooms with Cibo Trattoria, UVA Wine Bar, and a sports bar on site.
The Cambie Hostel Gastown
An adults-only party hostel in heritage Gastown: dorms from around $23, a bar downstairs, and resident cats.
Flights to Seattle & Vancouver
Fly into SEA (SEA)
Flight results via Travelpayouts — we may earn a commission on bookings.
Getting around Seattle & Vancouver
How to actually move around each city — transit, rideshare, bikes, and taxis.
Seattle
Public transit
Seattle's transit runs on the ORCA card: one tap covers Link light rail, King County Metro buses, the streetcar and ferries, with two-hour transfer credits. Youth 18 and under ride free across the region.
- Link light rail (Sound Transit)
Flat $3.00 adult one-way on the 1 Line from Sea-Tac Airport through downtown to Northgate and Lynnwood, plus the 2 Line across Lake Washington. Youth 18 and under ride free; ORCA LIFT and seniors $1. Trains run every 8–15 minutes.
Tip: Skip the airport taxi: Link reaches downtown in about 40 minutes for $3. Tap ORCA or a contactless bank card before boarding.
- King County Metro buses
$3.00 flat adult fare on all Metro buses including the frequent RapidRide lines. Pay with ORCA, the Transit GO Ticket app, or contactless tap-to-pay; ORCA taps earn two-hour transfer credits across regional agencies. Youth ride free.
Tip: Get an ORCA card if you ride more than twice — transfers between Link, buses and the streetcar only work with ORCA.
- Seattle Center Monorail
The 1962 World's Fair icon still runs every 8–10 minutes between Westlake Center downtown and Seattle Center (Space Needle) in about two minutes. $4.00 one-way adult, $2 youth/reduced, under-5 free; ORCA is accepted but the monorail charges its own fare with no transfer credit.
Tip: Station machines are cashless — buy online or with a card. It's a fun ride, but the walk is only 15 minutes if you'd rather save $4.
- King County Water Taxi
A 10–15 minute crossing from Pier 50 downtown to West Seattle's Seacrest Park with skyline views — a commute that's also a harbor tour. Adult $6.25 cash or $5.25 with ORCA; a second route runs downtown to Vashon Island ($7 cash/$6 ORCA).
Tip: Bikes ride free. Pair the West Seattle boat with the RapidRide C Line at Seacrest for Alki Beach.
Rideshare
Uber, Lyft and Wingz are the three app-based services authorized at Sea-Tac Airport, and all work citywide. Expect roughly $35–50+ between the airport and downtown depending on traffic and time of day.
- Uber
Uber operates citywide in Seattle. At Sea-Tac Airport, Uber, Lyft and Wingz pick up on the 3rd floor of the parking garage (TNC/rideshare zone). Airport-to-downtown runs roughly $35–50+ depending on time of day and service level.
Tip: For airport trips, compare against the $3 Link light rail — rideshare only wins clearly late at night.
Bikes
No docked bikeshare — Seattle's program is dockless e-bikes and e-scooters from Lime, the city's only operator, covering the whole city. Helmets are legally required in King County, so bring your own.
- Lime e-bikes & scooters
Lime is Seattle's sole bike/scooter-share operator with about 15,000 devices citywide — e-bikes, e-scooters and LimeGliders. Standard pricing is $1 to unlock plus about 47¢/minute; a $6/month LimePrime membership drops rides up to 20 minutes to $2.85 flat.
Tip: Seattle is hilly — e-bikes earn their keep. End rides in a marked corral to avoid fees.
Taxis
Taxis are metered citywide (about $2.70/mile with a $2.60 drop charge) and easiest to get via the Seattle Yellow Cab or Orange Cab apps; street hails work downtown. Tip 15–20% on the meter.
- Seattle Yellow Cab
The Northwest's largest taxi fleet, running 24/7 across Seattle and King County. Book in the Seattle Yellow Cab app or call +1(206) 622-6500. Metered rates run about $2.70/mile with a $2.60 drop; Sea-Tac trips carry a $20 minimum.
Tip: Tip 15–20%. Orange Cab runs a flat $40 between downtown hotels and the airport if you'd rather fix the price.
Vancouver
TransLink runs Metro Vancouver's buses, three SkyTrain lines and the SeaBus, all on the Compass fare system. Three fare zones apply, but every bus trip counts as a one-zone fare, and tickets are good for 90 minutes with transfers across bus, SeaBus and SkyTrain.
- TransLink SkyTrain, buses and SeaBus
Metro Vancouver's transit network covers three SkyTrain lines (Expo, Millennium and Canada), buses across the region, and the SeaBus ferry between downtown Waterfront station and North Vancouver's Lonsdale Quay. Fares run on Compass: three zones, one-zone pricing on all bus trips, 90-minute validity, and transfers across bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain and HandyDART. Children 12 and under ride free.
Tip: The Canada Line reaches downtown Waterfront from YVR in about 26 minutes; tap a Compass Card or a contactless bank card. Late at night when SkyTrain stops, NightBus routes cover the main corridors.
Uber and Lyft have operated in Metro Vancouver since January 2020 under BC rules that set a minimum fare floor, so expect prices closer to taxi rates than in less regulated markets. Both apps surge independently, so comparing the two can save a few dollars.
- Uber
App-based rides across Metro Vancouver with standard and larger vehicle options. Fares follow BC's regulatory minimums and rise with demand during storms, big events and late nights. You can book on demand or schedule ahead in the app.
Tip: At YVR, ride-app pickups are on Arrivals Level 2 at the clearly marked curbs; check the plate before getting in. The Canada Line is usually cheaper for solo travelers with light luggage.
- Lyft
The main alternative to Uber in Metro Vancouver, with standard and XL rides requested through the app. Coverage mirrors Uber across the city and suburbs, and the two apps often price the same trip differently.
Tip: Install both apps and compare fares before booking; letting one app sit unused for a while tends to trigger win-back discounts on the other.
Downtown Vancouver is flat and compact, which makes cycling genuinely practical. Mobi by Rogers covers short station-to-station hops downtown, while the Stanley Park seawall rewards a longer rental.
- Mobi by Rogers bike share
Vancouver's public bike-share system, with docks concentrated downtown and in nearby neighbourhoods. Passes include pay-per-ride, 30-day and 365-day options, and the system is built for short dock-to-dock trips.
Tip: Mobi is ideal for quick downtown hops, but for the full Stanley Park seawall loop a private rental is usually better value than chaining dock-to-dock rides.
Vancouver taxis run on the meter by law with city-set rates, so the companies are largely interchangeable. They are plentiful downtown and at YVR, where flat fares apply to the city.
- Yellow Cab
One of Vancouver's main taxi companies alongside Black Top & Checker Cabs and Vancouver Taxi, with the largest fleet and hybrid vehicles. City bylaws fix standard metered rates across all companies, so pick whichever arrives first. Flat fares apply between YVR and downtown.
Tip: Hail on the street downtown, book by phone at (604) 681-1111, or use the company's app to request and track a cab. Cabs must run the meter, so decline any quoted flat rate for non-airport trips.
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