West Coast (starting+ ending in Seattle)

helimachoptor

Hi folks, will be heading to Seattle next year to see a NFL game, sometime between September and December (fixtures not out until April!)

The aim will be to have 2-2.5 weeks and to get the game out of the way in the first 2-3 days and then have 10-12 days to do a road trip.

So any suggestions appreciating that it may be the 1st week in September of coming up to xmas of where to go and any "must see" places!

Cheers!

InTheTrees

Go Seahawks. Last night they beat the redskins to get to the next level of the playoffs so we're hoping.

As regards a 10 day road trip from Seattle you obviously have three choices; north, south and east.

Personally... I'd rent a car in Seattle, take the ferry up to Vancouver, drive a little through canada then back down into the USA and west back to Seattle.

But you could also just go south, maybe to San fransisco, maybe even all the way to LA.

That time of year you could really play it by ear and not bother with reservations too.

helimachoptor

Thanks for the reply.

Leaning towards BC alright, have a lot of time to plan out the trip but a lot will depend on the time of the game.
Would love to camp outdoors somewhere but that is very much weather dependent (wife is also coming!).

Have driven down the PCH at all? Is is worthwhile?

InTheTrees

The Oregon coast is beautiful. But the most efficient way of getting to it is to take the main freeway south I-5. And if you're on the freeway you can keep going to California.

Also the only scenic section of I-5 on the entire west coast is the section between southern Oregon and northern CA!

So here's another route:

Seattle > Ashland oregon > San Fransisco. > Monterey > SF again > Lake Tahoe/Reno > Back to Seattle.

You could do it in six or seven days so it would be quite relaxed in 10-12 days.

That would give quite a variation from Beaches to Snow, coast road to mountain pass. And you can go through Nevada and see the casinos at Lake Tahoe. Ashland (on I5) is a nice place to stay, its a pretty mountain town. The wife will like it.

The only stretch I'm not sure about is between Reno and getting back on I-5.

helimachoptor

Thanks mate, will take a look!

McG

hi Heli.
Last summer we did Vancouver > Seattle (by train) > Yosemite (via a cheap flight to Fresno to pick up car) > Death Valley > Las Vegas > Grand Canyon South > Zion National Park > Bryce Canyon Park > Las Vegas

If you're going that far anyway you might want to think about the idea of a cheap flight like we did to get a completely different experience in. I'm sure there's plenty to see/do in Washington and BC if you stay up in the north west but worth wondering if there's anywhere else within reach you'd like to go while over there.

In Seattle we liked the EMP Museum (which is right beside the Space needle) and Pike Market. For a great view of Seattle go to Kerry Park (it's little more than a small grass garden but it has a wonderful view of the city). I can PM you a link to my holiday album if you want to get an idea of some of the places we visited in Vancouver and Seattle.

helimachoptor

Cheers McG send it on to me!

At this point we have a lot of ideas on what to do.. Need to find the time to fit it all in!

SantryRed

Is there a need to finish in Seattle Heli? You can return a car at a different cut albeit for a dearer price. Something to consider and you could get right down the west coast then.

helimachoptor

Was looking at doing this after the wedding last year Ben and the cost was about 500 euro to drop it in LA from Seattle..

There is quite a lot to see in Washington state, Would like to head into montana aswell along with BC...

Wife wants to head down to San Fran...

At the moment we're just trying to figure out what to do, again a lot will be based on when the Titans/Hawks game will be on cos if it's snowing that limits the camping.. well for the wife it does me ill happily do it.. and then lose toes/fingers to frostbite...



It aint easy :pac:

InTheTrees

The train can be really fun. Its four nights from Seattle to Chicago (i've only done it from Minneapolis to Seattle), and it takes a route through the northern high plains that you'll never ever drive. Its fascinating. You need to get a cabin of course but they're really well run, clean etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Builder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izaak_Walton_Inn

http://www.amtrak.com/west-train-routes

helimachoptor

Hey folks, appreciate all the advice so far.

One quick question.. looking at either a SUV or a convertible (weather dependent) but should know more about this on this day next month.

Have been looking at various rental sites, any way to rent a car cheaper??

helimachoptor

Hi guys... I'm back :pac:

So my trip is going to be slightly amended for a couple of reasons.

Around the same time I have 2 friends going to San Fran (brothers)
One is flying from Oz and the other from Ireland.

I have other friends going to Vegas and then another set of friends also going to be in Vegas!

So my plan is... (need to be in Seattle on October 13th thats my only hard date)

Fly to San Fran, probably on Tuesday 1st October, spend 3-4 days there.
Drive to Vegas on the Friday/Saturday, spend 2/3 days there. Then from there drive to Seattle up through Yosemite and into Seattle. Happy to take a bit of time doing this and stay in a few motels etc

Try to get a college came on the Saturday, see the NFL game on the Sunday and then leave Seattle on monday morning and take the PCH back to San Fran (splitting trip over 2 days).

Thoughts/ideas??

Jonny_D

helimachoptor wrote: »

see the NFL game on the Sunday and
Thoughts/ideas??

Good luck getting tickets.

helimachoptor

Jonny_D wrote: »

Good luck getting tickets.

its against the Titans so shouldnt be too bad, i'll so be buying them from Ticketmaster the day they'll be going on sale!

Jonny_D

Since the Seahawks have been doing so well last season, its become harder to get tickets.
I usually had been picking up tickets from season ticket holders and never had a problem before last season.
Never tried buying from ticketmaster on the day they go sale though. Might give that a go...

InTheTrees

We've used Stubhub.com a few times for sold out events. It worked well. You pay a little more but it takes the pressure off.

helimachoptor

Hey guys, will be booking my trip before the end of the week.

Plan is to fly to Vegas on Oct 4th (and fly out of NYC later) Aerlingus have a 20% off sale at the minute so its about 430 for flights.

We'll then stay in Vegas until the Tuesday, from there drive to Yosemite and stay a night (i presume the weather will be ok and no need for snow chains but can check in advance)

on Thursday leave Yosemite and drive San Fran 200 miles spend a night in san fran.

Leave san fran on Friday and drive up the PCH and probably stay somewhere around Coos Bay on Friday night.

Saturday morning drive the rest of the way to Seattle.
Game in seattle on sunday and stay the night.
Monday morning get up early and get back to Vegas and take a more inland route this time and probably stay in salt lake city on the monday night and then continue to Vegas on Tuesday morning.

Fly out of Vegas on Tuesday evening to NYC.

thoughts or critiques welcome!

Ponster

I don't think I'd bother driving back to Vegas and instead fly from Seattle to NYC, depending on how much time you have to spend in New York

helimachoptor

Ponster wrote: »

I don't think I'd bother driving back to Vegas and instead fly from Seattle to NYC, depending on how much time you have to spend in New York

NYC is purely for shopping (have been over 10 times so nothing left to see)
The reason for going back to Vegas is really down to one way drop on the car, it seems to be hugely expensive

InTheTrees

helimachoptor wrote: »

NYC is purely for shopping (have been over 10 times so nothing left to see)
The reason for going back to Vegas is really down to one way drop on the car, it seems to be hugely expensive

Its a long way just to drop off the car. At least $200 I would have thought. How much is the one way charge? Have you tried all the major hire companies?

helimachoptor

I have checked again and it doesnt seem to be that expensive, but i have slightly changed the dates to take it to 9 days rental starting in LA and then droppinf off in San Fran and its quite a bit cheaper

InTheTrees

helimachoptor wrote: »

I have checked again and it doesnt seem to be that expensive, but i have slightly changed the dates to take it to 9 days rental starting in LA and then droppinf off in San Fran and its quite a bit cheaper

.

Dropping off within the same state is usually just a nominal charge.

But thats a big change of plans. No Seattle?

Ponster

And last time I checked hiring in Vegas and dropping of in CA does not incur a one-way fee with most of the major companies.

helimachoptor

InTheTrees wrote: »

.

Dropping off within the same state is usually just a nominal charge.

But thats a big change of plans. No Seattle?

No, Seattle is in as its the whole reason for my trip!


Going to re-do my plans and dates tomorrow and come back with another proposal for review

Jonny_D

helimachoptor wrote: »

its against the Titans so shouldnt be too bad, i'll so be buying them from Ticketmaster the day they'll be going on sale!

How did you get on with the tickets?

I managed to grab a couple against the jaguars (as my Dad will be over here at the time).

helimachoptor

Going to use stubhub, general tickets went on sale today but only single or standing were left. Booking flights in the next couple of days

InTheTrees

Wow. They sell out that quickly? They do have a really short season which means only 8(?) home games, which is a shame (contrast that to the baseball season with 168 games). I suppose its the reason College football is so popular in the US.

Stubhub is really good anyway. There will always be tickets available at a price.

nice_guy80

where can i find college football fixtures?

for Seattle/Portland area

Jonny_D

nice_guy80 wrote: »

where can i find college football fixtures?

for Seattle/Portland area

Here's the Huskies schedule:
http://www.gohuskies.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30200&SPID=126613&SPSID=749527&DB_OEM_ID=30200

And here's the Ducks...

http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=233&SPSID=3377

Jonny_D

helimachoptor wrote: »

Going to use stubhub, general tickets went on sale today but only single or standing were left. Booking flights in the next couple of days

Don't think there's any standing at the games...(apart from standing in your seats when something happens.)

Jonny_D

InTheTrees wrote: »

Wow. They sell out that quickly? They do have a really short season which means only 8(?) home games, which is a shame (contrast that to the baseball season with 168 games). I suppose its the reason College football is so popular in the US.

Stubhub is really good anyway. There will always be tickets available at a price.

Yup!
http://seattletimes.com/html/seahawks/2021450982_regional23xml.html

They did really well last season and are being touted as Super Bowl contenders this season.

No problems getting tickets for the Mariners though...;)