If you are looking for cheap airfare to destinations in the U.S, I recommend flying with Allegiant Air out of Bellingham airport. It is approximately one hour away from Vancouver by car, not including border wait times. My partner and I travelled to Las Vegas last November for only $250 US return for the both of us (the fares may be different now). Although the planes are smaller, the deals are usually amazing. The flights from Bellingham airport include Los Angeles, Oakland, Palm Springs, Pheonix-Mesa, San Diego, and San Fransisco.
If you are going with a group of people, it is worth the drive across the border because parking is only $7 a day. There are also buses by Quick Coach which go to Bellingham and SeaTac airports; it costs $39-$49 return for an adult fare to Bellingham from Vancouver, with multiple pick up points throughout the city.
Currently, Allegiant Air is having a promotion for travel through to March 31st, 2010. For a limited time, buy one air/hotel package and the second person flies free based on the conditions below:
- Minimum 2 night 2 person hotel package purchase required
traveling on the same itinerary
- Purchase by November 18, 2009 for travel through May 31, 2010
- Offer not valid on previously purchased
The promotion ends NOVEMBER 18, 2009! Check the website for more details.
I recently attended the Seahawks home opener in Seattle, Washington. It was my first live football game and it was an exhilarating experience. The drive to the Qwest Field from Vancouver is approximately 2.5 hours, not including the wait time at the border. The excitement from the Seahawks fans is comparable to Canucks fans in Vancouver. However, the Quest Field has a 70,000 seat capacity which means the crowd is extremely LOUD – so loud that you can barely hear the announcers during the game. There are also tailgating parties prior to the games which are permitted around the perimeter of the stadium in the parking lots. The street to the entrances of the field is like a food fair with many different kinds of foods and performers. We were able to get tickets the day they went on sale a few months ago. If you are looking for tickets now, you may have to go through resellers. Even if you are not a big football fan (like myself) you will still have a great time.
TIP: There is $15 parking around the stadium. The parking in the stadium can be up to $40, you can call for rates at (800) 981-6465.
Location: Qwest Field – 800 Occidental Ave S. Ste 100 Seattle, WA (map)
Getting There: From Vancouver, highway 99 south turns into the I-5 south freeway which goes directly to Seattle. Parking is available around the stadium.
Price: Games start at $49.00
More Info? http://www.seahawks.com/
We often go on road trips to Seattle because it is only a short 2-2.5 hour drive from Vancouver (map). We have family there and sometimes I just go for the SHOPPING. There are two outlet malls on the way to Seattle. The first one is The Shoppes at Burlington. I haven’t gone to this one for awhile, because it was under renovations for a while and it was pretty shitty. This one is actually very close to the border and it looks like it is getting better because stores like Coach and Lululemon have now opened there. The one I frequently visit is the Seattle Premium Outlets. It is approximately 2 hours away and it is much bigger than the first one. When you arrive in Seattle, there’s Westfield Southcenter Shopping Center which has 240 stores for the serious shopper.
I’m not a huge fan of Seattle city itself, but it is worth a visit if you are in Vancouver because it is so close. However this could be because I am not too educated about Seattle. During my first visit there in 2007, we walked around downtown and I wasn’t too impressed. It was a typical urban city with pig statues everywhere – similar to the moose statues in Toronto at one point. The Space Needle is also an attraction there, but we weren’t too enthusiastic about paying to go up the elevator of that thing. I really enjoyed the Pike Place Market. It is a huge market selling all sorts of things; famous for the fish salesman throwing the fish around when people purchase. It is full of energy with so many sights of fresh food and interesting retails shops. We are hoping our upcoming visits will include a Seahawks football game and some food adventures I will report on.
Location: Vancouver, BC to Seattle, WA (map)
Getting There: Driving – Highway 99 South in BC turns into I-5 South which goes directly to Seattle
