Seattle and Oregon

Aug 16-18, 2024
AC543 YYZ-SEA, AC1736 PDX-YYZ

For a number of years, we’ve managed to travel with a good group of friends from Houston. This year, we decided to head to Seattle and were lucky to find some very nice weather with only some overnight rain. To coordinate schedules with our friends, we ended up making our way to Portland for a redeye overnight flight home. Tom and I arrived late on Friday evening, so we stayed near the airport before connecting with our friends downtown on Saturday morning.

Aug 17

With the time change, despite the late arrival, we were up early and onto one of the earlier trains downtown. We were able to check into our room before heading out to Pike Place to start the day.

Skyline view from our hotel room

Ready for our day in Seattle

Famous Pike Place Market sign

Wall mounted light stand

Seattle Great Wheel

New extension to the aquarium with a yet to be complete connection to Pike Place

Ivar Feeding the Gulls public art

Walking by the various piers on the way to the Pier 52 Ferry landing

On the ferry, ready to depart for Bainbridge Island

Downtown Seattle skyline from the ferry

She's the Queen of the World

Broader skyline with an Alaskan Cruise preparing to depart

Watching the seaplane traffic

More air traffic in the harbour

Ferry unloading in Bainbridge

One of the many shops on Brainbridge Island

Looking at the port of Seattle as we heading back after lunch

Decorative lighting over Post Avenue

Decorated exterior of the Modern Art Museum

After arriving back in Seattle, Tom and I walked backed to the hotel where we had a break before reconnecting for dinner near the hotel.

Aug 18

With most of Sunday available to us, we picked up a rental car to explore a little further from our hotel with Karen, before dropping her at the airport and making our way to Portland for our flight home.

Checking out the skyline view from Kerry Park in Queen Anne

Enjoying the view from the park

Scenic Parsons Gardens in the same area

Looking out to Pier 91 Cruise Ship Terminal and coastal mountains behind

A different skyline view across Lake Union from Gas Works Park

The now retired gas works for which the park is named

Watching the sea planes navigate the boat traffic to land in Lake Union

Canada Geese enjoying the park. Our last stop before heading back to Pike Place area for lunch, and then heading onward to Portland

After driving through some heavy rain, we find clear skies at the lookout at Hoffstadt Creek Bridge

Scenic view of the North Fork Toutle River

Looking towards Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens peak hiding just behind the clouds

Continuing to enjoy the scenery around the mountain

Another perspective including some of the flows from the 1980 eruption

Coldwater Lake formed by the 1980 eruption

St. Helens still overshadowing the lake

Finally a mostly clear view of the peak

Watching the cloud flow around the peak

Our last view before we complete the drive to Portland

Although it wasn’t part of our original Seattle plans, we were very happy that we got to return to Mount St. Helens. It did make for a long day of driving, and unfortunately as we approached Portland airport, we got notice that our inbound plane had a mechanical issue and was going to be very late. We decided to grab a hotel by the airport to catch a little bit of rest before our now 3:00am flight home. Luckily, we managed to get a bit of sleep and connect with work before arriving in Toronto.