Things to do / Travel Guide
By Air
The major airport in the northwest Washington and the Cascades region is Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), otherwise known as “SeaTac.” SeaTac is one of the world's busiest airports, with hundreds of international and domestic flights daily. A major airline operating out of SeaTac is Alaska Airlines. International carriers, with nonstop service to the Far East and Europe, operate out of SeaTac. There are also short commuter flights offering limited service (2-3 flights per day) into and out of Wenatchee and Bellingham from SeaTac as well as from Portland and Vancouver.
By Car
The main north-south arteries running through the northwest Washington and Cascades region are the I-5 and U.S. Highway 101. In the Seattle-Tacoma area, I-405 bypasses Seattle through Bellevue, and connects to I-5. I-90 begins in Seattle and heads east through the Cascades, towards Spokane, Chicago and Boston. U.S. Highway 101 nearly circles the Olympic Peninsula ending in Olympia. U.S. Highway 2 and State Road 20 are the access roads into the North Cascades.
Approximate distances and driving times to Seattle from other major cities within and outside the region, are:
- Portland, Oregon: 145 miles, 2 hours 45 minutes
- Salem, Oregon: 190 miles, 3 hours 15 minutes
- Eugene, Oregon: 280 miles, 4.5 hours
- Vancouver, British Columbia: 140 miles; 2 hours 40 minutes
- Spokane: 280 miles, 4 hours 10 minutes
- Tacoma: 30 miles, 40 minutes
- Olympia: 60 miles, 1 hour
By Bus and Train
Seattle, Tacoma, and other cities in the region are readily accessible by both bus and train from nearby cities such as Portland and Eugene, Oregon, San Francisco, and Vancouver, as well as points beyond. Amtrak runs daily service into the region on both its Cascades lines and Coast Starlight lines. The Cascade line runs from Vancouver, British Columbia to Eugene, Oregon. The trip from Seattle to Vancouver takes about four hours, while Portland is another four hours away from Seattle. The Coast Starlight line runs from Seattle to Los Angeles via Portland, the Portland-Los Angeles leg taking an additional 30 hours or so. A number of bus companies, including Greyhound and Quick Shuttle, offer service into the region from British Columbia and other nearby cities including San Francisco, Portland, and Spokane. Bussing into the northwest Washington and Cascades region is not terribly expensive, while taking the train, on the other hand, will cost you a bit more. Many visitors from points south enjoy arriving to the region via train as it the coastal and inland scenery along the way is quite spectacular.
Airports in Seattle, Tacoma, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, Washington and The Cascades
Getting-There
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
|
|
|