I WON A CONTEST!! Seattle or Portland?

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Bierboy

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OK....I entered an Amtrak contest several months ago with ClearChannel Radio, and we just found out we won. It's a round-trip (roomette) on the EB to spend four days and three nights in a four-star hotel in either Chicago, Milwaukee, Minn/St. Paul, Seattle or Portland. Given we live in Illinois, we will originate in Chicago, so, obviously we will spend the four days/three nights in either Portland or Seattle. Looks like the trip will be in early March 2011.

So what say you all? Which is the better destination that time of the year? Portland or Seattle? Thanks!
 
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OK....I entered an Amtrak contest several months ago with ClearChannel Radio, and we just found out we won. It's a round-trip (roomette) on the EB to spend four days and three nights in a four-star hotel in either Chicago, Milwaukee, Minn/St. Paul, Seattle or Portland. Given we live in Illinois, we will originate in Chicago, so, obviously we will spend the four days/three nights in either Portland or Seattle. Looks like the trip will be in early March 2011.

So what say you all? Which is the better destination that time of the year? Portland or Seattle? Thanks!
Well, I'll put my two cents in and say Seattle. Portland is a very beautiful, clean city but IMHO there is lots more to do in Seattle, itself clean and beautiful.

There's Old Seattle historical district, there's Pike Place Market and the seafood restaurants, the stunning public library, art museum, the Space Needle from the 1960 World's Fair, a ferry trip to Whitby Island, tours of the Boeing factory in nearby Everett, the funky and interesting shopping district south of the University of Washington, and on and on. It's got an excellent public transit system and many walkable neighborhoods.

As far as weather, both Portland and Seattle are likely to be chilly and rainy in March, so there's no advantage to either locale climate-wise.
 
OK....I entered an Amtrak contest several months ago with ClearChannel Radio, and we just found out we won. It's a round-trip (roomette) on the EB to spend four days and three nights in a four-star hotel in either Chicago, Milwaukee, Minn/St. Paul, Seattle or Portland. Given we live in Illinois, we will originate in Chicago, so, obviously we will spend the four days/three nights in either Portland or Seattle. Looks like the trip will be in early March 2011.

So what say you all? Which is the better destination that time of the year? Portland or Seattle? Thanks!
So you won that contest. I had entered it a bunch of times for the various routes offered. Good job.

Have they told you what the hotel selection(s) is/are in SEA and PDX?

I don't recall whether they give you any lattitude on your travel dates. In early spring, I worry about flood delays or cancellations on the EB. That is not a SEA or PDX question. It is a question of whether they will let you travel later in the year.

On balance, I would pick SEA over PDX.
 
I naturally pick PDX - because I'm there in January, March, April, May, July, August and October!
laugh.gif
However, next year it may just be April!
 
You could do Seattle, then get on a Cascades train at 7:30am, arrive in Portland at 11am, then catch the 6:15pm return to Seattle. Or stay overnight. If you really wanted to get to Portland too.
 
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You could do Seattle, then get on a Cascades train at 7:30am, arrive in Portland at 11am, then catch the 6:15pm return to Seattle. Or stay overnight. If you really wanted to get to Portland too.
Or Seattle with either a side trip on Amtrak to Vancouver, B.C. or on the Victoria Clipper to beautiful Victoria, B.C. by ferry

http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241245667297

http://www.clippervacations.com/ferry

http://www.tourismvictoria.com/
 
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To stay I agree with Seattle. Also the post about riding the train to Portland and Vancouver is excellent, three for the price of none so to speak! Perhaps they would let you book the EB from CHI-PDX, then the Cascades to Seattle or on your return SEA-PDX on the Cascades, PDX-CHI, that way you get both sections of the EB??? Congrats on your win! :cool:
 
Congratulations on your win. I am in Seattle at this very minute and I think it is a wonderful city. The weather was PERFECT today!!

:wub:
 
Congratulations!

How about 4 days and 3 nights on their dime, then pay for additional time yourself before returning? Portland will be in bloom in March. I agree with starting in Seattle then traveling north and south from there. Especially south, where the tracks run along the mudflats. The EB is superb on the separate sections of both destinations. There is nothing like sunrise along the Columbia, ... but then Puget Sound is also kind of special.
 
No word yet on which hotel. The contest rules included several blackout dates for travel, but it has to be done by March 15, 2011. We have a grandbaby due in early November, and we're traveling the CZ to EMY in a month, so we wanted to plan it for later (also to space out vacation time from work). We just found out yesterday that we won.

Thanks for the great suggestions.
 
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