Day 9: U.S. and Canada West Coast Drive

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Arriving in Seattle, WA

We started the day off with breakfast at our hotel again, then drove to Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge. Unlike Capilano Suspension Bridge, there is no fee for Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge is free, nor is there a fee for Lynn Canyon Park, but there is a fee for parking for at least the busy seasons.

To pay for the parking (which is reasonably priced) you can use most credit cards and you can also use the HangTag app.

Click here for information on how to get to Lynn Canyon Park via public transit, driving and how much the parking fee is.

Lynn Canyon Park is beautiful and I’m so glad we stopped there before we drove to Seattle. After crossing the suspension bridge we hiked one of the several trails in the park, and it was so enjoyable. The trail we took was to the right after we crossed the suspension bridge and it led to a wooden bridge over falls. The path is easy all the way with sections of the trail made of wood steps.

Twin Falls is the trail we took, but we didn’t realize it was a loop, so we walked back the way we came after we got to the the wooden bridge. After crossing the suspension bridge on our way back, we walked straight to our car and started our drive to Seattle, WA.

In total, our time spent at Lynn Canyon Park from the time we parked until we got back to our car was about fifty minutes.

Walking to the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge from the Lynn Canyon Park parking lot (North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge (North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

The view from one side of the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge. On the upper right you can see the waterfall dumping water into the canyon below (North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

The view from the other side of the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge (North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Me, keen to hike Twin Falls trail to the wooden bridge over the falls in Lynn Canyon Park (and my husband's thumb keen to get in the photo) (North Vancouver, BC, Canada) — Me, keen to hike Twin Falls trail to the wooden bridge over the falls in Lynn Canyon Park (and my husband’s thumb keen to get in the photo) (North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Much of Twin Falls trail has wooden walkways and wooden steps (Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

My husband enjoying our hike on Twin Falls trail (Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Another section of Twin Falls trail (Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

More wooden steps on Twin Falls trail (Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

The wooden steps on Twin Falls trail take you up and down on your way to the wooden bridge over the falls (Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

The view from one side of the wooden bridge over the falls on Twin Falls trail (Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

The view from the other side of the wooden bridge over the falls on Twin Falls trail (Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Heading back on the same wooden steps on Twin Falls trail because we didn't realize the trail was a loop (Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, BC, Canada) — Heading back on the same wooden steps on Twin Falls trail because we didn’t realize the trail was a loop (Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

The Lynn Canyon Cafe (shown in this photo) is not far from the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge (Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, BC, Canada)

The drive to Seattle, WA from Vancouver, BC, Canada was pleasant

After checking into our hotel we drove to see some of the floating homes and residential houseboats that Seattle is so well known for. And we even spotted the floating home used in the movie Sleepless in Seattle. I figured if we’re in the area looking at the floating homes and residential houseboats we might as well see if we could spot it. I’m not even into Hollywood stuff, but ever since I first saw that movie I’ve thought that house is neat and I’ve been curious what it’s like in person. You can’t get that close to it, so I still don’t know what it’s like in person, but I now have a feel for the area it’s in, and I think it’s a pretty neat area.

For people who like Sleepless in Seattle (I'm one who does) - around the center of this photo is the floating home used in the movie where Sam (played by Tom Hanks) lived. The house is located in a gated community, so you cannot walk up to it (I'm sure much to the relief of the owners and neighbors.) The address is 2460 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, Washington (the address is readily available on the internet) — For people who like Sleepless in Seattle (I’m one who does) – around the center of this photo is the floating home used in the movie where Sam (played by Tom Hanks) lived. The house is located in a gated community, so you cannot walk up to it (I’m sure much to the relief of the owners and neighbors.) The address is 2460 Westlake Ave N, Seattle, Washington (the address is readily available on the internet)

After seeing some of the floating homes, we drove to get dinner at Yoshino Teriyaki. They currently don’t have a website, but they are still in business as of the time of this writing (April 2024.) Their address is 1010 Madison St, Seattle, WA 98104.

We had to park a couple of streets away and pay for street parking because we couldn’t find parking any closer to the restaurant, but it was worth the short walk and small parking fee.

My husband and I love teriyaki and we’ve eaten at numerous teriyaki locations over our decades together. This place is the second best teriyaki we’ve ever had. It is sooo good. It has its own style.

Neither of us had ever had pork teriyaki, so we ordered a combo of chicken teriyaki and pork teriyaki. While the chicken was delicious and perfectly cooked, the pork was even better; it was super tender and tasty.

You have a choice with your teriyaki for it to come with steamed rice/salad or yakisoba or a combo. We ordered rice and yakisoba. I would have gotten only yakisoba, but my husband likes to eat teriyaki with rice (and we were sharing.) After eating some of the yakisoba, my husband said we should have gotten all yakisoba and no rice because the yakisoba was so good.

We also ordered a side of gyoza, which was super yummy too as was the sauce for dipping the gyoza in.

Menu for Yoshino Teriyaki in Seattle, WA (It is sooo yummy!)

The interior of Yoshino Teriyaki in Seattle, WA (It is sooo yummy!)

The delicious food from Yoshino Teriyaki in Seattle, WA

After dinner we drove to Pioneer Square. I had read a number reviews saying that Pioneer Square was no longer safe to visit due to homeless people and addicts, so we decided not to go. Then I read a more recent review saying the city had cleaned up the area and it’s now safe to visit. I’m glad I found that review because otherwise we would have not gone and we would have missed out on experiencing this really neat area of Seattle.

(As for homeless people and drug addicts in the area, we saw a few homeless people and a couple of people who looked like they were under the influence of a substance, but not one of them made us feel threatened in any way.)

Pioneer Square is enchanting. The name is appropriate as it was one of the earliest settlements of the pioneers who came to the Northwest. It is also Seattle’s original neighborhood.

According to this link, the original Pioneer Square was burned in the Great Seattle Fire in 1889. It didn’t take long for the residents to rebuild the area to be better than before the fire. “Only stone and brick exterior buildings would be permitted … today, Pioneer Square is valued for the concentration of Richardsonian Romanesque buildings that were created immediately after the 1889 fire.”

Pioneer Square is a well preserved, historic neighborhood. If that’s your kind of thing, then Pioneer Square is for you. And even if that’s not your kind of thing, it’s still charming and has a lot to offer.

The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is a quaint, free museum that is interesting and doesn’t take long to visit (it’s in an old building.) Waterfall Garden Park is also free to visit but it was closed during the hours we were there; we peeked inside and it looked charming, but small.

There’s also Smith Tower, built in 1914 and, according to this article, was, “once the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.” Smith Tower has an open-air viewing deck as well as an observatory bar on the 35th floor that “boasts a speakeasy-inspired bar with unique and entertaining menus showcasing local favorites and craft cocktails with a hint of Prohibition era flair.”

Pioneer Square has restaurants, cafes, art galleries, bars and pubs and more, all in a cool looking neighborhood.

We didn’t allot much time for Pioneer Square, and I think we missed out during our rushed tour of some of the highlights of the area, but at least we got to experience a glimpse of its enchantment.

Click here for a Pioneer Square District Walking Tour (Self Guided) with a map showing where some of the sites are (provided by GPSMYCITY.)

Waterfall Garden Park was the first thing we walked by on our quick visit to Pioneer Square. This photo shows only a portion of it, but it's not a very big park so there's not a lot more to it. — Waterfall Garden Park was the first thing we walked by on our quick visit to Pioneer Square. This photo shows only a portion of it, but it’s not a very big park so there’s not a lot more to it.

Smith Tower is in the center of the photo (Pioneer Square in Seattle, WA)

King Street Station in Pioneer Square I wish we had taken the time to go inside the building because photos of it show how beautiful it is inside (Seattle, WA)

Below is a gallery where you can view our tour in order of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. (We rushed and spent about five minutes touring it, but we were able to see everything quickly in that time. It would have been nice to have spent a little more time there.)

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Occidental Mall in Pioneer Square (Seattle, WA)

Occidental Square (or Occidental Park) (in Pioneer Square in Seattle, WA)

An brick lined intersection in Pioneer Square (Seattle, WA)

Smith Tower and other buildings in Pioneer Square (Seattle, WA)

The Iron Pergola at Pioneer Park in Pioneer Square (Seattle, WA)

The Totem Pole at Pioneer Park in Pioneer Square (Seattle, WA)

In all we spent a little over half and hour quickly walking a few of the streets in Pioneer Square and then driving around the area a little bit. (The last three photos above were taken while we were in the car.) Again, it would have been nice if we had planned on spending more time there, but due to all the negative reviews online saying it’s dangerous and trashy, we weren’t sure about it so we allotted only a little time for it. From our experience, it didn’t seem trashy and it didn’t feel unsafe at all.

From Pioneer Square we drove a very short distance to park near Pike Place Market because they have a flat evening rate that was good in comparison to other prices I found. From this link, “After 5 p.m., park in any of our two garages for just $7! Cars left in the garages past 2 a.m. will be subjected to the daily hourly rate.”

From the parking garage we walked to Pier 54 on the Seattle Waterfront, stopping at a couple of places along the way.

Click here for a Seattle Waterfront Piers Map and other helpful information on the Seattle Waterfront.

I think this link is very helpful and informative. If you scroll down a little on the link you’ll see a column on the right side that details in order the Seattle Waterfront layout from south to north on Alaskan Way with several links to things at the piers as well as what’s south of pier 50, north of pier 70 and also what’s east of some of the piers.

From Pier 54 we took our time walking and stopping at anything that interested us. We walked to where the piers end at Pier 70. We were disappointed that a number of the places were closed when we got there or were just closing. We had arrived around 5:20 p.m. and we wrongly assumed it would be a lot more lively during that time. But nonetheless we had fun walking around and enjoying the ambience and views from the waterfront (and the sunset.)

Pier 54 has a few establishments, some being Ivar’s Acres of Clams, Ivar’s Pier 54 Fish Bar, and Ye Olde Curiosity Shop which was founded in 1899. We considered eating at Ivar’s but we weren’t hungry after the early teriyaki dinner we had enjoyed.

Ivar's Acres of Clams at Pier 54 on the Seattle Waterfront (Seattle, WA) — Ivar’s Acres of Clams at Pier 54 on the Seattle Waterfront (Seattle, WA)

View of the the city from in front of Pier 55 (on the Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

Up ahead is Pier 56 which has Elliot's Oyster House among other things — Up ahead is Pier 56 which has Elliot’s Oyster House among other things

Our next stop was Miner’s Landing at Pier 57. This pier is fun.

The restaurants on Pier 57 are The Fisherman’s Restaurant, The Crab Pot, Alaskan Sourdough Bakery, The Salmon Cooker and Great Wheel Private Dining.

The attractions on Pier 57 are Wings Over Washington (which is, from what I’ve read, very similar to Soarin’ Over California but with higher resolution and better effects – this is something I would like to do someday because I love Soarin’ Over California), Salish Sea Tours, The Seattle Great Wheel and an arcade that has a Carousel inside of it.

There’s also a gift shop on Pier 57 called Pirate’s Plunder.

Miner's Landing at Pier 57 has a fun gold rush theme with fun activities, restaurants, and a gift shop — Miner’s Landing at Pier 57 has a fun gold rush theme with fun activities, restaurants, and a gift shop (on the Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

This photo is not that great but it shows part of the inside of Miner's Landing at Pier 57. In the background is an area that leads to the arcade that has a carousel inside of it (on the Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA) — This photo is not that great but it shows part of the inside of Miner’s Landing at Pier 57. In the background is an area that leads to the arcade that has a carousel inside of it (on the Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View of Elliot Bay from the Seattle Waterfront (Seattle, WA)

Up ahead is Pier 66 that Anthony’s Pier 66 among other things (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA) — Up ahead is Pier 66 that has Anthony’s Pier 66 among other things (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

A view of Elliot Bay with The Seattle Great Wheel (on Pier 57) in the distance on the left (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

North of Pier 70 is Olympic Sculpture Park. Click here for a map and guide of the park. We spent a few minutes checking out part of the park. What stood out to us about the park was that it provides nice views of the city and the water due to the park’s elevation.

Echo - a sculpture by Jaume Plensa (We saw a similar sculpture called "Julia" by the same artist in Madrid) (Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle, WA) — Echo – a sculpture by Jaume Plensa (We saw a similar sculpture called “Julia” by the same artist in Madrid) Olympic Sculpture Park (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View from Olympic Sculpture Park with Pier 70 on the left (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View from Olympic Sculpture Park (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View of Seattle (with the Space Needle on the left) from Olympic Sculpture Park (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View of Alaskan Way from Olympic Sculpture Park. On the right side of the street are the piers with the walkway along Alaskan Way (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

From Olympic Sculpture Park we walked on Alaskan Way back toward our car. We took our time to enjoy the sunset.

View from Pier 66 (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

Walking SE on Alaskan Way from Pier 66 (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View from Alaskan Way between Piers 66 and 62 as the sun was about to set. The Seattle Great Wheel is on the left (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View of Elliot Bay and Pier 56 from Pier 57 as the sun was about to set (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View from Pier 57 of The Seattle Great Wheel at the end of the pier (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View from Pier 57 of Elliot Bay and The Seattle Great Wheel at the end of the pier as the sun was setting (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View from Pier 57 with tall buildings in the background (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View of The Seattle Great Wheel from Pier 59 (Seattle Aquarium) (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

View from the staircase of the parking garage where we parked for a flat evening rate. From this link, "After 5 p.m., park in any of our two garages for just $7! Cars left in the garages past 2 a.m. will be subjected to the daily hourly rate." (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA) — View from the staircase of the parking garage where we parked for a flat evening rate. From this link, “After 5 p.m., park in any of our two garages for just $7! Cars left in the garages past 2 a.m. will be subjected to the daily hourly rate.” (Seattle Waterfront in Seattle, WA)

We spent a little less than two hours walking around the Seattle Waterfront. There was a somewhat heavy downpour for a few minutes and we took shelter during that time. We both enjoyed our time there but were hoping it would have been more lively. One of the piers (I think it was Pier 62) had a private, corporate event going on which was very loud, but other than that it was rather quiet with not a lot of people walking around.

From the Seattle Waterfront we drove to Emerald City Fish & Chips. I do most of our vacation planning, including where we will eat, but my husband found this place months ahead of our trip and we both thought it sounded like good food for a good price.

This is a small establishment with limited seating. They have a small parking lot at the side of the building.

We ordered the Alaskan Cod. The cod and the chips were each good but not great. For the price it was totally worth it though. And they have a good tartar sauce. The fish & chips also come with good coleslaw.

What stood out was the chowder. They weren’t serving clam chowder that day, but a customer highly recommended the salmon chowder to us. We ordered it and enjoyed every bit of it.

Click here for their online menu.