... convinced us never to leave home again! :-) This trip my husband and I are trying to combine a vacation with narrowing down our potential retirement locales. We feel it will be between Whidbey or Camano Islands, however we're also looking at Mount Vernon for a small town lifestyle. We ... more

... Plus, they provide newer existing homes plus many under construction. A deciding factor for any of us might be the best home, in the best location, providing what you need close at hand, with relatively easy access to chosen destinations. So, we considered, but chose not to live, in any ... more

... Pt. Townsend, with Victorian buildings/homes, another State Park worth seeing/birding, a restored fort, and it can serve as a driving gateway to Pt. Angeles and the Olympic National Park (and don't miss the rain forests to the west, and Hurricane Ridge out of Pt. Angeles). And as ... more

... look closely for and investigate rentals in U ... ... reservations until late Feb. unless there is a cancellation policy. Any there other reliable rental sites other than VRBO ? Is VRBO the best way to go? Would GreenLake or Queen Anne be suitable altenatives to the U District? Thanks for any advice ... more

... a lot of short term rentals in Seattle but it looks like many of them are for one month terms. Be careful of Craigslist as most ask you to send them $$ and you don't know if they are legit. Google short term rentals and lots of info show up ... more

... ad on Craigslist under the vacation rental category: http://seattle.craigslist.org/vac/ Put "WANTED" in the title, list your requirements, and let the owners find you. You will get several scam replies, but they will be easy to spot, since the scammers don't really read the ads. Have ... more

... Plus the days are horribly short (like dark at 5pm). Sorry (while I love living here) Seattle in January is no place I'd even recommend to plan a vacation. Can't you come some time when the weather is nice? Spring/summer/fall are all mostly lovely here. -suze ... more

... goes a lot farther than the map shows. Check: http://www.kingcounty.gov/recreation/parks/trails.aspx and click in the Maps link at the right for various trails and parks. But finding bike rental off-season could be dificult. Pack a thermos of hot chocolate or ubiquitous Seatle coffee ... more

... stay and to get a rental car or not? I was going to priceline downtown, but then i noticed the parking fees. woah! $30+ at W, Sheraton, Hyatt, etc..?!? with a rental car, i would be looking at over $70 a day after you factor in hotel parking. Combine that ... more