Dick,
My boys convinced us to vacation in Seattle/Vancouver area last summer (04). Their motive was to trace the roots of Curt Cobain and Jimmy Hendrix - ours was to relax and exlore the beautiful Northwest. It was a wonderful experience for all. 7 days in Seattle/7 days on Vancouver Is. nr Victoria. We stayed in Seattle Westin - nice hi rise w/ great views as my sister is an employee of this chain and we got a nice discount. Pie shaped rooms very nicely appointed and comfortable. It is nicely situated for exploring Seattle. Betw. monorail and bus system (taxis as necessary), don't think you need a car and wld not recommend it. BTW, if you stay in that area there is an interesting "car" shop w/i 2 blks (to the south?) w/ some neat vintage rides in an old show room. Nice folks let me poke around - no muscle but cool vintage foreign cars and some domestic. This area of Seattle puts you near a bunch of excellent sites: the "Public Market" aka the fish market can't be missed. There is a terrific art museum w/ different themes over time. The space needle and right at the base of it is the newly opened EMP (Experience Music Project) - totally interactive and enjoyable. Aquarium is worth a visit. Nicely done.
Next we headed north in our rented SUV to V. Island (couple of ferry options to get there) and stayed in a great little place just outside Victoria (Cedarwood Retreat). The transplanted British Family had just coverted a barn into an apartment and did a fabulous job. You have everything you need, including warm inviting ambiance (sp?), to prepare meals -nice kitchen. There is a wonderful local hike to "their" mountain. ( I sited a 68or 69 396 Beaumont at the foot of their access road, but never hooked up with the owner). Victoria is a great little town with plenty of sites. Don't miss the Empress Hotel and take High Tea in the afternoon - pricey but an awesome experience. There are sea planes landing and t/o every 10 minutes for site seeing. Old town w/ lots of charm. Bike riding is a neat way to explore the local sites. Great restaurants, shopping (blech), sites. You are near Buchard Gardens. Awesome drives to the north and toward the Pacific Ocean. Deserted beaches that send you back to prehistoric times, etc. Wld recommend a car to get out into the rural areas.
Good luck, enjoy, and contact me for more specifics.
Sam