# RCI timeshares near Seattle?



## catwgirl

Looking for something reasonably close to Seattle for a week before a cruise.  This is for a July 2009 week.  Any recommendations?  Hopefully something that would not be a super difficult trade to get.

Thanks.


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## T_R_Oglodyte

catwgirl said:


> Looking for something reasonably close to Seattle for a week before a cruise.  This is for a July 2009 week.  Any recommendations?  Hopefully something that would not be a super difficult trade to get.
> 
> Thanks.



Need more information, especially regarding what is "reasonably close". Does that mean within one hour drive, two hour drive, four hour drive ...?  Also minimum expectations regarding quality of resort?  Site amenities? Activities you want to do while in the area?

There is only one resort in Seattle - that's Worldmark.  Within several hours drive you the options include Birch Bay, Union, Port Townsend, and Leavenworth. Beyond that you're looking at Ocean Shores, WA or Welches, OR.  Further out than that (now we're talking about five or more hours, the area includes northern Oregon Coastal (such as Seaside), Chelan, WA or even Vancouver, BC.


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## catwgirl

I am asking for a friend who currently has a week reserved at Ocean Shores but feels that is too far from Seattle.  Beach or mountains is fine, hopefully no more than a 2 hour drive to Seattle.  Does not have to be gold crown, just clean and comfortable.  I'm assuming Wyndham Seattle is probably very difficult, especially in summer, for non-Wyndham owners.  A one bedroom unit would be fine.


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## Laurie

We have an upcoming exchange into Blue Heron in Union WA. The resort info sheet says 2-3 hours from Seattle airport, and it does look closer on the map than Ocean Shores. I don't know how difficult a trade it would be for July.


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## T_R_Oglodyte

Two hours from Seattle pretty much limits things to Worldmark Seattle and Union.  Maybe Leavenworth.  Just a bit beyond the 2-hour limit would be Birch Bay.  

Why is she interested in Seattle?  From Birch Bay your friend could also easily explore Vancouver.


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## Laurie

Postscript on Blue Heron: I just checked to see what I had used to exchange for an early August week, which I assume is prime summer, and it wasn't an absolute prime week at a top-tier trader, so it may not be that difficult a trade - yes, probably easier than Worldmark Seattle. 

BUT if your friend is limited to only one specific week, and is trying for just one or 2 resorts, that slims down her chances by a lot.  If it were me, I'd hesitate to cancel the Ocean Shores without another confirmation in hand - does she have another spacebank to search with in the meantime? Then if nothing matches, she could think about Ocean Shores for most of the week, leave a day or 2 early, then spend an extra night or 2 in a Seattle hotel or b&b before the cruise.

For that matter, Victoria could be another alternative for the above scenario. I've seen many summer weeks come up for Victoria that don't require a powerful trader.


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## Bill4728

If you're going to stay at this resort for a week than the distance from Seattle should be relatively unimportant.  Staying a week at a resort you will not find interesting so you can have a 1 hour drive to Seattle doesn't make sense.  IMHO, I'd look at any of the great resorts within 3-4 hours.

Personally, I love Lake Chelan in the summer. It's hot but not at all muggy, at a beautiful lake in central washington. OR Ocean Shores, which isn't hot even in the summer but 70 degree days on the Washington ocean. OR the Port Townsen/ Seqium area. Great summer weather with lots to do. 

Union & Birch Bay have lots of opening because IMHO no one wants to go there.  Don't go somewhere you'd not like very much to get 1 hour closer to Seattle.


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## T_R_Oglodyte

Bill4728 said:


> Union & Birch Bay have lots of opening because IMHO no one wants to go there.  Don't go somewhere you'd not like very much to get 1 hour closer to Seattle.



IMHO - the advantage of Birch Bay is it's proximity to Vancouver and the San Juan Islands.  By itself, it's really not that much of a location.


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## Bill4728

Steve is as normal right. 

Birch Bay ( and Lynden in II) are both just a few miles south of the border and both locations are a great places to home base from for trips into Vancouver.


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## SherryS

Also consider Victoria, BC!  We stayed there a week this past summer before our Alaska cruise and used the Victoria Clipper for transportation.  The Clipper dock (Pier 69) is very close to the Norwegian dock (Pier 66), and a short taxi ride to the other cuise ship piers.


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## catwgirl

Thanks for all your suggestions.


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## marcmuff

We loved Birch Bay - My sister and I flew into Seattle and rented a car there.  My daughter came for a few days and flew into Bellingham.  We drove to Vancouver one day and took the Ferry to Victoria one day.  Washington scenery is so beautiful.  I have several albums of pictures of our trip on my webshots site.  Click on the webshots link below.


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## Laurie

Bill4728 said:


> Union & Birch Bay have lots of opening because IMHO no one wants to go there.


Well, we want to go to Union, it looks lovely! And Bill & Melinda Gates own a home there. That's at least 4 people I know of, and I reckon we all have good taste!


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