From the first Spanish Mission founded by the "Sacred Expedition" in 1776, through the Barbary Coast and Gold Rush, to its rebirth after the 1906 earthquake, San Francisco delights the eye, heart, and palate. With Chinatown, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf, Pacific Heights' Victorian homes, Union Square, colorful trolley cars, Muir Woods, and nearby Napa and Sonoma, the "City by the Bay" is a must-see West Coast destination.

Nestled in the wooded hills at the mouth of the Columbia River, Astoria is the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. Its steep hills and Victorian homes earned it the nickname "Little San Francisco of the Pacific Northwest." Named for fur trader John Jacob Astor, it offers Fort Clatsop, Captain Flavel's Victorian mansion, and access to nearby sights like Mount St. Helens.

Named after the Native American chief Noah Sealth, who in 1851 gave a friendly reception to the first white settlers, Seattle was originally no more than a village of trappers and loggers. Its prosperity came first with the Klondike gold rush of 1897, and subsequently with its two natural resources, lumber and fish. The millions of ties that went into the construction of the first western railroads came mostly from around Seattle and from the state of Washington.

Victoria is a picturesque city with old-world charm and abundant flowers. Founded in 1843 by James Douglas of the Hudson's Bay Company as Fort Victoria, it became part of a British colony in 1848 and merged with mainland British Columbia in 1868. Though a port city, it is less industrial than Vancouver. Its harbors, especially Inner Harbour, are filled with pleasure craft, ferries, and floatplanes.

Nanaimo, one of British Columbia's oldest cities, sits on Vancouver Island's east coast across from Vancouver. Rooted in over 3,000 years of Snuneymuxw First Nation heritage, it features historic 19th-century downtown architecture, waterfront access near the Port of Nanaimo, and the Old Quarter's cafés, bistros, and shops.

Vancouver blends natural splendor with frontier history, from Gastown's cobblestone streets and Yukon-era roots to one of the city's most vibrant neighborhoods. Visit North America's second-largest Chinatown, then Stanley Park, with old-growth trees and First Nation totem poles. For stunning views, ride the Grouse Mountain Skyride and cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge for a treetop adventure.