One of the most cost-efficient, least stressful ways to get to Vancouver from Seattle is via the Amtrak Cascades. (The train leaves from Seattle's King Station and takes roughly 4 hours.) Once in Vancouver, you can easily negotiate the city without a car. So why not sit back and enjoy spectacular scenery (and a cocktail) and leave the driving to someone else? The downside? Infrequency of departures. So plan and book early. Click here to go to the Amtrak Cascades website. For anyone who'd like to take a deeper dive into what this experience is like, I found this video on YouTube.