Mount St. Helens or Mount Rainier???

I'm going to Seattle for the first time next week for 6 days, going to HAVE a car for about half that. Want to spend 1 day out in the wilderness. So do I do the active volcano or the symbol of the Pacific Northwest?
Other suggestions appreciated.

Dinner ideas as well. Bars, of course.

Thanks,
Big Montana

 

My personal preference is Mount Rainier. But they're both great trips. Rainier is closer to Seattle and can be done as a loop trip (Enter the park at the southwest corner, exit in the northeast corner, or the other way around), St. Helens is up and back the same way.

 

It has been years, but I enjoyed Snoqualmie Falls and the drive to get there.

My preference would be Rainier.

going to half a car
Which "half" you gonna have?

 

Spend the day kayaking out of Anacortes or Bellingham

 

I spent about three weeks this summer at a Ft. Lewis training area from which you could see Mt. Rainier. I live in the South and don't get to see mountains that often. That said, it was probably one of the most breathtaking things I've ever seen.

 

Both are pretty cool, but I'd check to see what's open at St. Helens. There's been some volcanic activity in the last year or so, so parts of it might be closed. I guess I'm saying I'd go with Ranier.

 

Ranier.

Or, as mentioned, go kayaking up north and through the San Juans. A ferry to Port Angeles and a hike in Olympic National Park would be fun, too.

 

I personally would drive up Highway 2 and visit Leavenworth. It is an awesome drive through the middle of the Cascades and Leavenworth is a really cool town. It is about 2 to 2.5 hours east of Seattle.
Of course if they are having forest fires, that option could be out.

 

The active volcano. How many times will you get a chance to see that?

Oh, and it was nice knowin' ya.

 

Personally, Mount Hood is much more spectacular than either of them. From Portland looking east, it's beautiful. Great drive around it, and great, stunning hiking areas all around.

 

This thread illustrates why people who live in the Northwest have a minor seizure when people on the "Beautiful Cities" thread say Pittsburgh is breathtakingly beautiful.

 

The front, not that big of a big "junk in the trunk"