Seattle/Vancouver Area Suggestions?

I know this is a bit open ended, but I've got a trip booked (mid-September - hopefully the smoke situation is good by then) where I'll be staying a day or two each in :

Downtown Seattle
Mt. Rainier NP
Orcas Island
Vancouver

In addition to the city stuff, we'll likely be doing some hiking and whale watching, as well as visiting Victoria, BC.

Any particular suggestions for day trips or tour companies would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

I don't know about fall, but one of my favorite day trips from Seattle is the Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens on nearby Whidbey Island. About half an hour beyond there you'll reach some great coastline at the north end of the island at Deception Pass. The state park there is excellent. Drive another half hour or so and you reach Anacortes, with great shooting in and around town. Here is one site for visitor info on Whitbey. If you google Whitbey Island you'll find links to photos that will give you a better idea of what to expect. Same if you google Orcas Island, as a matter of fact.

Orcas Island is a favorite haunt, but public access to the coastline is more problematic than almost anywhere else I've been on the West Coast. There are some terrific hiking trails originating on Mount Constitution in Moran State Park. There's a survey of commercial opportunities on the island here.

If you like bird photography, this wildfowl refuge is just south of Vancouver:
http://www.reifelbirdsanctuary.com/

Other possibilities for nature shooting in and near Vancouver include Stanley Park, Lighthouse Park, and Grouse Mountain.

In Seattle the University of Washington campus has very interesting architecture and down by the university's football stadium is a park on Lake Washington which is very good for bird photography.

A good place for northwest wildlife is the Northwest Trek in Eatonville, about an hour or so south of Seattle. In addition to the tram tour which features elk, moose, deer, mt. sheep, buffalo, and woodland caribou, there is a walk through area with a variety of small animal and predator exhibits, all in very natural and challenging settings. Also a nice view of the mountains. It is part of the Tacoma Park System.

David...ask Tom Guffey about the San Juan Islands. Sounds like there are a ton of photo ops there!

I certainly echo Brent's suggestion about Stanley Park and Lighthouse Park (beautiful old trees in the latter). I would also suggest driving north to Pemberton (the ski resort) and beyond -- lovely shots of the mountains.