Instruction: Discuss the pros and cons of a day trip to Vancouver versus a day trip to Portland from Seattle.

Response: Both Vancouver, Canada and Portland, Oregon can be a fun day trip from Seattle. The pros for both are that the cities are fairly close to Seattle, so a day trip is very reasonable. In terms of time to get there, Portland is a bit closer and also has the advantage of still being in the United States. So, you may save time compared to going to Vancouver since there is no border crossing. This difference can be fairly trivial though since the border between the US and Canada is often fairly fast.

Besides travel time, something to consider is what kind of activity you want to do. Vancouver has a lot of great chinese cuisine and also has Stanley park which is a great place to go walking and cycling. Portland is known for Voodoo donuts, a popular and unique donut store. 

Overall, both are great options and it boils down to what things you enjoy doing most.