Another vote for checking different departure airports. I live in the Bay Area, and when I travel for work or pleasure I have three to choose from. I always check all three, and there are substantial differences in price, with no one airport being always cheaper. It depends on the competition on the routes in large part.
One thing to be concerned with - Seattle to Portland is quite a ways, and you should think about how tired you will be when you arrive. You may not want to drive right after a trip of that length.
So, not as bad as a felony, but worse than your standard misdemeanors (which are punishable with up to 90 days in jail and $1,000). I’d rather not go into more details, in the hope of keeping some meager degree of esteem on these here boards. (ETA: I never served any time and paid a small fine - around $200 if I remember correctly.)
Voyager I don’t have a car so I wouldn’t be driving anywhere unless I rented one. I’d either stay in Portland or take the Greyhound or Amtrak. I know how tiring the trip is!
Understood, but I’m dying to know what it takes to get barred from Canada (as I have a misdemeanor conviction myself for drug parapharnalia). Could you PM me?
(ETA: I never served any time and paid a small fine - around $200 if I remember correctly.)