Seattle/Victoria/Vancouver - May/June 14
Nov 26th, 2013, 05:52 PM
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Seattle/Victoria/Vancouver - May/June 14
I'm in the early planning stages of a trip to Seattle/Victoria and Vancouver. No flights booked as yet - so plenty of flexibility to allow for good ideas..
Dates are also flexible, but I'm looking at leaving New Zealand on Friday 30th or Saturday 31 May to fly to Seattle (which would be arriving Friday or Saturday evening). I planned to stay in Seattle until at least June 5th (with friends that will be working during the week), and then travel to Victoria and then Vancouver - leaving on the 12th of June.
Here's where I get a bit unsure of what to do...
My wishlist is bears, kayaking (but not hardcore - tourist level), day trips to scenic places and shopping.
I'm not interested in hiring a car.
I have some interest in museums and art galleries (only the good ones
).
I am not fixed on whether I fly into Seattle and out of Vancouver or vice versa. My only prerequisite is that I'm in Seattle for 4th June (my birthday ).
I do know about rain...and I know that I won't melt if I get wet...!
So, do you have any helpful advise on the following:
How long would you spend in Victoria versus Vancouver?
Any recommendations for kayaking day or overnight trips?
Any recommendations on a day trip that I may see bears in the wild (from a distance!)?
Any logistical issues that I may not have considered with flying into Seattle and out of Vancouver (or vice versa).
Any must sees in any of these places? Or day trips worth considering?
Dates are also flexible, but I'm looking at leaving New Zealand on Friday 30th or Saturday 31 May to fly to Seattle (which would be arriving Friday or Saturday evening). I planned to stay in Seattle until at least June 5th (with friends that will be working during the week), and then travel to Victoria and then Vancouver - leaving on the 12th of June.
Here's where I get a bit unsure of what to do...
My wishlist is bears, kayaking (but not hardcore - tourist level), day trips to scenic places and shopping.
I'm not interested in hiring a car.
I have some interest in museums and art galleries (only the good ones
).I am not fixed on whether I fly into Seattle and out of Vancouver or vice versa. My only prerequisite is that I'm in Seattle for 4th June (my birthday
).I do know about rain...and I know that I won't melt if I get wet...!
So, do you have any helpful advise on the following:
How long would you spend in Victoria versus Vancouver?
Any recommendations for kayaking day or overnight trips?
Any recommendations on a day trip that I may see bears in the wild (from a distance!)?
Any logistical issues that I may not have considered with flying into Seattle and out of Vancouver (or vice versa).
Any must sees in any of these places? Or day trips worth considering?
Nov 27th, 2013, 04:46 PM
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Trying (if only to get/keep your post near the top)
With regard to Victoria, most important is spending enough time there to justify the trip to and fro, and the time spent on the ferryboat.
Thankfully, that time of the year will find the nights very long, and Vancouver is a city which never goes to sleep (decent people walking the streets all night long - NOT the same people, just decent people).
SO IF, say, one were leaving Seattle on June 5, and leaving Canada, for home, on June 12, I guess the best initial outline would be to take a train to Vancouver, and then sandwich Victoria during the middle of your week in Canada.
Maybe you depart Vancouver for Victoria on the 7th, and return to Vancouver on the 9th or 10th (still have to leave it to you, and <b>not us</b>, to decide 2 days or 3 days - but Vancouver itself is so fulfilling, that I'd lean toward 2 days).
And to some, I don't even recommend going to Victoria, BUT, for someone coming all the way from NZ, do so, and for at least 2 days.
I can't even think of a place I'd go, for an overnight trip, <b>without hiring a car</b>. (maybe there is a bus to Whistler, BC, where some of the 2010 Winter Olympics were held)
With regard to the bears, you're really going to be <i>challenged</i> to complete that goal. I don't even think <I><b>Northwest Trek</b></i> will help in that endeavor.
Others can tackle your <I>kayaking</i> wishes.
The week in Seattle is going to let you immerse yourself (here) quite a good deal. Hopefully, later, you'll get a similar dose of Vancouver, Canada.
And I'm really glad you're getting an early jump on assembling information here.
Your timing is pretty good, as our Holiday weekend will have been a week prior, and school will still be in session for most, during the time of your visit.
Hopefully others will respond with greater assistance in some areas.
With regard to Victoria, most important is spending enough time there to justify the trip to and fro, and the time spent on the ferryboat.
Thankfully, that time of the year will find the nights very long, and Vancouver is a city which never goes to sleep (decent people walking the streets all night long - NOT the same people, just decent people).
SO IF, say, one were leaving Seattle on June 5, and leaving Canada, for home, on June 12, I guess the best initial outline would be to take a train to Vancouver, and then sandwich Victoria during the middle of your week in Canada.
Maybe you depart Vancouver for Victoria on the 7th, and return to Vancouver on the 9th or 10th (still have to leave it to you, and <b>not us</b>, to decide 2 days or 3 days - but Vancouver itself is so fulfilling, that I'd lean toward 2 days).
And to some, I don't even recommend going to Victoria, BUT, for someone coming all the way from NZ, do so, and for at least 2 days.
I can't even think of a place I'd go, for an overnight trip, <b>without hiring a car</b>. (maybe there is a bus to Whistler, BC, where some of the 2010 Winter Olympics were held)
With regard to the bears, you're really going to be <i>challenged</i> to complete that goal. I don't even think <I><b>Northwest Trek</b></i> will help in that endeavor.
Others can tackle your <I>kayaking</i> wishes.
The week in Seattle is going to let you immerse yourself (here) quite a good deal. Hopefully, later, you'll get a similar dose of Vancouver, Canada.
And I'm really glad you're getting an early jump on assembling information here.
Your timing is pretty good, as our Holiday weekend will have been a week prior, and school will still be in session for most, during the time of your visit.
Hopefully others will respond with greater assistance in some areas.
Nov 27th, 2013, 08:35 PM
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Thanks Northwest for your considered response! I don't think I can go too wrong really, but am interested in any new ideas.
I'm sad about the bears though, and hoping someone else may have some good news!
I'm sad about the bears though, and hoping someone else may have some good news!
Nov 28th, 2013, 02:05 PM
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There is a "Hello BC" website you might check for ideas. They also publish several vacations guides. I have one I picked up at our AAA which is an outdoor adventure guide. You probably could order one - the brochure does mention grizzly watching opportunities on Vancouver Island at Knight Inlet, Smith Inlet and Bute Inlet- not sure how you would get there though.
For kayaking day trips I would think you could find one around Victoria - a great place to go would be the San Juan islands( which is the US) you could take a ferry over but not sure of how you would get around without a car- however, the kayak companies may have a pick up service available.
In North Vancouver I see a place listed in the above brochure called Deep Cover for kayaking- it is 30 min from downtown Vancouver and says its a kayakers paradise- rentals and lessons available.
You sound pretty active - on Vancouver Island you could rent a bike - there is a trail called the Galloping Goose- a railroad bed transformed into hiking and biking trail- could be fun
Check with Hello BC though- I think you will find lots of info
For kayaking day trips I would think you could find one around Victoria - a great place to go would be the San Juan islands( which is the US) you could take a ferry over but not sure of how you would get around without a car- however, the kayak companies may have a pick up service available.
In North Vancouver I see a place listed in the above brochure called Deep Cover for kayaking- it is 30 min from downtown Vancouver and says its a kayakers paradise- rentals and lessons available.
You sound pretty active - on Vancouver Island you could rent a bike - there is a trail called the Galloping Goose- a railroad bed transformed into hiking and biking trail- could be fun
Check with Hello BC though- I think you will find lots of info
Nov 29th, 2013, 10:45 AM
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Thank you Sunbum! Hello BC is a great website! Why I haven't come across it previously, I'll never know... It seems that there is some hope to see some bears after all!
If anyone else is interested in contributing with some personal experience of visiting Victoria/Vancouver Island and kayaking or seeing bears, I'd love to read it!
If anyone else is interested in contributing with some personal experience of visiting Victoria/Vancouver Island and kayaking or seeing bears, I'd love to read it!
Nov 29th, 2013, 11:04 AM
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When I visit Victoria I stay at the Surf Motel- its a funky little place on the water- open your curtains in the morning and there is the ocean. The rooms have small kitchens too. Across from the motel is a walking path along the ocean that goes for miles. It is not on the inner harbor where many prefer to stay- but I found it walkable to the harbor.
There is also a small restaurant overlooking the ocean about a block from the motel-
Wish I could say I have kayaked there- but have not. A friend of mine kayaked in the San Juans last summer and a whale dived under her kayak and came up on the other side- that would be a thrill! She was a beginner kayaker - no previous experience required!
There is also a small restaurant overlooking the ocean about a block from the motel-
Wish I could say I have kayaked there- but have not. A friend of mine kayaked in the San Juans last summer and a whale dived under her kayak and came up on the other side- that would be a thrill! She was a beginner kayaker - no previous experience required!
Dec 1st, 2013, 06:44 AM
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I don't have kayaking advice for Canada, but I can tell you San Juan is a great place for kayaking. You can take the Amtrak train between Seattle and Vancouver, which takes 4 hours. San Juan involves getting off the train midway and either taking a bus, taxi, or renting a car to get to the ferry. Alternatively, I believe you can take a ferry from Seattle with a "transfer" in Anacortes. Check Washington state ferries' website. However, once one gets to the San Juan islands, no car is needed, the area is quite beautiful and you could spend a few days in those islands doing kayaking, biking, and orca watching. San Juan is the biggest and has lighthouses and wineries, but all of the islands there have ferry service, quaint inns, and pleasant cafés full of charm so you can island hop, too. I believe you can camp on San Juan, if that's your sort of thing. I've only been to Victoria once, and I found it charming, but not really an active destination. We had a car, but my impression is that apart from the waterfront area, it's not so easy to see the area on public transit (this could be absolutely wrong, just my impression). I felt a day in Victoria was plenty, so I'd recommend more time in Vancouver. Vancouver is very easy to get around on public transit, even to outlying areas. Regarding museums, I love Seattle's art museum and the music experience. I also love taking the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge island and wandering around, but you'll have to take a bus to see other nice parts of the Kitsap Peninsula, such as Poulsbo, which has plenty of art galleries. Also worth a trip from Seattle is Snoqualmie Falls. You'd have to google to see if you can get there on public transit, since we always drove. Anyway, hope some of these ramblings are helpful. Have a great trip.
Dec 1st, 2013, 02:16 PM
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The San Juan Islands are great, but they're not convenient places to get to from Vancouver or Victoria. The Gulf Islands (which are a part of the same island chain, just on the Canadian side of the border) are much more convenient to get to from either Victoria or Vancouver, as there are frequent ferry departures...
... but if you're seeking sea kayaking day trips for beginners, you can easily do so immediately outside of Vancouver, around places like Bowen Island, or Deep Cove in North Vancouver. One of my favourite activities was sea kayaking with my dad at Bowen Island - we're both beginners. You first go from VAncovuer to Horseshoe Bay (30 minute drive, or a 45 minute bus ride), and then take the small 20 minute ferry across to Bowen Island. Once on Bowen Island, the Bowen Island Kayak shop is right there. You can go on a short guided tour up around the coast of Bowen Island. What makes it spectacular is that you're in the middle of Howe Sound - a fjord, and you feel like you're a million miles from civilization.
Another option is to go to Deep Cove in North Vancouver, which is another easy bus ride from Vancouver. I was actually hiking around Deep Cove today, but this is an even more sheltered fjord where you can rent kayaks and go paddling along for as long as you wish.
Regarding whether to spend more time in Victoria or Vancouver, Victoria's a tinier city - I like 2 days there. Vancouver can easily eat up a whole week, I'd say a minimum of 3 days for the city proper, and then you can easily do dozens of day trips from Vancouver to outlying neighbourhoods, villages, parks, mountains, and so on.
Bears can be seen immediately north of Vancouver *by chance* but it's unlikely. You could look into bear tours based out of Whistler - there might be some companies that organize them. Usually you have to go to much more remote areas, further from where you're travelling. I mean, if you need to see a bear, you can always pay a ticket to go up to the top of Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver where they have 2 rescued Grizzly orphans... once cubs, now fully grown Grizzly bears, that live in a spacious wild enclosure.
For museums/art galleries:
A minimum of 3 hours at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria.
A minimum of 2 hours at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
A minimum of 3 hours at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver.
For shopping in Vancouver, Robson Street is name brand stores you can see anywhere in the world. Everyone tells you that's where you should go in Vancouver for shopping, but unless you're seeking Banana Republic, Zara, Gap, and Victoria's Secret - I'd say avoid. Main Street is where all the hip, fun, unique Vancouver shops exist, especially clothing boutiques, book shops, record stores, gift shops, etc. Gastown has a blend of high end boutiques and unique one of a kind shops.
As for Seattle, the best thing about Seattle is the happy hour/bars - you can eat extremely well and drink extremely well for super cheap. Ballard (the neighbourhood) is cool, as is Belltown and Capitol Hill.
Have fun!
p.s. My birthday's June 5th. Almost always, June is a mixed bag of a month in terms of weather, but 90% of my birthdays in Vancouver have been hot, summery days.
Hope this helps!
... but if you're seeking sea kayaking day trips for beginners, you can easily do so immediately outside of Vancouver, around places like Bowen Island, or Deep Cove in North Vancouver. One of my favourite activities was sea kayaking with my dad at Bowen Island - we're both beginners. You first go from VAncovuer to Horseshoe Bay (30 minute drive, or a 45 minute bus ride), and then take the small 20 minute ferry across to Bowen Island. Once on Bowen Island, the Bowen Island Kayak shop is right there. You can go on a short guided tour up around the coast of Bowen Island. What makes it spectacular is that you're in the middle of Howe Sound - a fjord, and you feel like you're a million miles from civilization.
Another option is to go to Deep Cove in North Vancouver, which is another easy bus ride from Vancouver. I was actually hiking around Deep Cove today, but this is an even more sheltered fjord where you can rent kayaks and go paddling along for as long as you wish.
Regarding whether to spend more time in Victoria or Vancouver, Victoria's a tinier city - I like 2 days there. Vancouver can easily eat up a whole week, I'd say a minimum of 3 days for the city proper, and then you can easily do dozens of day trips from Vancouver to outlying neighbourhoods, villages, parks, mountains, and so on.
Bears can be seen immediately north of Vancouver *by chance* but it's unlikely. You could look into bear tours based out of Whistler - there might be some companies that organize them. Usually you have to go to much more remote areas, further from where you're travelling. I mean, if you need to see a bear, you can always pay a ticket to go up to the top of Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver where they have 2 rescued Grizzly orphans... once cubs, now fully grown Grizzly bears, that live in a spacious wild enclosure.
For museums/art galleries:
A minimum of 3 hours at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria.
A minimum of 2 hours at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
A minimum of 3 hours at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver.
For shopping in Vancouver, Robson Street is name brand stores you can see anywhere in the world. Everyone tells you that's where you should go in Vancouver for shopping, but unless you're seeking Banana Republic, Zara, Gap, and Victoria's Secret - I'd say avoid. Main Street is where all the hip, fun, unique Vancouver shops exist, especially clothing boutiques, book shops, record stores, gift shops, etc. Gastown has a blend of high end boutiques and unique one of a kind shops.
As for Seattle, the best thing about Seattle is the happy hour/bars - you can eat extremely well and drink extremely well for super cheap. Ballard (the neighbourhood) is cool, as is Belltown and Capitol Hill.
Have fun!
p.s. My birthday's June 5th. Almost always, June is a mixed bag of a month in terms of weather, but 90% of my birthdays in Vancouver have been hot, summery days.
Hope this helps!
Dec 1st, 2013, 03:29 PM
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dear wee, you might google ocean rivers sports here in vancouver. they sell /rent kayaks and have access to a float on the upper harbour ( so not the potential roughness of more open water) and you can kayak up the gorge for a few hours. they also give lessons and may do tours as well. mountain coop, a purveyor of kayaks and outdoor gear may have info as well.
i noticed someone above mentioned accessing victoria from vancouver and returning to vancouver to get back to seattle. travel between vancouver and victoria via bcc ferries is a beautiful scenic ferry ride ob=nce you get on the ferry ( bus from dt vancouver and on to dt victoria. victoria to seattle is easy via kenmore air float planes ( if you want to combine transport and transit into one 35 minute jaunt) or via the victoria clipper which takes about 2.5 hours via hydrofoil.
imo , the tough link for travel is vancouver seattle or vice versa. the train is often replaced by AMTRAK bus and not wonderfully scenic. there is private bus service between the 2 cities: on the inappropriately named "speedy ( or maybe it's quick) shuttle" which stops at every bump in the road where they might possibly pick up a passenger and takes forever to clear the border ( @ least heading south) . border and custom clearance is swift on the float planes or hydrofoil
the royal bc museum is excellent. for me, the victoria art gallery often has better shows than the vancouver art gallery which i find an meager embarrassment for a city that thinks of itself as a world.
vancouver is a wonderful city to walk around and also has an excellent public transportation system. you could also contact outfitters in vancouver as much of the waterfronts abut calm water. both cities have excellent opportunities for bicycling
i noticed someone above mentioned accessing victoria from vancouver and returning to vancouver to get back to seattle. travel between vancouver and victoria via bcc ferries is a beautiful scenic ferry ride ob=nce you get on the ferry ( bus from dt vancouver and on to dt victoria. victoria to seattle is easy via kenmore air float planes ( if you want to combine transport and transit into one 35 minute jaunt) or via the victoria clipper which takes about 2.5 hours via hydrofoil.
imo , the tough link for travel is vancouver seattle or vice versa. the train is often replaced by AMTRAK bus and not wonderfully scenic. there is private bus service between the 2 cities: on the inappropriately named "speedy ( or maybe it's quick) shuttle" which stops at every bump in the road where they might possibly pick up a passenger and takes forever to clear the border ( @ least heading south) . border and custom clearance is swift on the float planes or hydrofoil
the royal bc museum is excellent. for me, the victoria art gallery often has better shows than the vancouver art gallery which i find an meager embarrassment for a city that thinks of itself as a world.
vancouver is a wonderful city to walk around and also has an excellent public transportation system. you could also contact outfitters in vancouver as much of the waterfronts abut calm water. both cities have excellent opportunities for bicycling
Dec 1st, 2013, 08:35 PM
#12
I've lived in Vancouver, Whistler, and Seattle
I'll just reply with the most general things, then later more details.
First: BEARS:
I've hiked in the mountains around here for 40 years and have run into lots of bears, but not often. You can not plan on it - you don't see them often. To do so, you need a car and get into the backcountry ... or ...
If you are lucky your best chances of seeing without a car are at Whistler. In early June they have recently come out of hibernation and are still in the valley. You can take a gondola up the mountain and have a chance of maybe (or maybe not) seeing one or more. If you are VERY lucky you might see one in Whistler village ... every year some break into houses ... a few years ago one wandered into a restaurant ... and 30 yrs ago when I lived there we'd keep our eyes open because when you saw one of the local's big black dogs sometimes on second look it would be a bear. (At that time there was an open garbage dump where one could ALWAYS see bears ... but that's long gone.)
Alternatively, in Vancouver, at the top of Grouse Mountain there is a Grizzly bear refuge in a fenced but large naturalistic area. Even there you may not see them ... its a large fenced area and they tend to hide. There are ranger demonstrations there and sometimes they attract the bears to vantage points.(Google "Grouse Mountain bears"). Or you can definitely see some at Seattle's Woodland Park zoo - they are not in cages but in a naturalistic treed exhibit.
KAYAKING:
You have lots of choices. You can rent Kayaks for local paddling in either Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver, and to a lesser degree, Whistler. Or you can sign up for a 2 or more day kayak trip at a more remote lodge ... they arrange transport for you to/fro. Google "Kayak Trip" or "Kayak Rental" for the area/city you'd be interested in.
Near downtown Seattle you can rent Kayaks on Lake Union and paddle right from there. And in Vancouver you can do the same from Granville Island (an iconic Vancouver neighborhood - don't miss it) and paddle on English Bay.
OVER ALL TRIP PLAN
Check airline fares before you decide whether to fly round trip via Seattle or Vancouver or open jaws ( http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ is a good place to check all the alternatives ... they don't sell tickets ... they publish much info)
For a no-car trip:
Your can do the following in either direction:
Seattle, from downtown Seattle take the Victoria Clipper fast catamaran through Puget Sound (a beautiful trip) to downtown Victoria. Then you can take a bus from downtown Victoria to downtown Vancouver (most of the trip is on a ferry - the bus rides too). That trip through the Gulf Islands is absolutely beautiful.
I recommend taking 2 days (or more) while you are in Vancouver to take the bus to Whistler and spend an afternoon, night, and morning there. Fantastic mountain scenery. And you can take gondolas up into the mountains for spectacular views.
Victoria is the least interesting of the alternatives IMHO, though others may disagree I'd recommend spending only 2 nights, one day there. (If you like gardens, you can take a tour bus to Butchart Gardens in Victoria's suburbs For the remainder I'd recommend 2/3 of the time in Vancouver and 1/3 in Seattle.
WHALE WATCHING
In lieu of bears: Orca whales are great sights. You can grab whale watching tours in Seattle or Victoria ... again, Google.
I'll just reply with the most general things, then later more details.
First: BEARS:
I've hiked in the mountains around here for 40 years and have run into lots of bears, but not often. You can not plan on it - you don't see them often. To do so, you need a car and get into the backcountry ... or ...
If you are lucky your best chances of seeing without a car are at Whistler. In early June they have recently come out of hibernation and are still in the valley. You can take a gondola up the mountain and have a chance of maybe (or maybe not) seeing one or more. If you are VERY lucky you might see one in Whistler village ... every year some break into houses ... a few years ago one wandered into a restaurant ... and 30 yrs ago when I lived there we'd keep our eyes open because when you saw one of the local's big black dogs sometimes on second look it would be a bear. (At that time there was an open garbage dump where one could ALWAYS see bears ... but that's long gone.)
Alternatively, in Vancouver, at the top of Grouse Mountain there is a Grizzly bear refuge in a fenced but large naturalistic area. Even there you may not see them ... its a large fenced area and they tend to hide. There are ranger demonstrations there and sometimes they attract the bears to vantage points.(Google "Grouse Mountain bears"). Or you can definitely see some at Seattle's Woodland Park zoo - they are not in cages but in a naturalistic treed exhibit.
KAYAKING:
You have lots of choices. You can rent Kayaks for local paddling in either Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver, and to a lesser degree, Whistler. Or you can sign up for a 2 or more day kayak trip at a more remote lodge ... they arrange transport for you to/fro. Google "Kayak Trip" or "Kayak Rental" for the area/city you'd be interested in.
Near downtown Seattle you can rent Kayaks on Lake Union and paddle right from there. And in Vancouver you can do the same from Granville Island (an iconic Vancouver neighborhood - don't miss it) and paddle on English Bay.
OVER ALL TRIP PLAN
Check airline fares before you decide whether to fly round trip via Seattle or Vancouver or open jaws ( http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ is a good place to check all the alternatives ... they don't sell tickets ... they publish much info)
For a no-car trip:
Your can do the following in either direction:
Seattle, from downtown Seattle take the Victoria Clipper fast catamaran through Puget Sound (a beautiful trip) to downtown Victoria. Then you can take a bus from downtown Victoria to downtown Vancouver (most of the trip is on a ferry - the bus rides too). That trip through the Gulf Islands is absolutely beautiful.
I recommend taking 2 days (or more) while you are in Vancouver to take the bus to Whistler and spend an afternoon, night, and morning there. Fantastic mountain scenery. And you can take gondolas up into the mountains for spectacular views.
Victoria is the least interesting of the alternatives IMHO, though others may disagree I'd recommend spending only 2 nights, one day there. (If you like gardens, you can take a tour bus to Butchart Gardens in Victoria's suburbs For the remainder I'd recommend 2/3 of the time in Vancouver and 1/3 in Seattle.
WHALE WATCHING
In lieu of bears: Orca whales are great sights. You can grab whale watching tours in Seattle or Victoria ... again, Google.
Dec 1st, 2013, 08:38 PM
#13
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More replies! Great and thanks everyone..
BC_Robyn - Of course I want Banana Republic, Gap, Zara and Victoria's Secret! We have NONE of those in NZ! The other shopping areas sound great too, though...I'll also check out the Gulf versus San Juan Islands. That's good to hear that June weather is usually pretty okay. It will have been a while since I've had a summer birthday - so I'm looking forward to that novelty.
Andrew - thanks for the transport and museum/gallery tips. If I travel by train from Seattle to Vancouver (or VV), how do they do the passport checks (just curious - not expecting any problems!).
BC_Robyn - Of course I want Banana Republic, Gap, Zara and Victoria's Secret! We have NONE of those in NZ! The other shopping areas sound great too, though...I'll also check out the Gulf versus San Juan Islands. That's good to hear that June weather is usually pretty okay. It will have been a while since I've had a summer birthday - so I'm looking forward to that novelty.
Andrew - thanks for the transport and museum/gallery tips. If I travel by train from Seattle to Vancouver (or VV), how do they do the passport checks (just curious - not expecting any problems!).
Dec 1st, 2013, 08:56 PM
#14
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Elbegewa - Thank you for your reply. It certainly sounds like bears will need to be dropped from the wish list...Next time, I hope! I'm also starting to think that Victoria isn't where I should focus my time. Flights are interesting, aren't they?! It is definitely cheaper to fly into Seattle and out of Vancouver - not sure why. It's also much, much, much cheaper from NZ to fly backwards to Australia and then to the east coast from there, but this adds upwards of 6 hours in each direction...If it was only a couple of hundred dollars I wouldn't do it, but it saves about $700 dollars that could be spent finding bears another time!
Dec 1st, 2013, 09:16 PM
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A very fun ( but spendy) idea is to take a float plane to the San Juans, kayak during the day and then land back on Lake Union in Seattle.
This is through Kenmore Air- you would not have to do a package- can use also just for direct flights. If interested, watch for internet specials
http://evergreenescapes.com/san-juan...ane-kayak-tour
I did take a float plane once from Victoria to Seattle- loved the experience
This is through Kenmore Air- you would not have to do a package- can use also just for direct flights. If interested, watch for internet specials
http://evergreenescapes.com/san-juan...ane-kayak-tour
I did take a float plane once from Victoria to Seattle- loved the experience
Dec 1st, 2013, 09:31 PM
#16
PS to above
Here's one of the very best trip reposts for BC that I have ever read ... complete with magnificent photos.
http://safaritalk.net/topic/7604-can...ind-of-safari/
It covers far more than you will cover, but gives you a taste of some of the options around Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and Whistler. (For your future second trip). Look through it for Vancouver Island and Whistler. There are some references to bear watching, etc., but those probably won't fit into your schedule.
Here's one of the very best trip reposts for BC that I have ever read ... complete with magnificent photos.
http://safaritalk.net/topic/7604-can...ind-of-safari/
It covers far more than you will cover, but gives you a taste of some of the options around Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and Whistler. (For your future second trip). Look through it for Vancouver Island and Whistler. There are some references to bear watching, etc., but those probably won't fit into your schedule.
Dec 1st, 2013, 10:52 PM
#17
If you did get to Whistler for 2 nights and one full day, you could check out bear watching tours at http://www.canadianoutback.com/adven...r_watching.php
We don't know your interests ... let us know and we can all help.
For shopping:
Seattle and Vancouver have many of the same shops ... in general shopping in Seattle is cheaper than Vancouver ... your friends here could point you. To purchase outdoors gear REI in Seattle is great.
Granville Island in Vancouver is a great eclectic mix (artsy/ farmers market/outdoorsy) - no tourist should miss it. Same goes for the Pike Place Market in Seattle.
For museums:
in Vancouver the Museum of Anthropology may *sound* a bit dry ... but it isn't ... a fascinating award-winning building that houses many great aboriginal exhibits ... totem poles, canoes fashioned from logs, etc. ... its in a beautiful location out on the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus.
in Seattle, if you're interested in rock music, the Experience Music Project (EMP) is a fascinating place. And if you're interested in glass art, the Chihuly Museum is fantastic. (They're very close to each other) And the sculpture park near the waterfront is delightful for a few hours on a sunny day.
We don't know your interests ... let us know and we can all help.
For shopping:
Seattle and Vancouver have many of the same shops ... in general shopping in Seattle is cheaper than Vancouver ... your friends here could point you. To purchase outdoors gear REI in Seattle is great.
Granville Island in Vancouver is a great eclectic mix (artsy/ farmers market/outdoorsy) - no tourist should miss it. Same goes for the Pike Place Market in Seattle.
For museums:
in Vancouver the Museum of Anthropology may *sound* a bit dry ... but it isn't ... a fascinating award-winning building that houses many great aboriginal exhibits ... totem poles, canoes fashioned from logs, etc. ... its in a beautiful location out on the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus.
in Seattle, if you're interested in rock music, the Experience Music Project (EMP) is a fascinating place. And if you're interested in glass art, the Chihuly Museum is fantastic. (They're very close to each other) And the sculpture park near the waterfront is delightful for a few hours on a sunny day.
Dec 2nd, 2013, 04:15 AM
#18
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When you travel by train, you'll receive a little customs card to fill out. The train does have a stop at the border, and agents board to collect that card from you. For as many people as are on a train, it is surprisingly quick. Very convenient, and I think much more so than the car crossing tends to be.
Dec 7th, 2013, 01:07 PM
#19
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Thank you all for your good ideas. I think I'm going to think less about Victoria, and more about Vancouver and Seattle and bridge the 2 with a kayak trip in San Juan or Gulf Islands. I'm still trying to avoid hiring a car...and I'm still thinking (a bit less) about bears and a bit more about orcas. Flights are still to be determined...can I face flying in the wrong direction 4 hours to save $600...?!
Dec 7th, 2013, 02:00 PM
#20
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You can't really do the Gulf Islands or the San Juan Islands without a car - at least not without a lot of hassle. They're rural islands, pretty spread out. I'd save time and money by doing kayaking out of Vancouver, because access to wilderness is just around the corner, and accessible by public transit. Bowen Island would give you a taste - technically not a Gulf Island, but you don't need a car there, and the kayaking is fantastic.
http://www.bowenislandkayaking.com/
http://www.bowenislandkayaking.com/
