Seattle and vicinity in July

Definitely a ferry trip out to the San Juan Islands. I think they go out from Anacortes. If you go to Friday Harbor you can rent scooters to travel around the island. A trip out Mt. Rainier is a good trip, and the Olympic Peninsula is wonderful if you like hiking.

Before you rent a car to take to Vancouver Island, read the rental policy carefully. Some companies will not allow you to take the car into Canada. You might be well served to take the passenger only ferry from Seattle to Victoria, BC. Make sure to have passports for both of you or you will become Canadian citizens because the US won't let you back home without.

The drive from Seattle to Forks is quite pretty. Plan to drive up to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, make a stop at one of the Pacific beaches like Rialto, and a drive up to the Hoh Rainforest. An overnight at Sol Duc Hot Springs can be pretty relaxing with a soak in the hot pool.

If your schedule is flexible, choose a clear day and drive around Mt Rainier.

I'd suggest going round-trip on the Victoria Clipper (walk-on in Seattle) to Victoria, and then go Buchart Gardens from there.

A car rental for the Forks trip would be good. You can do a big loop on the Peninsula. Very scenic.

Please ask if you need more about Seattle. I'm really better with city information myself
suze

I would also suggest a walk-on ferry to Victoria, but if you are heading out to Forks with a car you can leave the car in Port Angeles, and take either the MV Coho or Victoria Express from there to Victoria. You don't need a car in Victoria; even to get to Butchart Gardens...there are plenty of tour buses and even public transportation to get out there.

Forks is a sleepy little town busily cashing in on "Twilight"-mania. I live on the Olympic Peninsula, and the freebie magazine that comes with our weekly paper lists several guided tours based on the books, as well as a store devoted solely to Twilight souvenirs called "Dazzled by Twilight". You can get info about the tours and the store here: http://www.dazzledbytwilight.com/.

Thanks for all the info. Got home late tonight and have not been able to digest it all. San Juan Islands did sound like something I should put on the agenda. Is the trip to Butchart Gardens a day trip or do I need to spend the night?

OK...booked my flight tonight. Now need to plan the itinerary. Is Mt. St. Helens something I should put on the agenda? How long is the drive from Seattle to the ferry to Victoria? Will I have to pay to park at the ferry dock? Are the gardens an easy day trip?

Mt St Helens--it depends on what else you're doing and where you're going.

Are you planning to go Victoria from Seattle or from Port Angeles (the latter would be on the way to/from Forks)? Either can be a day trip but I would not recommend starting from Seattle and trying to go to Victoria via Port Angeles if you're just doing a day trip--take the Victoria Clipper from downtown Seattle instead.

Well I think Mt St Helens will be on the agenda. I'm in the early stages of planning, but I think we will go to Victoria via Port Angeles sometime during our venture to Forks. I would drive from Bellevue to Port Angeles, so should I plan to spend a night in Victoria and leave the car in Port Angeles, the venture on to Forks after the return. Can you drive thru ONP from Forks to Seattle?

Yes, you should plan to spend the night in Victoria and leaving the car in Port Angeles in that scenario. Then catch the 10:30 back to Port Angeles and drive out and back to Forks on Rt. 101 before heading back to Seattle. You'll go through part of the park (around Lk Crescent) but mostly you'll be driving the periphery on 101 and will have to use one of the access roads to get into the park (e.g. the Hurricane Ridge road near Port Angeles, which you should try to make time for).

Has anyone stayed in Forks, WA? Thinking about staying one night in July and it looks like some of the B&B's are already sold out.

Forks is a little, down-at-the heels town with a few basic motels, a pretty good grocery store, and restaurants that survive by catering to locals during the long non-tourist season.

The Forks Motel is as good as any, and the nearby Chinese of Mexican restaurants dish up the standard fare.

I suggest you rent a car to see Forks and the Olympic National Park and that you take the passenger ferry to Victoria from Port Angeles: http://www.victoriaexpress.com/welcome.html

In case you decide not to stay in Forks, the Olympic Lodge in Port Angeles has all the amenities: http://www.olympiclodge.com

There is also a Thai restaurant in Port Angeles which is so good I wish it were here in Seattle: http://www.sabaithaipa.com

Highlights of the Olympic Peninsula include the town of Port Townsend, Hurricane Ridge, Ruby Beach, the beaches near La Push, Lake Crescent, and the walk to Marymere Falls from the Lake Crescent Ranger Station.

You might want to visit Mt. Rainier, as well. It is awesome. The snow clears through July but I'd go at the end.

Here's an idea: Day 1 Bellevue with friends?
Day 2 Lake Crescent Lodge on OP
Day 3 Visit Ruby Beach etc. Stay at L. Crescent Lodge
Day 4 Hurricane Ridge Port Angeles for night
Day 5 Victoria and back to Port Angeles
Day 6 Mt. Rainier
Day 7 Mt. Rainier
Day 8 Mt Rainier
Day 9 St Helens on the away back to Seattle.

What do people think of this itinerary. I left off the San Juan Islands. Can't do it all. They are hard to get to if you are on the Olympic Peninsula. Actually, if you want to catch the islands, here's an alt.

Day 1 Seattle (must sees Pike Place Mkt, Alki Beach (if you bike, rent bikes at Alki)
Day 2 Lake Crescent Lodge on OP via Hurricane Ridge
Day 3 Visit Ruby Beach etc. Stay at L. Crescent Lodge
Day 4 Victoria by car ferry with car
Day 5 Buchardt Gdns, ferry to Saltspring Is or go to other Gulf Island. (All in BC)
Day 6 Saltspring Is (or island of choice)
Day 7 Ferry to Tsawwassen BC
Day 8 Vancouver BC (again, rent bikes if you bike)
Day 9 Vancouver BC
Day 10 Seattle

Or something...don't know if you've been to Vancouver or if you want to see it, but it's a fun city

Sorry but I reread your post and see you are mostly looking for day trips, so you can scotch the itinerary I provided. It does include some cool spots, though. Don't miss Mt. Rainier, if you can help it.

I am so glad I finally got some responses. I've been chained to my desk at work and have not had much time to plan our trip. I figured my thread was either really boring or no one had ever been to Forks. Give me a chance to review this and as Arnold says...I'll be back!

OK...some of the definites on my itinerary are Mt St Helens, Pike's Market, locks in Seattle, Butchart Gardens, Farmer's Market in Bellevue, Experience Music Project for DD. She is a Twilight fan so I need to figure out if a night in Forks would make her a really happy camper.

I consider a "must see" when in Seattle, the Seattle Underground Tours. I've done them twice myself. The tour actually takes you Underground, and is filled with true and hilarious history of the city, and is presented in a very entertaining manner as well. Enjoy!

"Before you rent a car to take to Vancouver Island, read the rental policy carefully. Some companies will not allow you to take the car into Canada."

Interesting comment, but having been doing a ton of pricing with half a dozen major car rental agencies, I can't imagine what you're talking about. None of them seem to have any issue at all about taking a car into Candada. I even made specific calls because of other misinformred posts like yours. Do you have any specific rules to quote or experience to confirm? Although if you are a Canadian and renting a car in the US to take into Canada that's quite another issue.

Well my buddies are willing to accompany us as our tour guides with their car! I can't wait to be retired. will have to check this out tomorrow. It's past my bedtime!

coryandcarissa,
I have read about the Underground tour and it did sound quite fun. I need to look into that too.

I'm still trying to decide if a night in Forks is in order. Anyone have an opinion on that?

I'd go to Victoria on the Clipper, maybe get an overnight package so you don't have to hurry thru Victoria, go to the gardens one afternoon, then have time the next day for some sights in Victoria...a nice boat trip too (about 3 hrs, as I recall) thru lovely Puget Sound.
I'd do the Pikes Market
Space Needle
Waterfront (all done in a day)
Seattle Art Museum

Then drive to Mt. Rainer (a day)
Snoqualmie Falls
and maybe two days to drive the Olympic Penn, if you like scenic driving.
Would not try to take a car into Canada...also, be aware of peak border crossing times, and try to schedule around that.
Don't hurry about....take a good look.

My friends made a trip to Forks last weekend (avid Twilight fans), and chose to stay in Port Angeles.

Presocia...do you have any idea how much time I need to allow for a trip to Forks? And how long is the drive from Forks to Port Angeles?

It's only 55 miles from Forks to Port Angeles, so a little over an hour at two-lane highway speed.

I think how long you spend there depends on how much your daughter wants to see, poke around, and take pictures of. My friends included a drive to La Push and the beach, which adds 30 miles roundtrip.

Thanks Presocia...I haven't seen Twilight yet, but I just got it in the mail from NetFlix yesterday. DD has seen it already. From what I have read I think we should try to include a drive to La Push. Part of our plans will be dependent on our hosts and what they are up for. They have offered to be our tour guides and accompany us on all our adventures. Woohoo!

OK...forgive me but I've been very distracted with personal matters for the last several weeks. We leave in 2 wks for Seattle...what should I absolutely not miss.

Plan for:
Pike's Market
Locks Tour
Underground Tour
Forks...for my daughter, but I enjoyed Twilight too!
Buchardt Gardens
Mt. St. Helens
Eastside Seattle

Is EMP worth the visit? I think DD would think so, but there are sooo many things I want to see.

I still really, really recommend taking the ferry out to Friday Harbor. You can rent scooters and scoot around the island or you can stay in Friday Harbor. The ferry is a lovely trip and the island is very pretty. It's an easy day trip, although you do have to go up to Anacortes to get the ferry.

DH says you can catch a ferry out of Seattle but it's a longer trip and more expensive.

Trying to get from Olympic Park to San Juan Island (Friday Harbor). Is there no other way but to drive the long circuitous route to Anacortes to catch the ferry? No ferry possible via Port Townsend or Port Angeles, etc?

There is a ferry from Port Townsend to Keystone on Whidbey Island, then you'd drive up Whidbey to Anacortes. You need to make reservations on that ferry (but you can't make reservations on the ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor).

I'm curious what you mean by visiting "Eastside Seattle."

With your 19 year old daughter, I would also recommend exploring the Fremont and Ballard neighborhoods. Ballard is easily combinable with the Locks. Great restaurants and shops, and a fantastic outdoor market if you're here on a Sunday. Fremont is also really fun/funky with more restaurants and boutiques, as well as some public art that's worth viewing -- specifically the Fremont Troll and the statue of Lenin.

This is part of our currently planned itinerary for two nights:

Vancouver
Drive to Vancouver
Tour the Arboretum at Queen Elizabeth Park
Ferry to Vancouver Island

Victoria (2 nights)
Tour Butchart Gardens, including lunch
Walk around Victoria

Ferry to Port Angeles
Drive to Forks
Walk around Forks
Drive to Port Angeles
Lunch in Port Angeles
Drive to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park

I think my friends thought the ferry to Vancouver Island might give some of the same experiences as the ferry around San Juan Islands?

Thoughts?

Beanweb24,

I really am flying blind on this as I've never been to Washington. My friends have lived in Bellevue for at least 15 yrs and they helped plan our itinerary. Eastside Seatle was as follows:

Kirkland
Redmond
Bellevue
Bellevue Farmers Market - Thurs (16th and 23rd) - cooking demos

Deb15July on Jul 1, 09 at 07:45 PM

OK...forgive me but I've been very distracted with personal matters for the last several weeks. We leave in 2 wks for Seattle...what should I absolutely not miss.

Plan for:
Pike's Market
Locks Tour
Underground Tour
Forks...for my daughter, but I enjoyed Twilight too!
Buchardt Gardens
Mt. St. Helens
Eastside Seattle

Is EMP worth the visit? I think DD would think so, but there are sooo many things I want to see.

Can't speak for your DD but if the EMP is of interest I would swap it for the Underground Tour, which is of local interest but to many is just a guided tour of some interesting basements. BTW it's the Pike (not Pike's) market.

Mt. St. Helens is a 4-hour detour to the south, and seems very out of place given the rest of your itinerary. Are you visiting Portland before or after? If so, MSH is easily included in the drive from Seattle to Portland.

cferrb on Jul 1, 09 at 08:16 PM

DH says you can catch a ferry out of Seattle but it's a longer trip and more expensive.

Most years there's a passenger-only ferry from Seattle to the San Juans, but not this year as the boats have been chartered by the Navy for ship worker transport.

Deb15July on Jul 2, 09 at 10:09 PM

This is part of our currently planned itinerary for two nights:

Vancouver
Drive to Vancouver
Tour the Arboretum at Queen Elizabeth Park
Ferry to Vancouver Island

Victoria (2 nights)
Tour Butchart Gardens, including lunch
Walk around Victoria

Ferry to Port Angeles
Drive to Forks
Walk around Forks
Drive to Port Angeles
Lunch in Port Angeles
Drive to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park

I think my friends thought the ferry to Vancouver Island might give some of the same experiences as the ferry around San Juan Islands?

Thoughts?

The BC ferry from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay is (IMO) equal to or better than the San Juan ferry from Anacortes in terms of scenery, but it's different in that the WA ferry stops at the various islands, so you get a more intimate view of things. The BC boat winds through the Gulf Islands and gives you a longer island/shore viewing experience, but it doesn't stop.

Deb15July on Jul 2, 09 at 10:13 PM

Beanweb24,

I really am flying blind on this as I've never been to Washington. My friends have lived in Bellevue for at least 15 yrs and they helped plan our itinerary. Eastside Seatle was as follows:

Kirkland
Redmond
Bellevue
Bellevue Farmers Market - Thurs (16th and 23rd) - cooking demos

At least have them take you to Snoqualmie Falls and through the Snoqualmie Valley to see a little of the gorgeous countryside on the eastside. You can loop from Redmond to Duvall or Carnation, then south on SR 203/SR 202 to Snoqualmie Falls, then through North Bend to connect to I-90 and back quickly into Bellevue for shopping, farmers markets, malls etc.

Got it...since they're friends AND they live in Bellevue, then I understand the urge to go to the Eastside. But it's definitely not something I would normally recommend for someone's visit to Seattle (especially the first one!).

I work 2 blocks from the Thursday farmers market in Bellevue. It's a pretty decent market, and many of the vendors there are the same as they are in Ballard. BUT...the location of Ballard is way better (tons of funky shops to wander in) whereas the location of the market in Bellevue is in an old grocery store parking lot across the street from a big mall.

Go to the market a little hungry. There are several really good food vendors there -- Anitas will be making crepes (sweet or savory), there will be fresh wood oven pizza, there's usually a vegetarian tamale/quesadilla/grilled veggie stand, gelato, etc. I usually buy a pint of gazpacho and that's my dinner on Thursday nights.

I second the recommendation for Snoqualmie Falls if you have the time and are on the east side.

Thanks, NW Wanderer for the ferry info. I'm guessing that the longish drive North on Whidbey to Anacortes is a good trip also. But I also wonder, looking at my map, if a boat from Port Townsend also goes North to Lopez Island, shorter than the Whidbey route, which involves two ferries, without a scheduled connection.

I've seen some awesome photos of Mt. Olympus, one with what looks like a lodge. The photo doesn't identify where exactly it is.I do hope to see the great peak. Can this occur from Port Angeles? Hurricane Ridge? Olympic Hot Springs?

The only ferry from Port Townsend goes to Keystone Harbor, near Coupeville, on Whidbey Island. You will have to drive from there to Anacortes, but you're right in assuming it's a beautiful trip...Deception Pass bridge, which you will cross, is one of the most photographed sites in Washington.

And the lodge you're most likely seeing is probably the visitor center at Hurricane Ridge. Is this it? http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/13740/places/42541/

Cost of ferrying with car is quite high, and I wonder if we NEED a car on San Juan or Orcas Islands. So the question is can we leave our auto in Anacortes for a couple of days while we explore the islands? Also, does Orcas offer as good kayaking/wildlife sightings as San Juan?

Thanks again for your great help!

I prefer to have a car on the islands. IMO getting off the beaten path and onto the backroads is part of what makes going there special. It allows much greater flexibility as well. If you're going for at least 2 nights, IMO it's worth taking your car, unless you're very strong cyclists.

I've kayaked from both islands and prefer the trips from Orcas by a slight margin, but both islands offer good trips. There's a higher chance of seeing the orcas if you go kayaking off the west side of SJI but otherwise, you'll see similar wildlife from both--eagles and harbor seals mainly.

<Anitas will be making crepes (sweet or savory),>


<drool>

Beanweb, have you been to their storefront on Leary?

OK...so Bellevue's Farmer's Market has no sessions while we are visiting. Scratch that! If the Undergroound tour is not worth visiting...please advise. EMP is right up DD's alley and since the Science Fiction stuff is included...it is probaby right on the money! Thoughts!!

You could go to Pike Place Market the same day you do the EMP. On Wed & Fri there are lots more local vendors so it's even more like a true open air farmers market.

Snoqualmie Falls is definitely worth a stop, if you're staying on the Eastside and have a rental car. There's a spa there at the Salish Lodge, you could have facials or massage?

Can't comment on the Underground Tour, as I've lived here 25 years and yet to do it (ha-ha)!

If you want a tour downtown, how about one of the Savor Seattle ones? www.savorseattletours.com

Hi lenny --

I haven't been to Anita's on Leary yet...my problem is that I get too distracted by the sweet potato fries and vegan spinach and eggplant curry at The Traveler next door.

I've actually heard from a few people that the Anita's at the markets are better than the Anita's restaurant, but I should probably confirm that for myself one of these days!

Deb,
"Vancouver
Drive to Vancouver
Tour the Arboretum at Queen Elizabeth Park
Ferry to Vancouver Island"

Not sure why the arboretum on a very short trip to Vancouver. I would suggest, instead, that you rent bicycles and go around Stanley Pk (counterclockwise, or anti-clockwise, as the British would say- maybe the Canadians too, eh?) and continue on to Granville Island.

The path at Stanley Pk next to the water. There are many interesting sights along the way, including gardens you can visit. There is an aquarium, cricket fields, totem poles, statues, water parks, beaches, forests. It is really an impressive park. Every time I go there it reminds me of what a shame it is that the Seattle waterfront is largely private and inaccessable.

You can continue the ride from Stanley Park and go all the way to Granville Island, including a hop by water taxi. (You can take your bikes on the water taxi.) Granville Island has a market and lots of interesting shops, including arts and craft stores. This would be a great way to enjoy Vancouver.

Another thing to do in Vancouver, I read in the paper yesterday the Vancouver Art Gallery has a touring visit of great paintings from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, including Vermeer and Rembrandts (to Sept 13). This would be a nice visit, too. The museum is in the heart of the downtown, so you'd see the major part of the city, too. They have a really good exhibit of Emily Carr's work. She is a great artist who documented the history of British Columbia, and it is well worth stopping by that exhibit as well, if you go.

Oops, not a touring exhibition from the Netherlands, but an exclusive. Here's the website:

http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/the_exhibitions/exhibit_vermeer_rembrandt_and_the_golden_age_of_dutch_art.html

Now I have to figure out when we are going to go!

What is the best way to get from Sea-Tac to downtown Seattle?

"Best"--do you mean fastest? Cheapest? Fastest would be a taxi ($45 or so), cheapest would be the Metro bus (around $2.50 pp). In between would be the Airporter bus ($11 pp), but it only goes to certain hotels so whether it would work for you would depend on where you're staying.

Not staying in Seattle. Will be staying with friends in Bellevue, but thought we could go into Seattle from the airport and maybe do the Harbor cruise (will have luggage...one carry-on and another bag each) before they pick us up. They will be joining us for most of our excursions, but I hate to subject them to every tourist move we make!!! Is there any public transit from Downtown Seattle to Bellevue?

So what will you do with your luggage while you go on the cruise? Will Argosy hold it for you? Not sure they have the space in their kiosk on the waterfront...

Yes, there are buses between Bellevue and Seattle.

Well Argosy doesn't have anywhere to store luggage, but you can take it on board the boat. That might not be the best plan at this point because I think we might decide to buy a Seattle pass and it is only good for 9 days. Based on our current itineray, it will run out before the last day I need it. Does anyone know how the days are counted? For instance, let's say I buy a pass tomorrow...what day will be the last day I can use it? I would think I could use it on 7/20 for the last time. Who knows for sure?

What kind of pass are you talking about?

The Seattle City Pass. It has several things that we definitely plan to do and a couple that we would like to fit in if time permits. If we do at least 3 of them...it would be best to get the pass instead of paying individual prices.

The time period begins on the first day you use the pass.

So the first day is 1 and 9 is thru midnight of the 9th day? Hate to be anal but I'm stretching the time limit to venture to Vancouver mid-week.