propita

Hubby and I are hoping to fit in a summer vacation, and Seattle seems good for a number of reasons. Weather-wise, it'll be cooler than 100F Fresno, and there are direct flights (which isn't common here). But we have questions:

Do we need a car to see local sights or is there a good transit system?

If we want to go to Butchart Gardens, what are out options if we don't rent a car? Are we better off renting, at least for that? And how long would be required for a trip, overnight? Two nights: travel, sleep, Gardens, sleep, travel back (no direct flights to Fresno and I'm fairly sure the cost would be prohibitive)?

ANY help as a starting point for me would be helpful.

Daniel_Williams

Hi propita,

I went to Seattle and Victoria a few years ago without a car. You will not be able to do "everything" but there's plenty to keep you occupied and having a great trip in both cities without a car.

To get out to Butchart Gardens from downtown Victoria, there is a city bus that stops at the entrance. Alternatively, there are tour buses that go out there as well.

http://www.transitbc.com/regions/vic...e.cfm?line=75&

I think overnighting in Victoria would be bare minimum as a plan, I like your two night plan. You'll enjoy strolling the Harbourfront at night; so pretty with the BC Legislature buildings lit up.

Have a great trip! Daniel

Gardyloo

Seattle has an above-average transit system (buses, trolleys, light rail, ferries, a monorail...) The central part of the city, and many of the key visitor attractions, are easily navigated without a car. However, Seattle is also the center of a marvelous, incredibly diverse region, so outside the downtown area a car is almost a necessity. Depending on how much time you have, you could (should?) split your time between car- and no-car days. If you stay downtown (where most hotels charge heavily for overnight parking) one-day rentals can be excellent value.

You can get to Victoria easily enough by a high-speed ferry from the Seattle central waterfront - http://www.clippervacations.com/. You don't need a car in Victoria, and while one-day tours including Butchart Gardens are doable, an overnight is probably best. Downtown Victoria is very compact and scenic/charming, if a bit over-the-top touristy.

You can also take the Clipper one way and fly on a floatplane back - more expensive, but if you haven't been on a floatplane before, this is the one to take - http://www.kenmoreair.com/ . Incredibly scenic and fun, and under an hour compared to 3+ on the Clipper.

Just as an aside, there's also a stunning collection of public gardens in Vancouver BC - the Queen Elizabeth II Park gardens and Bloedel Conservatory, the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese garden, and of course the amazing Stanley Park - forest, world-class aquarium, beaches, lakes, views, all in the middle of the city. Vancouver can be reached with an inexpensive and very scenic 4-hour train ride, and of course it's a world city - diverse, scenic, great food and attractions... a very good alternative to Victoria and the island if that suits you.

propita

Thanks! This is a great start for me.

ConnorCooperly1970

Propita,

I am sure you are going to love Seattle. This city is simply gorgeous. Have you checked this website? http://www.butchartgardens.com/index...tpage&Itemid=1 I am sure this is the best place to book a visit to the Butchart Gardens. They have good prices and I can guarantee you they offer a very complete and good service. Plus they use eco-friendly boats so they help to protect the environment. There is another company, in my opinion not as good and the previous one, but very decent too. This is the CVS Cruise Victoria so you can check out their website http://www.cvscruisevictoria.com/butcharts.html. Hope you can enjoy Seattle and Victoria. Cheers.

suze

You definitely don't need a rental car for your time in Seattle to do the typical tourist high-lights. You can take the Victoria Clipper up to Victoria and see the gardens on a tour. 1 night is OK for Victoria, some people even do it as a (long) day trip.

Katzgar

you will need a rental care both to get out into the countryside and to see things efficiently in the city.