best route victoria to ucluelet?
Apr 26th, 2003, 10:46 AM
#1
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best route victoria to ucluelet?
We need to know the best route if time is a factor and also the best scenic route between Victoria and Ucluelet? We will have plenty of time going up, but be on a tight schedule getting back to meet the ferry back. How much time does one need to allow on a Thursday in July to be in line for the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles? Any special sights along the way we should stop and see? Thanks so much for any help!
Apr 26th, 2003, 03:37 PM
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There is only one main way to get to Ucluelet and the drive is about 6 hours. For sights to see along the way, Chemainus is a nice little town about 1.5 hours from Victoria on the way. It is an old mill town that suffered greatly when the mill shut down and had to come up with something to survive. It became the little town that did, by having wonderful murals painted all over the town on the sides of the buildings. A great place to get out and stretch your legs, but it's tourist oriented. The Coho ferry that goes from Victoria's inner harbour to Port Angeles is a VERY busy ferry, especially in the summer! Unfortunately you cannot make reservations so you just have to line up and take your chances. The only good thing is that as the terminal is right downtown you can put your car in line znd then go off and walk around the inner harbour. To help you out, the ferry web site is:www.ferrytovictoria.com. Good luck
Apr 26th, 2003, 04:06 PM
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Personally, in July I would overnight in Victoria and try to get on the first ferry out. You can park at about 6:00 am, then go for breakfast at a restaurant nearby. Even then, I think there would be a chance that the parking lot could be full of cars left over from the night before. Actually, I would avoid the Coho in July and take the BC ferry to Tsawwassen.
Apr 26th, 2003, 06:47 PM
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April....if one does as you say, what is the resulting routing and time estimates? On our return trip we need to get from Ucluelet to Port Townsend in one day. Suggestions?? Thanks again!
Apr 26th, 2003, 10:09 PM
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Unless it has recently changed, there is no more parking and leaving overnight at the Koho.
I will try to check and get back.
If going south of the border from Ucluelet, I would suggest you look into the Dukes Point to Tsawassen ferry route. Reservations can be made, and it save driving over the 'hat on the way back.
www,bcferries.ca
I will try to check and get back.
If going south of the border from Ucluelet, I would suggest you look into the Dukes Point to Tsawassen ferry route. Reservations can be made, and it save driving over the 'hat on the way back.
www,bcferries.ca
Apr 27th, 2003, 09:37 AM
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I agree it would make sense to go from Duke Pt. to Tsawwassen (rather than from Swartz Bay) but it's an awfully roundabout way of getting to Port Townsend. On the other hand, I wouldn't feel confident about getting from Ucluelet and onto the Coho in one day. Sorry I don't know the estimated time on the Duke Pt.-Tsawwassen-Port Townsend route but someone here probably will. Since you're on a tight schedule, it would be best to spend the extra money and reserve.
I hope you can clarify the Coho information too, icithecat, because I was also told that, especially after Sept. 11th, no overnight parking was allowed and you could only park after 6:10 am in the summer months. But I was also told by a Coho employee that the parking lot could be full of cars left over from the night before. So, which way is it?
I hope you can clarify the Coho information too, icithecat, because I was also told that, especially after Sept. 11th, no overnight parking was allowed and you could only park after 6:10 am in the summer months. But I was also told by a Coho employee that the parking lot could be full of cars left over from the night before. So, which way is it?
Apr 27th, 2003, 09:57 AM
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April...sorry to bug you again but you seem like a great source of information. Money is not the main problem, time/making it to the mainland is! I would prefer making reservations by all means. If one goes Duke point-Tsawwassen-Port Townsend route..is that all car ferries? What web site would be my best source for info on that idea? My info keeps giving me passenger only info. The BC info people were no help on the phone either. Thanks again!
Apr 27th, 2003, 12:53 PM
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Check out www.bcferries.com for all your ferry/reservation questions.
Apr 27th, 2003, 08:14 PM
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Not bugging. The ferries to Tsawwassen take vehicles. The fares are shown at: http://www.bcferries.com/fares/vanisle-mainland.html The BC ferries have recently changed hands, by the way, so that may (or may not) have had something to do with not being able to get much help from them.
As for the rest of the route, I suggest posting on the US board if you haven't already, as I find that part of Washington state a muddle having only ever gone to Port Townsend via Port Angeles. Hopefully someone will have a general idea of travel times for you.
As for the rest of the route, I suggest posting on the US board if you haven't already, as I find that part of Washington state a muddle having only ever gone to Port Townsend via Port Angeles. Hopefully someone will have a general idea of travel times for you.
Apr 27th, 2003, 09:42 PM
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April.
Talk about a useless website.
http://www.cohoferry.com/
They give little info and lots of 'subject tos'.
I will have to try to remember to call them during office hours.
Talk about a useless website.
http://www.cohoferry.com/
They give little info and lots of 'subject tos'.
I will have to try to remember to call them during office hours.
Apr 28th, 2003, 12:25 AM
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The Victoria-PA ferry is the most direct, but also the most flakey (and smallest?). You can also take the Wash state ferry from Sydney (near Victoria) to Anacortes, very scenic route, then head south from Anacortes down Whidbey Island and catch another ferry across to Port Townsend at (Keystone?). Definitely a longer route, but I think you might be able to reserve the Sydney-Anacortes route and the PT ferry is frequent enough to not usually be a problem.
Apr 28th, 2003, 12:43 AM
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Good luck icithecat.
The Anacortes ferry is definitely another option - one I tend to forget about because I don't care for that ferry. At least they do take reservations. Hopefully they'd have a later sailing in July because as it stands now, according to their website schedule, you would have to leave Ucluelet awfully early to get all the way to Sidney in time.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/sche...?route=ana-sid
The Anacortes ferry is definitely another option - one I tend to forget about because I don't care for that ferry. At least they do take reservations. Hopefully they'd have a later sailing in July because as it stands now, according to their website schedule, you would have to leave Ucluelet awfully early to get all the way to Sidney in time.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/sche...?route=ana-sid
