Traveller69: If you are around, I will take you up on your offer for suggestions on how to do the drive from LA to Victoria, where to overnight and where to take breaks. We are thinking between 6-8 hours for driving, although I would prefer less. We would like scenic, but comfort and ease of driving dominates our thoughts, since our major goal is to get to Victoria and have the use of the car. Friends agree with you and say we will enjoy the drive, I hope so. Anyway, thanks for any information you can provide.

Hi Annetti - I am so glad you are going to drive. It is really a very delightful drive and we have done it so many times starting from when I was a kid and my parents took us to California camping in the State Parks every summer. I have spent more time in the redwoods than you can imagine. When I was a teenager and allowed to take my girlfriend we had quite a few summer romances with the forestry students working in the parks!!

Anyway if you would like to email me at [email protected] I can give you more recommendatiions etc but as a rough first plan I would suggest -

Day 1 - Santa Rosa I am sure you have a preference for getting there but we always go 101.

Day 2 - Crescent City ( Driving through Avenue of the Giants which you get to off of 101 and is well marked) You can do as little of it as you want as there are lots of places to get back on the main highway. There are many areas to stop on the Avenue (it was the main highway until the mid 60's or so) The trees are spectacular. We were in California on our way home when the Dyerville Giant fell - we went to see it and it was such a humbling and unforgettable experience. We also make our token stop at the "Trees of Mystery" We don't go in as we have seen then once but the fudge in the gift shop is our annual treat!
Crescent City makes a good stopping spot. There are plenty of motels (we usually stay in one on the south end of town)

Day 3 - Lincoln City Oregon

The Oregon coast is beautiful and it is fairly slow going in the summer but it should be around 6 hours from Crescent City. Again - lots of places to stop for beautiful views etc.

Day 4 Sequim Washington. Stay on 101 north which follows the coast. You will cross into Washington over the Columbia at Astoria. When you get to Aberdeen 101 splits. You have two choices - going through forests on the way to Pt Angeles or driving east to travel along the Hood Canal. The routes are the same length but I think going along the Canal is much more scenic (I see enough trees!) This route takes you through Sequim (pronounced skwim) There are more motels to choose from here and is just a few minutes from Pt Angeles. There is also a Costco in case you want to stock up on provisions. We do have a Costco in Victoria but it is quite a ways from downtown in the opposite direction to where you will be. You can also fill up your gas tank there as they do have a gas bar.

That is just a rough idea of a scenic route which will be about 6 hours a day driving. There are also other towns along the way to stay in but timing wise that is the best. Please send me an email if you have any other questions and I can try to remember the names of some of the motels we have stayed in.

Thanks very much for such terrific detail. We are going to sit down and look over our maps carefully in the next day or so. We are looking forward to getting on the road and leaving Southern California behind and exploring Victoria. Everyone we know who has been to Victoria just exclaims how much we will enjoy Victoria. We still have some spring cleaning, putting things away, getting details settled, before the "big" vacation. There's a lot more to do when you are getting ready for guests in your home. Anyway, thanks again, I really do appreciate your generosity in giving me all this information. It is very helpful. Annetti

Since you are driving up and planning on taking the Coho from Port Angeles, might I recommend a day in Port Townsend. http://www.enjoypt.com/ A lovely town with some superb restaurants, kitschy shopping and this restored hotel: http://www.palacehotelpt.com/ .

My wife and I went through there last October and decided that it would definitely not be our last visit! It isn't on the coastal highway from Cal. but is not far off if you are making a shot up US #5/12/101. If you have to overnight in that region it is definitely superior to Port Angeles.

Thanks very much for the suggestion, Tootsall.

I've read through these posts really fast so this may have already been mentioned. Try to reserve on the Coho as soon as possible. A certain number of spots are set aside, then it is first come first serve. And just so you're not caught off guard, it <i>can</i> be a bit of a rough trip. I'm not saying that it will be but it is more inclined that way than the crossing on BC Ferries between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen.

While I'm at it, I'll mention Butchart Gardens summer dinner package from 4-8 pm. $39.85 covers admission and dinner in the Blue Poppy restaurant. This doesn't apply to some dates so I would call first. Also, telescopes are set up on Thursday nights this year.

April, thanks for the advice re the booking AND especially regarding possible motion sickness. I did not realize this crossing was more difficult than the one from Vancouver. So that note is very much appreciated!Thanks very much!!

Also, that's a nice dinner package at the Butchard. Thanks for that info., too.

Only a week or so before we hit the road. Looking forward to this trip and exploring Victoria.

I didn't mean to give the impression that the crossing more difficult - it's probably much easier to navigate than through the Gulf Islands. In high winds (which probably won't be an issue this time of year) the BC ferries sometimes don't run whereas the Coho chugs along through almost anything. The Coho is a reliable ferry.

Carmanah has me thinking of visiting Galiano again because I haven't been there in many years..

Annetti - All I can say is that we do the crossing on the Coho twice a year - spring and fall and have yet to have anything but smooth water. During the time of year when we get winter storms it can be rough but but the odds of having that happen are minimal.

Thank you both for your reassurance. I, also, called Coho Ferry and they echoed April's concerns, telling me it could be difficult, however, I will hope for the best and being a coward and also very tired of getting motion sickness, I will probably take something.

By the way, is the Oregon Coast very windy and curvy? Do I need to take preventive medicine there, too?

Finally, any hotel/motel suggestions for the last night before we board the ferry? I prefer not to be too far from the ferry in the morning. We made reservations for the 12:45 crossing, but are slow starters in the morning and probably would like to be no more than 30-40 minutes away from the ferry. We have been looking on-line, but many of the places look pretty dismal. We're thinking around $125-150. Port Townsend will be starting a festival, so I doubt they would want to rent a room on a Sat. night for only ONE night! Thanks again.

Hello again! Time is certainly flying by and soon you will be in our lovely city!! I mentioned Sequim in my itinerary suggestions as it is close to Pt Angeles but a nicer spot to stay. It is just under 1/2 hour drive at the most. We usually stay at the Red Ranch http://www.redranchinn.com/ It is very clean and comfortable and there is a restaurant on site. Sometimes we leave Victoria on the last sailing just to get across the water and spend the night in Sequim so we can get an early start in the am. Same coming home - we arrive whenever and if we are in time for the ferry great but otherwise we spend the night. As I mentioned in my other post Costco is there and certainly worth filling up your gas tank as you will get a bit of a shock when you see our prices. Ouch!!!!

I have always recommended using bonine (meclizine) for motion sickness as it doesn't make you sleepy and really does work so if you feel concerned don't hesitate to take one in the morning. The Oregon coast can be windy but not as bad as route 1 on the California coast. Its like anything else - straight stretches and curvy stretches. Just pop a pill and relax!!!! I mentioned on the cruise board that when we were on the Antarctic cruise and had extremely rough seas and force 10 winds the people who had patches etc were coming to me and asking for my meclizine (I had the giant economy size from Costco!)

Thanks again, traveller69 for the hotel recommendation and for answering my questions re the Oregon Coast. I am happy to hear that it is not as bad as California route 1. We just made our last pre-trip visit an hr ago to Costco. What does gas go for in Canada? I seem to remember that gasoline is sold by the liter there?

Right now depending on where you are gas is anywhere from 1.05 to 1.08 a litre. The price is going down slightly but it depends on where you live as far as city or transit tax goes. For argument sake the equivalent would be approx $4.00 CAD for a US Gallon.

Thanks, traveller69 for the answer.