Pacific Northwest Trip - Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle
 

I'm planning a trip to Vancouver, Victoria & Seattle.

My wife suggested that since we would be going northwest I should look into a stop in Banff for a few days.

Now, since that's adding 4-5 days (including extra travel) we're looking at possibly cutting somewhere.

My original plan was to spend 3 days in Vancouver (no car), take a bus/train to Seattle and spend a day there. Then take a rental car and drive to the Olympic Penninsula possibly spending the night in Port Townsend (is it worth the time?). Then the next day drive to Port Angeles (and a short drive into the Park to Hurricane Ridge) to take the ferry to Victoria. Spend the rest of the day in Victoria and stay overnight.

The next day (after spending part of the day in Victoria) take the ferry back to Port Angeles (car parked overnight - is that safe?) and return to Seattle to spend one more day before flying back home.

The last part of this plan has a few one night stops which I try to minimize.

The alternate would be to go to Victoria from Vancouver. Stay overnight and either return to Vancouver to take the train/bus to Seattle or go directly from Victoria (I believe there's some form of transportation from Victoria to Seattle).

This plan would probably reduce the number of days by one or two.

Any and all comments would be much appreciated.

I should probably mention that this trip would take place during the last half of July (2011). Anything time specific I should consider?

Thanks.

That is a very aggressive itinerary. I would suggest dropping Port Angeles/Port Townsend. My head is spinning just reading your post.

You can't do it all in a few days. I personally would choose between Seattle & Vancouver and spend a little more time in Victoria. You are doing so much moving around on your proposed itinerary that is sounds like an exercise, not a vacation.

Well, what started as a Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle trip is quickly becoming a Banff, Vancouver, Victoria trip.

I had decided to try and use air miles for this trip and American is doing their best to foil me.

I guess I should be planning earlier and have everything set 11 months out to get my dates and locations.


Now I either have to try and squeeze in Seattle or spend an extra couple of days somwhere in the Vancouver area.


Ideas?

Give up Seattle. I loved Seattle as a road trip when I lived in Vancouver, mainly for shopping and Mariners games, but it is not a simple 3 hour drive. Crossing the border can be a HUGE pain especially in the peak of summer. Budget 2 additional hours. That means a 5 hour drive each way (and that's from Vancouver, add even more travel time for Victoria). Then you have to deal with confusing highway exits, one-way streets, and limited parking. Unless the Space Needle is a lifetime "must-see", Seattle is a typical big city and you'll find little difference for entertainment than in Vancouver.

If you're driving from Banff to Vancouver, detour through Kelowna (it adds only 40 minutes to the drive) and spend a couple of days in the Okanagan (Canada's "Napa" Valley).

Or if you want to add an overnight trip from Vancouver, consider Whistler or Harrison Hot Springs. I haven't been to Harrison in a long time but it used to be nice (maybe someone has a more recent review). Or if you like to gamble, River Rock Casino and Hotel in Richmond is a good place to go.

But an extra 2 days in either Vancouver or Victoria would not go to waste. Both have so much to do and see. I hope that you've budgeted time for the Empress afternoon tea in Victoria. A bit expensive ($55 CDN), but an unforgettable experience that will give you a true taste of Victoria's British Heritage. And it's a nice contrast to the coffee house culture that has spilled from Seattle to Vancouver.