Seattle-Victoria-Vancouver
 

My future husband and I will be honeymooning in BC in early September. We will be flying in to Seattle (free tickets) and will then venture to Victoria and Vancouver. Our trip will be a total of 6 or 7 nights. Is it best to drive or ferry or public transportation from place to place? My idea was to take the ferry from Seattle to Victoria, spend 2 nights in Victoria, then take train/bus (?) to Vancouver and only rent a car if necessary once we get to Vancouver. Is this a good strategy? Reading the other posts it sounds that Victoria and Vancouver may not be great car places. Thanks in advance for your advice.

I personally would choose to rent a car for that itinerary. It CAN be done by public transportation, but having a car will give you more flexibility as far as timing, taking day trips, etc. It's particularly true for the leg back to Seattle from Vancouver, as the train only goes once a day (in the evening), and otherwise you'd have to take a bus. <BR> <BR>I think the point made in other posts was that it's not NECESSARY to have a car in Victoria or Vancouver, not that they are "not great car places". Both are easy to drive in (as opposed to, say, Boston or NYC).

I suggest renting a car in Seattle, and driving to the ferry port at Tsawwassan. There is good BC Ferries website that gives the full schedule. <BR>We had a car in Victoria and found it vital to get around and go where we wanted. The best place to visit on Vancouver Island near Victoria is Butchart Gardens. We drove out there and could stay as long as we liked. <BR>Vancouver is a little less "car friendly" like any metropolitan city. <BR>I like my wheels everywhere except Paris and London! (Not been to Rome, but here it is impossible.)

You really could do it the way you want with no trouble. You would take the bus from Victoria across on the ferry into Vancouver. It's a piece of cake and actually quite a pleasant way to go. Buses nearly always get on so there's no worry about ferry line-ups. Victoria is easy to drive but for a couple of days you could live without a car. For the trip from Vancouver to Seattle, I'd probably rent a car. <BR>

Thanks for the responses. Originally we were leaning towards renting a car, being the Houstonians that we are, I'm also always more comfy with my own set of wheels. Thanks again!

The ferry system is great, almost like a mini cruse on some of them. But definitely you need a car due to all that is there to see. If you don't get all wrapped up in your honey moon you will see alot. I don't know much about honeymoons--I've been married to a Texan for 41 years.

I've done this trip several times. Rent a car in Seattle, drive up to Port Angeles, Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula (there are several ways to get there, via ferry or bridge)and take the ferry to Victoria. After you've seen Victoria drive north on Vancouver Island to Nanaimo, and take the ferry from there to Horseshoe Bay on the mainland, and then drive into Vancouver, staying as close to the water, rather than taking the highway, as possible. <BR>When you are ready to leave Vancouver, set aside a whole day forthe drive to Seattle, and make sure you stop in some of the interesting towns on the way, rather than staying on the interstate. <BR>These cities will be no harder to drive in than Houston is, other than the steep hills. <BR>BAK

Hi buffygirl <BR>These guys are wrong, wrong, wrong. Yes you need a car, but to go between Seattle and Victoria without passing through the San Juan Islands would be a crime. You can drive your car onto a ferry to get onto Whidbey Island (a long island spreading from Seattle north). This island (not that interesitng in itself) leads you to Anarcortes, the gateway to the San Juans. From here you catch more ferries to the San Juan Islands (San Juan Island is the most historical, Orcas Island is the cutest with Moran State Park in the middle - We stayed at the Orcas Harbor Inn - they have a website - very friendly). FOr a quiet time this is better than Seattle and Victoria (where I was disappointed). You can also catch a ferry here that then takes you directly to Sidney (east of Victoria). The San Juans are the place that make two Australian boys new to the Pacific Northwest sigh when they think about them. Trees that fall into perfectly still waters. You may also see Orcas swimming by on the tidal flows at that time of the year (note that we are not country folk, being used to the cosmopolitan lifestyle but this place was great). All the ferries work out about the same price as two non-car tickets from Seattle to Victoria - but the views and the experience is priceless - don't miss it. For more info feel free to email direct. Have fun - oh one last piece of advice - add another few days to your trip so you can stop to catch your breath.

Ian, do you mean the Cascade Harbor Inn on Orcas? I'm pretty familiar with the places to stay on Orcas, and I can't think of where the "Orcas Harbor Inn" might be. <BR> <BR>Also, for anyone reading this thread and planning a summer trip, you DON'T want to take a car on the ferry FROM Port Angeles to Victoria in the summertime--you may have waits of 4-8 hours. Going the other way is ok (you'll still have long waits, but you at least can park your car in line and visit things in downtown Victoria). <BR> <BR>And finally, while I do love the San Juans and highly recommend visiting them, if you are going directly from the mainland to Victoria without stopping, then the BC Ferry route (Tswawassen/Swartz Bay) is, IMO, hands down the way to go. It's more frequent, it's faster, the ferries are nicer, and you go through the Gulf Islands, the Canadian equivalent of the San Juans.

Rallyboy, driving west from Sidney will only get them across the peninsula. Victoria is south of Sidney. <BR>

April, <BR>Would you settle for south west? <BR>Rallyboy

Rallyboy, <BR> <BR>I think more south-east. (Where's a good map when I want one?) We here just say "south". <BR> <BR>Islandgirl <BR> <BR>

Islandgirl or should that be ocean girl? <BR>hehehe <BR> <BR>According to my maps, if you drive south east of Sidney, you will end up a little wet. <BR> <BR>However, as your island is so pretty, I'll settle for south (when in Rome). <BR> <BR>:p

I meant more slightly east than west but basically south. Nevermind. There is a simple little map at: <BR>http://www.dao.nrc.ca/outreach/visit.../location.html <BR>which also shows the highway route into Victoria. <BR> <BR>Sure enough, keep going in any direction, and you'll need your yacht. But speaking of getting wet, an umbrella is always a handy item to have along in this neck of the woods. <BR> <BR>(Sorry for the sidetrack, KimK.) <BR> <BR>:- <BR> <BR>