hallwebb2

We will be traveling in WA state and BC in a few weeks and need to know how to get from Vancouver to Victoria and from Victoria back to WA. Do we need reservations? What routes would someone recommend? Thanks, Trisha

April

You don't say where in Washington, but you could take the ferry from Tsawwassen (Vancouver) to Swartz Bay (Victoria) and then the Coho from downtown Victoria to Port Angeles, WA. Or you could take the ferry back to Tsawwassen and drive down over the border.

I would probably make reservations.

NWWanderer

If your trip is in late Sept/early Oct you definitely want to check on the situation at the main border crossing between Vancouver and Seattle as construction is anticipated to reduce the available lanes going into the US from 7 to 2 sometime in that time frame (no specific date has been announced as yet). So if that's going to be happening during your trip, definitely take the Coho from Victoria to Port Angeles and drive from there to Seattle (assuming that's your destination in WA), and do make advance reservations.

hallwebb2

Thanks so much,April and NWwandere,that helped alot. Now I know I need to make reservations and which ferries to take. I think we will take the Twassawsen ferry to Swartz Bay and drive to Victoia and then take the Coho ferry over to Port Angeles because we are driving up the coast from Seattle to Vancouver earlier. Do either of you know about how long it will take to drive from Port Angeles to Seattle or the Tacoma area in a car?

NWWanderer

It'll take about 2-2.5 hours to get from Port Angeles to Seattle if you drive around, a little longer if you take the ferry from Bainbridge to downtown Seattle due to the waiting time for the ferry (unless it's a Sunday afternoon/evening, generally you should be fine getting there about 30 minutes ahead of the ferry you want; they go every 50-60 minutes).

There's not really a coastal route from Seattle to Vancouver, btw. The train goes along the coast but I-5, the main highway, does not, nor are there really any secondary roads that do. Taking Chuckanut Drive (Rt. 11) from just north of Mt Vernon to Bellingham will get a bit of coastal scenery however.

hallwebb2

Thanks again. Just one more question for now: How long does it take to get from downtown Vancouver to Twassawsen and are there places to stay close by the freeies so we can be there early?
I lied....I have another one.What points of interest are there to see from Seattle to the border? Do you know a nice place to stop for the night as we are getting closer to vancoouver on our way up to BC Thanks again and God bless
Tommorrow is church,Trisha

Orcas

Vancouver and Tsawwassen are quite close - maybe 15 miles, so staying in Vancouver shoudl not be a problem.

Seattle to Vancouver is 140 miles up I-5, so it only takes a bit over two hours to drive between the cities (plus the border crossing....)

Now, if you wanted to really see some things between Seattle and Vancouver, there is a lot. You could head east to the spectacular mountains, or west to the islands. I'd mix it up and go to the east, as you will be crossing the water anyway, going to Victoria.

Hwy 20, through the North Cascades National Park is an incredibly beautiful drive. The mountains are steep and glaciated, the waters glacial blue, the trees huge. There are lots of easy trails. You could stay one night, and return back to I-5 on the same route. Check on the internet.

http://www.nps.gov/noca/

Years ago, we stayed in a cabin at the Skagit River Resort. There were lots of bunnies on the lawn. It was very nice.

If you only have a short time enroute, you might enjoy visiting the town of LaConner for a couple of hours. It's picturesque and artsy. You could have lunch there and spend a few hours visiting the town.

Another option is to go to Anacortes and walk on the ferry to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands, and spend a night there.

You could also take the ferry at Mukleteo to Whidbey Island and visit the town of Langley and drive up the island and off at the north end and back to I-5. That would be a nice drive.

I'd still go for the mountains, though, if the weather is good, as the contrast is greater.