Tara

Hi - After reading this board, I have decided that I would like to take my family to Vancouver Island next year for our June vacation. However, I need some help to do that with some answers to the below questions. Please help!! Thanks! <BR>1) I'm coming from central US (Missouri). Where is the best place to fly into? The airline I use flies into Seattle Washington or Vancouver, CA. <BR>2) I'm assuming the answer to the above is Vancouver. If so, once I arrive at the airport there, how do I get to the ferry to Vancouver Island? <BR>3) How long is the ferry ride? About how much does it cost? <BR>4) What's a moderate place to stay on the island? We would like to do whale watching. <BR>5) Do we have to have a car to get around? <BR> <BR> <BR>

sheri

Hi Tara, Vancouver Island is about 300 miles long, so you'll probably want to do a little more research to decide where exactly on the island you'd like to go. <BR> <BR>Flying into Vancouver BC would be most convenient. There are ferries to Vancouver Island from Tsawwassen, a short drive south of the airport. However, which ferry you take to the island will depend on where you are going on the island (there are also ferries from Horseshoe Bay, north of Vancouver). A good starting point for planning the ferry travel portion of your trip is the BC Ferries website (www.bcferries.bc.ca), which will give you information on routes and fares. <BR> <BR>How long do you have for your trip? If you have at least four or five days, for whale watching, I'd plan to visit both the Victoria area and the Tofino area (about a five hour drive from Victoria and well worth it). You'll be looking for orcas near Victoria and gray whales near Tofino. You'd need a car for this itinerary. If you just want to visit Victoria, you wouldn't need a car, but I think it would be a shame to come all this way and not see more of the island than Victoria. If you have more time, Strathcona Park is breathtaking, and there are more orca pods at the north at the northern part of the island (near Telegraph Cove). <BR> <BR>Once you've done some more reading about the island and have decided on an itinerary, you'll probably want to post again for specific lodging ideas. It would also be helpful to know if you are a couple or a family with children, and what your idea of "moderate" is.

Rayanne

Dear Tara, <BR>We had a great time on Vancouver Island September 99. You can go whale watching from both Victoria and Tofino. We saw a pod of orcas from Victoria and humpback from Tofino. We can recommend Tin Wis hotel in Tofino - right on the shore. Good food at the Sea Shanty, Wickaninnish Inn and the Crab Shack. <BR>Have a great time if you go.

Robyn

If you can fly into Vancouver, by all means do so as it would be more convenient. Seattle is about a 3 hour drive south of Vancouver. <BR> <BR>Sheri and Rayanne have excellent ideas. <BR>Just keep in mind that Vancouver Island is *huge* (for an island, that is!), and there's so much there in terms of beaches, parks, cities, villages, rainforests, mountains, etc. <BR> <BR>You might also want to check out this Vancouver Island website to begin you planning! <BR> <BR>http://www.vancouverisland.com/ <BR> <BR>You might also want to search travel books on the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and Vancouver Island. There's a lot of info out there! Hope this helps!

April

The ferry to Victoria will cost about $45 Can. for two passengers and a car. However, you can also catch a bus from the Vancouver airport which will take you on the ferry and into Victoria. The trip across the water takes an hour and a half. Another option is to go to Nanaimo. <BR> <BR>http://bcferries.bc.ca/schedules/mainland/index.html <BR> <BR>Or you could fly, although you might find the ferry ride picturesque through the gulf islands. We just took a Horizon Air flight between Seattle and Victoria and it was very pleasant (comfortable seats!), and there are probably more frequent flights out of Vancouver. Helicopters (ouch$$) and float planes are also available. <BR> <BR>Personally, after a long flight the last thing I want to do is catch a bus and ride a ferry but maybe I've seen the scenery too many times. <BR>

Mike Bilinski

www.vancouverislandabound.com-all kinds of travel info. <BR>www.tourismvictoria.com-self explanatory. <BR>www.marinelinktours.com-something different worth considering. <BR>www.surfingvancouverisland.com-again all kinds of info a well-done site. <BR>www.stubbs-island.com-one of the oldest best-run Whale Watching companies on the Island <BR>www.tofino-bc.com-where most people end up ressies a MUST!! <BR>www.sookeharbourhouse.com-fine dining exceptional B&B. <BR>No car no fun IMO. <BR>You have some work to do!