Hi,
Flying into Seattle at the end of this month. We have 7 nights for vacation-we want to see Seattle as well as Victoria and Vancouver BC. Do we need a car to accomplish this? What is the best order to travel to these places?

I'm a little surprised you are asking this question. Of course you need a car. How else where you going to go to Canada & Vancouver Island?

Actually from Seattle you can take the Clipper to Victoria. From Victoria you can take the ferry to Vancouver and from Vancouver you can take Amtrack to Seattle.

All 3 cities are pretty easy to get around in without a car, cabs and buses are good. I'm a car kind of girl but these are some good options!

Wendy

A car would be the best choice, frankly. You COULD take a train to these Vancouver and Victoria, but it would be such a hassle to get from train station to hotel, from hotel to tourist site, from tourist site to hotel, etc.

Actually, I should say that if money's no object, take the Helijet from Seattle to Vancouver. And take the same from Vancouver to Victoria and then from Victoria to Seattle. When you're in those cities, taxi your way from place to place. But that's some serious expenditure on the transportation end of things.

Have a grand time.

Oh - and others mentioned the Clipper. My advice is to avoid that thing at ALL COSTS. That boat is always late, and takes way too long to travel the short distance it does.

It boils down to rental car or Helijet. What can you afford? And go from there.

-Darvy

I've taken the Clipper numerous times with no problems as does my aunt who lives in Victoria.

Another option that is less than the helijet idea is also to take a seaplane from Seattle to Victoria.

It's probably best to add up the costs of the alternatives to having a car (if that is significant to you), giving consideration to hauling your luggage all about. One advantage of a car is going at your own pace and on your own schedule, and not having to find your way to departure points, along the convenience of not having to lug your luggage. On the other hand, I, personally, hate paying overnight parking for a rental car. And, there is often a significant price difference if you pick the car up in one location and drop it off in another, especially if you pick it up in the US, and wish to return it in Canada (which may also limit the car rental companies which accomodate this).