Gig Harbor/Seattle day tripping
 

I'm trying to plan our our Spring Break trip to Seattle and needed some advice. Here's our rough itinerary: Saturday: downtown Seattle, head to VRBO cabin in Gig Harbor. Sunday: Mt. Ranier, snow play area w/ kids. Monday: ferry to Seattle, zoo, Pikes market, etc. Tuesday: olympic loop, rain forest, forks. Wednesday: Snowqualmie Falls, possible more snow play. Thursday: head to san Juan islands, early, end up in Whistler that afternoon (about 5 hr. drive, right?). Friday: Whistler snow mobile tour, head back to Gig Harbor. Saturday: any last minute stuff kids want to day, canoe lake, beach walks, etc. Sunday: Seattle in AM, fly out around 2

Here's what I'm debating...we really want to get in 1 snow mobile trip and some snow play for the kids...if we can do that in Washington, I don't mind skipping Whistler. Is there typically enough snow mid-March to do that in Washington? Also, will Mt. Ranier still have enough snow that we'll be able to have some snow play time there? I realize this is a very active trips - which ours usually are - but just wanted to make sure we can do all scheduled in timeframe.

Realize I'm too early in season to see whales so debating whether or not to skip San Juan islands on this trip and hit them up on a summer one. Any other tips or hints would be appreciated!

Are you thinking of doing most of these as day trips from Gig Harbor??? Yikes! Lots of driving!

You can't do the San Juans and Whistler in one day from Gig Harbor. I'm gathering you want to take a whale boat and that is your purpose of going to the San Juans. You can get a boat from Anacortes on the mainland, maybe. That is not prime whale watching time, I don't believe. The Orcas are not there yet. There are other whales and maybe some boats go out but you should check on that.

That said, doing that and also Whistler would be quite the looong day. Whistler might be 5 hrs from Seattle, but Gig Harbor is another hour, at least, and then there's the border and getting through Vancouver that could take awhile. If you go to Anacortes, too, and whale watching, you'd be hard pressed to get to Whistler that night. It could be done, but why would you want to do that?

Very, very rushed "vacation."

Mt. Rainier has no shortage of snow in March. Not sure where you'd snow-mobile, though. Why not take the kids for sno-board lessons or ski lessons at Crystal? It's one of the best ski areas in Washington and on Mt. Rainier.

Snoqualmie Falls has no snow, but Snoqualmie Pass might. We are not having a snowy year. Snoqualmie Pass is a ski area. They have tubing. It is not as high as Crystal and subject to Puget Sound weather - rain. Crystal is far superior. It's just farther away for most of us. (same problem as Cypress Mt. near Vancouver, where they are going to have to make snow for the Olympics).

I'd go back to the drawing board on this itinerary and stay closer to Gig Harbor or visit some places overnight, like on the Olympic peninsula. In fact, just sticking to Seattle, Mt. Rainier and the OP would make sense. Skip Whistler and your whale watching idea. It's just too much in one week. Or toss the OP. Just narrow it down a bit.

Is your trip to the San Juan Islands to see the whales, or to go to some of the islands by ferry? If it is either one of these, you can forget about Whistler that day. You would have to wait for a scheduled ferry in Anacortes to get to the islands, do some sightseeing, then wait for a ferry to take you back to Anacortes. The ferry to Friday Harbor, for instance, runs only every couple of hours in March (winter schedule), and takes close to an hour and a half to get there.

If your plan is to take a whale watching trip out of Anacortes, the Orca season does not start until May. Even if they were running, they take several hours, so you would not be able to get to Whistler very easily that day.

I'd suggest you go to Google Maps, or Mapquest, put in your destinations and see how long it takes to drive to the places you intend to go. I think you are biting off more that you expected. You might want to trim back your plans and be able to expect a more pleasant vacation.

BTW, this has been the warmest winter we have ever had in the region, so snow cover may be really thin by March. The Winter Olympics are in real trouble.

We are happy to help you on this Forum, but you have to get real.

:-)

Thanks, Orcas and Nukesafe, for the suggestions. You know, I am from Texas so we're serious road warriors - have to be to get anywhere here - but I think both of you have hit the nail on the head about trimming back my plans. There are just so many awesome places in that area I want to see...guess we'll just have to come back in the summer when we can see some whales!

See what you think of this - attempt #2....
Saturday - Seattle for dinner, head to cabin
Sunday - explore surrounding areas, Tacoma for groceries, zoo
Monday - head to Crystal Mountain ski area for snow play w/ kids, snow boarding lessons for Zach
Tuesday - ferry to Seattle, Pikes Market, Space needle,
Wednesday - Head to OP
Thursday - possibly still in OP
Friday - back to Mt. Ranier for more snow stuff or to Mt. St. Helens for exploring
Saturday - hang around cabin, last day actities at kids request
Sunday - flying home

Okay - so if we stay in OP overnight, where would you guys suggest? I've read reviews on both Lake Crescent Lodge and the lodge at Kalaloch. We've booked a cabin in Gig Harbor that we'll leave our stuff at and will take overnight back w/ us so I'd prefer to NOT stay somewhere expensive since we'll be paying for the cabin that night...don't mind another stay somewhere else just don't want it to be too expensive. Any other suggestions in this area that we shouldn't miss?

I really appreciate ya'lls help in planning this - you've both already made a HUGE difference! Many many thanks...

Is it too late to get a refund on the Gig HArbor cabin? The reason I ask is because most of your desired destinations are better suited to a home base in the Olympic Penninsula...with the exception of Mt Rainer (altho doable) but Mt St Helen is way south by Portland and really not a day trip from Gig HArbor but a day trip from Portland....
Anyway maybe you chould consider a home base at Port Ludlow resort www.portludlowresort.com

Somehow the words "Gig Harbor" and "cabin" don't match up for me; Gig Harbor is quite an upscale little suburb these days. You certainly don't have to go to Tacoma for groceries.

I don't see any problem with spending a couple of days circling the Olympic Peninsula; you might find inexpensive lodging in Forks which would be about halfway around from a base in GH.

I'm reading this post with interest, because I live here (Seattle) and don't know the answers to ANY of these questions :-)

My opinion: too many 'notes'...you'll be exhausted with all that driving..(same mistake we made first time we went to France--tried to see the entire country in 7 days...and all we saw was the highway)..

Decided what the 'musts' are..be sure to rend a car with 4 wheel drive for mt. Rainer and/or keep abreast of the weather reports...It is a long drive from seattle..about 4 hours in summer, I think. You can do the zoo, the market and the art museum in one busy day,maybe even the Space Needle. If you wnat to do the "experience music thing" leave lots of time for that.

I'd skip Gig Harbor (what's to see there special?), be sure to take a ferry ride somewhere...maybe if you stay in downtown Seattle, you can walk on the Winslow ferry and enjoy that, then walk the little
town. have a nice fish dinner, etc,

Like azzure, Gig Harbor and cabin don't really go together. I used to live in Gig Harbor and it's become more and more developed over the years. So I'm wondering if the cabin is toward Fox Island or on the Key Peninsula. If it's in a more remote area, you'd need to factor that into your driving times. Plenty of grocery stores/restaurants/shopping in Gig Harbor, so you don't need to go to Tacoma for that.

I'm guessing your Tuesday plan is to drive north to Bremerton or Bainbridge Island and take the ferry to Seattle? Either way is going to take a while so start early or you won't have a lot of time in Seattle to see what you're interested in.

Good idea to skip Whistler and go to Crystal Mt. I'm not sure if you'll be skiing as well but there's a restaurant on top called Summit House that has good food AND a killer view of Mt Rainier if the weather is clear (accessible only to skiers/boarders). At Paradise on Mt Rainier they have free ranger guided snowshoe walks--that could be a lot of fun. In March they are weekend only. Rainier will have dozens of feet of snow still! And if it's clear it will be stunning.

http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisi...CP_JUMP_142395

Following up on Christy1, the Vancouver Olympic Committee is importing snow to Whistler because Mother Nature has not cooperated. They were farsighted enough to "store" snow under blue tarps at higher altitudes just in case Whistler came up short...and it has.

Wow, guys, all the positive tips are just amazing...thank you all so much for helping to make this trip one of our best yet! I'll try to address all comments as you all have been so very, very helpful!

1Jar - we've found that traveling w/ 2 wild children we're best situated for rental cabins/houses so we don't have to be concerned about their loudness...we also just fell in love w/ the online pictures of this cabin...on the lake, tall trees, outdoor hot tub, etc. It seemed to meet all of our needs. Thank you for your tip on skipping Mt. Saint Helens...we might head over to Snowqualmie falls instead.

azzure & 321go - here's the cabin link: http://www.vrbo.com/189647 I went back and read her comment section and she mentions key peninsula... how much time will that add on to the Mt. Ranier drive? I do plan on taking the ferry to Seattle so the kids can enjoy the ride. We're spending some time in Seattle Saturday night so hope to maybe get 1 or 2 things done that evening fun. Certainly want to see Pikes market and space needle but main focus of trip is outdoorsy, nature stuff.

Clarasong - hadn't thought of 4-wheel drive so we'll look into that at airport...think we've reserved a jeep liberty. I mapquested to Mt. Ranier and it said 2 hrs but I seem to of been complete off my rocker when planning this trip so I could be wrong again...lol...

What's the general vote on zoos? I've read the one in Tacoma is nice and all rave about one in Seattle - would like to do one or the other but not sure which one yet.

Christy 1 - I wouldn't know how to put on a ski even w/ instructions and me attempting to actually get upright would probably make a great funnies home videos clip! I've only seen it a few times (Durango & Banff) so snow play is about the max we plan on doing. The guided snowshoe walk sounds awesome - right up my alley - but not my 4 yr old...I'd end up getting a real workout 'cause I'd have to haul my big bootie around AND hers...lol...

We def want some snow play, tho, and most say there should be plenty still around in mountains...even w/ the tough winter you guys have had w/ lack of snow. Neither of my kids have seen snow...haven't been able to drag them away from Disney before now during Spring Break! Looking into the snow play areas at local parks but not sure where to get equipment - any supply stores you guys recommend that are in the gig harbor area or en route to Ranier?

Bobmrg - thanks for for the info...my whole reasoning in going to Whistler was to see snow...boy, wouldn't that have been a bummer if we made the drive and surprise - no snow!

Again, thank you to all for helping out - sure appreciate it!

OK, that gives me a better idea of where the cabin is located. It's probably 15 to 20 minutes drive to Hwy 16 which is the main highway that goes north to Bremerton and southeast to Tacoma. It's a rural area. Lots of outdoors, lots of nature. Buy your groceries in Gig Harbor, which is the nearest decent sized town.

Both zoos are good; the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle is larger, has a better variety of animals and a number of award-winning exhibits. http://www.zoo.org/Page.aspx?pid=191 The Point Defiance Zoo has a very good shark exhibit and another aquarium and has many animal presentations. http://www.pdza.org/

Bobmrg is incorrect. Whistler has plenty of snow, 32 feet so far this year. It's Cypress Mountain, which is right next to Vancouver and at a lower elevation, that is trucking in snow for the Snowboard and freestyle ski events. But I would agree that it's not worth going to Whistler if you don't ski. Someplace like Paradise at Rainier, where you can play right next to the parking lot, is much better for little kids than a huge, busy ski resort.

And we actually have had plenty of snow here as well. I've been skiing every weekend since November 16th! We're doing better than almost anywhere in the country in terms of snow.

Jenandkev,

That cabin really looks nice! I can see why you chose it. I live in Washington, and it looks nice and woodsy even for here. I would think the kids would have a lovely vacation by staying right there. If they haven't seen snow before, though ---

I'm sure you will love our part of the country.

:-)

You will find more snow than the law allows on Mt. Rainier and at the higher elevations. Mt. Rainier is glaciated, as are other peaks in the Pacific NW. It is snowcapped year round. I believe it will be 2 hrs from Gig Harbor, as well. I think Mt. St. Helens is fascinating, if it is open. The first visitor's center, at the bottom, would also be about 2 hrs from Gig Harbor. The top center could be snowed in, but it is still a great place to visit. The shows at the National Park Service visitors are fantastic.
You should not be driving where you need a four wheel drive. If there is snow on the roads, you should go back. It gets icy and treacherous, if there is snow. This should not be a problem in March. The main roads, even to Mt. Rainier, should be clear, and if not, you don't belong on them. They are twisty windy, and possibly icy if there is snow. You might need chains.
Be sure to check the snow at Snoqualmie Pass before you go. Make sure the tubing area is open. If it is not, I would not drive all the way to Snoqualmie Falls just to see the Falls. It will probably take you 1 1/2 hrs to get to Snoqualmie Falls, up boring interstate hwy (and heavily congested). And, as I said before, Snoqualmie Pass is past the falls - probably 30 more minutes.
On the Olympic Peninsula, it might be fun to stay at Lake Crescent or Kalaloch, if the lodges are open. You can find them on the internet. The Washington Coast is not so exciting from the car. IT is NOT like the Oregon coast, which is nearly all public, with a highway hugging the coast nearly the entire way. The road in Washington goes through forests and clear-cuts. You will learn a lot about logging.
Tacoma is worth spending some time in. The Washington State Historical Society Museum in the downtown is excellent, and very kid-friendly. You and the kids will have a fun time learning about the state. There is also a renowned glass museum. Dale Chihuely (sp?) the famous glass artist, is from Tacoma. At the glass museum, you can see artists blowing glass. The art museum in Tacoma is also very good and has good displays for kids. These are all within walking distance. The big "must" is the historical society museum.
Point Defiance Park in Tacoma has more than the zoo. There are paths, kayak rentals, forts, and all kinds of fun things. You could spend a lot of time there.
In Seattle, the kids would enjoy the Ballard Locks. You can see the salmon ladders and learn how the salmon jump through the locks to return to the streams of their birth to spawn. Also, you can watch the ships go through the locks and see a film about how the locks were built. It's not far from the Zoo in Seattle, so you could do that in one easy day.
You will have a grand time. There will be plenty of nice day trips and you can take them as you wish, depending on the weather.

OK, Christy1. I defer to your local knowledge. We watch the Canadian news on CBUT every night, and their view of the snow situation is far more dire than what you report...but it is in the nature of newscasters to be alarmists.

I've heard a lot of people confuse the situations at Cypress and Whistler Mountains. The newscasters or newspapers lead with "no snow at Olympic venues!" and everyone assumes it's Whistler. But it's Cypress they are talking about. It's been snowing nonstop lately at Whistler. I feel bad for Whistler businesses, they are taking such a hit this year because everyone thinks it's too busy ALL year to go, and now this confusion.

Okay, guys, I have 2 more questions..well, maybe more than 2...lol...

We decided to stay overnight at one of the lodges in OP and planned on heading North and touring the park counter-clockwise. Is the drive scenic enough that we need to go down to Olympia then head up 101, should I cut across Hwy. 3 then up 101 or skip it altogether and just go straight up 3/104/101 to Sequim? Drive looks pretty along the canal but wasn't sure we needed to take the add't time to do it.

If I dedicate 1 day to the San Juan Isands, would you suggest I take ferry from P. Townsend to Anacortes the ferry to SJuans? What are the must-sees and which islands? When heading back to cabin at end of day, would it be quicker to drive through Seattle or take the ferries back...if they're running...I know they have a winter schedule. What day would you suggest we tour the San Juans - weekend or weekday?

I read something somewhere about a 3 hour ferry ride that was the most scenic one in the area...that ring any bells? I just send of requests for some travel brochures but nothing beats local knowledge!

Many thanks again to for all your trip planning expertise!

Is Sequim your destination? The Dungeness Spit would be fun for the kids. It's a big strip of sand out into the water with tidal creatures in it. Here's something on the park and the Hoh rainforest. It would be great if you were able to see the rain forest. Don't know about the route being scenic. It is not considered a scenic loop. It's just a loop. I'd maximize time at destinations and minimize travel time between them.

Don't know what the 3 hr ferry ride is. There's a ferry from Seattle to Victoria that takes awhile but you aren't doing that one. The most scenic part of that trip is when you are heading towards Seattle and you finally see the hills of the tiny city at sea level, and you see snow capped Mt. Rainier looming at 14,440 feet in the background. It looks very impressive, to say the least.

In any case, taking the ferry from P. Townsend to Whidbey Island and then driving to Anacortes and taking the ferry to the San Juans from there would be a long day. Two ferries is a lot of waiting. That time of year, I don't think you'd have a big problem with ferry waits for the San Juans on either weekends or during the week. Port Townsend is a very picturesque town by the way - not a place to just breeze through.

As for which of the San Juans, I think San Juan Island with the history of the Pig War is interesting. You can visit British Camp and the American Camp, Roche Harbor. It has a nice little whale museum. Some people will speak up for Orcas Island, which has the highest point on the San Juans. It has a cute little town that has a historical society museum that is interesting.

There's a lot to do. You have to plan on spending some time actually doing it and not just driving...so much to see, so little time....that's what we always say.