suzannem2011

Mother and 14yo daughter heading to Washington at the end of June for a vacation. Hoping to get thoughts on the tentative itinerary I've put together from those that really know this area, as well as suggestions for lodging. We aren't avid hikers, but wouldn't mind doing a few short hikes. For lodging, I would like to keep it under $150 per night if possible.

Day 1 - Fly into Seattle late at night. Rent car. Staying in Kent because hotels near the airport are too expensive
Day 2 - Drive to Port Angeles /ONP. See Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent. Overnight in PA.
Day 3 - Take Coho ferry to Victoria - should I leave car at ferry terminal? what about luggage? Do Whale Watching Tour and Butchart Gardens (stay for lluminations). Stay in Victoria.
Day 4 - Royal BC Museum, Inner Harbour. Take 3pm Coho ferry back to PA. Sol duc Falls. Stay in Forks.
Day 5 - Rialto Beach, Hoh Rainforest, Kalaloch. Stay in Lake Quinalt
Day 6 - Quinalt Rainforest. Drive towards Mt Rainier. Stay in Ashford
Day 7 - Mt Rainier. Stay in Ashford again
Day 8 - Mt. Rainier then Snoqualmie Falls. Stay in Seattle
Day 9 - Fly out of Seattle

I would appreciate any tips, advice, or suggestions you have. Thanks!

Gardyloo

A couple of thoughts...

This has been another snowy winter (so far) in the mountains, so I'd be concerned that Mt. Rainier is going to have a lot of snow still on the ground at higher elevations (mainly Paradise, as Sunrise probably won't be accessible.) The roads and parking areas will be bare, but many of the trails may be covered in snow and/or muddy. Most years, there's still six feet or more of snow on the ground at Paradise on July 1 (there's currently 11 feet.) And since we say in Seattle that summer really begins on July 5 (after the fireworks have lit up the clouds the night before) the odds are also very high that Mt. Rainier is going to be socked in, thus invisible. There's no knowing in advance, but if I were in your shoes I'd probably plan something else for those days and if you get up and the sun's out - and you can see the mountain from the Puget Sound basin - drop everything and do a day trip and count yourselves lucky. From Seattle it's around 2 1/2 hours to Paradise, and you'll have no shortage of daylight in late June, so it's an easy day trip.

Regarding your plans for Olympic NP and Victoria, let me pose an alternative imaginary plan for your trip, one that relegates Mt. Rainier to a day trip rather than an overnight.

1 Arrive SEA, overnight along I-5 corridor
2 La Conner, Deception Pass, PM ferry from Anacortes to Sidney BC, Butchart PM, overnight Victoria
3 Day in Victoria, PM Coho to PA
4 Olympic NP - Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent (Sequim lavender?) Overnight PA
5 Olympic NP - Rialto, Hoh Valley, overnight Forks
6 Olympic NP - Ruby Beach, Quinault, overnight Quinault
7 To Seattle area via Snoqualmie Falls, overnight Seattle area
8 Day trip Mt. Rainier, alternative Vashon Island, overnight Seattle area
9 Fly home

What this plan does is concentrate your time on the Olympic Peninsula by putting Victoria first. You'd drive north from Seatac on arrival, staying somewhere between the airport and Mt. Vernon. The next morning, visit picturesque La Conner in the Skagit Valley and also Deception Pass, the marvelous gap between Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands. Then drive a few minutes to the WA State Ferry terminal in Anacortes and take the afternoon ferry through the San Juan Islands to Sidney BC. You'd arrive in plenty of time to visit Butchart Gardens and see the illuminations.

Spend the night and most of the next day in the Victoria area, then take an afternoon/evening ferry to Port Angeles. Spend the next three days seeing the various ONP sights, then return to the Seattle area via Snoqualmie Falls. If the weather's good, make Rainier a day trip, otherwise spend that day touring the region - I'd recommend Vashon Island, or just hitting some of Seattle's fabulous neighborhoods and parks - visit the Ballard Locks, visit Alki Beach or the Union Bay wetlands near the University of Washington; whatever floats your boat.

This is a significant reworking of your plans, just submitted for your consideration. By the way, I think your lodging budget is unfortunately rather low.

NorthwestMale

I don't know how "late at night" you are going to arrive, but perhaps you would do your budget some good by NOT renting the car at the airport, and instead taking the light rail into central Seattle, after having used PRICELINE.com to land a room somewhere near to your budget, and having that room awaiting your arrival.

Then, the next day, you rent your car from a downtown location, for a lower rate than what you'd get at the airport (and for one less day too).

Then you target your return of the rental car for CENTRAL Seattle on the day before you fly home... and then take that same light rail to the airport where by then you might have used Priceline.com AGAIN to land a more affordable room right near to the airport for an easy path home.

This MIGHT even reduce your rental days by two, with the whole thing at lower costs and with fewer TAXES, and you could maybe add that to your lodging budget.

(though I do not think $150 is too low, especially if using Priceline. ) SOME family trips don't mesh well with Priceline, given need for multiple beds or the like, but a mom and a 14yo daughter can sleep in the same bed at night (if necessary) without drawing the ire of society)

At any rate, suzannem, price your car rental deal from both the airport and from a downtown Seattle rental location, and observe the difference.

(PS - you do NOT want to rent a vehicle AND THEN stay at a downtown location, because of the overnight parking costs. )