our itinerary?? see any problems?
 

<BR>Hi all!<BR><BR>Firstly, i realize this we're trying to pack alot into a few days. Having said that, can you tell me if you see any major problems with it? Other than not really having a enough time, which is ALWAYS the case on our trips. We've done most of the pacific northwest before, altho Victoria and Vancouver will be new.<BR><BR>Also, this is just a portion (approx 1/4)of our western adventure, but the part that has been the most confusing for me to plan. (??)<BR><BR>Day 9: Leave Vancouver (city) and drive to Whidbey Island, take ferry to Pt. Townsend -- ressies there overnight.<BR><BR>Day 10: Take whale watching cruise. Drive to Olympic National Park, ressies in Park.<BR><BR>Day 11: Re-visit Olympic National Park - Hoh Rainforest, specifically. Ressies in park again.<BR><BR>Day 12: Leave car in Pt. Angeles and take ferry to Victoria for day. Return in evening, drive approx. 2 hrs. to Bainbridge Island -- ressies there overnight.<BR><BR>Day 13: Take am ferry to Seattle....spend 1 1 1/2 days in Seattle......<BR><BR>Thanks in advance for your constructive criticism! :-)<BR><BR>

Did you really mean 11 1/2 days in Seattle?

<BR>Oops!! No, I meant 1 1/2 days (1.5) Sorry!

to the top please!

<BR>someone answer this girl!

<BR>Thought I'd send this back up.....<BR><BR>Can ANYONE tell me what they think....in terms of time on the ferry to and from vancouver island etc?<BR><BR>Just a ballpark guess???? Anyone?? Anyone???

I've spent quite a lot of time in the Pacific NW over the last few years and think I can help.<BR><BR>I think Vancouver to Whidbey and then on to Port Townsend in a day os do-able. I'm assuming you'll jump off I-5 at Port Angeles and then over to Whidbey at Deception Pass? I love driving the length of Whidbey Island - so pastoral - so I'd suggest an early morning start out of Vancouver. There's a little general store on Whidbey Island called Greenbank, I think - great place to pick up some lunch things, and it should be about half way across the island. <BR><BR>Definitely do Hurrican Ridge and then the Hoh rainforest (Trail of Moss, etc.) You may also want to consider driving on around to Quinnault Lake. Very beautiful drive across the Olympic Peninsula but just a warning - get gas when you can!! I took a detour to drive along the coast with about 1/4 tank thinking I would be fine because my map showed a town (I was a lone female traveler.) There may have been a town near by but I never found it and meanwhile my gauge was going lower and lower! I eventually came into the town of Joyce and was able to fill up, but I've never forgotten that lesson!!<BR><BR>Not sure what you plan on doing in Victoria but Butchart Gardens was OK, tea at the Empress was a nice experience, and overall a pretty town. You might be very tired for the drive to Bainbridge when you return, though. Any reason you don't want to stay in Pt. Townsend one more night and then wake up and ferry to Seattle from there? Just a thought. You might also want to spend a little time in Pt. Townsend. Pretty little village, and I really liked my B&B there (St. James House.) <BR><BR>Hope that helps!! Let me know if you'd like any further info!

Sorry, forgot to respond to your message about travel times on the ferry to Victoria. I've never taken the one from Pt. Townsend (only from Seattle) but I remember a high speed, passenger-only ferry from Pt. Townsend that I think only took 1.5 hours. Check with the ferry website for actual times, though.

<BR>Thank you, Michele!! I appreciate your reply!<BR><BR>So, you think staying another night in Pt. Townsend makes more sense? I had thought of that, and am sure we WILL be tired. But we chose Bainbridge because it seemed to have the most direct route to Seattle for the next day. What do you think? We just want to optimize ALL our time, including the 1.5 day in Seattle (altho we've already been there twice.)<BR><BR>Please let me know what you think, ok? Thanks again!

IMHO I don't think you're saving all that much by driving to Bainbridge and then onto Seattle. I don't remember exactly how long the drive from Seattle to Pt. Townsend was, but I do remember that once I got to Bainbridge it seemed like Pt. Townsend was just a hop, skip and a jump away. Besides, I hate having to change hotels for just one night. <BR><BR>The only consideration is traffic, which can be a bear going into Seattle on a weekday morning. My personal opinion is if you drive to Bainbridge the night before, just keep on driving to Seattle. Otherwise, wake up early the next morning in Pt. Townsend, have a cup of coffee, and head on into the city.

Ok, had another thought just after I posted last. Have you considered taking an early morning ferry from Pt. Townsend back to Whidbey, then from Whidbey to Seattle?

<BR>Michele, you've really given us something to think about here! Thank you!<BR><BR>What if we left Victoria and drove to Pt. Orchard for the night, and then drove thru Tacoma to Seattle the next morning. Would that be a good compromise -- getting a jump on our days in Seattle without being too tired? Hope that makes sense...??? How would the traffic be that way?<BR><BR>BTW, we'll be in Victoria on Friday, and either ferrying in or driving to Seattle on Saturday morning.<BR><BR>Thank you SOOO Much, Michele!!!

Hmmm... I've never done Pt. Orchard from Pt. Townsend before so I'm not sure of the driving time, but that might also be a good idea. No traffic worries on Saturday!! Also, Tacoma is nice and that might give you a good change of scenery. I think Tacoma to Seattle is about an hour.<BR><BR>Let me know what you decide!!

<BR>Michelle,<BR>You got us thinking that if we're gonna drive to Bainbridge, we might as well drive a bit further (to Tacoma probably as Pt. Orchard is really close to Bainbridge! lol) and then we wouldn't have to worry about taking a ferry in the morning to Seattle.<BR><BR>I'm telling ya, having planned road-trip vacations for YEARS, I have never been as confused as I have been with this leg of this summers trip. All the various islands, bodies of water, ferries etc etc.....so thank you Michele, for helping me FINALLY clarify our plans!<BR><BR>So, how long do you think it would take from Bainbridge / Pt. Orchard to Tacoma on a Friday night? Its 66 miles, but that could mean alot, depending on where those miles happen to be.<BR><BR>Thanks again, Michele!

Not sure how long it will take from Pt. Orchard to Tacoma - I've never driven that route. You could try Mapquest and they will give you approximate driving times, although in my experience they overestimate how long it will take (or I could just be a speed demon!!)<BR><BR>The only factor on a Friday night going INTO a metro area would be the weather and time of day (or night). If it's raining and dark it will take you longer. I'd estimate an hour and a half to two hours, though.<BR><BR>Have a terrific trip!! I haven't been back in over a year and you are making my Pacific NW withdrawal pains reappear!! :-)

Getting to Seattle via Port Orchard is definitely out of your way. The road route down the west side of the sound and around through Tacoma is very time-consuming; it's a heavily traveled commuter route (big military bases all around) and the Tacoma Narrows bridge, while lovely, is not worth the detour.<BR><BR>It sounded from your post that you already have reservations on Bainbridge Island. If so, that's fine - have dinner at the Harbour Public House on Eagle Harbor (adults only) and/or breakfast at the Streamliner Diner in Winslow.<BR><BR>There is no ferry from Port Townsend to Seattle. Your choices are (a) drive to Bainbridge Island then ferry to downtown; (b) drive to Kingston then ferry to Edmonds (20 min. north of downtown); (c) ferry back to Whidbey then ferry to Mukilteo at S. end of Whidbey I., then drive to Seattle (20 min.); (d) ferry back to Whidbey, drive back via Burlington/I-5; (e) drive via Tacoma Narrows Bridge; (f) drive via Olympia; or (g) swim. Choices (a) to (c) all require around 2 hours to complete, plus ferry waiting time. Choice (d) is about 2 1/2 hours, (e) and (f) are both close to 3 hours.<BR><BR>Your plan to return to Bainbridge after your day in Victoria seems sound to me - you can hop a Seattle ferry first thing in the morning and will have had a quiet night (and probably cheaper) on the island.

Thanks, guys!<BR><BR>I think we will stick to our original plan, staying in Bainbridge and ferrying over to seattle in the morning. While i like the thought of having more control (??) by driving and not having to wait for the ferry, it makes sense that it will be faster. And anytime we can be on the water, we'll usually chose that route.<BR><BR>Thanks again Michele and John, I really appreciate your replies!