Port Angeles to Seattle
 

I'm going on a roadtrip this summer in May with a few friends and we'll be in Victoria a couple days. What would be the quickest way from Port Angeles into Seattle? Were were thinking down 101 and then up I-5. Would that be the best way to avoid all the extra boats and ferries?

If you want to avoid all ferries, go down to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (SR 16) and cross there - saves ~60 miles over going all the way to Olympia.

That said, the fastest way is via the Bainbridge Island ferry.

I've been looking on AAA TripTik and it says there is quite a bit of construction happening on that route to Tacoma. How long is that supposed to last? Going down to Tacoma would also be perfect because we really wanted to see the Museum of Glass. How long would it take us to Tacome and then into Seattle?

Tacoma to Seattle stretch is almost exactly 30 mins. Not sure the Port Angeles to Tacoma time.

As above, I always use the Bainbridge Island ferry for this drive.

Allow most of 2 hours from PA to the Narrows bridge, then 20 min. from the bridge to the MoG, then more like 40 min. traffic notwithstanding) to most of central Seattle. Tacoma is very trafficky these days. Driving around generally adds around an hour and a half compared to taking the Bainbridge ferry (i.e. the same or more as a separate Seattle - Tacoma round trip.)

would I be able to get to PA by noon if I leave the Seattle airport by 7am?..Looking for a scenic route but getting there by noon...Thanks.

Yes, you will have plenty of time. Stop in Port Townsend and visit Fort Worden. Walk around the old bunkers and the lighthouse...great scenery around there.

FWIW - when going to PA, my former preference was to take the Bainbridge ferry from Seattle.

In the last couple of years, though, I've switched to driving the entire route, first driving south to the Tacoma Narrows bridge, then north again on 101 to PA. I've found that driving is both cheaper than ferry fares (my car gets 40 MPG on the highway) and more reliable, as it rarely takes more than 2-2.5 hours to make the trip, assuming I can time the drive to avoid rush hour traffic in metro areas.

When one considers that the ferry ride takes about an hour, with (at best) a half-hour on each end to wait for the ferry then drive onto and off of it -- the time differenc really is minimal.

The ferry's more fun than driving, though, and on a nice day the view is wonderful from the top deck.

So, for your consideration.

The Bainbridge ferry is 30-35 minutes at most, not an hour. I lived there for 18 years and rode the ferry twice a day, and it never took longer than that. Unless you are going at peak times, you can show up 10-15 minuts ahead and get on the next boat. Unloading cars takes 10 to 15 minutes for the last cars. 0 minutes for the first ones.

Having encountered way many too many traffic jams on the Seattle to Tacoma stretch of I-5, and long waits to get over the Tacoma Narrows bridge, I would not myself every consider going south to get to Port Angeles.

Yes, the ferry does cost more.

Is there a particular reason you don't want to use the ferry? I'm not sure what you mean "all the extra boats and ferries". As above, it's just one simple short ferry ride that saves you a LONG and not particularly scenic drive around.