debra1955

I want to go at a good steady pace- allowing the rest of the group to see as much as possible of what the area has to offer. I feel we will go again and again, once they get their feet wet.
This is our first trip together- and I want them to be so excited that they will want to go again. LOL- I have always loved travel- but other demands made that hard until now.
We have the opportunity to really start living the dream. The 4 of us have all worked hard- and now it is time to enjoy retirement- and for us- that means seeing the scenery - especially nature and what God created.
Of course I want to make it all happen- but there are many of you who know far better than I if this is too mjuch to accomplish in the time we have to do it.
In May- my partner and I flew to Seattle- and did the Oregon and California Coastline to San Diego= he liked Astoria very well and wants to go back and show the area to our friends. Of course- he has no idea what is waiting in store for us at Banff and Jasper- yet I feel he will be very disappointed if we do not include Astoria and Portland- (as we intended to see Portland in May and had to leave it off because of time constraints).
I have almost made my decisions- thanks to all you great folks- now that I know how this works- I will realize it is better to have just one thread to get the best information.
After you guys look this over- if we should leave off something- then I would probably prefer it to be Victoria or Vancouver or possibly both.
Please advise if this will work and hopefully that will wrap it up.
We have decided on the mini van as the rental vehicle.
Arrive in Seattle at 3PM on Sept 9-
since we are getting there so late in the day- we better think about staying the night of the 9th and the 10th in Seattle- go to Pike market and downtown etc on the 10th. Head from there to Rockies (which route will be the best from Seattle to the Rockies)??? Do Banff- Icefields Parkway and Jasper- then return to Astoria-Portland and back to Seattle. How does this plan work and do I have enough time to complete this comfortably. OR will we be able to include either Vic. or Van.? Please advise me one last time on this and I do appreciate it. I will be thinking of you guys every step lf the way of this trip.

dxkraus

Hi, Debra. David in Seattle here. There is entirely too much driving in these itineraries. My advice is to break it up. Enjoy the locations you'll be in. Some of the trains in these areas are some of the most beautiful trips in the world. Take advantage of them.


If you want fishing, you'll find great fishing up on Vancouver Island. Astoria is okay, but very few people go to the Oregon coast for fishing. The Oregon Coast is the greatest single stretch of public beaches in the country. It deserves a week by itself.

Portland & Seattle could easily take up another week.

If you're really determined to do it, a good loop would be start in Seattle, take the Clipper to Victoria, public transit/ferries to Vancouver, drive or train to the Canadian Rockies, drive to Portland via the Columbia Gorge, a daytrip to Astoria, and back to Seattle for the flight out.

You can contact me at [email protected] and I can help you refine this. I did this professionally for many years (don't now) and I'd be delighted to help you.