San Juan Islands and Victoria in 4 days
Aug 12th, 1999, 05:37 PM
#1
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San Juan Islands and Victoria in 4 days
We (two couples) will be traveling in the Seattle area first week of October for 4 days & nights and would like to spend our time in and around the the San Juan Islands and Victoria area. Looking for feedback on a workable schedule, what to see and do, recommendations/tips on ferries & schedules, lodging, good seafood eating spots, etc. We open to staying the night on a number of San Juan Islands if recommended. Would like to stay at Empress Hotel or equivalent in Victoria.
Aug 13th, 1999, 05:18 AM
#2
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Todd,
I am not familiar w/travel to/from San Juans from Victoria area. However, my husband and I did spend 8 days on Orcas Is. 8/97. We flew into Seattle, drove to Antacortes and took the ferry. As I recall, the ferry schedule becomes less flexible sometime after Labor Day. Think you need to check this first. There was a good thread not too long ago on the San Juans [including a website]. Do a search..there was some good info. We stayed at Turleback Farm Inn and loved it. Orcas is a beautiful island and would highly recommend staying there.
Hope others have some tips for an October vacation.
I am not familiar w/travel to/from San Juans from Victoria area. However, my husband and I did spend 8 days on Orcas Is. 8/97. We flew into Seattle, drove to Antacortes and took the ferry. As I recall, the ferry schedule becomes less flexible sometime after Labor Day. Think you need to check this first. There was a good thread not too long ago on the San Juans [including a website]. Do a search..there was some good info. We stayed at Turleback Farm Inn and loved it. Orcas is a beautiful island and would highly recommend staying there.
Hope others have some tips for an October vacation.
Aug 13th, 1999, 05:23 AM
#3
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Todd,
I am not familiar w/travel to/from San Juans from Victoria area. However, my husband and I did spend 8 days on Orcas Is. 8/97. We flew into Seattle, drove to Antacortes and took the ferry. As I recall, the ferry schedule becomes less flexible sometime after Labor Day. Think you need to check this first. There was a good thread not too long ago on the San Juans [including a website]. Do a search..there was some good info. We stayed at Turleback Farm Inn and loved it. Orcas is a beautiful island and would highly recommend staying there.
Hope others have some tips for an October vacation.
I am not familiar w/travel to/from San Juans from Victoria area. However, my husband and I did spend 8 days on Orcas Is. 8/97. We flew into Seattle, drove to Antacortes and took the ferry. As I recall, the ferry schedule becomes less flexible sometime after Labor Day. Think you need to check this first. There was a good thread not too long ago on the San Juans [including a website]. Do a search..there was some good info. We stayed at Turleback Farm Inn and loved it. Orcas is a beautiful island and would highly recommend staying there.
Hope others have some tips for an October vacation.
Aug 13th, 1999, 08:34 AM
#4
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I have been to Lopez Island twice - but not for 5 years at least. I LOVED it there. I stayed at a wonderful B&B called the Inn at Swifts Creek (or something like that). It was near the ferry dock, fabulous breakfast, and a private hot tub in the woods under the stars. Lopez is tiny and mostly flat, and if you rent bikes, you can get around the entire island. It WAS lovely and rural at the time - I think it has been built up some since my last visit.
Aug 13th, 1999, 01:58 PM
#5
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Todd, I think it's most enjoyable to stay on one island and do day trips to others, rather than move around, especially since you have such a short amount of time. Personally, I would spend all four nights on Orcas and forget about Victoria! But if you must go, there should be a ferry going first thing in the morning from the islands to Victoria (fall ferry schedules haven't come out yet, though).
My three favorite B&Bs on Orcas are Spring Bay, Chestnut Hill and Turtleback, but there are quite a few other good ones as well. I'm not a fan of the Empress--way too expensive, for service that could best be termed indifferent. I much prefer the Laurel Point.
Hope that helps you get started!
Sheri Doyle
Pacific Northwest Journeys
Seattle WA
My three favorite B&Bs on Orcas are Spring Bay, Chestnut Hill and Turtleback, but there are quite a few other good ones as well. I'm not a fan of the Empress--way too expensive, for service that could best be termed indifferent. I much prefer the Laurel Point.
Hope that helps you get started!
Sheri Doyle
Pacific Northwest Journeys
Seattle WA
Aug 14th, 1999, 12:52 AM
#6
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You ask about the ferry schedule. They have this at: http://www.sanjuanweb.com/Ferry/
I also recommend staying on one (maybe two) of the 3 ferry islands for your brief trip. Lopez is hardly tiny (and if you bike it doesn't seem flat). I would recommmend staying on San Juan or Orcas. Both have tons of B&Bs and inns.
As for resturants we liked The place by the San Juan ferry (that's its real name) and the Roche Harbor resort for dinner on SJ. As for Orcas we liked Ship Ashore but HATED Christina's! What a let down from what guide books told us there. Meal was awful at Christina's. Deer Harbor has a good place to eat dinner though.
I also recommend staying on one (maybe two) of the 3 ferry islands for your brief trip. Lopez is hardly tiny (and if you bike it doesn't seem flat). I would recommmend staying on San Juan or Orcas. Both have tons of B&Bs and inns.
As for resturants we liked The place by the San Juan ferry (that's its real name) and the Roche Harbor resort for dinner on SJ. As for Orcas we liked Ship Ashore but HATED Christina's! What a let down from what guide books told us there. Meal was awful at Christina's. Deer Harbor has a good place to eat dinner though.
Aug 16th, 1999, 02:06 AM
#7
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If not the Empress in Victoria, perhaps the Ocean Pointe Resort.
October might be still be good for colourful foliage if you want to visit Butchart's Gardens. It's not so busy then either. Another nice but smaller garden is at Hatley Park (& castle) and it's free.
Bring rain gear just in case.
October might be still be good for colourful foliage if you want to visit Butchart's Gardens. It's not so busy then either. Another nice but smaller garden is at Hatley Park (& castle) and it's free.
Bring rain gear just in case.
Aug 20th, 1999, 03:11 PM
#8
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The Empress hotel in Victoria is THE most elegant, and probably expensive also, in Victoria. If you can afford it Ð go for it.
If you are planning to be in Victoria, don't miss Butchart Gardens! I don't know if they are opened in October, but if they are Ð it's a must! they are about 10 miles north of the city of Victoria.
If you are planning to be in Victoria, don't miss Butchart Gardens! I don't know if they are opened in October, but if they are Ð it's a must! they are about 10 miles north of the city of Victoria.
Aug 20th, 1999, 03:38 PM
#10
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I must say, I'm quite surprised by the so-called "experts" and their opinions. Any where on the San Juans is gorgeous and you will get great prices since you aren't coming in the summer. And as for your victoria trip, the Empress is great and be sure and go see the gardens. It is breathtaking. Another web site to check out is www.anacortes.org. Oh, and one thing about the ferry schedule....it's not as bad as elaine said. Actually, it's easier to to get aboard at that time of year than the 3 to 4 hour waits in the summer. Come!! Enjoy!! Welcome to God's country 
Aug 21st, 1999, 12:10 PM
#11
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Jan: Who are these "so called experts" you are referring to and what opinions are you surprised by?
Low season prices for The Empress are listed at: $135-270 double.
Laurel Point: $125-450
Ocean Pointe: $119-402
The comment about indifferent service at The Empress reminded me of a situation I witnessed there years ago. For a very special anniversary a couple had brought their boat over from the mainland and planned to have dinner at The Empress. For some reason they were not seated in the dining room but were shuffled aside with drinks. Time passed and periodically they would ask about their table only to be brushed off. Now getting tipsy and more upset (rightfully so, in my opinion), this couple started to get loud at which point they were thrown out of The Empress!
As mentioned, this happened some time ago but I have never forgotten the shoddy treatment these people received. They started out so happy and pleasant and left with a ruined anniversary celebration.
Back in those days (don't know about now) you could have tea and dessert in lobby in the evening. The service was routinely poor but one time, after waiting about an hour, I finally had to track someone down to wait on us.
That said, my last few experiences in The Empress have been very good and the service was exceptional. Maybe things have improved?
I sometimes wonder how quiet it is in the front rooms of The Empress on the occasions when people are bongo-drumming across the street, the boom boxes are cruising down Government Street or some rally is happening in front of the legislative buildings. Perhaps someone who's stayed there could say.
Still, for the ultimate Victoria experience, I'd have to say - The Empress is it. If you don't stay there, at least walk through and perhaps have afternoon tea.
In October there likely won't be masses of flowers at Butcharts but hopefully the foliage will make up for it.
Low season prices for The Empress are listed at: $135-270 double.
Laurel Point: $125-450
Ocean Pointe: $119-402
The comment about indifferent service at The Empress reminded me of a situation I witnessed there years ago. For a very special anniversary a couple had brought their boat over from the mainland and planned to have dinner at The Empress. For some reason they were not seated in the dining room but were shuffled aside with drinks. Time passed and periodically they would ask about their table only to be brushed off. Now getting tipsy and more upset (rightfully so, in my opinion), this couple started to get loud at which point they were thrown out of The Empress!
As mentioned, this happened some time ago but I have never forgotten the shoddy treatment these people received. They started out so happy and pleasant and left with a ruined anniversary celebration.
Back in those days (don't know about now) you could have tea and dessert in lobby in the evening. The service was routinely poor but one time, after waiting about an hour, I finally had to track someone down to wait on us.
That said, my last few experiences in The Empress have been very good and the service was exceptional. Maybe things have improved?
I sometimes wonder how quiet it is in the front rooms of The Empress on the occasions when people are bongo-drumming across the street, the boom boxes are cruising down Government Street or some rally is happening in front of the legislative buildings. Perhaps someone who's stayed there could say.
Still, for the ultimate Victoria experience, I'd have to say - The Empress is it. If you don't stay there, at least walk through and perhaps have afternoon tea.
In October there likely won't be masses of flowers at Butcharts but hopefully the foliage will make up for it.
