Seattle and Vancouver/Victoria
Apr 23rd, 2017, 08:32 PM
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Seattle and Vancouver/Victoria
I am planning a family trip splitting time between Seattle and either Vancouver or Victoria. Trying to decide how to split time between the two. More time in Seattle or Canada - and where to stay in Canada? What is an ideal location? Better to stay on Victoria or Vancouver and what are must do's in Canada. Also, to get the most out of traveling from Seattle to Canada and back what would you recommend? Ferry to Canada, train on the way back? Float plane? Any tips and tricks would be highly appreciated. Going in mid-August, by the way. Thanks!
Apr 24th, 2017, 05:13 AM
#2
How many days are you visiting, how many of you are traveling, what are the ages and interests? How about budget?
Victoria is on Vancouver Island, reachable by air or sea (passenger-only ferry from Seattle, car ferries from several mainland locations.) Vancouver is on the mainland, reached from Seattle by air, rail or road.
Each location offers terrific opportunities for city and country activities, and all are very popular in the summer, so prices and accommodation availability becomes an issue. But without knowing more about your group and interests, we're shooting in the dark in trying to make specific recommendations.
Victoria is on Vancouver Island, reachable by air or sea (passenger-only ferry from Seattle, car ferries from several mainland locations.) Vancouver is on the mainland, reached from Seattle by air, rail or road.
Each location offers terrific opportunities for city and country activities, and all are very popular in the summer, so prices and accommodation availability becomes an issue. But without knowing more about your group and interests, we're shooting in the dark in trying to make specific recommendations.
Apr 25th, 2017, 07:34 AM
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Also, to get the most out of traveling from Seattle to Canada and back what would you recommend?
In this regard, I suggest you take the ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria and then the ferry from Sidney BC to Anacortes (or vice versa).
This will give you an opportunity to see something of the Olympic Peninsula (Port Angeles) and the San Juan Islands (Sidney-Anacortes).
Victoria is a lovely provincial town will plenty of interest to do.
HTtY
PS The drive up and down I-5 is less than thrilling, and the border crossing in an unpleasant experience times two.
In this regard, I suggest you take the ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria and then the ferry from Sidney BC to Anacortes (or vice versa).
This will give you an opportunity to see something of the Olympic Peninsula (Port Angeles) and the San Juan Islands (Sidney-Anacortes).
Victoria is a lovely provincial town will plenty of interest to do.
HTtY
PS The drive up and down I-5 is less than thrilling, and the border crossing in an unpleasant experience times two.
Apr 25th, 2017, 08:37 PM
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Hi, Sorry for not providing more info. We are splitting our time between Seattle and Canada (Vancouver or Victoria) and only have a week. Not sure which one will require more time. I'm traveling with my husband and sons (ages 19 and 21). So it's a family vacation, but gotta keep the boys happy. 
A little adventure, some good food and hopefully walkable because we ideally don't want to rent a car.
We were considering Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver and other sightseeing, but feel we'll be missing out if we don't get to Victoria.
I've heard the border crossing can be difficult. Contemplating a ferry up to Victoria, but how to get to Vancouver?? Thinking about the Cascades train back to Seattle (yes, we have rountrip tickets in and out of Seattle - didn't plan that really great.)
As for Seattle, am thinking about VRBOs but not sure of neighborhoods and getting around w/o a car. Also, while I don't have to be smack downtown, I'd like a nice area where we can walk and have access to a variety of activities or access to transportation that can get us there w/o too much pain.
Have NO idea what a must see is in Seattle other than Pike's Market. Someone also mentioned the Duck because it's a typical Seattle touristy thing and fun to do once.
Thanks for your help so far! Appreciate it.
A little adventure, some good food and hopefully walkable because we ideally don't want to rent a car. We were considering Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver and other sightseeing, but feel we'll be missing out if we don't get to Victoria.
I've heard the border crossing can be difficult. Contemplating a ferry up to Victoria, but how to get to Vancouver?? Thinking about the Cascades train back to Seattle (yes, we have rountrip tickets in and out of Seattle - didn't plan that really great.)
As for Seattle, am thinking about VRBOs but not sure of neighborhoods and getting around w/o a car. Also, while I don't have to be smack downtown, I'd like a nice area where we can walk and have access to a variety of activities or access to transportation that can get us there w/o too much pain.
Have NO idea what a must see is in Seattle other than Pike's Market. Someone also mentioned the Duck because it's a typical Seattle touristy thing and fun to do once.
Thanks for your help so far! Appreciate it.
Apr 26th, 2017, 05:54 AM
#6
Note, this is a long post, sorry.
I am going to suggest you limit yourselves to Seattle and Vancouver, and I'm (possibly) going to upset things a little with the suggestion that you rent a car (actually, an SUV) for the duration of your visit. Here are my reasons:
1. The car will allow you to stay someplace outside the central parts of each city and will more than pay for itself in terms of savings on hotels, travel to and from airports, and in time saved moving around.
2. The car will allow you to experience some of the magnificent countryside that is so central to our region, both in terms of travel between the two cities and by allowing some day trips from each. Get an SUV for the higher seating position so you can see the incredible scenery.
Regarding Victoria, here's my (personal, not 100% shared) view: The area around the Inner Harbour (where the Coho ferry and the float planes land) is very picturesque, with the BC legislative building (aka "parliament") and the Empress Hotel on two sides. There are flower baskets and cute little "olde England" touches everywhere.
However, there are thousands and thousands and thousands of tourists everywhere you turn, and every afternoon a couple of cruise ships returning to Seattle arrive just down the road, spilling yet more thousands of people, tour buses, etc. into the streets. (The Seattle-based Alaska cruises have to make a "foreign" port stop under US maritime law, and Victoria is where they do this.) Things like the (overpriced, under-delivered) afternoon tea at the Empress become extremely crowded, and everything just fills up.
(I'll say it again - this is just my personal view and others will disagree.)
If you had two weeks, I'd say, fine, go for it. Combine a visit to Victoria with a visit across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Olympic National Park back in Washington. But you don't have two weeks, and choices must be made.
Anyway, back to the car. Hotels in both Seattle and Vancouver are punishingly expensive during the peak summer/cruise season. A car will let you stay in VRBO or AirBnB type accommodations, or in hotels outside the urban core. If your lodgings are a block from a bus line, fine, but if they're not, a car can take you to a park-and-ride or transit stop, or you can just join the thousands of people who pay to park someplace. Remember with 4 of you, every time you get on a bus you're paying 4x the fare, 8x counting return. In Seattle the bus costs $2.50 - $2.75 per trip (depending on route and hours) so that's $20 - $22 per trip, which will easily pay for a day's parking.
The car will also allow you to travel outside the cities or take the scenic route between Seattle and Vancouver in one direction, thus: https://goo.gl/maps/SUQpJW9UTbA2 . This route takes you past (or you can tour) the Boeing Everett plant, home of the wide body jets and the biggest building in the world. You then take the ferry from the little town of Mukilteo over to beautiful Whidbey Island. Visit the pretty waterfront village of Langley, then head north up the island to Fort Casey State Park, with its lighthouse and coastal defense guns, and on to magnificent Deception Pass. You continue north along "Chuckanut Drive" (WA 11) to the historic Fairhaven district of Belligham (more historic buildings, cafes etc.) and then to the border. Once you're in Canada, head to the fishing port of Steveston south of Vancouver, used in the filming of the "Once Upon a Time" TV series. Then into Vancouver proper.
This route is fascinating, exceptionally scenic, and not doable except in a car. You won't have to get up at the crack of dawn to make the train departure or figure out how to get to the station in Seattle from your lodgings, or from the Vancouver station to your lodgings there.
Then IN the cities, the car will let you explore far more freely than relying on buses. In Seattle you can visit the Ballard Locks, Alki Beach, the Museum of Flight, University of Washington campus and arboretum and/or the Union Bay nature paths. You could take a day trip to Snoqualmie Falls or even to Mt. Rainier (2 1/2 hours each way.)
In Vancouver you could use the car for a day trip up to Whistler via the "Sea to Sky Highway," one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Visit the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge (free) instead of paying a small fortune to join the thousands of tourists at the Capilano Bridge. Visit the Granville Island market or the Punjabi Market in the south of the city, or hit the beach at the Spanish Banks. Maybe get a dose of culture with a Shakespeare performance at the Bard on the Beach festival, with plays conducted in tents in a park facing the city skyline. (Google these places and activities.)
You'll need to allocate some time for the border crossing(s) with a car, but if you have Global Entry you can use the Nexus lanes and speed things up, but in any case the car trip (not counting the scenic detours) is usually time-competitive or quicker than the train, all things considered. And as I said, the car will allow you to stay someplace besides the expensive and congested urban cores. Both Seattle and Vancouver are very much cities of neighbo(u)rhoods, which the car will make available while other approach's wouldn't.
Okay, enough out of me. Like I said, personal views.
I am going to suggest you limit yourselves to Seattle and Vancouver, and I'm (possibly) going to upset things a little with the suggestion that you rent a car (actually, an SUV) for the duration of your visit. Here are my reasons:
1. The car will allow you to stay someplace outside the central parts of each city and will more than pay for itself in terms of savings on hotels, travel to and from airports, and in time saved moving around.
2. The car will allow you to experience some of the magnificent countryside that is so central to our region, both in terms of travel between the two cities and by allowing some day trips from each. Get an SUV for the higher seating position so you can see the incredible scenery.
Regarding Victoria, here's my (personal, not 100% shared) view: The area around the Inner Harbour (where the Coho ferry and the float planes land) is very picturesque, with the BC legislative building (aka "parliament") and the Empress Hotel on two sides. There are flower baskets and cute little "olde England" touches everywhere.
However, there are thousands and thousands and thousands of tourists everywhere you turn, and every afternoon a couple of cruise ships returning to Seattle arrive just down the road, spilling yet more thousands of people, tour buses, etc. into the streets. (The Seattle-based Alaska cruises have to make a "foreign" port stop under US maritime law, and Victoria is where they do this.) Things like the (overpriced, under-delivered) afternoon tea at the Empress become extremely crowded, and everything just fills up.
(I'll say it again - this is just my personal view and others will disagree.)
If you had two weeks, I'd say, fine, go for it. Combine a visit to Victoria with a visit across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Olympic National Park back in Washington. But you don't have two weeks, and choices must be made.
Anyway, back to the car. Hotels in both Seattle and Vancouver are punishingly expensive during the peak summer/cruise season. A car will let you stay in VRBO or AirBnB type accommodations, or in hotels outside the urban core. If your lodgings are a block from a bus line, fine, but if they're not, a car can take you to a park-and-ride or transit stop, or you can just join the thousands of people who pay to park someplace. Remember with 4 of you, every time you get on a bus you're paying 4x the fare, 8x counting return. In Seattle the bus costs $2.50 - $2.75 per trip (depending on route and hours) so that's $20 - $22 per trip, which will easily pay for a day's parking.
The car will also allow you to travel outside the cities or take the scenic route between Seattle and Vancouver in one direction, thus: https://goo.gl/maps/SUQpJW9UTbA2 . This route takes you past (or you can tour) the Boeing Everett plant, home of the wide body jets and the biggest building in the world. You then take the ferry from the little town of Mukilteo over to beautiful Whidbey Island. Visit the pretty waterfront village of Langley, then head north up the island to Fort Casey State Park, with its lighthouse and coastal defense guns, and on to magnificent Deception Pass. You continue north along "Chuckanut Drive" (WA 11) to the historic Fairhaven district of Belligham (more historic buildings, cafes etc.) and then to the border. Once you're in Canada, head to the fishing port of Steveston south of Vancouver, used in the filming of the "Once Upon a Time" TV series. Then into Vancouver proper.
This route is fascinating, exceptionally scenic, and not doable except in a car. You won't have to get up at the crack of dawn to make the train departure or figure out how to get to the station in Seattle from your lodgings, or from the Vancouver station to your lodgings there.
Then IN the cities, the car will let you explore far more freely than relying on buses. In Seattle you can visit the Ballard Locks, Alki Beach, the Museum of Flight, University of Washington campus and arboretum and/or the Union Bay nature paths. You could take a day trip to Snoqualmie Falls or even to Mt. Rainier (2 1/2 hours each way.)
In Vancouver you could use the car for a day trip up to Whistler via the "Sea to Sky Highway," one of the most beautiful roads in the world. Visit the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge (free) instead of paying a small fortune to join the thousands of tourists at the Capilano Bridge. Visit the Granville Island market or the Punjabi Market in the south of the city, or hit the beach at the Spanish Banks. Maybe get a dose of culture with a Shakespeare performance at the Bard on the Beach festival, with plays conducted in tents in a park facing the city skyline. (Google these places and activities.)
You'll need to allocate some time for the border crossing(s) with a car, but if you have Global Entry you can use the Nexus lanes and speed things up, but in any case the car trip (not counting the scenic detours) is usually time-competitive or quicker than the train, all things considered. And as I said, the car will allow you to stay someplace besides the expensive and congested urban cores. Both Seattle and Vancouver are very much cities of neighbo(u)rhoods, which the car will make available while other approach's wouldn't.
Okay, enough out of me. Like I said, personal views.
Apr 27th, 2017, 08:34 PM
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Gardyloo, I think you just planned my vacation! Honestly, I want to thank you for your time in responding. Such great information. I'm glad you mentioned the Boeing plant. I had forgotten about that. We were also looking at the Capilano Bridge but will investigate the Lynn Canyon Bridge instead.
My only concern about the car is someone will be driving and missing out on the views. We did think about driving to Vancouver, dropping the car if it's not too expensive and taking the Cascades train back. I heard that was a beautiful trip. It we're driving up to Canada, maybe we're kind of repeating our experience via train though in the way of scenic views.
Someone else had suggested taking a ferry up to Victoria, but then that leaves us getting to Vancouver w/o a car and I think the ferry trip might cut into our time.
I have been looking at the different neighborhoods in Seattle - and was wondering if anyone could recommend a neighborhood.
One other question, do you think an equal split between Seattle and Vancouver is recommended or spend more time in Seattle vs Vancouver?
Thanks again for everyone's input!
Honestly, I want to thank you for your time in responding. Such great information. I'm glad you mentioned the Boeing plant. I had forgotten about that. We were also looking at the Capilano Bridge but will investigate the Lynn Canyon Bridge instead. My only concern about the car is someone will be driving and missing out on the views. We did think about driving to Vancouver, dropping the car if it's not too expensive and taking the Cascades train back. I heard that was a beautiful trip. It we're driving up to Canada, maybe we're kind of repeating our experience via train though in the way of scenic views.
Someone else had suggested taking a ferry up to Victoria, but then that leaves us getting to Vancouver w/o a car and I think the ferry trip might cut into our time.
I have been looking at the different neighborhoods in Seattle - and was wondering if anyone could recommend a neighborhood.
One other question, do you think an equal split between Seattle and Vancouver is recommended or spend more time in Seattle vs Vancouver?
Thanks again for everyone's input!
Apr 28th, 2017, 05:24 AM
#8
In Seattle I stayed in the Capitol Hill district, which I liked very much (unfortunately the B&B I used no longer exists). Easy access to downtown by bus and a good walking area. My only regret for Seattle was that the new Chihuly Garden and Glass wasn't open yet.
For my visit to Seattle see: https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...ttle-the-city/
I agree with skipping Victoria on such a short trip. The museum is excellent, and if the weather is good (it wasn't for me) I am sure the Butchart Gardens are worth seeing, but otherwise I was disappointed.
Public transport in Vancouver is excellent. I had no trouble getting to Lynn Canyon without a car, and you certainly don't need one in town. I have stayed twice here: https://ywcavan.org/hotel/rooms/double-rooms and it looks like the university also has accommodation: http://vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/othe...ampus-housing/
For my visit to Seattle see: https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...ttle-the-city/
I agree with skipping Victoria on such a short trip. The museum is excellent, and if the weather is good (it wasn't for me) I am sure the Butchart Gardens are worth seeing, but otherwise I was disappointed.
Public transport in Vancouver is excellent. I had no trouble getting to Lynn Canyon without a car, and you certainly don't need one in town. I have stayed twice here: https://ywcavan.org/hotel/rooms/double-rooms and it looks like the university also has accommodation: http://vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/othe...ampus-housing/
Apr 28th, 2017, 06:15 AM
#9
My only concern about the car is someone will be driving and missing out on the views. We did think about driving to Vancouver, dropping the car if it's not too expensive and taking the Cascades train back. I heard that was a beautiful trip. It we're driving up to Canada, maybe we're kind of repeating our experience via train though in the way of scenic views.
The driving route I described above - https://goo.gl/maps/SUQpJW9UTbA2 - will give you far better scenery than the brief periods on the train that are scenic.
You should do the math. The surcharge on a one way car rental plus the train cost (not cheap in cruise season) plus the logistics of getting to and from the train station(s) to airport or downtown hotels, etc. - for four people... I'm pretty sure the car will be the cheaper option.
You could even take a spectacular side trip on your way back - https://goo.gl/maps/9BUhDFa48Pm . This would take you to Artist Point and Picture Lake high in the North Cascades, with stunning views of Mts. Shuksan and Mt. Baker, e.g. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AxDYx4oPflc/maxresdefault.jpg . If you drove to Abbotsford BC in the last evening in Vancouver and spent the night there (much cheaper than Vancouver) you could be across the border early, visit Artist Point in the morning, and still be in Seattle in plenty of time. Just a thought to illustrate how having the car the whole time might be a benefit.
As for where to stay in both cities (and I think an even split is probably the best idea - you're going to have to edit your plans anyway given your short time) the car makes a difference. Hotel prices in the central part of both cities are very high, and parking the car will add to that cost pretty significantly.
In Seattle, Capitol Hill is great, but you'll need to look for AirBnB or similar accommodations; there are only a couple of actual hotels in the district. The University District (or "U-District") near the University of Washington has several good places with parking that's either free or cheap, and there are more affordable hotels located in the north of the city (around the Northgate shopping center) or south of the city near the airport. There are many hotels in the area east of Lake Washington (Bellevue, Kirkland and Redmond) but at some point the savings in hotel cost will be offset by annoying commutes (and the northerly of the two bridges across Lake Washington is tolled.)
One place you might consider on your way to Vancouver is the Silver Cloud hotel in Mukilteo - https://www.silvercloud.com/mukilteo/ - which is located two doors from the Whidbey Island ferry terminal.
If you were to do the Boeing plant tour on your way to Vancouver, you could spend the night in Mukilteo and get an early ferry to Whidbey before the traffic arrives from Seattle. There's a nice branch of Ivar's, an iconic local seafood restaurant, right next to the hotel, a terrific brewpub across from Mukilteo's cute lighthouse - http://gardyloo.us/wp-content/upload...140531_3Ha.jpg - a few steps further, and you could watch the sun set behind the Olympics from the beach next to the lighthouse, sitting on driftwood logs. It's a spectacular and affordable alternative to staying in Seattle.
In Vancouver, pretty much the same situation applies - most downtown ("West End") hotels will be pretty pricey, although the Sylvia, an old hotel in a spectacular location that's been very popular historically with Seattle visitors - https://sylviahotel.com/ - isn't too bad. Otherwise, look for B and Bs in the Kitsilano/Broadway area south of the West End, or at one or more of the former condo buildings on Robson Street that were converted to hotels years ago, like the Blue Horizon. You'll need to shop competitively to get good value in Vancouver, but it's doable.
The driving route I described above - https://goo.gl/maps/SUQpJW9UTbA2 - will give you far better scenery than the brief periods on the train that are scenic.
You should do the math. The surcharge on a one way car rental plus the train cost (not cheap in cruise season) plus the logistics of getting to and from the train station(s) to airport or downtown hotels, etc. - for four people... I'm pretty sure the car will be the cheaper option.
You could even take a spectacular side trip on your way back - https://goo.gl/maps/9BUhDFa48Pm . This would take you to Artist Point and Picture Lake high in the North Cascades, with stunning views of Mts. Shuksan and Mt. Baker, e.g. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AxDYx4oPflc/maxresdefault.jpg . If you drove to Abbotsford BC in the last evening in Vancouver and spent the night there (much cheaper than Vancouver) you could be across the border early, visit Artist Point in the morning, and still be in Seattle in plenty of time. Just a thought to illustrate how having the car the whole time might be a benefit.
As for where to stay in both cities (and I think an even split is probably the best idea - you're going to have to edit your plans anyway given your short time) the car makes a difference. Hotel prices in the central part of both cities are very high, and parking the car will add to that cost pretty significantly.
In Seattle, Capitol Hill is great, but you'll need to look for AirBnB or similar accommodations; there are only a couple of actual hotels in the district. The University District (or "U-District") near the University of Washington has several good places with parking that's either free or cheap, and there are more affordable hotels located in the north of the city (around the Northgate shopping center) or south of the city near the airport. There are many hotels in the area east of Lake Washington (Bellevue, Kirkland and Redmond) but at some point the savings in hotel cost will be offset by annoying commutes (and the northerly of the two bridges across Lake Washington is tolled.)
One place you might consider on your way to Vancouver is the Silver Cloud hotel in Mukilteo - https://www.silvercloud.com/mukilteo/ - which is located two doors from the Whidbey Island ferry terminal.
If you were to do the Boeing plant tour on your way to Vancouver, you could spend the night in Mukilteo and get an early ferry to Whidbey before the traffic arrives from Seattle. There's a nice branch of Ivar's, an iconic local seafood restaurant, right next to the hotel, a terrific brewpub across from Mukilteo's cute lighthouse - http://gardyloo.us/wp-content/upload...140531_3Ha.jpg - a few steps further, and you could watch the sun set behind the Olympics from the beach next to the lighthouse, sitting on driftwood logs. It's a spectacular and affordable alternative to staying in Seattle.
In Vancouver, pretty much the same situation applies - most downtown ("West End") hotels will be pretty pricey, although the Sylvia, an old hotel in a spectacular location that's been very popular historically with Seattle visitors - https://sylviahotel.com/ - isn't too bad. Otherwise, look for B and Bs in the Kitsilano/Broadway area south of the West End, or at one or more of the former condo buildings on Robson Street that were converted to hotels years ago, like the Blue Horizon. You'll need to shop competitively to get good value in Vancouver, but it's doable.
Jun 7th, 2017, 09:20 PM
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Hi Gardyloo, thursdaysd and happytrailstoyou,
I'm so sorry I haven't replied sooner. It's been a busy month and I am just now getting back to reviewing everything. Thanks for all of the helpful info. I think we'll be revising our plans based on everyone's input. Thanks so much. Looking forward to our trip and exploring.
I'm so sorry I haven't replied sooner. It's been a busy month and I am just now getting back to reviewing everything. Thanks for all of the helpful info. I think we'll be revising our plans based on everyone's input. Thanks so much. Looking forward to our trip and exploring.
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