debsnj

I usually do not plan out my vacations day by day, but for this trip we have a lot that we want to see and we are quite limited on time, we are a 50 yo couple, not in great shape, love nature, crafty/galleries, and food. I don't have a desire to see the aquarium. Restaurant recommendations welcomed:

Day 1: Arrive 2 pm from NJ, pick up car, check into Fairmont, dinner. We will probably be exhausted as we are leaving our house at about 4:30 am. We couldn't get a direct flight so we are flying through Chicago.
Day 2: Pike Place Market
Olympic Sculpture Park
Possible boat tour
Day 3: Space Needle
Maybe a museum
Ferry and drive to Port Angeles
Check into Olympic Lodge
Day 4: Explore ONP, Hurricane Ridge
Day 5: Rain Forest
Ferry to Victoria
Check into hotel
Dinner at Butchart Gardens
See illuminated gardens
Day 6 Explore Victoria
Drive back to Seattle Airport, Check into hotel return car
Day 7 Early flight back home

Is day 5 doable? Will we be too tight on time. Should we do Rain Forest on day 4 and Hurricane Ridge on day 5?

How important is to make a reservation for the ferry to Victoria?

NWWanderer

Day 5 is fine, you can easily do the Hoh Rainforest from Port Angeles in a day trip. I'd combine it with a visit to one of the beaches west of Forks (e.g. Rialto or Second Beach). I don't think it matters which day you do it vs Hurricane Ridge, in fact I'd leave it open and if it's clear on Day 4, head up to Hurricane Ridge and if not, head out to the rainforest and hope for a clear day on Day 5.

Are you planning to bring your car to Victoria or leave it parked in Port Angeles? If the latter no need to reserve; if the former, definitely reserve.

Gardyloo

When are you coming? Also, day of week will make a difference on ferry space.

If you're planning on Day 6's itinerary involving the BC ferry from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen then it's a pretty long one, given likely border delays plus Seattle traffic. Otherwise I'd tend to echo NWW in that if you left the car in PA and relied on taxis/buses in Victoria (or even a separate one-day rental to get to/from Butchart etc.) it might make Day 6 easier all around, since you'd be returning from PA to Seattle rather than crossing the border in the car. I'd bet the cost tradeoff between car fare on the ferry v. taxi/rental car would come close to a wash.

I would also leave Day 3 a little open. With a car you can visit places in Seattle that offer great views but without the expense of the Space Needle. In addition if the weather's not so hot the quality of the view from the Space Needle is reduced; OTOH if it's spectacular then there are other places that are car-accessible that would be great additions to your itinerary, both inside Seattle and outside. For example you like crafty/gallery places, then you could travel to the Olympic Peninsula via Whidbey Island (two cute towns, Langley and Coupeville that meet the craft/gallery requirement big time) then take the (bookable) Whidbey - Port Townsend ferry to the Olympic Peninsula and visit more galleries plus some fabulous Victorian architecture in Port Townsend en route to PA.

y_lou

On day 5 which ferry to Victoria are you taking? The drive to the Hoh rainforest is 2 to 2.5 hours each way. It doesn't look far on the map but the roads here are slow and twisty. I wouldn't want to do all that driving and then feel rushed at the Hoh because I needed to get back for the ferry. It would be a better choice to go there on day 4 and head up the ridge on the morning of the day you go to Victoria. When are you coming? It had been freezing here on the Olympic Peninsula lately. Hopefully you will have good weather.

suze

I'd maybe push the Space Needle &/or "museum" to Day 2 and head out to Port Angeles earlier on Day 3.

NWWanderer

Oh good point y lou, I misread the post and thought they were taking the ferry to Victoria on Day 6.

bspielman

Dinner recommendations--Vancouver Island: Avoid Butchart Gardens unless you want pedestrian, mediocre food and amateurish service in an atmosphere crowded with tourists.

Instead, make a reservation at Sooke Harbour House, about 25 miles west of Victoria (you'll obviously need a car). Possible Canada's finest restaurant, with a spectacular, sweeping view of of the Olympic Mountains across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Frederique and Sinclair Philip are wonderful hosts. Excellent, locally-sourced foods, including items grown right at SHH, and a terrific wine list. To say Sinclair knows his wines would be an understatement. http://www.sookeharbourhouse.com/

Seattle: Make advance reservations at The Herbfarm in suburban Woodinville. It is generally considered to be among the top 50 restaurants in the United States. You could combine your dinner with some winery visits beforehand. Tell Ron Zimmerman, who, with his wife, Carrie Van Dyck, is the owner, that Burt Spielman (from New Jersey) sent you. The restaurant has a winecellar housing over 25,500 bottles. Also, they have a $5 limo special from downtown Seattle. http://www.theherbfarm.com/

Also, in Seattle, try Ray's Boathouse, probably the best of many fairly formulaic seafood houses out there. For the freshest oysters, try Elliott's Oyster House. And, you can hardly go wrong at The Georgian, the Fairmont Olympic Hotel's first-class dining room.

Finally, give some thought about renting a car for the Seattle portion of your trip. Parking at the locations you've mentioned (Pike Place Market for one) is next to impossible. You would do better with a shuttle, limo or cab from the airport and cabs from the Olympic. Same is true for many other downtown locations. Seattle is hilly, especially near the waterfront, so walking may not be an option, but, between the rental cost and the garaging cost at the hotel, you'd likely come out better and less frustrated if you waited to rent your car until you really needed it.

Incidentally, car rentals right now in Seattle are very tough. I've had trouble even finding an available car of any type for my wife's business trips last week and this week. Book well in advance if you haven't already.

suze

My restaurant list is a little less high-end. I'll suggest:

One of Tom Douglas': Dahlia Lounge, Palace Kitchen, Etta's Seafood, Lola's, or Serious Pie

Italian: Assagio's on 4th or Il Bistro in the Market

Seafood: Ponti's, McCormicks, Anthony's Pier 66, Etta's Seafood, Waterfront Seafood Grill Pier 70

Also in the Market: Matt's in the Market, Steelhead Diner, Maximillien's, Place Pigalle, Chez Shea, Campagne, Cafe Campagne

Gardyloo

For dining, the first night I'd just stay in the hotel and go to Shuckers, the oyster bar inside the Olympic, and still one of the best in town for shellfish. I think the Georgian Room is a tad stuffy after a long day of travel. Prices will be Fairmont-esque, but convenience is worth something.

Breakfast the next morning ought to be in the Pike market someplace. We happen to like Lowell's in the main arcade for the view and for reliable if un-inventive bacon-and-eggs fare. The Athenian next door is also good; very old-time vibe, filmed in Sleepless. Or, Cafe Campagne off Post Alley is very nice, as is another bistro-ish place on First Avenue, Le Pichet. Or, if you're not big breakfast people, grab a hombow at Mee Sum bakery in the Pike market (opposite side of Pike Place from Lowells/Athenian) or something fabulous from Le Panier or the Three Girls bakeries, then wash it down with a latte from Starbux No. 1 just down the way. The Pike market is nosher heaven.

Lunch will probably be on the go; that night I'd go for one of Suze's recommendations, or Ray's Cafe (see above) which is the less-expensive upstairs-outdoor-deck part of Ray's Boathouse. Note Ray's is at Shilshole Bay, around 5 miles northwest of downtown. On the way, a visit to the Chittenden Locks (aka Ballard Locks) is a very worthwhile stop; visit the underwater viewing windows to see salmon using the fish ladders into Lake Washington. Or, we really like a couple of places near the market, both a few minutes' walk from the Olympic: 94 Stewart (corner of First and Stewart) which has a very intimate feel, and Place Pigalle, hanging over the bluff (access past the fish-throwers) with terrific views of ferry boats coming and going, and very respectable food.

If you still want more seafood, I'd mention Elliott's Oyster House on the central waterfront.

If you want to use your car and don't mind a very informal, somewhat noisy, but fun waterfront place, then try Agua Verde on Boat Street just south of the University of Washington's main campus. Outstanding fish burritos and other Mexican fare, plus you can rent a kayak to burn off the Margaritas. Or not. Or, hit Chinook's at Fishermen's Terminal (also near Ballard) which has great affordable food and a great bar with killer fish 'n chips as well as a lot of good beer. Try their blackberry cobbler for dessert. I should also mention that Chinook's is a fabulous breakfast place, too.

I haven't been to the Herbfarm since its Fall City place burnt down. Friends who have been to the current version have not felt the value was there. It's probably academic though, since one usually needs to book a table months in advance.

I don't have any recommendations for Port Angeles or the Olympic Peninsula. Our usual spot is the 3 Crabs in Dungeness (whence Dungeness Crab) but foodie heaven it's not, just okay food but in a killer setting. It's in Dungeness, just north of Sequim ("Skwim") east of PA by a few miles.

I agree about Butchart Gardens, but have to take exception with the Sooke Harbour House recommendation. We've found it way overpriced and really hitting the red zone on our pretentious gauges.

We've had very good luck (surprisingly good given its size) with the little Chinatown in Victoria, just a little north of the Inner Harbour. Might be of interest. In addition, there are a bunch of good pubs in the general Inner Harbour area, some probably even worthy of the term gastropub. Speaking of alcohol, don't miss the various hard ciders (apple, pear etc.) produced in BC. Truly outstanding compared to US hard ciders.

You won't go hungry.

debsnj

If we leave our car Port Angeles and take the Victoria Express, how difficult would it be to get to the Fairmont Empress Hotel? Is this walkable with luggage? Do you think we need a car in Victoria? It seems that the ferry schedule is much more flexible without a car; especially coming home because when we leave Victoria we go directly to the airport and the ferries that take cars have very limited schedules.

Gardyloo

The Empress is about 1-2 blocks from the ferry terminal. If you have rolling suitcases it's no problem.

There are a number of car rental agencies in close walking distance to the Empress, and rates appear to be in the US$60 range for a day. As long as you don't pay the hotel for overnight, that might be the cheapest alternative v. taxis (to the gardens etc.) + car charges for the car ferry.

Orcas

I added up the Coho ferry cost and it is $50 for the car and driver, $13.50 for the passenger, and $11 for online reservations, or $74.50 one way. The Victoria Express is $25 for two one way. So it's a savings of about $50 each way for two to do the walkon, or $100 total, which shoudl get you a car.

I echo the sentiment of the poster suggesting you not eat at Buchardt Gardens. Victoria has some superb restaurants and Buchardt Gardens is definitely not one of them.

Here is a mini-trip report I did on our most recent visit to Victoria with info on restaurants and other cool spots in the town. You can find other good trip reports and suggestions on Victoria if you search this site:

http://www.fodors.com/community/cana...rip-report.cfm

bspielman

A hidden treasure on the Victoria waterfront is Red Fish, Blue Fish, housed in a refurbished ship container and serving very fresh simple fare like fish and chips and fresh oysters. Very informal, cheap and good! http://tinyurl.com/redfbluef