Seattle plus: San Juan Island, Victoria, or Vancouver?
May 26th, 2015, 10:50 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Seattle plus: San Juan Island, Victoria, or Vancouver?
My husband and I (in our early 30s) are traveling to the Seattle area to visit friends the third week of August (August 15-23). We should be in Seattle to spend time with friends for 4 of those days, but for the rest of the time (Wednesday evening to Sunday morning), should we go to the San Juan Islands? Victoria? Vancouver? Or some combination of those places?
We haven't purchased airfare so we are flexible as to the airports we fly in and out of.
We love to hike and explore, but also love to putter around different cities to shop, eat, and drink.
We haven't purchased airfare so we are flexible as to the airports we fly in and out of.
We love to hike and explore, but also love to putter around different cities to shop, eat, and drink.
May 26th, 2015, 12:04 PM
#2
Given the time of year and just 4 days, I'd suggest Vancouver. I'd take the train from Seattle (2 x day, scenic) and maybe rent a car for one or two days while in Vancouver and travel up the incredible Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler. Vancouver offers the opportunity to get some seriously cool big city time along with very easy access to some spectacular outdoors environments.
Not on your list, but a wonderful alternative would be to get a car in Seattle and cross Puget Sound to the Olympic Peninsula, and spend some time visiting Olympic National Park. You could visit alpine Hurricane Ridge, head out through vampire country to one of the spectacular beaches near La Push, and visit the amazing Hoh Valley rain forest. On one of the days you could ride the ferry from Port Angeles across the Strait of Juan de Fuca as foot passengers to Victoria, then back to PA that night.
Not on your list, but a wonderful alternative would be to get a car in Seattle and cross Puget Sound to the Olympic Peninsula, and spend some time visiting Olympic National Park. You could visit alpine Hurricane Ridge, head out through vampire country to one of the spectacular beaches near La Push, and visit the amazing Hoh Valley rain forest. On one of the days you could ride the ferry from Port Angeles across the Strait of Juan de Fuca as foot passengers to Victoria, then back to PA that night.
May 26th, 2015, 02:13 PM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 10,965
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I vote for the ONP and Victoria combo Gardyloo describes.
When you pass Lake Crescent on your way to the Hoh, you might want to stop and take the delightful hike from the lake to Marymere Falls.
Beautiful Ruby Beach, about 15 miles from the turn off to the Hoh, is worth a detour.
In Port Angeles we like to stay at the Red Lion Inn in a room with a balcony on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. There we look forward to dinners at Wildfire Grill and Sabai Thai--both on 8th Street a short drive from downtown.
HTtY
When you pass Lake Crescent on your way to the Hoh, you might want to stop and take the delightful hike from the lake to Marymere Falls.
Beautiful Ruby Beach, about 15 miles from the turn off to the Hoh, is worth a detour.
In Port Angeles we like to stay at the Red Lion Inn in a room with a balcony on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. There we look forward to dinners at Wildfire Grill and Sabai Thai--both on 8th Street a short drive from downtown.
HTtY
May 26th, 2015, 02:29 PM
#4
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 5,234
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I like the ONP/Victoria idea as well, especially if you are hikers. With limited time- Victoria is a lot more fun to putter around than Vancouver in my opinion. Vancouver is definitely a seriously cool city- but Seattle is also a cool city in its own right, so you have the cool city part covered
