KEC

Hello,
My husband and I (29 years old) will be taking an Alaskan cruise in June/July. We will have 6 nights after the cruise to get from Vancouver to Seattle for our flight home. After reading several posts and guidebook info, this is what I have come up with:

Option 1:

Day 1- Vancouver (cruise arrives 7am)
Day 2- Vancouver
Day 3- Victoria
Day 4- Seattle
Day 5- Seattle
Day 6- Seattle

Option 2:
1- Vancouver
2- Victoria
3- Olympic NP
4- Olympic NP
5- Seattle
6- Seattle

Option 3:
1- Vancouver
2- Vancouver
3- Victoria
4- Island (don't know which one)???
5- Seattle
6- Seattle

Any suggestions, opinions, comments, ideas?

Thanks so much for any advice!

PamSF

I am assuming you will have a car. If you have not been to Victoria it might be worth including it. Another suggestion is Vancouver for 3 days then drive down across Deception Pass spending one night on Whidbey Island (Look at the Inn at Langley) then taking the ferry to the mainland driving down into Seattle. Seattle 2 days.

KEC

Hello,
We were planning on renting a car at some point, if needed, but we are not sure where. I have heard that we do not need one for Vancouver & Seattle, but I am assuming that it would be important to have a car if we were going to Olympic NP.

Any other thoughts?

Gardyloo

As usual, transport issues are a major pain in this area.

If you rent a car in Vancouver and plan to drop it in Seattle, it can be more expensive and hassly than if you don't, plus, of course, you'll have to pay for it on ferries and all that. However, without a car, you will spend a lot of time negotiating yourselves around with public transportation, taxis, and all that, which is complicated by international boundaries, relatively remote or under-provided areas (like the Olympic Peninsula for example) and similar nuisances.

I guess my conclusion is, if you must go to Victoria and the Olympics, to bite the bullet and get a car for a pickup in Vancouver (downtown preferably, not the airport) and drop it in Seattle at the end of your trip. You might luck out and get a "Seattle car" someone has dropped in Vancouver on the way to their cruise, which might mean the rental agency won't charge a big drop fee. Regardless, expect to pay more for the car than you would for a car you'd drop at the renting location.

My confessed bias, though, is that I think Victoria is a cute town worthy of a day (which can be quite full) but not much more. Incredibly picturesque Inner Harbour with the Empress Hotel and Parliament buildings overlooking the boats, Butchart Gardens (for which the Queen Eliabeth II Park or Van Dusen gardens in Vancouver can be substituted fairly easily and cheaply) and that's about it for the casual visitor.

On the other hand, Vancouver and Seattle have so much to see and do that it's a shame to skimp on either.

As far as Olympic NP is concerned, the only thing I'd say is a "don't miss" in your case would be the rain forests on the Pacific coast (Hoh Valley for example.) But frankly, you'll have seen snowy mountains in Alaska before you arrive in Vancouver, and the rain forest trails and excursion possibilities in Ketchikan, if you take them, are easily the equal of what you'd see in Olympic NP. So, quite bluntly, I'd suggest skipping the whole Olympic NP thing unless you're dead keen.

So to optimize your time, here's what I'd do: (1) Spend 3 days in Vancouver, with or without a car, exploring this wonderful city. On the third day, if you want, schedule a float plane flight from downtown Vancouver (next to the cruise terminal) to downtown Victoria, an hour vs four on the car/boat. Visit Victoria for the day, then in the evening (sun's up late) take a Kenmore Air floatplane flight to Seattle. Spend the rest of your time in Seattle, again, with or without a car.

The float plane may sound expensive, but when you consider car costs, ferry charges (you and the car) and time and gas spent traveling from Vancouver to the ferry (not close) and from the ferry dock to Victoria (also not too close), then more ferries and costs and waiting at the border (up to 3 hours on the mainland) and on and on, the planes start looking downright economical. Plus, BTW, the flights are drop-dead gorgeous and memorable.

If you want to cut Victoria out altogether, or make it a day trip from Vancouver or Seattle (both easily arranged) then consider Amtrak from Vancouver to Seattle (daily evening departure) as a way to minimize the cost and border hassles on that leg.

Whew.

KEC

Thank you Gardyloo, your advice has been so helpful as I have been planning this trip! I assume that you live in the area, or have been there several times (you seem to have lots of insight).

I will look into the float plane idea. My husband would LOVE that! Also, thanks for the advice about the Olympic NP...my main objective was to go to the rainforest, but it looks like I might be able to do that while on the cruise.