Seattle/Victoria/Olympia Park
Jun 10th, 2000, 12:34 PM
#1
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Seattle/Victoria/Olympia Park
My husband and I are taking a short get-away trip to the Seattle without the children! I would like to walk as much as possible (no little people complaining about being tired!) We are planning on spending one day in Seattle, then take boat to Victoria for the day, take a ferry to Port Angeles, and spend a full day in Olympia Park. I am told that I will need to rent a car to visit Olympia. Is this true?
Since I only have one day, should I: a) rent a car in Port Angeles and return it there and take a bus or ferry to Seattle from there, or b) drive through the park and return the rental car in Seattle? If I do this, what is the best route to take?
Also, any suggestions about where to stay in Port Angeles or Olympia Park?
Thank you so much for your suggestions!
Jun 10th, 2000, 02:19 PM
#2
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Hi, Tracy,
This is actually a tough one.
I'm not aware of any rental car agencies in Port Angeles, nor any bus tours into Olympic NP based in PA. This is not to say they don't exist, of course.
Getting back to Seattle from PA without a car pretty much means a commercial air hop or the Greyhound.
Olymipic NP is basically a squarish shaped area mostly in wilderness with a few roads penetrating into the park around the periphery, plus a stretch of magnificent seacoast along the Pacific, about a 2-3 hour drive from PA, which is on the north edge of the park. From PA there's a beautiful drive into the park, terminating at Hurricane Ridge, with magnificent views of the mountains in one direction and the lowlands and Strait of Juan de Fuca, Vancouver I. and the San Juan islands in the other. Otherwise access into the park is via spurs off US 101 which circles the Olympic Peninsula.
So what to do? I'm afraid your circle route is tough without a car. One way to accomplish it, though, is to rent a car in Seattle, drive to PA and leave it there while you take the ferry to Victoria as foot passengers, then collect it on your return, see Hurricane Ridge or Crescent Lake or other accessible parts of the Park, then drive back to Seattle, done. A car would also enable you to visit Port Townsend, a beautiful Victorian town not far from Port Angeles, or have a crab lunch/dinner at the 3 Crabs in Dungeness (for which they're named), a funky, popular restaurant on the beach with okay seafood but the world's best cole slaw, bar none. Local tradition sort of place.
Maybe others can come up with alternate ways for you to accomplish your itinerary.
This is actually a tough one.
I'm not aware of any rental car agencies in Port Angeles, nor any bus tours into Olympic NP based in PA. This is not to say they don't exist, of course.
Getting back to Seattle from PA without a car pretty much means a commercial air hop or the Greyhound.
Olymipic NP is basically a squarish shaped area mostly in wilderness with a few roads penetrating into the park around the periphery, plus a stretch of magnificent seacoast along the Pacific, about a 2-3 hour drive from PA, which is on the north edge of the park. From PA there's a beautiful drive into the park, terminating at Hurricane Ridge, with magnificent views of the mountains in one direction and the lowlands and Strait of Juan de Fuca, Vancouver I. and the San Juan islands in the other. Otherwise access into the park is via spurs off US 101 which circles the Olympic Peninsula.
So what to do? I'm afraid your circle route is tough without a car. One way to accomplish it, though, is to rent a car in Seattle, drive to PA and leave it there while you take the ferry to Victoria as foot passengers, then collect it on your return, see Hurricane Ridge or Crescent Lake or other accessible parts of the Park, then drive back to Seattle, done. A car would also enable you to visit Port Townsend, a beautiful Victorian town not far from Port Angeles, or have a crab lunch/dinner at the 3 Crabs in Dungeness (for which they're named), a funky, popular restaurant on the beach with okay seafood but the world's best cole slaw, bar none. Local tradition sort of place.
Maybe others can come up with alternate ways for you to accomplish your itinerary.
Jun 10th, 2000, 02:54 PM
#3
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Hi Tracy, just a small point of clarification: Olympia is the capital of Washington, located about an hour south of Seattle on the mainland. OlymPIC National Park on the Olympic Peninsula is where you want to go, I presume!
Budget has (or had, at least) an office in Port Angeles. One way rentals from there back to Seattle are on the expensive side, but it is possible and that would be your best bet, logistically, if you stick to your plan. There is a company that offers tours up to Hurricane Ridge from Port Angeles (Olympic Van Tours) but I'm not sure if they go anywhere else in the park. You're really best off renting a car to explore the park.
I think John's suggestion of renting a car in Seattle, driving out to the Peninsula and doing a day trip to Victoria from Port Angeles as a foot passenger is a good one. Alternatively, you could do a R/T on the Clipper from Seattle to Victoria, then rent a car for a day or two and drive out to the Peninsula and back from Seattle.
As far as places to stay on the Peninsula, what's your budget and what type of places do you like? There's everything from cheap motels to really nice luxury B&Bs.
Budget has (or had, at least) an office in Port Angeles. One way rentals from there back to Seattle are on the expensive side, but it is possible and that would be your best bet, logistically, if you stick to your plan. There is a company that offers tours up to Hurricane Ridge from Port Angeles (Olympic Van Tours) but I'm not sure if they go anywhere else in the park. You're really best off renting a car to explore the park.
I think John's suggestion of renting a car in Seattle, driving out to the Peninsula and doing a day trip to Victoria from Port Angeles as a foot passenger is a good one. Alternatively, you could do a R/T on the Clipper from Seattle to Victoria, then rent a car for a day or two and drive out to the Peninsula and back from Seattle.
As far as places to stay on the Peninsula, what's your budget and what type of places do you like? There's everything from cheap motels to really nice luxury B&Bs.
Jun 10th, 2000, 04:42 PM
#4
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I think you're planning too much for three days. One day each in Seattle, Victoria and Olympic Park translates into a tease! I would forego one of the destinations on this trip--from a logistics point of view that probably means Victoria. (Don't get me wrong, I like Victoria. But traveling back and forth in one day means that you won't get a chance to spend a few hours at Butchart Gardens outside of the city. And, as far as I'm concerned, that's the best part of a visit there.) Save Victoria for another trip.
Instead, I'd take two days in Olympic Park, which will give you just about enough time to go up to Hurricane Ridge (if the weather cooperates, it's a thrilling sight), walk through the rainforest, drive to several beaches and do some hiking.
As for a place to stay, try the Lake Crescent Lodge, 21 miles west of Port Angeles on 101 (206-928-3211). It's right on--you guessed it--Lake Crescent.
Instead, I'd take two days in Olympic Park, which will give you just about enough time to go up to Hurricane Ridge (if the weather cooperates, it's a thrilling sight), walk through the rainforest, drive to several beaches and do some hiking.
As for a place to stay, try the Lake Crescent Lodge, 21 miles west of Port Angeles on 101 (206-928-3211). It's right on--you guessed it--Lake Crescent.
