Hi,
We are flying into Seattle on Sunday and then driving up into B.C. for a week.
We've read that Sequim is a nice town & area w/ Lavender farms etc.which might be fun to explore.
Question:
Instead of just driving straight up to B.C. maybe we should drive over to Sequim & area (or perhaps even ferry over from the Seattle area if that is faster??) AND then after visiting that part of the pennisula, we just take the ferry from Port Angeles over to Victoria. Instead of backtracking...)Does that make sense?
How long does it take? Cost?
Would we even need reservations for a Tuesday or Wednesday of next week? All suggestions are welcome...
Wendy

The lavendar fields won't be in bloom yet although you can still visit the farms and gift shops and buy all sorts of lavendar products. You could also use the time to explore the Victorian town of Port Townsend and some of Olympic National Park.

From Seatac, I'd say it's faster to drive around through Tacoma to the Peninsula (there's a whole thread about which way is faster from the last day or two btw).

You'd probably be ok not making a reservation for the ferry next week but the sailings are limited this time of year so I'd call and see what the folks who run that ferry have to say. It's the MV Coho and their website has all the info about schedule and fares.

If you're looking for a lovely place to stay in the Sequim area, I really love Colette's B&B between Sequim and Port Angeles.

It makes sense if you're spending time on Vancouver Island; otherwise the straight shot up I-5 to Vancouver is advisable.

I disagree on the drive-around option (others agree - it's a free country.) In my opinion the view of downtown Seattle one gets from the Bainbridge ferry, not to mention the crossing itself, the (low probability but not zero) chance of seeing critters on the Sound, and the time savings to the Olympic Peninsula, all warrant going from the airport to the ferry and across that way. On a Sunday it's a piece of cake - most traffic is heading the other way.

Sequim itself it not all that handsome, but the country to the north is okay - up to Dungeness and the loop road along the coast (maybe a lunch at the 3 Crabs in Dungeness - okay food but killer location) or a drive up to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic NP - just outside Port Angeles - all excellent choices. I can't imagine needing reservations on the Coho next week.

Another separate itinerary would be to drive through Seattle and up to La Conner and the Skagit Valley, where there are probably some tulip fields still in bloom - impressive if still in color. Then if you need to get to Vancouver Island, the BC ferry from Tsawwassen over to the island is frequent and extremely scenic.

Oh, I'd take the ferry for sure, myself, for all the reasons you mention--but she asked about faster and from Seatac as opposed to downtown, driving around probably is ;-).

Gardy: "I disagree on the drive-around option (others agree - it's a free country.)"

I suspect you've been reading "Ask an Uptight Seattle-ite" in the Weekly! That is so classic -- and believe me, I'm laughing with you, not at you.

I'm one of those who prefers the drive when I simply don't have the patience to wait in the ferry line -- esp. on the peninsula side, returning to Seattle.

But the ferry views are terrific and theraputic, to boot. So, as the Uptight columnist might say: "There are good reasons for both options, and of course I wouldn't presume to dictate which would work best for you in all circumstances. We're all intelligent people here, after all, and fully capable of reviewing the available facts and making an informed decision in the matter."

Hm. Maybe *I've* been reading that column too often?!

Since I have NWWanderer and other experts here, may I tack on?

Last piece of our July trip is from Victoria to Everett, WA to visit a friend. What would be the best route? Ferry back to Port Angeles or from Sydney to ??

Thanks!

If the schedule from Sidney to Anacortes on WA State Ferries works for you, then I'd go for that. But since it only goes 2x a day it may not, in which case either the Coho or the BC Ferries would be an option. I'd take a different route than you are taking to Victoria though just to mix it up (you say "back" to Pt Angeles so I'm assuming you're taking the Coho to Victoria?). The ferry routes through either the San Juans or the Gulf Islands are quite a bit more scenic than the Coho as well (although that route has some great views of the Olympic Mts).

NWWanderer,

We're going in July to see the lavender fields, staying in Port Townsend 2 nts, ferry Port Angeles to Victoria, driving on to Tofino 3 nts, back to Victoria 2 nts and return to Everett, WA.

From what I've seen of the Sydney schedule, it looks ok.