I understand crossing the Canadian border into the U.S. can be pretty time-consuming. We are planning to take the car ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles next week. Is there a long wait to gain access back to the U.S.? We are U.S. citizens and plan to get from Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula via a night in Victoria but if it is too much of a hassle we can use a different route. Do we need passports? Thank you.

The ferry of which you speak is slow, and the crossing takes a while. Be prepared to wait. The crossing to Victoria from the US side at times is measured in days. In August, when I was there, the waiting time going the other way was not as bad. I think it depends on how soon you are able to get in line.

On the passport question, I took mine on my recent trip to Canada, and I found it to be very convenient.

We flew between Calgary and Atlanta and, while in Alberta, made 6 border crossings, 3 each way. At the airport, particularly coming home, my passport was the next thing to a requirement. At highway crossings, the American officials always asked for proof of citizenship. The Canadian officials asked me quite a few questions, but I never was asked for a birth certificate or passport.

After my experience, I recommend to people that they take their passports for convenience. They may not be a legal requirement, but they solved the proof of citizenship issue very quickly.

I would call the Black Ball Coho in Victoria (386-2202) the night before and ask what time you could get your car in the line-up for the first sailing. That way you can wander off for breakfast. They will tell you when you need to be back to your car. If it's looking really bad, I'd be prepared to take the ferry from Swartz Bay instead.

If I understand properly, you're planning to leave Seattle one day, overnight in Victoria, then cross to the Olympic Peninsula (from which eventually you'll return to Seattle) - right?

That being the case, let me simply suggest that you drive from Seattle straight to Port Angeles, leave your car there for a day (or a day and a night) and cross to Victoria as foot passengers rather than with the car. It will be virtually hassle-free, much cheaper, and for typical visitors most of what you'd want to see in Victoria is nestled around the Inner Harbour anyway (where the ferry lands) or easily accessible by bus if out of the central part of the city (e.g. Butchart Gardens). If you want to spend the night, there are plenty of affordable-to-deluxe hotels walkable from the ferry dock, or as a worst case a very cheap cab ride.

In the summer there's also a fast passenger-only ferry from PA to Victoria, which leaves you much more time to stroll around on a day trip.

ID at the border is an iffy thing - passports or birth certificates are suggested, since 9/11 but we haven't yet had to show them.

If you are set on the car, try right away to see if you can get a booking on the Sydney-San Juans-Anacortes ferry (Washington State Ferries) - unlike Black Ball (Coho) they accept reservations. From Anacortes you drive south halfway down Whidbey Island to the Keystone-Port Townsend ferry, which gets you back onto the Olympic Peninsula. Longer than the Coho, but a shorter wait if you've booked, and it avoids the nasty delays at the US border you'll encounter if you take the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen (BC) ferry.

Greetings,
Being a resident of Port Angeles, we travel to Victoria on a regular basis as a family. We have never taken our car. We park near the ferry dock and use either the Victoria Express or the Coho ferry, depending on the time schedules.

Taking a car is troublesome for ferry waits, long lines, parking on the other side, and traffic. Some people have been known to park at 4:00am, have breakfast with the sunrise to catch a later (noon) ferry!

I would recommend coming straight to Port Angeles, then do an overnight in Vic. Victoria is a very friendly walking city. There are also taxis, buses, horse drawn carriages, and kaboda cabs (teenagers on bikes with a cab). It's easy to get around, even with overnight bags.

To stay, I would not recommend the Stathcona Hotel if you want a quiet night!

Passports might be easier if you have them. We have never had a problem with crossing - just don't bring any weapons or drugs without a prescription. Also if you have children you MUST bring their birth certificates for a smoother crossing.

Good luck on your adventure! Sounds like fun. Next week will be great weather too!

The ONLY way you will avoid MAJOR delays is to drive to Port Angeles and do a "walk On" passenger to Victoria.
Anacortes reservations were booked till end of Aug. last time I checked...
BEFORE 9-11 a voters card (card that verified you are a registered voter in your state) was all that was require
unless you were on a visa from some other country. All a driver's license does is prove that you are a licensed driver--so quoted to friends from Washington who had to turn around and go back!!!
You don't really need a car in Victoria--there are tour buses that take you to Buchart Gardens.
Would be good to have a confirmed reservation for overnight stay..
Good Luck

My Mom and a friend went from Port Angeles to Victoria on Monday, August 5 with a car. They arrived 1.75 hours early and missed the ferry (think it was the 10 AM) Cars making it had arrived 2 hours early. They had to wait several hours for the next ferry. On the return, they left from Swartz Bay and went past the San Juans to Anacortes as they'd heard the lines weren't as long. US officials gave my Mom a major grilling because she didn't have her passport (drivers license, credit cards didn't count, apparently). She considered just staying in Canada, but her plants needed to be watered so she argued her way back into the US.

Today, a Saturday, the Coho no sooner left at 3:00 pm and the parking lot was pretty much full for the 7:30 sailing. It could have been worse on a weekend in August.

Although I've heard the nightmare stories about waits at the Canadian/US border since 9/11 when traveling by car, my experience when traveling by car on one of the ferries: fast and easy ... as long as you've got proper ID (birth certificate and picture ID or passport -- even an expired one worked for me) and you're not trying to bring in too many purchases, alcohol or tobacco.

Thank you for your responses. We have made reservations from Anacortes to Vancouver and will hope for the best on the leg from Victoria to Port Angeles (we're planning on trying for the first ferry as was suggested here). We'll bring way-expired passports for the adults and birth certificates for the kids. Taking the passenger ferry from Port Angeles seems most sensible but the Anacortes-Sidney ferry ride was highly recommended. Thanks for making my first inquiry a pleasant experience

"Anacortes-Sidney ferry ride was highly recommended"

By us too. This run is like sailing the "Inside Passage" because go sail to/past a large number of the San Juan Islands and see a bunch of gorgeous scenery.

The Black Ball ferry is a straight shot in open sea...nothing to see. (Catch up on zzz's)

Ditto, Ditto to the Anacortes-Sidney Ferry! Gorgeous! And, we "sailed" through customs once we arrived.

I'm in total agreement with all of the above posters. We took our car via Black Ball last year at this time and were aware of the potential delays. Our hotel clerk advised we take the car down at 4:00 AM and it's a good thing we did! We made it on the morning ferry but not by much.

An interesting aside...when passing through Customs in Victoria, the agent asked me all the normal questions then asked me if I had any guns at home. I thought that was odd that she was curious what I had at home and not in the car!

John in Miami