Myer

In the early stages of planning a NW trip and looking at going to Victoria from Port Angeles.

Is Victoria a day trip?
12:30 ferry going and about 7PM returning?

Or is this way too short and should we plan on staying overnight?

Our style is to wander around the town and see whatever sights happen to be of interest to us.

We're not really museum goers although we've spent time in some of the famous ones.

Thanks.

traveller69

Victoria is a lovely city and there is lots to do so your time frame is a little short. I would plan to spend a night and if not get a much earlier ferry. Just wandering around in the inner harbour is very entertaining - lots to see. The Royal BC Museum is right there as well and is not the typical museum - very entertaining and well done.

Fodorite018

I echo traveller69's comments. You need at least an overnight, IME. And the Royal BC Museum is excellent! We spent 5 nights in Victoria a couple years ago and loved it.

Giovanna

Victoria is a favorite city of ours, so one day wouldn't be long enough. It's such a charming place, with flowers everywhere, in baskets hanging from lamp posts, beautifully designed flower beds, etc. It makes wandering around very pleasant. The Royal BC Museum is one of the best we've visited and I think you'd enjoy it even though museums aren't your favorite thing.

We did a great whale watch, took a carriage ride, cracked up over the rabbits running all over the university campus, had some excellent meals, had a drink and listened to a jazz trio at the famous Empress Hotel, walked around the waterfront and looked at all the artisans wares, used the inexpensive water taxis to get about (even saw them do a water ballet Saturday morning). You probably should visit Butchart Gardens, though I found it a bit of a money pit, but the gardens are spectacular.

Lots to see and do, so again not a one-day visit for us.

montereybob

I found the ferry trip to be time-consuming and tiring, so I wouldn't want to do two ferry trips in one day. That would definitely not be fun.

Myer

Is there a reasonably secure place to leave a car overnight in Port Angeles near the ferry?

elnap29

We stayed 2 nights based on recommendations of Fodorites, but really wished we'd spent 3 or 4. We absolutely loved Butchart Gardens (which surprised my husband) and that took a good part of a day.  We would have enjoyed exploring some of the parks and visiting a museum as well as exploring neighborhoods and more of downtown.  I guess it's a really individual thing.  I do recommend Butchart Gardens, exploring downtown, walking on the waterfront, going to the wharf for some fish and chips at Barb's, taking a water taxi, and having high tea somewhere.  We chose to have our tea at Butchart -- it was lovely and half the cost of having it at the Empress.

Myer

This proposed trip is a year away. Can I assume that the Hood Canal bridge will be open by then?

Also, I notice that there are several ferries that seem to go in that direction.

There appears to be a ferry to Bainbridge Island and another from Edmonds to Kingston.

What's the difference? I'm not used to water getting in the way.

Thanks.

happytrailstoyou

Butchart Gardens is a major attraction in Victoria, and we enjoyed walking through the Empress Hotel and visiting the McNamara House: http://www.victoriaregionalmuseum.com/mcnamara/

HTTY

Dayle

Myer,

My best friend and I went 2 summers ago. We flew into and met up in Seattle, ferried to Bainbridge Island and drove from there to Port Townsend, WA, stayed 2 nights. Visited the lavendar farms in Sequim and took the car on the ferry to Victoria. Drove up to Tofino and stayed 3 nts, kayaked, whale watched, beachcombed, gorgeous beaches. Drove back down to Victoria and visited Buchart Gardens - which we LOVED - and drove back to town along the coast road. I also went to the BC musuem,but was too tired to do it justice. Very good and interesting.

Honestly, Victoria as a town just didn't do it for me. 2 nts there was plenty for me.

We actually liked Port Townsend the best of all! Great little town with interesting people, old architecture, galleries and restaurants. I'll see if I can pull up my old trip report for you.

Fodorite018

The Hood Canal Bridge closed May 1st and was due to reopen 6 weeks later, although last I heard they were ahead of schedule. So don't worry about that for your trip. As for the ferries, we took the Edmonds Kingston one often (DH commuted via it) to get over to the Olympics. It is easy.

As Dayle mentioned, Port Townsend is a great little town too. We have stayed there quite a bit, and we stayed there also for a night before we went to Victoria. We were on the first ferry so had an early start that day. If you do this, be sure to allow enough time to get to the ferry since the road is not one that you can typically drive 55mpg (trucks, etc).