You can take the city bus from Vancouver to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, then the ferry to Swartz Bay and then the city bus again from Swartz Bay to downtown Victoria. Chuckanut Drive is Washington's original scenic byway, which runs 20 miles from Burlington to Bellingham along the shoreline of Samish Bay on Washington State Highway 11. Enjoy the sunset on the way over or back, depending on the time of year and what time you like to eat dinner. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-93153833', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Seattle area questions, ask in the Seattle Forum. Sherrys Sweet Shoppe (which is much more than a candy shop) is a popular spot to stop, but all the other restaurants are just as good. Spring is generally late February through June, with lots of cloudy days, some sunny warm days and plenty of rain. Road conditions from Seattle to Vancouver Seattle 35F Snow Feels like 25.99 Wind speed 13 mph Pressure 995 hPa Shoreline 34F Snow Feels like 31.48 Wind speed 3 mph Pressure 995 hPa Mountlake Terrace 34F Snow Feels like 31.6 Wind speed 3 mph Pressure 995 hPa Mill Creek 34F Snow Feels like 29.71 Wind speed 5 mph Pressure 994 hPa Everett 35F Try another? Local favorite galleries include Gallery West, Artwood, and Renaissance Celebration, but newer additions like Whatcom Art Market and Uptown Art Studio also offer great places to shop for unique pieces of art. Whales are not particularly predictable creatures. Spring brings the colorful bulb flowers we are known for in the Pacific Northwest, summer has the peak bloom for even more flowers, fall has vibrant fall flowers and fall foliage in the Japanese Garden and the holidays have wonderful holiday decorations and lights. Getting ready for your vacay? Share this: Admire indigenous art pieces in the Eagle Spirit Gallery. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Larrabee State Park and Golden Ears Provincial Park, as well as Whidbey and the San Juan Islands. Day 1: Seattle and Anacortes; Day 2: Visit Deception Pass and Our Wolf Encounter; Day 3: Take the Ferry from Anacortes, WA into Sidney, BC and stay in a treehouse. The route's main draws are Mt. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. So will have that day and full day the next, flying out late the third day. He was either build here because this spot was the center for a drug trade, and the ingenious solution was to get tourists into the area thus pushing the dealers out. More info. Most exhibits are fairly narrow and the only appeal to people who are very familiar with this specific franchise, for instance, a fantasy exhibit which is primarily lord of the rings based. Im describing this trip starting in Vancouver and ending in Seattle, but you can also do it the other way. There are more whales further north and the favorable exchange rate means youll get a better deal in Vancouver. Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. I would suggest coming here an hour or so before the sunset and watch the sky slowly change from blue to red to black, as the lights come on beneath the windows. Find the travel option that best suits you. There are plenty of clubs and bars to hit in the area if you are so inclined. As an alternative you can take a stroll through the very impressive lobby and have lunch at Murchies instead which is what I do when Im in Victoria. <>. I also recommend the Wing Luke Museum in the nearby International District (another great alternative for lunch). https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g154948-d1017107-Reviews-Whistler_Olympic_Park-Whistler_British_Columbia.html. If you take the Victoria Clipper, the trip is just 3 hours. Its just so much easier to get around on transit. Your email address will not be published. 5 days in seattle and vancouver. This is a good place for lunch or happy hour, with lots of local restaurants and many breweries. And if you have a clear day, head up the Space Needle. For Vancouver, not counting your travel days no more than 2 or 3 at the most. After you check into your hotel, take a walk around the Inner Harbour and have dinner in view of all the boat and float plane activity. Airlines. Spend one night at Whistler, and then get up in the morning of day 4 and go up the mountain. Depending on the time of year, you'll find berries, hazelnuts, cheeses and dairy products, cider, apples, and even freshly bottled wine at several wineries, many of which have tasting rooms. With free wifi, power outlets at each seat, and far more legroom than your average airline, the journey is not just comfortable but convenient. On day 2, we are planning to do a bus tour to Victoria (yet to buy). After you arrive in Vancouver, Canada and leave your bags at your hotel, make your way to the water. Here, on the 70th floor (much higher than the sky tower) you can watch the sunset over the big city. It would be the best if you park at the historic site free parking lots . Day 5: Explore Ucluelet, Pacific Rim Provincial Park, and Tofino. I mentioned that many people who visit here dont consider this a great stop. On day one, I suggest you pick a place to stay close to the Pike Market, as this will make a great base for exploring both the market and the waterfront. A really well reviewed one is the GAdventures tours the National Parks of the Pacific Northwest. Whats the weather like in Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle? Vancouver City Sightseeing Tour: Capilano Suspension Bridge & Vancouver Lookout. I spend a few hours here wandering the trails and listening to the guides, and I could have easily spent the whole day. To find the best produce, check out the 21 Acres Center in Woodinvillejust a few miles northeast of Seattleor visit Bellewood Acres in Lynden, Washington. The cheapest by far is BoltBus, some of whose seven daily trips north start at just a dollar. Should you get the Seattle City Pass? Harbour Air flies from Seattle to Vancouver 4 times a day. Its a 14 hr day and exhausting. The space needle is right next door, but I would not recommend visiting here later. I am visiting some friends in the Seattle area (Bellevue) after New Year's for exactly 2.5 days. The 110-mile journey takes four hours and heads north three to four times a day. Although this national forest is not quite the thick rainforest of the north, the trees here are much larger than you would have noticed on your drive south. Around 11 pm, check out of your hotel and start making your way to pick up the rental car of your choice. Leave Whistler after lunch, head to the ferry and through to Victoria for one night. Dont have time for a week-long trip? When you leave Victoria to head to Seattle, you can either take the ferry back to Vancouver and go to Seattle that way, or you can take the Coho ferry from Victorias Inner Harbour to Port Angeles and then drive to the Bainbridge Island ferry to take the ferry to downtown Seattle. This is an ideal itinerary without a car. If you have time before your Victoria Clipper ferry, take a walk or a Tally-ho carriage ride through Beacon Hill Park, an enormous and beautiful park behind the Parliament Buildings. All of these cities are very casual, while you can dress up if you want to, youre not likely to encounter a situation where any kind of dressing up is required. Grace Theme by Lovely Confetti, Snowshoeing in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, A Weekend in Charleston: 3 Day Itinerary , to everyone who needs this today The station is only a few minutes away from downtown Vancouver and I suggest staying in the middle of it all. It really doesn't make sense at all. Victoria is an excellent whale watching destination, the best option of the cities youre visiting on this itinerary. The museum feels badly done, with few exhibits appealing to a general audience. Here youll find little stores and diners along the way, perfect for a breakfast stop before you enter civilization again. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. If you are an American, you are probably used to taking road trips within short distances and flying over longer distances ones. If youre not sure about the Space Needle, let me assure you that checking it out from below and taking a photo is totally ok. You definitely do not want to miss Chihuly Gardens and Glass, a gorgeous glass art museum right below the Space Needle with great views of it. Youll have opportunities to pick up wood before entering the national recreation area, so be sure to do so if you plan on enjoying a fire, and some smores on a beautiful evening in Washington State. For many people visiting Seattle, Washington, a quick trip up to Vancouver in southwest British Columbia, Canada, makes for a great addition to their West Coast vacation itinerary. Alternatively, if youve already done the Chihuly, museum consider the Boeing factory tour. Find and plan your next 3 day cruise to Seattle with cabin price comparison and variety of dates to choose from. Please, Best Things To Do in the Palawan, Philippines, 10 Best Things To do in Coconut Grove, Florida, How to grow your account on Vero a guide for artists, Sao Miguel Azores, Portugal The Complete Guide, Review of NordicTrack s22i Bike A Stuck-In-Pandemic-Limbo Travelers Perspective. It seems unlikely you will be in Vancouver before lunchtime, and presumably with a 1.5 year old, you may choose to stop along the way. Several bus companies make the trip from Seattle to Vancouver, such as Greyhound and Bolt Bus, with prices starting as low as $18 for a one-way ticket. You say you are driving from, I presume, a central Seattle hotel and coming to Vancouver that day. I stayed in a free national campground and although most of the spots were taken, there was still several places you could have set up a tent at 10 pm. Alternatively, the city also hosts a number of Dutch-themed events throughout the year. Vancouver has the best public transit of any of these three cities. Is this itinerary too much to do? Dim Sum is a traditional Chinese meal that is very popular on in Vancouver. Other casinos located along the route between Vancouver and Seattle include the Silver Reef Casino in Ferndale and Angel of the Winds in Arlington. Visitors hoping to experience more of Dutch culture can stay at The Mill, which is located inside a functional windmill, or dine on some delicious traditional pastries at the Lynden Dutch Bakery. On this trip I to start in Seattle, the regions most important city. Either way, get back to the city around 2 pm for your trip back via the beautiful Amtrak route to Seattle. Start your day with a crumpet from the Crumpet Shop and spend a bit of time exploring Pike Place Market. Cruise Line: Holland America Line. The island is basically one large shopping area, complete with a fresh market, restaurants, souvenir shops, artisan shops and much more. Wander around and find food for lunch as you explore this gem in Vancouver. To explore more Seattle highlights, take the Monorail to Seattle Center. Note: Im describing this day as if you were taking the Victoria Clipper passenger only ferry to Seattle in the evening, giving you most of the day in Victoria. There is also the Audain Gallery. I found little to do here and the only exhibit I actually wanted to visit Star Trek was closed. For extra fun, ride the foot ferry around false creek and to and from Granville Island. Although most similar statues were destroyed at the fall of the Soviet Union, this one stands because residents of this neighborhood thought it was a resistance piece worth saving. The 140-mile road trip from Seattle to Vancouver takes 2 hours 30 minutes. This high-end shop provides all the free chocolate samples you can eat and free coffee. The forest starts as soon as you leave Leavenworth so this is your last chance to pick up supplies. Once you are done with lunch, dessert, and coffee, make your way back to the boat and hop on to another stop. These cookies do not store any personal information. Travel Apr 27 - May 01. The sunset over the big city the way, perfect for a breakfast stop before you enter civilization again up. 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