dinomyte Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 (edited) Hey folks: Since 90% of you are in Seattle, I figured someone can tell me the best way to get to Victoria. Heading there for some vaca. Also, anything worth doing there? Do they have beer in Canada? Though I think it obvious, I am heading north on the 5 from Portland. Edited November 5, 2009 by dinomyte Quote
Mal_Con Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 1 hr on Plane from Seattle. 2 hr. on Clipper from Seattle. 6 hr. to drive and take B.C ferries 6 hr Black Ball ferry from Port Angles including drive to PA from Seattle 8 hr. Wa state ferry and drive from Seattle to Anacortus and through San Juans. Yeah, they have some good micros but $$$ also ganja Quote
olyclimber Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 Quickest is probably the Victoria Clipper or whatever they call the direct boat these days from Seattle. Second as far as I know is drive to Port Angeles and take the ferry from there. Fun town! Quote
olyclimber Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 Heh...didn't even consider the plane! Hell...buy a jet! Quote
olyclimber Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 http://www.farecompare.com/flights/Victoria-YYJ/Portland-PDX/market.html Quote
dinomyte Posted November 5, 2009 Author Posted November 5, 2009 Guess I should have mentioned that we want our car. Looks like the ferry from PA is best? Quote
jon Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 (edited) I have some friends in Victoria and it really depends on day and time you are going. Big question is if you need a car in Victoria. If the answer is no the best option might be taking the Amtrak to Seattle, catching a cab to the Clipper terminal, and going that way. Driving depending on the time of day you can catch traffic all the way and then get stuck in a couple hour border lineup. I've driven to Victoria and it has taken 6 hours taking the Tsawwassen ferry. It has also taken over 9 hours. Coming back on Thanksgiving a few years ago it took 12 hours with the worth winter driving I have ever experienced. So yeah it's hit or miss. Getting a cheap Clipper ticket is a good way to go if you are just going to hang out downtown. Opps just seeing your post. Yeah PA is the way my friends always go, avoids the Peach Arch chaos. Each person can bring 1 case of beer if you are staying over 24 hours. Not sure if there is a Duty Free going that way. Edited November 5, 2009 by jon Quote
dinomyte Posted November 5, 2009 Author Posted November 5, 2009 Cool. Of course, this yields another question. Is the fastest way from PDX to PA using 101 N from Olympia? Quote
olyclimber Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 turn left just before Olympia. take 101 to PA. yes that is the fastest. you could also drive from Tacoma Narrows across the bridge to Kitsap, but from the south Oly to 101 should be your fastest unless there is construction. Quote
dinomyte Posted November 5, 2009 Author Posted November 5, 2009 Looks like that's the plan. Leave PDX at 8am, to PA by 1pm, ferry departs at 2pm, and 90 minutes and $100 later I am in BC drinking and doing as little as possible for a week!! If anyone has suggestions of places to go and things to see, feel free to shoot them my way! Thanks all! Quote
Off_White Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 I've only done the PA ferry in the summer, but there tended to be a big line, so the plan was always get there many hours before sailing and kill time in the respective towns. This time of year it might not be such an issue. Still, it would be worth getting an opinion from the ferry line. Its a great drive to head west past Sooke (great harbor) out to the end of the west coast road at Port Renfrew. Nice walks down to the beach along the road, should be wild, blustery, and lonely this time of year. The Royal BC Museum in Victoria is worth a visit if you like that sort of thing. You could get a good pinkie workout taking High Tea at the Empress. Quote
olyclimber Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 the BC Museum is a can't miss IMO. and remember! they drive on the other side of the road up there. Quote
YocumRidge Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 Bon Voyage, Jon! And drive in the middle of the road to avoid left- and right-sided traffic confusion! It is safer that way Quote
gertlush Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 Also: The Bug Zoo The Wax Museum Miniature World Quote
Bug Posted November 5, 2009 Posted November 5, 2009 The bug zoo is a must. Say Hi to mom. The Royal BC Museum has a Cinemax. They had the new Star Trek when I was there. But I didn't get to see it. The wax museum seemed artificial. The miniature World was well, too narrow in scope. The Royal BC Museum is very good. They had the Rosetta Stone when I was there. We spent two or three hours in one exhibit. The seafood place by the seaplane port SUCKS. Pay the extra money and go someplace else. Quote
Skeezix Posted November 6, 2009 Posted November 6, 2009 It's easy to walk on the ferry here in P.A. No long lines. Second the Bug Museum. There's a great japanese deli in the mini mall adjacent to the bug museum ...and a great japanese restaurant a couple blocks W ...or the Noodle Box for good cheap asian fast food. There's an MEC store in Victoria, worth checking out. And you can buy acetominophen with codeine over the counter in CA, but it's illegal to bring it back to the US. That stuff knocks out my nephew's headaches. Quote
olyclimber Posted November 6, 2009 Posted November 6, 2009 don't forget to drive on the wrong side of the road Quote
YocumRidge Posted November 6, 2009 Posted November 6, 2009 don't forget to drive on the wrong side of the road Do they speak their own foreign language too? Jon knows only french. Quote
AlpineK Posted November 6, 2009 Posted November 6, 2009 I took the Victoria Clipper once. It's a good way to get to Victoria, if you don't plan to drive all over Vancouver Island that is. Quote
beer_factor Posted November 6, 2009 Posted November 6, 2009 I took the Victoria Clipper once. It's a good way to get to Victoria, if you don't plan to drive all over Vancouver Island that is. Yes. But you can buy all that perfume you need at the duty-free store while en route Quote
G-spotter Posted November 7, 2009 Posted November 7, 2009 The Victoria hardmen train their finger crimping at Fleming Beach. If you wanna climb like Croft, Foweraker, Maddaloni, and Beckham you can visit Fleming and check out the rock. Its that good even if it is only 400 feet long and "not high enough to rope up for" Quote
Kimmo Posted November 7, 2009 Posted November 7, 2009 there's a university just east of downtown, can't remember the name, that has really cool gardens. japanese gardens, rose gardens, that kinda thing. really worth visiting. and then there's the world famous sooke harbor house. one of the better and more interesting meals i've ever had in my life. fixed price menu, with some choices among entrees. there's a climbing gym methinks, and horne lake up north, steep limestone oho. Quote
prole Posted November 7, 2009 Posted November 7, 2009 Ripley's Believe It Or Not Times Square The 1898 Columbian Exposition The Canadian Space Museum The Lithium Baths Quote
olyclimber Posted November 7, 2009 Posted November 7, 2009 the cars up there have their steering wheels on the wrong side. but once you get used to it, it makes total sense. Quote
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