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Quickest route to Victoria


dinomyte

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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 by dinomyte
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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

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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 by jon
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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!

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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.

 

 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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