looking for post Alaska cruise ideas?

[thinkoflaura]

After our 7 night Alaska cruise next summer, DH says he will fly home to Los Angeles with my parents (who will need the help at the airport, etc), but I am considering extending the holiday for DD10 and myself by a few days. Looking for ideas... We'll have spent about 3 nights in Vancouver with the family before the cruise, so I'm open to leaving the city. Maybe Seattle... maybe San Francisco... West Coast preferred so it's kind of on our way home.

Any suggestions?

 

[jdb in AZ]

There's so much to do in San Francisco. Have you been to Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, Ghiardelli Square, the Walt Disney Museum?

 

[DISGRL13]

Drive down the Oregon coast. We rented a car at the port terminal and did this after our Alaska cruise and loved it. The coast is very scenic with many places to stop and sights to see.

 

[jetskigrl]

After our Alaska cruise last year we took one of the buses to Seattle for 2 nights. We enjoyed seeing the Space Needle and the Aquarium, etc. Then we took the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles. It was so a beautiful ride and we really enjoyed the trip. But you can't have to be back at a certain time because the train does run late a lot. I think we were 2 hours late getting in but it can be a lot later if there are a lot of freight trains using the tracks.

I would also recommend the trip to San Francisco too. We had an overnight there on our Pacific Coast cruise and we took our time at the Walt Disney Family museum, etc.

 

[MousseauMob]

Wow, so many wonderful options! San Francisco is always wonderful. Seattle is great. You could even take the ferry over to Victoria which is beautiful. One of our favorite trips included Mt. St. Helen's as well as the Oregon coast. We did some tide-pooling and pulled glass to make our very favorite trip souvenir's ever.

 

[N365PA]

Vancouver Island (Victoria, Comox, etc) is very nice. Go see Butchart Gardens (much bigger than Canada at EPCOT!), Victoria, maybe ride the ferry down to Port Angeles and Friday Harbor. A lot of things to do up that way.

 

[xlxo]

After our 7 night Alaska cruise next summer, DH says he will fly home to Los Angeles with my parents (who will need the help at the airport, etc), but I am considering extending the holiday for DD10 and myself by a few days. Looking for ideas... We'll have spent about 3 nights in Vancouver with the family before the cruise, so I'm open to leaving the city. Maybe Seattle... maybe San Francisco... West Coast preferred so it's kind of on our way home.

Any suggestions?

Lots.... Cascadia has much to offer. Some ideas...

• Day 1... arrive in Vancouver or early birds might hit attractions like Granville Island? Gastown? Fly Over Canada?
• Day 2... Capilano Suspenion Bridge? Grouse Mountain?
• Day 3... hop on services with an extended stay in Stanley Park for the totems, train, and aquarium?
• Day 4... Whistler and Sea to Sky opportunities?
• Day 5... Orca whale watching from Storybrooke?
• Day 6... Vancouver Island, Butchart, Victoria? Instead of returning to Vancouver.... some continue South to nearby Seattle to explore that city or catch a flight home.
• additional nights? Some go East to the Rockies to check Banff and the glaciers there. Yes Seattle has been mentioned.
• one thing that many are unaware is the incredible multi-cultural opportunities with the various immigrants found in Vancouver. Do sample the various foods.
  • King Crab Chinese style if you have large group of 6 to 10
  • La Casa offers 218 flavor gelato
  • Bella's is award winning gelato
  • Mink offers great chocolates

Which summer sailing are you on? We can identify some season opportunities like a fireworks competition. If hotel costs are too high for multi-night stays.... look to hotels a few blocks away for significant savings.

 

[thinkoflaura]

Lots.... Cascadia has much to offer. Some ideas...

• Day 1... arrive in Vancouver or early birds might hit attractions like Granville Island? Gastown? Fly Over Canada?
• Day 2... Capilano Suspenion Bridge? Grouse Mountain?
• Day 3... hop on services with an extended stay in Stanley Park for the totems, train, and aquarium?
• Day 4... Whistler and Sea to Sky opportunities?
• Day 5... Orca whale watching from Storybrooke?
• Day 6... Vancouver Island, Butchart, Victoria? Instead of returning to Vancouver.... some continue South to nearby Seattle to explore that city or catch a flight home.
• additional nights? Some go East to the Rockies to check Banff and the glaciers there. Yes Seattle has been mentioned.
• one thing that many are unaware is the incredible multi-cultural opportunities with the various immigrants found in Vancouver. Do sample the various foods.
  • King Crab Chinese style if you have large group of 6 to 10
  • La Casa offers 218 flavor gelato
  • Bella's is award winning gelato
  • Mink offers great chocolates

Which summer sailing are you on? We can identify some season opportunities like a fireworks competition. If hotel costs are too high for multi-night stays.... look to hotels a few blocks away for significant savings.

WOW! thank you (all of you!) for your tips!!!
we are on the 6/13-20 sailing next year, but this post-cruise getaway will just be for my DD10 and myself. We have family in SF... right now we are thinking of working our way down there from Vancouver and then flying back from SFO to Burbank. But all your suggestions have been amazing. I am going to research them all and see what will work!

 

[xlxo]

Your dates pre/post cruise just misses the big dragon boat races and fireworks long weekend. You will have quieter time at the attractions. You may wish to budget for a sudden rain day as weather can be unsettled in June for Cascadia.

For the ultimate trip.... fly into Calgary.... take a one-way tour of the Rocky Mountains and arrive in Vancouver pre-cruise. Go on the cruise, and then go to Victoria, but continue South to Seattle and onwards to an San Francisco by train or bus.

http://keywesttravelandtours.com/package/mystic-mountains/ (dates won't work with cruise)
http://keywesttravelandtours.com/package/western-classic/ (this shorter trip has more date choices to meet with your cruise)

Here's an opportunity to Orca whale watch your way from Vancouver to Seattle via Victoria...
http://princeofwhales.com/vancouver/ (scroll to bottom)