Seeking advice on Vancouver/Victoria trip

[Frwinkley]

Considering a trip next summer. We would be flying in from the East Coast (8 nights total). We have to fly in and out of Seattle. We'd likely spend two nights in Seattle. I was thinking 3 nights in Vancouver, 2 in Victoria and than the last night in Seattle since we'd have to fly out early a.m. We are considering travelling without a car, since everything I've read is that it's just an unnecessary expense.

Is this a reasonable amount of time in each place? I realize we will not see/do everything. We enjoy easy hikes, shopping, dining, etc and are avid photographers.

Thank you!

 

[Noah_t]

Yes this would be a decent amount of time in each city. I also agree its a totally doable trip without a vehicle. There is a passenger ferry that connects Seattle to Victoria that would be a fun way to travel. There is also a very nice rail trip from Vancouver to Seattle that would be nice. I really love rail and ferry travel. So much nicer than flying or driving.

 

[Sue M]

I’m not sure what to say about no car. If you just stay in the downtown cores you could get away with no car. But not staying in outlying areas. Getting from Seattle you could take the train to Vancouver. You’d have to look up schedule to see if times will work for you.
In Vancouver you can get tickets for the Red Bus. That’s a good way of seeing the major sights. It’s hop on hop off. I’d go around the full ride once to decide what you want to see. Then hop off at places that interest you.
Walk around the Stanley Park Seawall. There are beaches there too. Go stroll around Granville Island. Capilano Suspension Bridge I think you can go to the tourist kiosk to get tickets for a bus that takes you over. Your hotel concierge should be able to help.

In Victoria stay by the Inner Harbour area. That’s where all the main stuff is. And very walkable. I think there is still a ferry from Seattle to Victoria.
Check out the Empress Hotel. My mom used to love going to the Bengal room for before dinner cocktails. The museum in Victoria is quite good. Buschart Gardens if you have the time. I think you can find charter busses that take you there. Go have High Tea. There are a few tea shops, and of course High Tea at the Empress. It’s a splurge but something special.

Note we don’t have Uber or Lyft . Sad but true. I hope we get them soon. But there’s a lot of protest from the taxi companies here (who have held us hostage far too long). So your options of getting around Vancouver are busses, skytrain or very expensive taxis. Or walking of course!

 

[Frwinkley]

Thank you for the replies. We usually do so much driving on vacations. This summer we drove 1500 miles through the state of Colorado in 8 days. Of course, we didn't see everything, but it was a wonderful trip nevertheless. I think we'd enjoy a trip where the transportation part was out of our hands (we love the train/ferry idea). We're also looking forward to a trip where we can do a lot of walking or us buses, skytrain when necessary.

Is it easier to go from Seatlle to Victoria, Victoria to Vancouver, than Vancouver back to Seatlle, or should we consider doing Seattle to Vancouver first?

Any and all tips/suggestions is greatly appreciated!

 

[Noah_t]

Thank you for the replies. We usually do so much driving on vacations. This summer we drove 1500 miles through the state of Colorado in 8 days. Of course, we didn't see everything, but it was a wonderful trip nevertheless. I think we'd enjoy a trip where the transportation part was out of our hands (we love the train/ferry idea). We're also looking forward to a trip where we can do a lot of walking or us buses, skytrain when necessary.

Is it easier to go from Seatlle to Victoria, Victoria to Vancouver, than Vancouver back to Seatlle, or should we consider doing Seattle to Vancouver first?

Any and all tips/suggestions is greatly appreciated!

I would just check the schedules for the ferry and the train and decide what works best.

 

[Chickinvic]

Thank you for the replies. We usually do so much driving on vacations. This summer we drove 1500 miles through the state of Colorado in 8 days. Of course, we didn't see everything, but it was a wonderful trip nevertheless. I think we'd enjoy a trip where the transportation part was out of our hands (we love the train/ferry idea). We're also looking forward to a trip where we can do a lot of walking or us buses, skytrain when necessary.

Is it easier to go from Seatlle to Victoria, Victoria to Vancouver, than Vancouver back to Seatlle, or should we consider doing Seattle to Vancouver first?

Any and all tips/suggestions is greatly appreciated!

Don't think it makes much difference. I'm from Victoria originally (until 2013). I have to say, I LOVE Seattle. Vancouver is just okay to me (being from Victoria, I already had all the beauty around me, and Vancouver was just another city to me). It really depends what you are into. Lots of great stuff to see and do on the island too (not just Victoria) - but again it depends what you are into. Cathedral Grove and the huge trees is fantastic for example. I love Sooke and the Sooke Potholes. Going further along the West Coast of the Island there is French Beach, China Beach, Mystic Beach. Lots of really cool stuff. Most of that exploring would require a car too.

 

[Aladora]

Considering a trip next summer. We would be flying in from the East Coast (8 nights total). We have to fly in and out of Seattle. We'd likely spend two nights in Seattle. I was thinking 3 nights in Vancouver, 2 in Victoria and than the last night in Seattle since we'd have to fly out early a.m. We are considering travelling without a car, since everything I've read is that it's just an unnecessary expense.

Is this a reasonable amount of time in each place? I realize we will not see/do everything. We enjoy easy hikes, shopping, dining, etc and are avid photographers.

Thank you!

There are some really lovely places here on Vancouver Island that imho are must-sees but they will require a car. If you can, I would definitely recommend driving up Island and checking out Cathedral Grove.

 

[Carolynleanne]

I'm surprised at all the responses saying no vehicle is needed. Perhaps if you don't plan to leave the downtown core or downtown Victoria you'd be fine, but there are a lot of places that are tricky (or very time consuming) to get to by transit alone. I don't think our transit is anywhere near as good as a lot of other major cities...

 

[otten]

The best parts of Vancouver in my opinion (I'm a local) are outdoors and outside the city. I don't think there's a whole lot of to do as a tourist downtown besides shop. You need a car to get to those things.

 

[Frwinkley]

Thank you. I appreciate your feedback. Can you give me some ideas of things I might do outside of the city with a car?

We most likely will be starting our trip in Seattle (flying in and out from the East Coast). I certainly do not want to have a car in Seattle and am considering taking the train up to Vancouver. Is it easy enough to rent a car once we are in Vancouver?