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Pacific Northwest Ferry travel... routes/access; points of interest

flyhi2cfar

#102452 Sometimes Hangared... But Always Aimed Out
Not being familiar with the "network" of ferry travel to Vancouver Island & Victoria, I am looking for your opinion on nice options.
Have only been across Whidbey Isle to Port Townsend myself. Would like to include Victoria & Vancouver BC on a pass through the
week after Salem. Would consider & not opposed to any idea you may offer, thanks.

"travel'in" John .... won't be there for a long time, just'a good time ;)
 
Ride the Washington Coast

In July I would recommend riding up the Oregon and Washington coast on Hwy 101 to Port Angeles and take the ferry to Victoria from there. The sites along the coast are amazing from Cannon Beach Oregon to the Hoh rain forest in Washington.

Here is a ferry link: http://www.ferrytravel.com/portangeles.htm

You then could take the BC ferries back to the main land in Twassen.
 
+1 to bigdibbs. Though if one is pressed for time the ride up Hood Canal might save a bit of time, and the road is a bit more interesting. The Coho ferry to Victoria is great, and for a bit of variety one could always return through the San Juan Islands or the BC Ferry to Tswassen. Just don't forget you need a passport (or enhanced ID) to visit Canada...

:D
 
I'm on Bainbridge Island, WA

We have a local distillery and brewery, wine makers too if that's up your alley. Some great eats and a couple local museums that are worth a visit if you're into that. Touratech and Ride West BMW are just across the Puget Sound and ALL the tourist stuff is between them. Just north is the Boeing factory tour.

Just some ideas if you have time, ride safe!
 
The ride from Anacortes through the San Juans Vancouver Island is spectacular, with two sailings daily in the summer months. I like the idea of going up the canal and then heading east to Port Angeles, but here's another idea. Ride up the canal and go to PT. Take the boat across to Whidbey, ride north across the Deception Pass Bridge (but get off the bike first and take a look), Then take the WSF from Anacortes to Sidney. Save yourself some time and Victoria traffic hassle by taking the open air ferry at Brentwood Bay. Rejoin HWY 1 and head north. South of Nanaimo, take a detour to the Crow & Gate Pub. If you like air museums, stop in at Canadian Forces Base, Comox. There's an air museum in Sydney that's also worth a stop if you have the time. Take the boat from Comox across to Powell River. From there it's some nice riding and incredible scenery on two ferry runs in getting south to West Vancouver.
 
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Thank you everyone...thats the kind of INSIDE info needed for good trip planning. Its what you dont know, that bites!

Travel'in John
 
Rkoreis is right, if you take the ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria, ride up island to Comox and take the ferry across to Powell River. Ride south down the Sunshine Coast (and another ferry) and then take the 45 minute ferry from Gibsons to Horseshoe Bay/Vancouver.

Seeing as you're up here, you may as well ride one of the best motorcycle roads in BC - Earls Cove to Sechelt.
 
Passports:(

Do not forget yours:). Even Canada now requires one, USA coming back. The ferries check'em and bikers get first on, first off service on all ferries NW. Tie downs ARE provided if weather gets bumpy at sea, but most days not so. Even then, I tie my bike down. Bring your own if worried. Simple rope works fine if you know your knots:). Some of the ferries run 2+ hours, so the crossings are lengthy, not all. Randy;)
 
Also-Butchart Gardens in B.C. are a not to miss treat if your into green thumb stuff. If the "big trip" is a thought-take AK Marine Hwy Ferry... I may make the run from E.KY to OR this summer-I'm E of Lexington.
 
Oh great!

Well my friend and I thought we had our route kinda figured out but after seeing this- now were all screwed up!!:laugh
 
How true....

.... my maps now have "squiggly" highlighter marks overlapping about 800 miles of coastline! ....:uhoh
 
If you choose to take the boat from PA to Victoria, make a detour to Hurricane Ridge. The views are spectacular on a clear day.
 
HIKE too!

The HRNP outside of Port Angeles is very cool place, but don't bother if its not clear. He's right. I did it a few years back on a clear day and hiked the remainder to the top of ridge, from parking area. ITS A STRAIGHT UP hike, takes a toll on ya, but it not too far and the view is amazing, seeing Victoria BC very clearly from up there. Bears too like the hikers, so beware. Rangers hike the trail frequently for this purpose:). An absolute must see if weather permits. High Tea is served daily at the Empress Hotel on the bayfront VictoriaBC. Used to anyways. So go there, have your crumpets and tea toddle with your riding pals:). Also, The "TOTEM of KNOWLEDGE" rises on the same waterfront(very closeby) and worthy of seeing. Make ya a better rider:)....Randy
 
I was actually thinking about the mountain views, like the one below. It was taken about 5-6 miles east of Hurricane Ridge, at the Obstruction Point trailhead. Olympic National Park is very rugged. The Indian tribes stayed out of the mountains for the most part, believing there was a central valley with cannibals and fierce animals.

As for bears, for all of the time I've spent in the park, I've only seen one little black bear and he was making tracks across a slope. The park does have the occasional bear problem, but that is usually on on backpacking trails where people have been stupid with their food. You will see lots of deer and, if you are lucky, Roosevelt elk. They are the largest in North America.

If you end up taking 101 around the peninsula, Lake Quinault and Lake Crescent make good stopping points for stretching legs or having a meal in a scenic and historic location.
 

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A hike & "high tea"???

Randy; thanks for that idea.... tea at the hotel, my wife liked that idea!

Rkoreis.... you got any more pics of that scenery; I could skip the straight up bear laden hike! Thank you for the idea, if weather clear...
I go! Cant even believe that shot is in the region.
 
Plenty of nice pics on the ONP website. http://www.nps.gov/olym/photosmultimedia/bestofolympic.htm

I'd be very surprised if you saw a bear at Hurricane Ridge. You'd have a better chance of seeing the fella pictured below, an Olympic Marmot. The steep hike reference is probably up to the top of Hurricane Hill. Not interested? Just hang out around the visitor center and enjoy the views.

Time permitting, here is a link to the major destinations in the park. They are all on the periphery, but some are a bit farther off 101 than others. If you've seen a photo of mossy trees, it's probably from somewhere on the Hoh drainage. http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/park-destinations.htm
 

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Nice pics:)

It was about 15 years ago, my last HRNP visit on a CLEAR day. Been there since but the weather was closed in and views were not good. The bear was indeed there on the trail above the visitor center en route to ridge. LOTS of deer too, all over the place, even in parking lot. The Ranger was present on the trail that day, warning of bear issues and the one present:). No issues came of it, as the bear was docile enough and kept its distance for the most part. A very worthy few hours spent, IF you get a good day for weather up there. Its a gamble as the Peninsula has a rain forest so closeby. The ridge has a very interesting history. One side gets 15inches a year rainfall(SequimWA.), the other near 200+ inches, towards the West and only a few miles apart. Quite fascinating to see. I worked there for 4 years:). Randy
 
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