Land Travel From Seattle to Vancouver

Once we complete our Solstice Cruise next summer r/t to Alaska from Seattle we would like to visit Vancouver for a few days. We also want to visit Seattle thus do not want to take a cruise out of Vancouver.

Anyone done this by renting a car, taking a ferry, train etc from Seattle to Vancouver and then back again to Seattle for a period of maybe 3-4 days? We think we would like to rent a car for those days as we would have our luggage to deal with. Any suggestions regarding this plan or another way to do this?

Appreciate any help!

[quote name='micruiser12']Once we complete our Solstice Cruise next summer r/t to Alaska from Seattle we would like to visit Vancouver for a few days. We also want to visit Seattle thus do not want to take a cruise out of Vancouver.

Anyone done this by renting a car, taking a ferry, train etc from Seattle to Vancouver and then back again to Seattle for a period of maybe 3-4 days? We think we would like to rent a car for those days as we would have our luggage to deal with. Any suggestions regarding this plan or another way to do this?

Appreciate any help![/QUOTE]

There is no ferry between Seattle and Vancouver. Perhaps you were thinking of Victoria and Seattle, which has the passenger only, CLIPPER.

p.s. be sure to let staff know that you're disembarking in Victoria instead of completing the trip to Seattle

Your options between Seattle and Vancouver are Amtrak Cascades train or bus, Bolt Bus, Greyhound, Quick Coach or a car rental. Or Alaska Airlines.

The cheapest option would be a roundtrip car rental from Seattle.

Another option to consider ..... since all Seattle ships stop in Victoria, hop off there and spend the night! Explore Victoria the next morning and/or visit Butchart Gardens then take the 6pm Pacific Coach to Vancouver. Sightsee in Vancouver for 2 days then take the train bus or whatever to Seattle. [url]http://www.pacificcoach.com/Bus-Coach-Travel/Crosswater/Victoria-to-Vancouver[/url] Edited August 27, 2014 by mapleleaves
p.s.

There are all those options except a ferry. There is none. Add three bus options.

Car rental is the way to go. Sight See along the Hwy#5 corridor pick an empty port of entry at the boarder from a sign on the Hwy. and then
check out the Vancouver area. You will not really need a car downtown Vancouver and parking is not free but getting around the complete area I would not do anything else.

There is a cruise however that leaves Vancouver goes to Alaska and ends in Seattle in MAY and the prices are great. 😜 On the Solstice too.

[quote name='micruiser12']Once we complete our Solstice Cruise next summer r/t to Alaska from Seattle we would like to visit Vancouver for a few days. [/quote][FONT=Tahoma][SIZE=3]Any of the methods that have been mentioned would be fine.
A rental car would give you the most freedom for sightseeing along the way.
Getting off the ship in Victoria is a nice option if you want to spend some time on Vancouver Island, since the Solstice only stops there for a few hours in the evening.

But if you are looking for the easiest way to get from Seattle to Vancouver requiring the least effort, then that would be the Quick Shuttle (also called Quick Coach).

The Solstice docks at Pier 91 in Seattle and the Quick Shuttle picks you up right there at the pier where you get off the ship, so you don't need to start dragging your luggage around anywhere.

In Vancouver, it can drop you off at any of a number of hotels, or at Canada Place, if you want to catch another ship out of Vancouver.

[/SIZE][/FONT] Edited August 27, 2014 by fleckle

[quote name='micruiser12']Once we complete our Solstice Cruise next summer r/t to Alaska from Seattle we would like to visit Vancouver for a few days.[I] We also want to visit Seattle thus do not want to take a cruise out of Vancouver.[/I] [/quote]

Well just a note that Vancouver round trip sailings are more scenic and less rough than Seattle departures, owing to the route the ships take past Vancouver Island - Seattle to the west on open ocean, Vancouver to the east on sheltered "inside passage" waters. They're similarly priced.

For two persons, the train is usually the cheapest option between Vancouver and Seattle, with an early morning and early evening departure in each direction. The train is also much more scenic than the "usual" road option - BC 99 to Interstate 5 - in that the train hugs the coast while the freeway is inland.

If you choose to drive, consider either a round-trip rental, or else if you want to rent one way, limit that rental to one day, or else the very high one-way daily rates will apply for the length of the rental. If you want to drive from Seattle to Vancouver or vice versa, and plan to spend a few days in the destination before dropping the car, rent a one-day one-way car, then do a second, local, round trip rental that won't have the big daily surcharge and/or a big drop fee.

There are several scenic road alternatives to the BC 99/I-5 corridor, including Chuckanut Drive and Whidbey Island, WA SR 9 and Mount Baker, or even loops through the North Cascades and back into Seattle from the east.

The Victoria Clipper offers vacation packages that go from Seattle to Victoria and to Vancouver and include RT transportation on the ferry and hotels in each area. Might be just what you are looking for.

Thanks for all of the suggestions! It will give me some ideas to pursue.

If you end up renting a car, I highly recommend taking the Chuckanut Trail and stopping at the Oyster Bar. The scenery is breathtaking (both the drive and the restaurant) and the food is delicious. We have done this twice and it was a great way to start (first time) and end (this summer) our cruise experience. Here's the link to the restaurant:
[URL]http://www.theoysterbar.net/[/URL]

Thanks Sue1898! I will hang onto your information if we decide to rent a car for our travel next year.