jenwalker

Hello Forum!
I am in the midst of planning a trip and my timeline for pulling it together is very short. I thought you all could help since there is a lot of knowledge here. I have a week and will be going to Port Townsend >Victoria>Vancouver. I am flying into Seattle and driving to Port Townsend to stay with friends, then taking a car ferry to Victoria and stay 1 night (or should it be 2?) and then a car ferry to Vancouver and staying 2 or 3 nights. I have never been to Victoria or Vancouver and look forward to seeing both. I realize that there is likely not enough time to do both want to try.

Do you all have recommendation of where to stay in Victoria or Vancouver and must see things / places to eat.

For Ferries - Black Ball Ferry from Port Townsend to Victoria & then BC Ferries for Victoria to Vancouver?

Thanks,
Jennifer

raincitygirl

When is your trip and what budget for hotels?
Yes to your ferry questions. What kind of food do you like? Interests?
If you like gardens Butchart Gardens in Victoria is gorgeous. (actually it is in Brentwood Bay, sort of on the way to the ferry terminal)

jenwalker

Thanks for your reply. I actually love gardens so plan on Butchart. Would love other garden recommendations. Is it a good time of year for gardens? I also like farmers markets amd market in general, art, local food, tide pools, puffins and nature.

For hotels, I am trying to stay under $250 per night and my trip is next week!!

raincitygirl

https://cohoferry.com/schedule-fares

Hi sorry, just looking at your post again, I think the ferry actually runs over to Victoria from Port Angeles not Port Townsend.
My cousin lives near Butchart, just texted her to ask how the gardens are looking at the moment. Should still be beautiful and we are having great weather.
In Vancouver Van Dusen gardens are very nice as well.

raincitygirl

Butchart Gardens apparently looking good, leaves turning red, beautiful dahlias and hanging baskets among other things.

Some restaurants in Victoria: Belove (vegan/vegetarian), Mantra (Indian), Ebizo and Nubo (Japanese), there are plenty more.
Moss St market open Sat 10 - 2. There are other farmers markets if you Google.
Quality Inn in the downtown inner harbour is a good price, not fancy but clean and great location. Similar location, just behind the Parliament Buildings is the Parkside, I've stayed there, nice, more $ than the Quality Inn but still in your budget.
Your $ is strong against ours so that's in your favour.
For tidal pools, there are some at Cattle Point in Oak Bay I think and nearby Willows beach is nice as is Gonzales beach.
There is also the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre out in Sidney ( on the way to the ferry), I haven't been to this personally.
I think whale watching tours might still be running if that's an interest. A few days ago people on one witnessed a bizarre fight between a group of transient orcas and a humpback whale. The Ogden Point Breakwater in James Bay (not far from the 2 hotels I mentioned) is a nice walk.

Puffins are an offshore bird, don't think you will see those, some people have seen them in Tofino when out on a boat and there is a huge colony of them on Triangle island off northern Vancouver island but not easy to access.

I think you could fill up your days in Victoria and environs but Vancouver has a lot to see too. Stay somewhere downtown but avoid Chinatown and probably Gastown due to tent city on east Hastings street. There have been some issues, we have a housing crisis plus drug crisis like a lot of other cities.
Stanley park is lovely, Granville island nice for the food market and restaurants, there's a theatre there too. Capilano suspension bridge, the gondola ride up to Grouse mountain is fun and the views at the top are beautiful. I think the Sutton Place Hotel on Burrard has some good rates right now.
Restaurants I like in the more fine dining category: Le Crocodile, Lupo, Nightingale. There are some great food trucks if you like those. Usually a couple parked near the Art Gallery or you can google for a map of where they are that day.

jenwalker

Thanks so much for this great information. I am definitely going to use this for our trip next week. I really appreciate you taking the time to share.

Jennifer

raincitygirl

You are very welcome Jennifer, I hope you have a great trip. If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask.
Paula

raincitygirl

https://vandusengarden.org/

In Vancouver the van Dusen gardens are lovely also and if you look at their website I think they have some Fall things going on.

sunbum1944

in Victoria I like to stay at the Surf Motel. It is close to Ogden Point. Its kind of an old time vintage place but clean and I like the location- across the street from the ocean. We are walkers so nice path along the water and we walked to the inner harbor also. There is free parking and its on a bus line.