Portland, Olympic NP, Vancouver and back?
Replies: 12 - Last Post: Feb 27, 2012 10:29 PM Last Post By: johnsang
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Portland, Olympic NP, Vancouver and back?
Hello. We arrive in Portland first week of June and after 3 nights in the area were thinking of heading to Olympic NP for 2 nights and then to Vancouver, BC for another 2 nights. Then drive back to Portland for 1 more night before we fly back to the UK. Does that trip make sense?? We really like the idea of visiting Olympic NP (very keen on dramatic coastline!) but not sure if it's worth it or too much of a detour (we could for example swap it for some time on the Oregon cost). Please let us know what you think. Thank you!4
Thanks so much for the responses everyone! Unfortunately we need to be both in Portland and Vancouver for this trip and I wanted to tag on something else in between. I thought a loop around the Olympic peninsula, stopping there for 2 nights, would provide us with some great scenery? I know it's a long drive, which we don't mind. However, if it's really not recommended then we wouldn't do it! We could go to Cannon Beach in Oregon for example, or other suggestions welcome. Thank you again!5
As long as mostly windshield time is ok then Portland to Port Angeles, WA via Astoria, OR and Forks, WA could be day #1. Then ferry to Victoria, BC on Vancouver Island and ferry to near Vancouver for day #2 makes for a pretty nice trip.7
I don't think there is a ferry from the Olympic Peninsula to Vancouver Island anymore. You have to go from Port Townsend over to another island then drive to Anacortes and take that ferry through Friday Harbor to Sydney BC, not a real fast route but very scenic. The ferry from Port Townsend also gets you fairly close to I-5 again and you are only a couple of hours from Vancouver then.8
Thank you for all the advice! The ferries sound lovely, but also quite slow. How about focusing on the lower half on OP and backtracking slightly for a faster (if more boring) route to Vancouver via I-5?Or maybe swap OP for 2 nights in Mt Rainer NP? Or is that too much of a detour too?
I guess I just want to fit in some majestic scenary where we can 'commune with nature' for a day or so, and somewhere where we can get away from the crowds for a bit (we don't mind hiking a bit to do that). Staying in a cabin or somewhere with not too many people about would help too.
Is that possible??
Thank you again.
B
9
You could also drive straight from Portland up I-5 to Burlington, WA, well past Seattle (around 5 hours with no traffic and a couple stops), then get off on Cascade Highway and head into the North Cascades. Camp and hike for two days, then continue on to Vancouver which would be fairly close, even from deep in the mountains.The main obstacle with your original plan, as others have stated, is getting from the Olympics to Vancouver, which could take up to 6 hours. Having said that, total drive time of my plan vs. yours is not that different, you would just get most of your driving done at once from Portland to the N Cascades. If you do this, you would be well-advised to get through the Tacoma to Seattle stretch before 2PM if it's a weekday to avoid traffic.
11
- 7 above said "I don't think there is a ferry from the Olympic Peninsula to Vancouver Island anymore." As of 2/21/2012 www.cohoferry.com gets you to a website for the ferry service that connects Port Angeles, WA (on the Olympic Pen.) to Victoria, BC (on Vancouver Island). From there you can get to the city of Vancouver through Sydney, BC or Nanaimo, BC. via BC Ferries.
