Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Washington State and Seattle to Victoria
Three companies provide a ferry link between Washington State and Victoria.
Clipper
Navigation
(800/888-2535,
www.clippervacations.com
,
adult US$92 one-way, US$155
round-trip)hasapassenger-onlyservicedepartingSeattle'sPier69uptofivetimesdailyin
summerandlessfrequentlytherestoftheyear.
Washington State Ferries
(206/464-6400,
or888/808-7977,
www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries
,
adultUS$18,seniorUS$9,youthUS$14.40,
vehicle and driver US$47.90) link Anacortes, north of Seattle, with Sidney, 32 kilometers
(20 miles) north of Victoria. A link between Port Angeles and Victoria is made by the
MV
Coho
(250/386-2202 or 360/457-4491,
www.cohoferry.com
,
adult US$17, child US$8.50,
vehicle and driver US$61) year-round.
Alaska Marine Highway System
The
Alaska Marine Highway System
(907/465-3941 or 800/642-0066,
www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs
) is an extensive network of government-run ferries through
Alaska's Inside Passage and along the British Columbia coast. Although these ferries
don't stop at Vancouver, their main southern terminus is just 70 kilometers (43 miles)
away at Bellingham, in Washington State. Because of international border regulations, the
only Canadian port of entry used by the ferry system is Prince Rupert in northern British
Columbia. Make all reservations as far in advance as possible.
FromthesoutheasternAlaskatownofKetchikan,analternativetothenonstoptwo-day
trip to Bellingham is to catch an Alaska Marine Highway ferry to Prince Rupert, then a
BC Ferries vessel to Port Hardy, at the northern tip of Vancouver Island, from where it's
a scenic drive down to Nanaimo or Victoria for the short hop across the Strait of Georgia
to Vancouver with BC Ferries. This is a great way to include Vancouver Island and Van-
couver in your northern itinerary without backtracking and at a similar cost.
There are plenty of options for travel in and around Vancouver and Victoria. If you have
your own vehicle, you'll be traveling by ferry from Vancouver to Swartz Bay on Van-
couver Island and less than an hour's drive from downtown Victoria. Flying and busing it
are the other options.
