Vancouver and Victoria: Pacific Northwest part one

When I began planning our summer vacation, I knew it was going to be tough to top our 2015 European adventure. I also knew that we needed to stay in North America, not only to keep costs down but to make planning easier and less stressful. (This post is full of links to websites and other blog posts that can help you plan your own trip as well.)

We decided to head to the Pacific Northwest, which is an area that none of us had visited. It turned out to be the perfect combination of nature and city, sightseeing and hiking, eating and well, eating. Armed with my girlfriend’s binder of her family’s trip last year (Yes, she has a binder, and page protectors. We are soul sisters.), I did internet research, made reservations, and headed west. 

Our itinerary included three nights in Vancouver, two in Victoria, and six in Seattle. We flew direct to Seattle and drove to our first stop in British Columbia, because this option was the least expensive and the fastest. We rented a car at the airport and drove three hours to Vancouver. Taking a scenic route to catch these views of the San Juan Islands added a worthwhile thirty minutes to the drive.

Stanley Park

Stanley Park is on the northern tip of Vancouver, and almost surrounded by the waters Vancouver Harbor and English Bay. We rented bicycles and rode around the nine kilometer (about 5.5 miles) sea wall, stopping for a few photo opps along the way.

The nine totems are British Columbia’s most visited tourist attraction. I could only get six in this photo because a huge group of elderly tourists were posing for a group shot in front of the other three.

We decided to ride around the seawall one more time, and then continue on the path that runs along English Bay, through Olympic Village, and over to Granville Island. We didn’t stop for photos of this ride, but it was a great way to see the city. I could have spent a few hours strolling through the shops at Granville Island, but after lunch it was time to head back.

After riding on Agatha for twelve miles, I was ready to give her back to Spokes (the rental place, which I recommend). Each bike had a name; our posse included Agatha, Rosita, Quincy and Jason.

Lynn Canyon

Most tourists head to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park to walk high above the forest. It’s a popular attraction, but I was not enthused about the price tag. The cost for four of us to spend a few hours walking a suspension bridge and hiking was about $105 USD. The bridge sounded fun, but not that fun.

A little googling revealed that Lynn Canyon’s suspension bridge is shorter in length, lower in height, and much cheaper. As in FREE. We drove the thirty minutes to the park and arrived by 10:30 a.m., and spent a few hours hiking and enjoying the beautiful scenery. 

I’m standing at the beginning of the bridge and Gwen is in the middle.

Looking down

Holding onto my phone for dear life as I lean over the side of the bridge for this photo

Exploring Vancouver

In between activities, we strolled the neighborhoods of Vancouver. It’s a walkable city, and I was struck by how international it felt. I heard a variety of languages being spoken, and residents are of many different nationalities and cultures. A quick look at Wikipedia confirmed my observations. Over 17% of metropolitan residents are ethnic Chinese, and Germans are the largest non-British group. Over half of the people living in Vancouver speak a first language other than English.

After a lovely visit with my blogging friend Kelly and a walk to Bella Gelateria for gelato (good, but not as good as in Italy), we headed to the ferry for the 90 minute ride to Victoria.

Butchart Gardens

En route from the ferry drop off to Victoria, we stopped at Butchart Gardens with a gazillion other tourists. While pricey at $78 USD for the four of us, it was worth the two hour stop.

Jennie Butchart began her gardens over 100 years ago, from the huge pit remaining after the family’s quarry was abandoned. While any garden I cultivate would end up a mess of dead things and weeds, Butchart Gardens has thrived.

Now a National Historic Site, the gardens are stunning, even in the rain.

Exploring Victoria

We only had one full day in the capital city of British Columbia, but that was enough time to see the two main attractions on my list. We also had enough time to stroll, shop a little, and enjoy the views of water everywhere we looked.

Victoria Parliament

We had a fabulous view from our hotel room of the most stunning building in Victoria.

During the day, it is still pretty impressive, both inside and out.

It’s free to tour the Parliament building on your own, so we spent about 45 minutes learning a bit about the Canadian system of government. Like many Americans, I know little of foreign governments, and I was surprised to learn that Queen Elizabeth II is not only the Queen of the United Kingdom, but also the Queen of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and twelve Caribbean countries that have become independent since her succession. These windows were created for the Queen’s jubilee and diamond jubilee.

I peeked in the room where it happens, and stood on tiptoe to clear the red ropes cordoning off the area from peons like me.

The view of the domes was unobstructed, though.

After Parliament, we walked along the water to Fisherman’s Wharf, passing this sign on the way. It seems quite British and proper to say “deposits” instead of “poop,” doesn’t it?

We had a great lunch at Barb’s Fish and Chips, and strolled along the wharf looking at the houseboats. They are cute and charming, but after four nights of living in one hotel room with three other adult-sized people, I couldn’t imagine enjoying such small quarters.

Royal BC Museum

We had no intention of going to the museum until Kelly recommended it, and still the teenagers grumbled. The museum reminded me of the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the visit turned out to be well worth the time. There are hands-on exhibits that appeal to all ages, and the mammoths were awesome. Both kids agreed that this museum was not the boring kind.

We bailed on afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress, which my friend had told me was a must-do. We did walk through the hotel, which is so huge that the best photo I could get was from our hotel room window.

Tea at the Empress has been served since 1908, but tea for four would have cost us over $230 USD. We didn’t even spend that much for drinks in St. Mark’s Square in Venice, and no one was particularly enthused about putting on nice clothes for tea and finger sandwiches. Matt and I may have gone if we had been alone, but instead we wandered through the lobby area trying to look like we belonged there. 

Our ferry to Seattle didn’t leave until the afternoon, so we spent our final morning in Victoria walking around Beacon Hill Park. 

We arrived at the ferry after lunch, showed our passports to Border Patrol, then drove aboard and sailed back home.

 Coming soon…Part Two!