# Help!  Need some advice :)  esp. Victoria,BC



## Cathyb (Sep 9, 2010)

Doing some long range planning.  Will be living in Orange County, CA (south of Disneyland)  in the future and will be planning a trip to Seattle and Victoria.  We will not be using an automobile at all (medical reasons).   Hope to use my Worldlmark credits for timeshares.

1.  I could not find a non-stop to Victoria from either SNA (John Wayne) or LAX (Los Angeles).  It appears I would have to fly to San Francisco then to Victoria.  Am I missing something?

2.  Is this feasible:  Fly Alaska Airlines from SNA to SEA and take the ferry to Victoria and back to Seattle?  How often does that ferry run?

3.  How far is the Seattle airport from where the Victoria ferry comes into Seattle?  Are there buses that can transport you or are taxis our only option?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.  We are getting 'old'  I have to do vacation planning soooo differently now.


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## Luanne (Sep 9, 2010)

I can't answer most of your questions, but this website on the ferry might help.  It has the schedule.  

http://www.clippervacations.com/ferry/

And here is the specific information on how to get there from the airport.

http://www.clippervacations.com/faq/airporttransportation


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## ricoba (Sep 9, 2010)

I am quite confident you will not find a non-stop from SoCal to Victoria.

Fly into Vancouver and catch a connection to Victoria from there.  Or you can probably catch a bus from the airport to Victoria.  This trip will take you on a BC Ferry out of Tswassan across the Straight of Georgia to Schwarz Bay on Vancouver Island.  It is very scenic.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Sep 9, 2010)

Cathyb said:


> Doing some long range planning.  Will be living in Orange County, CA (south of Disneyland)  in the future and will be planning a trip to Seattle and Victoria.  We will not be using an automobile at all (medical reasons).   Hope to use my Worldlmark credits for timeshares.
> 
> 1.  I could not find a non-stop to Victoria from either SNA (John Wayne) or LAX (Los Angeles).  It appears I would have to fly to San Francisco then to Victoria.  Am I missing something?
> 
> ...



Victoria is not a big destination; though I've never flown into Victoria I suspect that most of the flights with be smaller propjets.  So if that's an issue be sure to check what type of plane is being used on the route.

It's not a direct connection between SeaTac airport and Pier 69, where the Clipper terminal is located.  The link from Luanne is correct. 

A very feasible alternative is to spend a night (or more) in Seattle before going to Victoria.  It seems to me that the Camlin Worldmark facility in Seattle is within several blocks of the Convention Center stop for the Link Light Rail, and on the same end of downtown as the Clipper terminal.  You probably wouldn't want to walk to Pier 69 from the Camlin with luggage, so you're still looking at the short 5-minute or so taxi ride from the Camlin to Pier 69.

In Victoria, the Clipper drops you off right downtown, about four blocks from the Empress, IIRC. You clear customs, go out the door and turn left.   I've walked from the Clipper terminal to the Empress several times with a wheeled suitcase and a wheeled computer case.  Of course there are lots or taxis waiting after a Clipper arrival to give people rides.


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## eal (Sep 9, 2010)

Victoria has an international airport with jets coming and going all day and night.  However from SoCal you would have to transfer in Seattle or Vancouver.  If you don't have a car the clipper is a lovely way to get to Vancouver Island.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Sep 9, 2010)

eal said:


> Victoria has an international airport with jets coming and going all day and night.  However from SoCal you would have to transfer in Seattle or Vancouver.  If you don't have a car the clipper is a lovely way to get to Vancouver Island.


Going to Kayak and plugging SFO - VIC and filtering to exclude propjets and regional jets left exactly one matching flight option, WestJet with a 2-hour layover in Calgary.

Applying the same filter to flights from Santa Ana left zero flight options. Expanding the search to all SoCal airports resulted in two options, both on WestJet out of LAX with Calgary connections.

Everything from Seattle to Victoria is regional and smaller (not surprising at all).

As I suggested it's going to be tough for them to fly into Victoria if they have difficulty with a regional jet/turboprop.


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## Cathyb (Sep 9, 2010)

*Luanne...*



Luanne said:


> I can't answer most of your questions, but this website on the ferry might help.  It has the schedule.
> 
> http://www.clippervacations.com/ferry/
> 
> ...



Great help!  I have copied the info for my file.  Thank you so much!


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## Cathyb (Sep 9, 2010)

*Steve...*



T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Victoria is not a big destination; though I've never flown into Victoria I suspect that most of the flights with be smaller propjets.  So if that's an issue be sure to check what type of plane is being used on the route.
> 
> It's not a direct connection between SeaTac airport and Pier 69, where the Clipper terminal is located.  The link from Luanne is correct.
> 
> ...



Thank you -- actually I was working on an itinerary of Victoria, Seattle, Depoe Bay (for 8/2012) -- all Worldmark locations and planned to stay at the Camlin -- but on my way back from Victoria.  Last year we stayed at all three and loved all of them!  Looks like the easiest way for my then 80 yr old DH would be to pay the Tower car for a direct point-to-point rather than lugging suitcases on the train, then having to walk a bit, etc.

For Tugger's information, the ferry landing in Victoria is only 3-4 blocks from Worldmark's Victoria  -- an easy walk.  Last year we took our car but won't be able to do that again due to DH's health.


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## Cathyb (Sep 9, 2010)

*eal*



eal said:


> Victoria has an international airport with jets coming and going all day and night.  However from SoCal you would have to transfer in Seattle or Vancouver.  If you don't have a car the clipper is a lovely way to get to Vancouver Island.



Thank you, I was afraid that was the case.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 9, 2010)

You could fly direct to Vancouver and get the shuttle to town or to wherever the ferry is for Victoria. Or add a couple days in Vancouver, a wonderful and walkable city, also.
Liz


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## Cathyb (Sep 9, 2010)

*Thanks Rick*



ricoba said:


> I am quite confident you will not find a non-stop from SoCal to Victoria.
> 
> Fly into Vancouver and catch a connection to Victoria from there.  Or you can probably catch a bus from the airport to Victoria.  This trip will take you on a BC Ferry out of Tswassan across the Straight of Georgia to Schwarz Bay on Vancouver Island.  It is very scenic.



Learned a whole lot here from all you great Tuggers!


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## Cathyb (Sep 9, 2010)

*Hi Liz*



Liz Wolf-Spada said:


> You could fly direct to Vancouver and get the shuttle to town or to wherever the ferry is for Victoria. Or add a couple days in Vancouver, a wonderful and walkable city, also.
> Liz



Thanks Liz.  We stayed in Vancouver last year -- reminded me of my hometown of San Francisco.  However I only have a certain amount of Worldmark credits I can use


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Sep 9, 2010)

Cathyb said:


> Thanks Liz.  We stayed in Vancouver last year -- reminded me of my hometown of San Francisco.  However I only have a certain amount of Worldmark credits I can use



When I came to Seattle in 1993, one of my first reactions was that it reminded of what San Francisco was like when I moved there in 1973.  Twenty years later I thought San Francisco had lost a fair bit of charm.

And I concur about Vancouver being similar to San Francisco - especially the San Francisco that I remember from the 1970's.  More so than Seattle.

In fact, Vancouver is probably my favorite of the left coast's major urban areas.


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## bjones9942 (Sep 9, 2010)

The Camlin is directly across the street from the 'Convention Place' bus/rail station.  This station does NOT have access to the light rail at this time, so if you wanted to go to/from the airport you would use the Westlake station (a couple/three blocks west of the Camlin).

Bus tunnel is free for buses (as are the downtown buses), but they want you to pay to take the light rail between stations.  No one does.  The ride free area may change soon, so double check.

Getting between the airport and pier 69 (the Victoria Clipper) can be done via light rail between the airport station and the Westlake Station, then take a cab to/from the pier.  Take the cab, don't walk it (it's close, but you have to make your way through the maze that is the Pike Place Market).

What were you planning on doing while in Seattle?  I have some 'favorite' restaurants ... 

 If you like Indian, there's a fantastic lunch buffet at Pabla.  It's on 2nd ave between Pike and Pine (on the east side of 2nd).
If you're fond of dim sum, you can take the bus tunnel (any bus/light rail) to the International District station, then walk up King street 3 blocks to Jade Garden (north east corner).  Jade Garden opens @ 9am for Dim Sum - prepare to wait for a table if you go at 'normal' lunch hours.  At least *try* the chicken feet.
For Vietnamese there's 'Pho Bac' at the Greyhound station (a block from the Camlin).  Ignore the decor that tells you it used to be a Burger King.   Either get the pho or the #18 (it's a warm noodle salad).  The beef options have tough chewy beef - but it's really tasty.  Just be forewarned!
There's also Greenleaf - a block east of Jade Garden, that has a very tasty Banh xeo.
For a nice dinner I'd recommend the Pink Door (Post Alley, near the Pike Place Market).  They have the best cioppino you'll find in Seattle, though most people rave about their lasagna.  Fri/Sat (?) they also have 'entertainment' in the dining room.  It's hard to explain - you'll have to experience it first hand!
If you want pizza at lunch time, try MOD pizza (6th Ave between Union & University).  The crust is very cracker-like (thin and crispy).
If you find yourself on pill hill (1st Hill) grab a sandwich at George's (9th & Madison).  They're a Polish deli that has the BEST smoked kielbasa (you'd have to cook it though) on the west coast.

Um.  Gotta go get something to eat!  Have a fantastic time and don't hesitate to ask any Seattle-Food questions


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## asp (Sep 9, 2010)

If you are planning to stay at the Worldmark in Victoria, it is quite a walk into the Inner harbour - there are other choices closer in.


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## sailingman22 (Sep 10, 2010)

Check out the Alaska Airlines website since they offer 17 destinations from California. You could also take a Horizon Air flight from Seattle to Victoria which lasts about 30 minutes.

There is also a shuttle service from Seattle to Vancouver or the train.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Sep 10, 2010)

Here's an old thread on "Cheap Eats in Downtown Seattle".


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## John Cummings (Sep 10, 2010)

We flew from Southern California to Vancouver and did the Vancouver to Victoria to Seattle loop in August, 2007. We took the BC Ferry from Vancouver to Victoria and the Victoria Clipper from Victoria to Seattle. We did not have a car. We took the bus from our Hotel, the Fairmont Waterfront, in Vancouver to downtown Victoria.

If I were you, I would fly to Seattle and stay there for a few nights. We stayed at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Seattle and it was great. I would then take the Victoria Clipper to Victoria and back. I wouldn't go to Vancouver if Victoria is your destination. In Seattle, we took a taxi from the Victoria Clipper to the Grand Hyatt ( short ride ). We took the Airporter Bus to the airport in Seattle. The bus picked us up right at the hotel.

Seattle was our favorite part of the trip by far. We walked all over downtown and took some tours.

I don't see the comparison between San Francisco and Vancouver at all. San Francisco is very unique and I will take it hands down. I lived in Vancouver, Victoria, and the San Francisco Bay area.


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## Cathyb (Sep 11, 2010)

*bjones...*



bjones9942 said:


> The Camlin is directly across the street from the 'Convention Place' bus/rail station.  This station does NOT have access to the light rail at this time, so if you wanted to go to/from the airport you would use the Westlake station (a couple/three blocks west of the Camlin).
> 
> Bus tunnel is free for buses (as are the downtown buses), but they want you to pay to take the light rail between stations.  No one does.  The ride free area may change soon, so double check.
> 
> ...



You are a riot  .  We love Vietnamese food and only a block from Camlin, great.  Last year we stayed at the Camlin and walked to Pike Place -- is that where the Victoria Ferry leaves?  We were in the area where the men throw the fish at you (or at least pretend they will)

So, for my DH who will be 80 then -- would taking a taxi to the Victoria ferry loading station after staying 3-4 nights at the Camlin (and visiting all those yummy restaurants you suggested-lol) be the smartest thing? We will probably have 3-4 pieces of luggage with us.

BTW, how long does it generally take for walking passengers to go thru U.S. Customs when returning from Victoria by ferry?  TIA


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Sep 11, 2010)

Cathyb said:


> Last year we stayed at the Camlin and walked to Pike Place -- is that where the Victoria Ferry leaves?



No - the Clipper leaves from Pier 69, which is probably about mile further north on the waterfront.  

If you want to be in walking distance of the Clipper terminal, stay at the Edgewater.  The Edgewater is literally next door to the Clipper.


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## bjones9942 (Sep 11, 2010)

Cathyb said:


> You are a riot  .  We love Vietnamese food and only a block from Camlin, great.  Last year we stayed at the Camlin and walked to Pike Place -- is that where the Victoria Ferry leaves?  We were in the area where the men throw the fish at you (or at least pretend they will)
> 
> So, for my DH who will be 80 then -- would taking a taxi to the Victoria ferry loading station after staying 3-4 nights at the Camlin (and visiting all those yummy restaurants you suggested-lol) be the smartest thing? We will probably have 3-4 pieces of luggage with us.
> 
> BTW, how long does it generally take for walking passengers to go thru U.S. Customs when returning from Victoria by ferry?  TIA



As Steve said, the clipper leaves from Pier 69 (West of the Camlin, down the hill from the Pike Place Market and across a busy street).  If you stayed at the Edgewater (the Beatles stayed there in the 60's - and you can fish [or used to be able to] from the balconies, although I would have a problem eating anything caught in that part of the sound) then you would be VERY close.  I don't believe the Edgewater is Worldmark though.  I would do the taxi to the Victoria Clipper from the Camlin.

Also not sure about the customs time.  I've always driven to/from Canada.  The border crossing by car can either be a breeze or a nightmare.  The clipper people should be able to tell you though.

And another thought on Pho Bac ... at some point someone tried to refinish the 'burger king' tables.  It didn't work.  They're not dirty, they're just refinished badly making them feel strange.  The floor on the other hand, well a few gallons of bleach could take care of that   But they have some of the most amazing food (#12 [pho] and #18 [noodle salad] are my favorites).  Their hum bao also has a hard boiled egg inside.  Very interesting   It's a 'seat yourself' deal, but make sure someone sees you before you sit - they don't always notice new tables right away.

Steve - you can add all my recommendations to your 'Cheap Seattle Eats' list, with the one exception of the Pink Door.  And it really is cheap for what you get.  MOD Pizza has about a dozen pre-set varieties and an 'anything you want' option.  All for around $6.  The BBQ Chicken is my winner, but the one with the breaded/fried jalepeno's comes in a close second.


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## John Cummings (Sep 12, 2010)

When we came through US customs from the Victoria Clipper, it was pretty quick. They basically just waved us through.


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## lscott (Sep 12, 2010)

*Our trip to Victoria*

We are "senior citizens" who went from Indiana to Worldmark Victoria a few years ago.  Much the same as others have reported:  We flew to Seattle, spent the night at a hotel, took taxi to the Victoria Clipper (I had reserved through their website).  We walked, dragging suitcase, from ferry terminal around the point to Worldmark Victoria.  Rather a long walk but we did it daily.  I'm sure it could be done by taxi.  After we got to the resort, we used the little water taxis back and forth much of the time.
After our week, we returned on the evening Clipper, took taxi to hotel and taxi back to airport the next morning.  A lovely trip, first time we had been to that part of the world.


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