Vancouver BC to Seattle and Portland

[ilovedust]

Hi Guys

looking for some help i can be pretty flexible

Friday im travelling from Vancouver BC to Portland, i did the freeeway all the way last time and although quick it was dull.

so i was hoping from some ideas from eitherVancouver all the way to Seattle and then head on freeway to Portland or .. All the way.

we have time to kill but have a DOG with us so i dont want him to be too long without a break, anymore than 2 hrs without a stop would be unfair.


just looking for AMMERIIICCAAAA and some nice sights to see, we are from London so i'm just hoping you guys can help

would liek to do it in a long day OR i can find a motel im sure

Thanks!

Mark

[glc]

In order to avoid the freeway from Vancouver to Seattle, you will have to take one or more ferries, which would definitely make this a multi-day trip. However, you could take I-5 to Olympia, then use US-101/WA-8/US-12/WA-107 back to 101 and take that to Cannon Beach Junction and take US-26 into Portland. That is doable in a long day.

Option with one ferry:

Take I-5 to Mount Vernon, then WA-20 onto Whidbey Island, across the Keystone-Port Townsend ferry to Discovery Bay, then all the way around the Olympic Peninsula on US-101.

Two ferries:

Take the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay ferry to Vancouver Island, then the Victoria-Port Angeles ferry to 101.

[ilovedust]

Great this is very helpful thank you !

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

The great thing about having extra time is that it frees you from the motorways. Yes, they get you where you want to go efficiently. And yes, the scenery is the same no matter what road you're on. But the fact is that without the time to stop (or even slow down) and 'smell the roses', great scenery is just great scenery whizzing past at 70 mph. Time and RoadTrips go so well together precisely because they both allow you the freedom to go where you will at your own pace.

If you limit yourself to only a day, your options are also limited. If you can take that second day, several great possibilities open up. The first would be to cross the border somewhere other than at the congestion-prone main crossing on BC-99/I-5. A couple of years ago I drove down from Vancouver but first headed inland a bit, to Abbotsford, and used BC-11/WA-9 south into the US. Smaller crossings such as this can be much faster, but they can also be slower. Your best bet is to check websites such as this one that show current crossing times at various border sites.

Then, of course, what to do about Seattle. You could avoid it completely by taking WA-20 east through North Cascades National Park, then US-97 south (with a short segment on I-82)and US-12 east past Mt. Rainier National Park to US-101 and the coast. Such a outing which spends much of its time in national forests would give you plenty of opportunities to exercise your dog, and lets you see a good bit of the Cascades before heading for the Pacific shore. Another way to avoid Seattle would be to take a couple of ferries. The first would be from Tsawessan to Schwartz Bay on Vancouver Island, and the second from Victoria to Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula. That would also tie you into US-101.

From roughly Aberdeen Washington down to Cannon Beach US-101 remains near the coast and affords access to numerous state parks and wildlife refuges before you'd have to turn inland on US-26 to get to Portland. For all of the public lands you'll be visiting, be sure to check on what restriction may apply to your pet, leash laws, restricted trails, and the like, but they're certainly a better alternative than the 'pet exercise areas' found on the motorways.

AZBuck

[ilovedust]

This is great I think I'll avoid the ferries but skipping Seattle is fine with me ! This Is super super helpful !!

[Lifemagician]

Do you actually have a map of WA? The options shown above are all fantastic, but if you have a look at a good map - available at CAA - you will see that there is so much more.

Lifey

[ilovedust]

I don't I was kinda hoping for some good solids Made in the USA advice- and a map in my hands is as useful as a chocolate teapot !

[Lifemagician]

It might be useful to get a map and learn to read it before you set out on your trip. It is not wise to use electronics as your primary navigation tool. Many have done so at their peril, some with fatal consequences. Electronics are fine for back up, I have them myself, but your map and the ability to read it should be your primary navigation tool.

Lifey