Pacific Northwest - Headed to Seattle, Whidbey, San Juans, etc.

Heading to Seattle July 15 for a week - Whidbey Island and environs.

We will be staying 3 nights in Whidbey Island (southern section) and 4 nights in Mt Vernon

Headed to Seattle, Whidbey, San Juans, etc - July 15-22

Activities planned so far:

Olympia National Park - Keystone to Port Townsend Ferry
San Juan, Orcas and Lopez Islands by public ferry - (rental bike on Lopez Island)
Victoria BC and some sort of "tea Room" - they seem to have plenty - wife's idea!
Visit with niece who is loaning us their vacation rental on Whidbey for 3 nights.

Any thoughts, cautions, etc.?

Things we are missing?

We are NOT museum or shopping or restaurant folks, love being in nature.

Wife is 70, I am 68. I bicycle about 150 miles per week, wife about 20. Lopez Bicycle Works states that they have ladies bikes, which she needs.

It sounds like a really nice trip! I would try to find the lightest bicycle possible as Orcas and San Juan are pretty hilly. If your wife only rides 20 miles a week, she'll probably be a bit overwhelmed by it all--get a tandem? I'm not sure what they have for rent over there at Lopez. Whidbey would have the most traffic on it.

I wasn't too impressed with High Tea at the Empress. Otherwise, I don't really have any cautions.

The nicest places to cycle IMHO: West and south side of San Juan (hilly); South side of Lopez; almost anywhere on Orcas; Victoria is nice, follow the coast; Whidbey is nice from the ferry terminal to halfway to the south end and the area near Deception Pass. There's some good rides from Mt Vernon on the flats, though you don't see much but grassy levees most of the time.

Thanks.

I called the Lopez Bicycle Rental shop and they have hybrids with the lowered top tube (ladies bikes) which would be just fine.

We don't have to do a lot of bicycling - 15 miles would be fine. From what I have read, Lopez is the flattest and has less traffic - true? She can handle 15-20 miles relaxed biking just fine.

A must see on Vancouver Island is Butchart Gardens. Absolutely incredible grounds.

Also, you don't need a passport to enter Canada, but it is recommended that you have them for the return into the US. You can get to Victoria via the Port Angeles Black Ball ferry, by the way.

At this time of year, it may be advisable to make reservations on the ferries, in particular the Keystone/Port Townsend ferry. You can do that via the websites (Port Angeles Black Ball is a private company, the Keystone/PT ferry is part of the Washington State Ferry system.

East Hill

This is a very ambitious itinerary!!!! Wow. You'll have a great time.

Plan your ferry time carefully; ask the locals when you should arrive for the ferry. On Sundays, for example, you can wait 4 hours in line to get off one of the San Juan Islands. If you are on-foot, then, you won't have quite this problem.

On Lopez, I recommend riding to Shark's Reef Sanctuary, with a book, and sitting as close to the 'shark reef' as possible. It's glorious. Ask the rental place if you will need locks for something like this; maybe they will give you one with the rental. The seals on that little rock island just off ( 20 feet?) the coast of Lopez like to play in the current between the reef and the island. They are sooo cute! And, do some hills so you can eat Lopez Island Ice Cream (close to the bike rental, if it's the rental shop I'm thinking of). There's also an organic winery, Lopez Island Winery. They have some unique grapes they grow on the island and make lovely dry whites from them. Very nummy with seafood. I like Lopez alot. It's not as hilly as San Juan Island---and not as many cars. San Juan has a lot of truck traffic, as well as cars.

In Victoria, if you have time, the Royal BC Musuem has a wonderful collection of Native artifacts. Nice collection of masks.

When ordering salmon, if the menu doesn't say 'wild', ask the waitress if it's wild.

Oh, and if you want to do "tea", do it at Butchart Gardens. I saw their menu and it looked decent last time I was there. I didn't have tea, though, as I was the only one in our party interested. You could also do tea at Murchies; however, unless they hold tea in a room separate from the dining area, the ambiance isn't great. You should look into needing reservations for tea at both of these places! BTW, Murchies is a tea merchant; pick up some tea there to take home. Their Assam is some of the best I've ever had; ymmv. If you don't have High Tea there, do have a cup of tea and a dessert. They will also make iced tea for you, if it's too hot for hot tea.

When in Mt Vernon, if you need lunch, head over to the food coop. In the back, they have a knock-out deli, with more than just sandwiches on sliced bread.

Wait. You're going to do Victoria in a day trip? It'll take a lot of your day just getting there. Have you checked the ferry schedules yet?


http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedules/current/index.cfm?route=ana-sid

The only ferry to Vancouver Island that is near Mt Vernon is the Anacortes ferry, and, you land in Sydney and have to drive about 20 miles (30 miles? I forget) to get to Victoria. I'd make sure to have reservations for that ferry. From the schedule, you arrive at about 1020am and have to be back at the ferry probably no later than 5pm. You have to do customs stuff before leaving Sydney. You can stop at Buchart Gardens first, have tea, head into Victoria, walk around --- see a museum or the castle, and be on the road again by 4/430pm.

Or, you could take the ferry from Whidbey to Port Townsend, drive to Port Angeles, take the Coho ferry into Victoria (directly). That will easily eat up 4-5 hours of time, just in time to land, turn around, and repeat the process.

DnvrFox, good to see a founding member of the 50+ forum in our neck of the woods.

I'm wondering -- around planning this as day trips or as a big round trip of Puget Sound?

You can do it like this:
- Anacortes - ferry to the San Juan Islands. Spend your time in the San Juans.
- Then ferry to Sydney B.C., drive to Victoria. Visit Butchart Gardens.
- From Victoria, ferry to Port Angeles, visit Port Townsend...then ferry back to Whidbey.

Is that what you were thinking (or same thing in reverse?).

+1 for Shark's Reef. note, it's a short walk of 1/4 mile or so from the parking area to the reef overlook.

Also -- Spencer Spit State Park, and walk out to the tip of the spit for a close-up view of the channel between Lopez and Frost Island.

Heading to Seattle July 15 for a week - Whidbey Island and environs.

We will be staying 3 nights in Whidbey Island (southern section) and 4 nights in Mt Vernon

Headed to Seattle, Whidbey, San Juans, etc - July 15-22

Activities planned so far:

Olympia National Park - Keystone to Port Townsend Ferry
San Juan, Orcas and Lopez Islands by public ferry - (rental bike on Lopez Island)
Victoria BC and some sort of "tea Room" - they seem to have plenty - wife's idea!
Visit with niece who is loaning us their vacation rental on Whidbey for 3 nights.

Any thoughts, cautions, etc.?

Things we are missing?

We are NOT museum or shopping or restaurant folks, love being in nature.

Wife is 70, I am 68. I bicycle about 150 miles per week, wife about 20. Lopez Bicycle Works states that they have ladies bikes, which she needs.

That's Olympic National Park, where the Olympic National Forest and the Olympic Mtns. are found, all located on the Olympic Penninsula. Just sayin'.

Have a great time. I grew up in Aberdeen and Seattle. Head out to Westport for b'fast at the Islander if you get a chance.

Lopez is relatively flat and a beautiful ride. I'd describe it more as rolling hills rather than really flat but it would be much easier than Orcas if you're trying to keep this an easy ride that your wife could enjoy. Another island to consider would be Shaw island. It's the smallest island that still gets ferry service, very quiet (almost no cars) and easy riding.

The Keystone-Townsend ferry went to passenger only recently when they had some problems with the bigger ferries and switched to smaller boats. I don't think they're taking cars yet but you should double check, it tends to get pretty backed up in the summer.

Lopez is relatively flat and a beautiful ride. I'd describe it more as rolling hills rather than really flat but it would be much easier than Orcas if you're trying to keep this an easy ride that your wife could enjoy. Another island to consider would be Shaw island. It's the smallest island that still gets ferry service, very quiet (almost no cars) and easy riding.

The Keystone-Townsend ferry went to passenger only recently when they had some problems with the bigger ferries and switched to smaller boats. I don't think they're taking cars yet but you should double check, it tends to get pretty backed up in the summer.

We need to be able to rent bikes on the island (I guess - unless there are some mainland shops and we take them with us on the ferry)

Thanks for the heads up on the Townsend ferry. On the web, it looks as if they are taking cars, and right now one is able to make a "car" reservation on the internet.

Our plan is to use Whidbey Island, and then Mt Vernon, as a base for day trips. We don't enjoy packing and unpacking. We will have a rental car.

So, one day across the Port Townsend ferry to Olympia Nat Park, maybe the Hoo Rain Forest??

Another day to Lopez Island

Etc.

FYI, if you park in Seattle, take the ferry across with your bikes, then rent a car on the peninsula, you pay about half the cost. Last time I lived in Seattle, (2001) cars were $8 I think, and cyclists were around $3.75. But I'm sure you need to take clothes, etc. Just a bit of info.

Hurricane Ridge outside of Port Angeles is nice for a drive or ride up if you're feeling very ambitious.

Day trips on the ferry system in the summer can be a frustrating experience if you're bringing a car along. Get reservations if you can, otherwise you could easily wait for hours and hours. Friday Harbor on San Juan island would be a good one to just walk on the ferry and not mess around with bringing a car unless you wanted to see more of the island. Friday Harbor has plenty for an afternoon of sightseeing and it's right at the ferry dock.

Lopez Village on Lopez is a ways from the ferry dock, an easy bike ride but kind of a long walk. You might be able to arrange to have a few rented bikes left at the dock rather bringing your car along. Not bringing your car on these day trips to the islands will make your life much happier :)

Thanks

The only ferry on which we planned on taking our car was the Port Townsend connection. We have planned to go as ferry passengers otherwise.

Thanks for the head-up on Lopez.

Is there public transportation on Lopez? We found there is on Orca and San Juan.

Orcas has a really nice bus service that drives around, not sure about Lopez but I be sort of suprised. Maybe in the summer though.

San Juan used to have a bus service, don't remember the name and don't remember the cost. I took my parents and my grandma on a whale watching trip out of Port Townsend. We had time to relax in Friday Harbor, so, we bought a bag lunch, got on the bus, and took a "sight-seeing tour" by just staying on the bus. They loved it.

edit: the bus service was private, I believe.

When on the penninsula last weekend we did part of the Olympic Discovery Trail

http://www.peninsulatrailcoalition.com/

here is a link to the Black Ball Ferry from Port Angeles.

http://www.cohoferry.com/