What to Know about Traveling to Victoria, British Columbia
Canada is so close to us that it’s a must do during your station at Joint Base Lewis McChord! Victoria is the capital of Vancouver and this waterfront city has charm, history, and lots to explore! We choose to do a Friday to Sunday weekend trip but if you only have a small amount of time you could go over for the day. Here’s what you need to know about traveling to Victoria and some tips on where to stay, currency, and more!
Getting There
There are two cities nearby that offer travel by ferry to Victoria, Seattle and Port Angeles. Obviously Seattle is a lot closer to us than Port Angeles but there is a big price difference. There is also a difference in travel time to Victoria. We ultimately opted to take an early 8:15 am Black Ball Coho Ferry out of Port Angeles. Port Angeles is about a two hour drive from JBLM. For five of us and a vehicle it was $300 out of Port Angeles versus $800 out of Seattle. It is more expensive to travel with your vehicle, versus just as a passenger also. You are advised to arrive an hour before departure.
For specific info about Black Ball Ferry Line, click here.
Ferry Travel
We had never taken a ferry before but it was a breeze. We made online reservations ahead of time to hold our spots, this is a reservation but not your actual ticket. You pay for the actual tickets upon arrival. Coho advises you to arrive at least an hour prior to departure. When we arrived there were gentlemen directing us on exactly where to pull the vehicle. One person will need to go inside to check in and pay for your tickets.
Once you load your vehicle on the ferry you are required to go sit upstairs (you can’t ride in your car during the voyage). When they say packed in like sardines, I’m pretty sure they came up with this term on ferries. The cars are so close and bumper to bumper that you can barely get out of your vehicle. We were holding our doors and the owners next to us holding theirs to help each other get out without dinging doors.
Traveling with Pets
Dogs are welcome on the ferry. Muffin goes everywhere with us, so this weekend getaway was no different! What I read on the website was that pets needed to be in a carrier during the voyage, however, I saw plenty of dogs just leashed and walking around. We kept Muffin inside his stroller during the voyage. You should always carry your dog’s shot records with you, just in case. It was stated we would need them though nobody ever checked them.
For FAQs and pet info, click here.
The Trip
The voyage from Port Angeles to Victoria is a mere 90 minutes. While there is lots of seating some of it is outside. On a cool morning in the fifties I was grateful we grabbed an inside seat and didn’t get stuck outside. So I advise that as soon as you are parked to send someone upstairs ASAP to grab seats. The ferry has a cafe with food options to purchase. I grabbed a breakfast sandwich and will have to say it was overpriced and disgusting. So for this one I would grab something from the many restaurants near the ferry terminal to take on board. We saw lots of people do this so you are welcome to bring outside food and drink aboard.
For info about the ship, seating, and amenities, click here.
The ferry has a Tour desk and a pursers desk on board. The ferry is not the most comfortable form of travel but we made it work. Luckily there were enough of us to take up the whole bench area so we could spread out and not be up against other people. Once you arrive you’ll get back in your vehicle and wait to unload. You’ll actually go through customs inside your vehicle and it was pretty quick compared to airline travel. They asked to see everyone’s passports and made us roll down our windows to look at faces. That was it! No bag checks or even getting out of the vehicle.
For specific U.S. to Canada Travel info, click here.
Here’s some other tips for traveling to Canada:
Phone Service
Verizon Wireless includes Canada in their plans so we were able to use our phones with no extra charges. If you don’t have Verizon check with your carrier prior to coming! My Dad had AT&T and it was not included in his plan, he was able to call and pay $10 per day to be able to use his phone while in Canada.
Currency
Canada does have their own currency so get some beforehand or plan to exchange when you arrive. Some places do accept American money but they are required to give you change in Canadian currency. If you need to exchange money I’d suggest heading to the Victoria Visitor’s Center. The Whale Watching Company below it will exchange your money with no fee! At the time we went it was $1.00 USA for $1.30 CAN. So basically, we were getting 30% off everywhere we shopped (score)!
To find current exchange rates, click here.
Driving
If you are bringing your vehicle, you’ll be happy to know that Canada drives on the same side of the road that we do. However speed limit signs are in kilometers per hour not miles per hour. Most vehicles have an option to change this on your speed gauge to show KM/HR so you aren’t guessing what speed you are going.
Language
Best thing? Everyone speaks English of course!
Where to Stay
There are are tons of nice hotel options close to the ferry terminal in downtown. We went for the Double Tree by Hilton since it was quite a bit cheaper. It was a very nice hotel and they have a restaurant downstairs. Depending on what package you book the breakfast buffet in the restaurant may be included. Parking is valet only and is $21 CAN per day for parking.
For things to do in Victoria BC, check out my other Blog Posts:
A Taste of Victoria Food Tour
What to Do in Downtown Victoria, BC
Visiting Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria, BC
Visiting Buchart Gardens in Victoria, BC
Castles to Visit in Victoria, BC
Finding the fun everywhere life takes us!
Love, Olivia Michelle
