Is the car drive from Seattle to Vancouver worth the extra money?

Never turn down a roadtrip. Bring a camera.. stop at fun looking places along the way. That’s what I do anyway.

I’d drive. Take B.C. Ferries to Victoria. They’re much nicer than Washington State Ferries.
I haven’t been to Victoria in years. Let me know if the bagpiper is still playing evenings at the harbor (or perhaps I should say harbour).

Don’t have much to add on the train vs. car question, but I’m glad to hear that you are taking the trip. I’ve heard it’s a lovely area and plan to get out there sometime.

Definitely visit Victoria if you get the chance.

BC is lovely.

I second Chuckie. Take the ferry into Victoria. It has a very European feel to it.
Have some Murchies tea
And don’t miss the Buchart Gardens.

Thanks for the advice guys! I think we will get the rental car after all. And @AstroChuck and @breedmitch, the ferry idea is lovely! We were considering driving back from Vancouver to Victoria since we had heard such amazing things about the place, but now we will take the ferry instead (if we end up having time left for that).

@PnL – You can’t get to Vic without taking a ferry, either a car ferry or a walk-on. But you also can’t get to Vic from Vancouver without taking a car, because the ferry terminal is miles from the city. Good thing you decided to go by car.

I would skip Victoria if you only have a day. The car ferry’s very, very expensive. You won’t have time to go to the wonderful Butchart Gardens and also down to the harbOUr.
Just hang in Vancouver, which is weeks’ worth of fun, and make a separate trip to Vancouver Island another time. It’s gorgeous. And yes, you will want a car; but rent one when you get there.

@susanc- I’ve gone via both B.C. and Washington State ferries and have never found the prices unreasonable.

Well, not “unreasonable”, but expensive if the only thing you were going to do with it is put your car on it for one day. I’d go by foot from Pt Angeles….

I would drive. Unless you are just going to party/shop on Robson street then having transportation is nice. Vancouver is a lot like the Seattle area in the fact that not everything you are going to want to see/do is on close proximity and if you start factoring taxi rides into the equation then a car is much cheaper.

Devi, try and catch tea at the Empress Hotel and then pick up some sweets at Roger’s Chocolates.

Chuckie, I’ll do my best! Afternoon tea does sound quite lovely. Right now everything is chaotic, but we leave Chicago for Seattle in a few hours, so hopefully I’ll have better idea of our plans for Van/Vic in the next few days.