This month our quest led us to our neighbors to the North to experience British Columbia in Canada. Being Seattle residents, Canada is a 2-hour drive according to Google maps, but I have heard many stories about that time stretching out at the border crossing. Riley is obsessed with things that GO, so we thought this would be a great opportunity to try out some new modes of transportation.
We started our trip off at Downtown Seattle where we boarded the Victoria Clipper ferry to Victoria. Clipper Vacations provides a full-service planning experience aboard their high-speed catamarans as well as your experiences in Victoria, Vancouver, and other Pacific Northwest destinations!
The boarding process was smooth and because we were in Group 3 we didn’t have to wait long to board the vessel. It was a busy morning, so the prime seats on the upper deck were taken, but we were able to get some great seats at the front of the ferry.
*Tip: If you can’t get seats on the upper deck, try getting seats along the sides of the ferry. Not only does it come with a table that is handy for work, but it also gives you one of the best views.
Once we were settled into our comfortable seats we prepared for departure, the ferry leaves Seattle mighty early, so we opted to eat onboard, and we were not disappointed.
On the Victoria Clipper, there is no need to stand in long lines waiting for your food or beverages, the Clipper staff comes directly to your seat and takes your order. Ordering is always a source of stress for our family, but the menu is in the seat back pocket so we had plenty of time to weigh our options. The Victoria Clipper offers delicious, locally sourced menu items, which is important to us. We opted to try the oatmeal, fruit & cheese plate, and the Northwest with salmon and cream cheese. The meal took about as twice as long to eat because my jaw kept dropping at the views around us. As the sun came peeking from around the clouds it shone on the surrounding islands, cascades, and water showing off why the Pacific Northwest is considered so gorgeous.
After our bellies were full, Roo and I went up to the top deck to take it all in. My favorite sight was the powerful stream of water coming from the ferry as we sliced through the water at top speed. Once we hit the pass the water got a little choppy and I was so grateful that the Clipper offered complimentary motion sickness medicine at the beginning of our voyage.
*Tip: If you are traveling with little ones they offer complimentary motion sickness medication for kids as well, but if you have a kiddo is sensitive to flavors or textures bring your preferred motion sickness medication. Roo travels with Dramamine everywhere we go because she is sensitive to motion and is familiar with the taste that comes from chewing the tablets.
The ferry was a short 2 hours and 45 minutes ride that allowed us to enjoy our meal, take in the sights, Roo was able to watch a Disney movie, and we got to enjoy a hot cup of coffee.
Once we arrived in rainy Victoria, the customs process was painless. We collected our luggage, processed through customs, and were on our way. The entire customs process took less than 20 minutes in total, which meant we could start exploring Victoria faster!
Traveling on the Spectrum tips:
- As always bring your noise-reducing headphones, the ferry itself isn’t loud, but if you decide to go up on the observation deck the wind may be hard for sensitive ears.
- Bring something to keep your kiddo occupied during the voyage. The novelty of almost everything wears off rather quickly for Roo so as much as she was enamored with the ferry, I knew that if we didn’t have something planned that a meltdown was inevitable. We brought crayons, paper, her DVD player (and favorite Disney movies), her doll Emily, all in her favorite backpack.
- Even if you eat prior to your voyage, grab a snack aboard the Clipper. This will allow for you to be fully charged and ready to go once you arrive in Victoria!
Disclosure: We were provided with a reduced media rate as a part of the Clipper Vacations Brand Ambassador Program. All opinions are my own.
