I traveled between Canada and Seattle on a $64 car ferry and a $124 passenger ferry, and I wouldn't do the cheap option again

Simone PagetApr 27, 2024, 18:25 IST

There are car ferries and passenger ferries you can take to get from Victoria to Seattle. Simone Paget

I live in Victoria, Canada, and I think ferries are the best way to get to Seattle, Washington.
There are passenger ferries and car ferries, so I tried both to see which is more worth it.

As a long-time resident of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, I love to take weekend trips to Seattle.

Flying anywhere has been an absolute pain these last few years, and I'm not sure the delays and price jacks will get better anytime soon. But luckily, one of the easiest ways to get between Canada and the US is by ferry.

The Victoria Clipper is a popular, high-speed passenger ferry that goes from harbor to harbor. But many people from Victoria will also take their car on BC Ferries to Vancouver and drive two or three hours to Seattle.

I haven't been to Seattle since 2020, so I recently tried both options to see which I like better right now. If you're considering either ferry, here's what I liked and disliked about each one.

The Victoria Clipper passenger ferry boards along the scenic inner harbor downtown.

I live right by the ferry terminal in Victoria. Simone Paget

Don’t let the bare-bones boarding area worry you.

I didn't have to wait long to board the ferry.Simone Paget

Boarding was easy, stress-free, and super scenic.

You get a nice view of Victoria as you're leaving the terminal. Simone Paget

There’s a variety of different seating options.

I bought a standard economy ticket for this ride. Simone Paget

It might be worth it to upgrade to a window seat.

You can pay a little more to sit along the windows in economy. Simone Paget

You don’t have to worry about your luggage on the Victoria Clipper.

I placed my carry-on on the luggage rack for the duration of the ferry. Simone Paget

There’s a small onboard snack bar.

There were some fun Seattle-based chocolates at the snack bar. Simone Paget

I spent the rest of the ride reading a book and drinking my wine.

It was a pretty peaceful evening sailing. Simone Paget

I arrived in downtown Seattle at 8 p.m.

I could see the edge of the sign for my hotel from the dock. Simone Paget

I spent the night at The Edgewater Hotel.

The Edgewater has a lot of music-themed decor. Simone Paget

We spent our short time in Seattle eating good food and soaking up all the cozy vibes.

Six Seven is one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. Simone Paget

Leaving Seattle was unexpectedly easy and traffic-free.

We didn't run into any traffic leaving the US city. Simone Paget

Having a car meant we could make a stop at Trader Joe’s to pick up our favorite snacks.

I'm fond of the snack options at Trader Joe's, which I can't find in Canada.Simone Paget

We stopped for gas and made it to the Canadian border in just under three hours.

Our wait at the border wasn't too bad. Simone Paget

We made a reservation for the 8 p.m. sailing on BC Ferries.

Our ferry to Victoria was canceled, so we had to wait for the next one. Simone Paget

BC Ferries has way better food options.

There's a full cafeteria on BC Ferries ships. Simone Paget

It took eight and a half hours to make it home.

We didn't leave the ferry until around 11 p.m.Simone Paget

We didn’t use our car once in Seattle.

I wish we didn't have a car with us. Simone Paget

If I could do it all over again, I’d take the passenger ferry both ways.

The ease and speed of the passenger ferry outweigh the added cost. Simone Paget

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