How Do You Get There From Here?

Pt 1 From the north, central and east Puget Sound area

How do I get there?

Probably one of the biggest questions we get at OVC.

As with most questions there’s the easy answer and there’s the best answer.

Being the adventuresome type I probably know more and better ways then most people how to get here. In this blog post I will let you in on the best ways to get to the Port Angeles/Sequim area from everywhere in the northwest, in all seasons and conditions.

First up, from mainland Canada and North Puget Sound. Here are the 2 best ways to do this route. The shortest route and the best route. Shortest route has you going on Highway 20 off the I-5 freeway. It’s about 20 miles and a half hour shorter on paper but, and a big but here, can take way longer. This is due to having to take the Coupeville to Port Townsend ferry as well as slow traffic. Most Washington State ferries run on a pretty regular schedule but the P.T ferry has some issues such as 1 size, 2 weather, 3 tides. All of these can bring your quick trip to a grinding halt in a hurry especially in the winter. The other way is I-5 to Edmonds and then a ferry. This is my preferred choice. The main reasons are XL Super Ferries hold more cars and operate in all weather and tides and start earlier in the morning and run later at night. Also you are going freeway speeds most of the time.

So here’s the pros and cons of each.
Highway 20 Port Townsend route.

Pros:  Slower paced, better scenery, nice small towns to stop in and visit along the way.

Cons: Ferry is unreliable. Route can be full of traffic, especially in summer. Ferry waits can take a long, long time due to only 1 ferry on the route.

I-5 Edmonds route

Pros: Freeway speeds the whole way. Large, reliable ferries that start very early and run till very late.

Cons: Not a scenic drive till you get to the ferry. Lots of traffic on weekends and holidays will slow you way down.

Pro Tip: Hwy 20 Port Townsend. If your good at planing your route and drive time you can make a reservation for the ferry.  https://secureapps.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/reservations/vehicle/Mobile/MobileSailingSchedule.aspx?cookieCheck=true

Pro tip: Edmonds. Don’t travel Friday afternoons or early  Sat. mornings. Reverse if going the other way,  don’t go back Sunday afternoon unless you have to! Day tripping to Seattle? Park your car in the Park And Ride in Kingston and take the train to Seattle from Edmonds for a day trip without the parking and driving hassles.

While we keep going down the Puget Sound corridor our next way to get here comes from the North Seattle to the downtown Seattle section. This also includes if your coming into Western WA. from I-90 or US 2 from Eastern WA.  Now  you have 3 options, the Edmonds ferry, the Bainbridge ferry or the drive around Hood Canal route. US 2 or North Seattle always take the Edmonds ferry unless your plans take you to downtown Seattle. I-90, Downtown to South Seattle most likely you will want to take the Bainbridge  route. All routes, the drive around to Hood Canal is twice as many miles but roughly the same amount of drive time.

To be continued with I-5 Puget Sound and south WA coast

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