Victoria Express

With the Pacific Ocean to the west, and an intricate river and lake system throughout the province, British Columbia has long been one of North America’s best fishing destinations; and using our Victoria Ferry is one of the best ways to access it.

Do you dream of monster steelhead, mammoth sturgeon, and gigantic Pacific and freshwater salmon? These tasty delicacies and challenging catches lure fisherman from all over, hoping to reel in The Big One. Smaller but equally rewarding species include rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, Yellowhead perch. These fish can be found in the abundant BC waters. Use our ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria B.C. for your ultimate BC fishing experience.

This Could Be You!

British Columbia is regarded as one of the finest salmon-fishing destinations one can hope to encounter. The Campbell River is considered a the Salmon Fishing Capital of the World, and it is true that here is where some actually bring home the “big one”.

Almost the entire coast provides good chances to catch salmon, halibut or ground fish. The Hakai Pass, Queen Charlotte Islands, and northern waters near Kitimat and Prince Rupert boast excellent salt water fishing opportunities. Enjoy one of our Victoria B.C. travel packages that includes a nights stay. See you on board soon!

2009 Juan de Fuca Festival

The 16th Annual Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts in Port Angeles is a great way to spend May 22 – 25, 2009. Check out Victoria Express special sailings, deals on lodgings, and Arts Passes for Canadians during this fantastic event. Sunday, the festival will be celebrating Canada Day by featuring Canadian musicians such as Victoria natives Ivonne and Kalissa Hernandez, two fine fiddlers. Ivonne began playing the violin at the age of three, and by five she won her first contest. She has been developing her skill and her own unique sound ever since. When describing her Debut CD “Playing With Fire” on her website, Ivonne says “I’m going to be playing some traditional fiddle tunes, but my background is Chilean on my father’s side and east coast on my mother’s side, so all that will come together with my own modern sound.” Kalissa Hernandez is a tour de force at 20, with her award winning fiddling and step dancing. The two are sure to raise the roof when they play

Wild Cellist

Corbin Keep, from Gabriola Island, BC, is a cello virtuoso with a reputation as a wild cellist. How often do you get the opportunity to witness a wild cellist play? It is not to be missed. Also check out Tigers Folly; one of their most recent projects is “Stirring Up Ghosts”, which commemorates the 150th anniversary of British Columbia and fosters awareness of the Pacific Northwest. The Ecclestons, who were voted best live act on Vancouver Island in 2004, have been playing throughout Canada and the world for decades; they offer full contact folk music.

Ride the Victoria Express and walk to the festival’s seven interior and exterior venues. There are so many opportunities to hear great music, and Canada Day is a unique opportunity for Canadians to see a wide variety of top Canadian musicians close to home. You can choose from traditional bluegrass to big band swing, from international Latin jazz to Flamenco. You will be able to sit back and listen or get up and dance. This is the perfect time for Canadians to cross that water border and take advantage of an amazing array of talent on the Olympic Peninsula.

Victoria Express is offering the following special during the Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts: Victoria Express Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts Special: Round Trip to Port Angeles from Victoria, Festival Passes and One or Two nights lodging at the Red Lion Inn and passes to the Festival: One night – Double Occupancy $251 / Two nights – Double Occupancy $477 USD – For reservations call 250-361-9444.

The Port Angeles Fine Arts Center is a great place to visit once you’ve ridden the Victoria Express from downtown Victoria to downtown Port Angeles. The PAFAC offers a diverse series of exhibits that rotate every two or three months. A recurring exhibit is Strait Art, which promotes artists from the region around the Straits of Juan de Fuca. While it is a goal of the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center to promote local art, the center also looks around the globe for artists and exhibitions. One of the most popular exhibitions in recent years was Dreamtime: Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art from Yuendumu, which showcased the burgeoning art movement of Australia’s indigenous peoples.

In mid-May, PAFAC will launch Portfolio 2009, its fourth annual showcase of Clallam high school student artists. Barabara Slavik, ArtPaths education director, acts as a mentor to the 26 students whose work has been selected for the show. During the three months leading up to the show, she helps instill a sense of professionalism in the students, and instructs them on how to create a coherent portfolio that underlines their individual talents. It is worth checking out the work created by these students from Port Angeles, Sequim, Forks and La Push.

When you visit PAFAC, make sure to allow time for strolling through Webster’s Woods, home to an outdoor exhibit since 2000. According to the museum’s website, in this museum without walls “there is a playful and not-always-distinct border between the artists’ creations, the flora and the natural features of this spectacular property. The transitory nature of many of the artworks makes for a visible evolution in the collection, even for the new or infrequent visitor, as marked through the constant changes manifested by the passage of the seasons.”

The Port Angeles Fine Arts Center is located approximately two miles from the Victoria Express Ferry Terminal. Indoor exhibits are open for viewing Wednesday – Sunday, 11Am – 5PM. Webster’s Woods are always open. Admission is free.

Sturgeon Fountain, Butchart Gardens

Folks on the Olympic Peninsula are fortunate to have easy access to Vancouver Island and Victoria; one of the most enchanting cities in Canada is less than an hour away when riding the Victoria Express. Summertime is a great time to explore all that Victoria has to offer, and the Victoria Express runs several specials to help visitors organize their trips.

Our Express Special transports visitors to the world famous Butchart Gardens. First created at the turn of the 20th century by Jennie Butchart to conceal exhausted limestone quarries near their house, the gardens have been expanded over the years to over 22 acres. By the 1920s, thousands of people from around the world were arriving at the Butchart Gardens to see Jennie’s masterpiece. Take a trip over during Memorial Day Weekend and see what is blooming in May: kousa dogwoods, peonies and lilacs should all be filling the air with their glorious scents. The Express Special gives you time to visit the glorious historic gardens and still have time to explore downtown Victoria.

If you are feeling extra energetic, check out Express Special with Butterfly Gardens. In addition to Butchart Gardens, you will be transported to Victoria Butterfly Gardens. It houses over 3000 specimens from of butterflies and moths in an indoor, 12,000 square foot simulated rainforest, and the tropical plants that provide the habitat for the butterflies are as interesting as the butterflies themselves. Don’t miss the nursery window while you are there, where you may witness the emergence of butterflies from the chrysalis.

This summer, ride the Victoria Express and visit your neighbors to the north.

Canadians and Americans alike need to remember that the open border we have shared for so long will soon require a passport or enhanced drivers license to cross. Come June 1, 2009, all travelers will need to provide one of these two forms of identification when crossing into Canada from the U.S., or into the U.S. from Canada. Fear not, with the proper documentation, border crossings should be as seamless as ever. Take advantage of the fact that passports and enhanced licenses are not required until June 1, and travel between Canada and the United States now. The Victoria Express is a great, scenic way to travel from Victoria to Port Angeles, and there are many reasons to do so.

Harry Manx

Sunday, May 24th, the 16th Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts will be highlighting Canadian performers with Canada Day. Mysticssippi performer Harry Manx is one of the festival’s most exciting guests this year, and folks will have three opportunities to see him perform on Sunday; he will be at the Elks Stage at 11am, the Main Stage at 5pm, and the Chamber Stage at 8:15pm. Manx has been called an “essential link between the music of East and West,” for he blends “Indian folk melodies with blues, a sprinkle of gospel, and compelling grooves” (see his website).

Manx tours throughout the world, and this opportunity to see him just a short boat ride away from home should not be missed. The Victoria Express is offering special packages for this event; so ride the Victoria Express and check out the 16th Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts in Port Angeles from May 22 – May 25. Details about our special are as follows: Victoria Express Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts Special: Round Trip to Port Angeles from Victoria, Festival Passes and One or Two nights lodging at the Red Lion Inn and passes to the Festival: One night – Double Occupancy $251 / Two nights – Double Occupancy $477 USD – For reservations call 250-361-9444.

This is guaranteed to provide foot-stomping fun.

This May 23-25, don’t miss the 66th Swiftsure International Yacht race in Victoria BC.

The origins of the Swiftsure International Yacht Race date back to the 1850s, with the first recorded sailing race in Victoria. At that time, the race was between the Royal Navy and local residents, and it didn’t look much like it looks today. The precursor to today’s race can be said to be the race of 1930, in which six boats sailed 140 nautical miles from the Inner Harbor of Victoria to the Swiftsure Bank, and back. Today a lot more than six boats participate, and racers can choose from three offshore courses and one in-shore course; there are nine different races which provide a challenging venue for every level of sailor/sailing yacht. The Swiftsure International Yacht Race has become THE premier sailing event in the Pacific Northwest. Even if you are not a sailor, you can’t help but enjoy the party atmosphere that infuses the whole of Victoria during the races. So why not travel from Port Angeles to Victoria BC aboard the Victoria Express and spend Memorial Day Weekend at the sailing event of the year?

In past years the party atmosphere in downtown Victoria reached epic proportions during the races, but these days the city is pleasantly festive; all visitors are invited to celebrate. There are many hotels within easy walking distance to charming downtown Victoria, and quite a few over look the harbor. When you are ready to turn away from the sea for a spell, there is a fabulous selection of restaurants and shops to peruse. Make sure to at least stroll by the Bimini at Ship Point. It has live music and serves the infamous Bimini Twist to warm racers from the inside out. Squeeze in and enjoy the atmosphere if there is room.

The Victoria Express offers many special packages from Port Angeles and Seattle to Victoria; check them out to see if one sounds right for you. Below are just a few ways to travel to Victoria and enjoy the Swiftsure International Yacht Race.

Package 1 – Express Special – Includes round trip ferry tickets from Port Angeles to Victoria aboard the Victoria Express, Butchart Gardens tour, afternoon free time in downtown Victoria. Starting from $84 per person.

Package 5 – Overnight Express Special – Includes round trip ferry tickets from Port Angeles to Victoria aboard the Victoria Express, Butchart Gardens tour, One-night hotel stay. Starting from $341 for two people.

Package 13 – Overnight with the Kids! – Includes 12:15 p.m. departure from Port Angeles, round trip from Port Angeles to Victoria aboard the Victoria Express, Royal BC Museum and IMAX adventure, one-night hotel stay, three-hour whale watching tour. Starting at $705 for two adults and two children 12 yrs and under. Pricing available for children 13 and over.

Who says summer in the Northwest doesn’t start until after the Fourth of July? It is simply not too early to start planning your first summer getaway. The Victoria Express lets down her ramp on Friday, May 22nd, ready to whisk you away to a foreign country. There is so much to see and do in the greater Victoria area: stroll the quaint, bustling downtown, stretch your legs on the walking trails of the 200-acre Beacon Hill Park, and stimulate your brain at the Royal BC Museum.

The Victoria Express is running a lodging special between May 22 and June 15th. For $278, a family of three will travel to Victoria aboard the Victoria Express, stay at the Queen Victoria Hotel and Suites for one night, and receive Royal BC Museum passes. The hotel is within easy walking distance to the Victoria Express terminal at the Inner Harbor, and less than a block from the expansive Beacon Hill Park. It has a Mediterranean-inspired pool and fitness center, so your stay is guaranteed to be relaxing for you and fun for the kids. The world-class Samuel’s Restaurant overlooks Thunderbird Park – a fabulous place to linger Sunday morning while enjoying the newspaper and the delicious brunch. The Royal BC Museum is just steps away from the hotel.

Inlaid Bowl, Solomon Islands, Early 20th Century

“This exhibition explores nations and civilizations that have shaped our world for almost 1.5 million years,” says Royal BC Museum CEO Pauline Rafferty. From million-year-old handaxes found in Africa’s Olduvai Gorge, to a 3,000-year-old mummy, to a throne built of decommissioned weapons from Mozambique’s late-20th century civil war, the British Museum has brought together in Treasures some of the most poignant artifacts of material culture to share with visitors to the Royal BC Museum.”

Don’t miss the opportunity to take your children to this exhibit, and to see it yourself. Victoria Express will help you get there – leave the planning to us. If you travel before the first of June you may still cross the border without a passport, but after June 1, 2009, you will need either a passport or an enhanced driver’s license.