Do Full-Time RVers take Vacations?
YES we do take Vacations! This year’s vacation had to be awesome, I mean we RV full-time so to call it a vacation it had to be over the top. We spent this year’s, 2 week, vacation at 2 National Parks in Washington state and Vancouver Island, Canada. Plus, we stayed in a National Park campground for the first time and voyaged our entire home on a ferry! Turns out, it was just the amazing vacation we had hoped for.
It might appear that we are on permanent vacation or we’re retired young. Neither is the case. We still work full-time, choosing to do it while travelling around this great country.
Taking time off work to recharge is crucial even if you RV full-time. So, we took advantage of some available vacation time and planned our summer vacation for the end of June, a perfect time to travel around the Pacific Northwest.
Clear the roads and watch out! We’re on Vacation!
We departed La Conner, WA Thousand Trails at the end of June and headed toward North Cascades National Park. North Cascades National Park is a beautiful, most often forgotten, park located in Mount Vernon, WA. Nestled in the rain-forest was a beautiful campground, river trails, waterfalls and epic aqua green lakes. Surprisingly, the crowds were low enabling us a front row seat to all the beauty!
Our blog post about North Cascades is here if you ‘d like to read about or stay. We have more photos in the Photo Gallery.
After a couple days of soaking in all the beauty of the North Cascades rain-forest it was time to move. This was one of the most exciting legs of the journey. We wondered what could be more epic than a ferry ride. Seemed like it would be exciting and it would cut about 100 miles off the drive. So we loaded the truck and fifth wheel on a ferry at Coupeville, WA, destination Port Townsend, WA.
Aboard the Port Townsend Ferry
Port Townsend is an easily accessible base camp to the Olympic Peninsula, Canada and beyond. The ferry system is a great way to save time and fuel. Not to mention it’s pretty cool driving your home onto a big boat.
Port Townsend Ferry Landing
Crossing on the ferry was uneventful after which we made our way to Port Angeles, WA.
3 days to Explore!
While staying in Port Angeles we drove over to Cape Flattery. Cape Flattery is the most Northwestern point in the lower 48. From the Cape Flattery parking area there is about a 2 mile walk through the forest to the most amazing ocean views we’ve ever seen. This is a must see destination for anyone within a day’s drive.
The following day we visited Mount Olympia herself – Olympia National Park. Driving through the park is breathtaking and the views were spectacular!
We enjoyed spending the day on the national park’s Hurricane Ridge. Hiking trails are closed to dogs, for their safely and the safety of the wildlife, so we relaxed and enjoyed the views from the visitor’s center. While taking in all the clean air and relaxed atmosphere we enjoying our picnic lunch.
Olympic National Park is quite large so we missed out on the park’s rain-forest and beaches this trip. Next time we’ll make it a point to visit the other side of this magnificent park.
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Ferry travel was one highlight of this vacation where we traveled on, not one, but two separate ferries. Walking onto the Red Ball Ferry Line in Port Angeles, WA we made our way to Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
We thoroughly enjoyed being “tourists” for the day, in Canada, and were thrilled that Maggie was able to tag along.
We’ve heard from many of our friends from the “Great White North” that Victoria, BC is beautiful so we had to see for ourselves. We hopped on the early morning ferry and crossed into Victoria. After showing Maggie’s shot record at the border crossing she was allowed to cross with us and we we’re good to go!
It was such an exciting day for us. Anticipation for this trip started months before and, I have to say, Victoria, the Capital of British Columbia, did not disappoint. One day is simply not enough time to see everything in Victoria so we’ll leave them for the next visit.
Transfixed by its beauty we strolled past the British Columbia Parliament Buildings and visit Fisherman’s Wharf, where we enjoyed amazing fish and chips for lunch. The Parliament buildings look to be right out of a fairy-tail! Amazing castle-like structures with exquisite lawns, statues and fountains. Horse and buggy tours along the streets made it feel like we had gone back in time.
Fisherman’s Warf Park
Just around the corner from the ferry landing was a dog-friendly hidden treasure, Fisherman’s Wharf. We had heard so many great things about Barb’s Fish and Chips, a Fisherman’s Wharf icon, that we had to stop and try it for ourselves. Barb’s has been serving old-school seafood bites on the wharf since 1984. The Halibut fish and chips baskets we ordered were the BEST fish we’ve ever had!
Perhaps the biggest attraction on Fisherman’s Wharf are the tiny floating houses. These float homes are unlike houseboats as they are not motorized. Float homes are simply tiny condo type homes moored to the wharf and floating right on the Pacific ocean. This float home community was cute and artistic, each home has a design of its own. 
We look forward to our next visit and seeing even more of Vancouver Island. The ferry ride back to the U.S. was uneventful. All three of us were worn out after a day of walking around Victoria. We simply relaxed and enjoyed the most amazing sunset on the way back to the states. The perfect end to our well deserved 2018 summer vacation.
