Amtrak Vacations
Canadian Rockies Discovery Eastbound with Seattle
Independent 11-day rail vacation from Seattle to Calgary via Vancouver and Jasper
11 daysfrom $3,419
18% rail
Amtrak Vacations · Independent rail vacation
Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria Roundtrip from Milwaukee
Independent 11-day rail loop from Milwaukee to Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria
Amtrak Vacations operates this 11-day independent rail vacation connecting Milwaukee to Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria and back. The trip opens with two days aboard the Empire Builder heading west, with mountain peaks, forests and rivers passing outside the window before arrival in Seattle on day three. Two nights there include a hop-on-hop-off tour, the Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit, before the Amtrak Cascades carries travelers north to Vancouver for two more nights, taking in the Vancouver Lookout and the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. A ferry crossing then reaches Victoria, the self-styled City of Gardens, for two nights built around the Butchart Gardens. The return trip retraces the route by train, with another overnight segment back toward Milwaukee. Because day three has travelers make their own way to the Seattle hotel, and each city's sightseeing runs on a hop-on-hop-off pass rather than a tour director, this suits independent travelers who want a long, three-city rail itinerary with the sightseeing pre-arranged but the daily pace left up to them.
What to know before you look closer
- The trip lists 16 named hotels across Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria; since the itinerary stays only two nights in each city, these are tier and city options rather than a fixed list of every hotel used, so your actual hotel depends on what you select at booking.
- The onboard Amtrak nights (days 1, 2 and 9) are booked in standard Coach class, not a sleeper cabin; a sleeper upgrade is offered as an optional extra.
- The Seattle hop-on-hop-off tour runs only seasonally, from May to September, and is replaced by the Seattle CityPASS bundle otherwise; the Victoria hop-on-hop-off tour and Butchart Gardens admission are seasonal, from February to December, with no substitute listed outside that window.
- The evidence lists no current departure dates for this package.
Day by day
- Day 1overnight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
This afternoon, board the Empire Builder for your journey west to Seattle. Over the next two days you will witness stunning views of mountain peaks, lush green forests, and roaring rivers.
- Day 2overnight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
- Day 3overnight: Seattle
Seattle, WA
Welcome to Seattle! Travel on your own to your centrally located hotel and start your exploration of the city, strolling downtown and enjoying the local restaurants and arts scene.
- Day 4overnight: Seattle
Seattle, WA
A hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour, a ride to the top of the Space Needle and a visit to the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit, plus a city tour visiting Pike Place Market, Seattle Center, Seattle's Waterfront, and Pier 66.
- Day 5overnight: Vancouver
Seattle to Vancouver
Travel to the Amtrak station and journey to Vancouver, British Columbia; check in to your hotel and use your included admission to the Vancouver Lookout.
- Day 6overnight: Vancouver
Vancouver, BC
A hop-on, hop-off loop sightseeing tour of Vancouver's most popular areas including downtown, Stanley Park, Chinatown, Gastown, and Granville Island, plus a visit to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
- Day 7overnight: Victoria
Vancouver to Victoria
Depart on the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria, the "City of Gardens"; check in to your hotel and use your hop-on, hop-off tour pass to explore the Victorian architecture.
- Day 8overnight: Victoria
Victoria, BC
Visit to the famous Butchart Gardens, featuring over 55 acres of manicured grounds, blossoms and fragrances; explore Victoria's shops and restaurants in the evening.
- Day 9railovernight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
Transfer from Victoria back to Seattle for your journey back to Milwaukee, settling in for a relaxing train ride east.
- Day 11
Your Journey Ends in Milwaukee
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 1The Empire Builder departs Milwaukee for the two-day journey west to Seattle, passing mountain peaks, forests and rivers.
- Day 5On arrival in Vancouver, included admission to the Vancouver Lookout gives an elevated view over the city.
- Day 6A visit to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is included alongside the Vancouver hop-on-hop-off tour.
- Day 7A ferry crossing carries travelers from Vancouver to Victoria, the self-styled 'City of Gardens.'
- Day 8The Butchart Gardens, with over 55 acres of manicured grounds, blossoms and fragrances, are the day's highlight in Victoria.
Included
- 6 nights' hotel accommodations
- Roundtrip Amtrak in Coach accommodations from Milwaukee to Seattle; Seattle to Vancouver; Vancouver to Milwaukee on the Empire Builder® and Cascades®
- One-way ferry service from Vancouver to Victoria and Victoria to Seattle
Questions travellers ask
- Is the train travel included?
- Yes. Roundtrip Amtrak in Coach accommodations is included on the Empire Builder between Milwaukee and Seattle, and on the Amtrak Cascades between Seattle and Vancouver.
- Is it escorted or independent?
- It is billed as an independent rail vacation. Day 3 has you travel on your own to your Seattle hotel, though hop-on-hop-off tours are included in each city.
- Which trains are used?
- The Empire Builder between Milwaukee and Seattle, and the Amtrak Cascades between Seattle and Vancouver (and back to Milwaukee).
- Is the overnight train a sleeper cabin?
- No, the included fare is Coach class; upgrading to a sleeping accommodation is listed as an optional extra.
- What hotels are included?
- 16 named hotel options across Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria, from properties such as the Hampton Inn & Suites to the Fairmont Pacific Rim; the specific hotel depends on the tier chosen at booking.
