Amtrak Vacations
Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria Roundtrip from San Francisco
Independent Amtrak roundtrip linking San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria
10 daysfrom $1,949
30% rail
Amtrak Vacations · Independent rail vacation
Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria Roundtrip from Sacramento
Independent 10-day rail loop from Sacramento to Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria
Amtrak Vacations operates this 10-day independent rail vacation connecting Sacramento to Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria and back. The trip opens aboard the Coast Starlight heading north, with mountain peaks, forests and rivers passing outside the window before arrival in Seattle on day two. 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, before a ferry returns travelers to Seattle for a final, unstructured night. The return trip retraces the route south by train. Because day two 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 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 offers 16 accommodation options across tiers and cities in Seattle and Vancouver, from properties such as the Hampton Inn & Suites to the Fairmont Pacific Rim; the specific hotel depends on the tier chosen at booking.
- The onboard Amtrak nights (days 1 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.
- Day 8, back in Seattle after the Victoria ferry, is unstructured leisure time with no organized activity listed, unlike the rest of the itinerary.
Day by day
- Day 1overnight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
This afternoon board the Coast Starlight for your journey north to Seattle, witnessing stunning views of mountain peaks, lush green forests, and roaring rivers.
- Day 2overnight: Seattle
Seattle, WA
Welcome to Seattle! Travel on your own to your centrally located hotel and start your exploration of the city, its restaurants, arts scene and shops.
- Day 3overnight: 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 of Pike Place Market, Seattle Center, Seattle's Waterfront, and Pier 66.
- Day 4overnight: 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 5overnight: Vancouver
Vancouver, BC
A hop-on, hop-off tour of the city's iconic sites and a visit to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
- Day 6overnight: 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 Victorian architecture.
- Day 7overnight: 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 8overnight: Seattle
Victoria to Seattle
A ferry ride back to Seattle; the rest of the day is at your leisure to explore Seattle or relax at the hotel.
- Day 9railovernight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
Board the train for your journey back to Sacramento, settling in for a relaxing ride south.
- Day 10
Your Journey Ends in Sacramento
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 1The Coast Starlight departs Sacramento for the journey north to Seattle, passing mountain peaks, forests and rivers.
- Day 4On arrival in Vancouver, included admission to the Vancouver Lookout gives an elevated view over the city.
- Day 5A visit to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is included alongside the Vancouver hop-on-hop-off tour.
- Day 6A ferry crossing carries travelers from Vancouver to Victoria, the self-styled 'City of Gardens.'
- Day 7The 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 Sacramento to Seattle; Seattle to Vancouver; Seattle to Sacramento on the Coast Starlight® and Cascades®
- Amtrak in Coach accommodations from Sacramento to Seattle on Coast Starlight
- 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 Coast Starlight between Sacramento 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 2 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 Coast Starlight between Sacramento and Seattle, and the Amtrak Cascades between Seattle and Vancouver (and back to Seattle).
- 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 accommodation options across tiers and cities in Seattle and Vancouver, from properties such as the Hampton Inn & Suites to the Fairmont Pacific Rim; the specific hotel depends on the tier chosen at booking.
