Getting to the Pacific Northwest by Land or Sea

By Land

Public Transport

By Sea

Cruises

Ferries

To/From Canada

The Puget Sound is that sea arm that extends to Seattle before heading back up toward British Columbia in Canada. Several ferry companies (BC Ferries, Black Ball Ferry, Clipper Vacations, Washington State Ferries) operate routes between the two countries, specifically linking the southern part of Canada’s Vancouver Island (Victoria, Sidney, etc.) from the Seattle area or, more directly, Port Angeles. These services, some with a tourist focus, run year-round or seasonally depending on the company.

To/From Alaska

In addition to the Canada routes, there is also a line to/from Alaska. It is operated by Alaska Marine Highway System, the main ferry company in the state of Alaska, with an extensive network of over 30 ports spanning 8,000 miles. This network actually starts in Washington State (Bellingham) and British Columbia (Prince Rupert) before continuing along the southern coast of the peninsula to Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. For those with time (and some means), arriving in Alaska by sea is a great experience, if only because it allows you to discover the Inside Passage, the stunning marine route that runs along the U.S.-Canadian border north of Seattle up to Alaska.

Cargo

With the ports of Seattle-Tacoma, the region has a strong maritime gateway, particularly for connections to and from the rest of the Pacific area.