Orcas, Black Bears and Rainforest: A Road Trip Along the North Pacific

The ‘Emerald City’ has a reputation for attracting and inspiring people from all walks of life. Here, old redbrick buildings rub shoulders with ultra-modern skyscrapers, and the entire city is full of lush green spaces and surrounded by forests of evergreen trees. While you’re here, we’ll organise for you to visit the Museum of Pop Culture. Also known as ‘MoPOP,’ this building’s design is inspired by the energy and fluidity of music. Inside, you’ll find no fewer than 80,000 objects and installations that showcase the past and present of pop culture, from film to music to fiction.

You’ll have the rest of the day to spend at your leisure. We recommend visiting the famous Seattle Aquarium as well as climbing to the top of the futuristic Space Needle for views of the Olympic Peninsula and the Cascade Range. With its 19th-century Romanesque Revival buildings, the Pioneer Square District is a great place to take a stroll before some fish and chips at Pike Place Market. If you’re after a different perspective of the skyline, take a trip to Alki Beach: a two-and-a-half-mile stretch of sand where locals play volleyball, rollerblade and relax as they watch the sunset. Meanwhile the neighbourhood of Fremont is packed with indie shops, bars and street art, and known by locals as the ‘Centre of the Universe’. Wherever you are at the end of the day, take a moment to look up at the auburn sun reflecting off the city’s soaring buildings – it’s a pretty spectacular sight.

This morning, pick up your rental car and drive to Kalaloch on the Pacific Coast, which takes about four-and-a-half hours. Your accommodation for the next two nights is a rustic cabin nestled in Olympic National Park. With such beautiful scenery right outside your door, it’s easy to forget that there’s no WiFi or television here. Your stay is an opportunity to ditch the devices and spend some time reconnecting with Mother Nature.

The small town of Kalaloch is a great base for exploring the wild beaches and coves of the Olympic Peninsula and at low tide, you can see the fascinating creatures that live in the natural pools. The wild and beautiful sands of Ruby Beach and Beach 4 are worth a visit, where you can spot giant green anemones and purple sea stars. Around a 45-minute drive from Kalaloch is the Hoh Rain Forest, one of the best examples of temperate rainforest in the US and an absolutely unmissable spot. All winter, its conifers, ferns, mosses and deciduous trees are watered by rainfall, making for an enchanting green world that forms a habitat for Roosevelt elk, marmots and fallow deer. To explore the depths of the rainforest, take your pick from two relatively easy trails (we can help you decide).

Today you’ll drive to Port Angeles on the other side of the Olympic Peninsula. Along the way, take a short detour to the coastal village of La Push on the Quileute Indian Reservation. La Push is surrounded by wild beaches like Rialto Beach, First Beach and Second Beach, where the sea has carved shapes into the rock, and storms have left impressive tree trunks stranded on the sand. When you reach Port Angeles, you’ll stay in a historic 20th-century lodge overlooking Lake Crescent. From your cabin, you’ll have an enchanting view of the water. Tranquility and isolation are the watchwords here, so take the rest of today to switch off and enjoy your peaceful surroundings.

It’s time to say goodbye to the States and hello to their friendly neighbour Canada. This morning, you’ll make the short drive to the Port Angeles ferry terminal and board the one-and-a-half-hour ferry to Victoria, British Columbia. You’ll spend the night in James Bay, the city’s oldest residential neighbourhood, where you’ll have a spacious suite and a balcony so you can take in the view of the city or port. Your stopover in Victoria will be short and sweet, but long enough to get acquainted with this pleasant historic city. There’s plenty to do here, including strolling around Market Square; visiting the Royal British Columbia Museum, which displays nearly 65,000 natural science objects and specimen; and visiting the oldest Chinatown in the country. If you’re hankering after a taste of England, grab some fish and chips at the port, or enjoy afternoon tea at a traditional tea house. The beautiful Butchart Gardens are also well worth a visit, as are the impressive Parliament Buildings, which are particularly striking at night.

Your next stop is Ucluelet, about six hours’ drive away but well worth the journey. You’ll stay here for three nights in a wooden cabin beside the water on the outskirts of the village. Expect balconies, bay views and the unspoiled landscapes of Vancouver Island and Ucluelet Bay all around.

Located on a small peninsula, Ucluelet is a pleasant little coastal town that’s made for outdoor activities. Absorb the beauty of this incredible place and take in some breathtaking panoramic views on the Wild Pacific Trail, which is split into two main sections: the path that connects Brown's Beach to Artist's Loop leads you along the cliffs where waves crash onto the rocks beneath your feet, and you can watch seals and sea lions playing offshore; the Lighthouse Loop is perfect for taking in the vibrant sunset over the ocean at the end of the day.

We’ll also arrange for you to take a zodiac safari to see the region’s black bears, which come down from the mountain to feed on the shores of Clayoquot Sound. At low tide, you’ll sail along the shore to get as close as possible to these majestic creatures, and you might even come across sea lions, bald eagles and herons as you go. If you’re up for a real adventure, we can arrange for you to spend a day hiking with a private guide through rainforest and along majestic cliffs on the Pacific Rim Trail.

You’ll drive for about two-and-a-half hours today to reach the port of Nanaimo. From here, the ferry to Horseshoe Bay on the other side of the Strait of Georgia takes an hour and 40 minutes. Today’s final destination is Downtown Vancouver, where you’ll spend two nights in a contemporary hotel. After experiencing the wild and wonderful Ucluelet, enjoy the comfortable elegance of your accommodation as you relax in the hot tub, sweat it out in the sauna or settle down to a nightcap to the sounds of live jazz.

Vancouver has everything you want from a major city: culture, history and a trendy atmosphere. As if that weren’t enough, this thriving city is also surrounded by nature. We’ll equip you with bikes and a map of the city’s cycle paths while you’re here, so you can soak up Vancouver’s fascinating architecture at your own pace. As you ride, don’t miss the imposing 1930s Fairmont Hotel, the rehabilitated warehouses of Yaletown, the stalls at Granville Island Market and the neogothic Christ Church Cathedral.

After taking in Vancouver’s manmade masterpieces, you might be ready to see a different side of the city. For this, we recommend a visit to Stanley Park: 988 acres of nature in the midst of urban life. Winding through picturesque gardens and woodland, you’ll find miles of marked trails where you can hike, cycle and jog. The Seawall, meanwhile, is the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront path. This spectacular coastal promenade lets you explore the park without taking your eyes off the water.

Your penultimate stop on your road trip is Friday Harbour. To get here, you’ll drive for around two hours to Anacortes where you’ll board the one-and-a-half-hour ferry to San Juan Island. Your home for the next two nights is in a charming complex of cottages and Victorian houses on top of a hill overlooking the harbour.

The welcoming town of Friday Harbour is made up of colourful buildings and forms the main hub of the San Juan Islands archipelago. This is a place to soak up the sublime natural setting, absorb the peaceful atmosphere and enjoy the quaint farmers market that’s held here every Saturday. We’ll also arrange for you to take a orca watching cruise while you’re here. The waters surrounding San Juan Island are one of the world’s best places to see these creatures in their natural habitat and locals regularly spot families of orcas in the area. During the boat trip, you’ll learn more about these fascinating animals and how to help the species to survive. With a little luck, you’ll also come across seals, sea lions and porpoises.

Today you’ll take the ferry back to the port of Anacortes and head south towards Seattle’s neighbour Tacoma, which takes about two hours. Evidence of Tacoma’s industrial past is all around, but you’ll also find contemporary additions that make this city on the banks of Puget Sound all the more intriguing. Glass enjoys a special status here, popularised by artist Dale Chihuly who designed the glass bridge that links the city to the spectacular Museum of Glass. As a result, Tacoma is full of glassblowing artisans whose work can be found throughout the city. You’ll spend one night here in a comfortable contemporary hotel that’s equipped with everything you need to make the most of your last night in North America.