Port Angeles (Washington, USA)
Shortly after we were married in late 2020, Jeremy’s father passed away unexpectedly. We had to travel to Washington in the middle of a bleak winter, shadowed heavily by COVID-19 panic. Vaccines were not yet available and hotels, vacation stays, and borders were closed. After driving twenty-five hours straight, we were unprepared for the overwhelming task of dealing with last wishes and thirty years worth of clutter and memories.
His mother had passed away only a few months before and it was a time of stress and grief, losing both parents within months. We were blessed to have provided for us not only a safe, private place to sleep and decompress but meals and cards of sympathy left for us by invisible hands. However, the extraordinary kindness of friends was tempered by the consciousness of the impossibility of sitting down to simply share a meal or a memory. Taking a walk by the ocean in the frigid air, and seeing the empty restaurants and the vacant ferry station to Victoria in the lonely cold, we promised that we would return to make better memories together.
Return to the PNW
Hurricane Ridge (Washington, USA)
In April 2022, we were finally able to return and visit Jeremy’s parent’s favorite spots on Hurricane Ridge. We took advantage of the few days of vacation to try out our new AMEX Platinum lounge access, enjoy some fresh seafood, and ferry across the US/Canada border into Victoria, British Columbia to visit the paradise that is Butchart Gardens.
AMEX Centurion Lounge Lunch (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Since we had a credit we needed to use we flew (hopefully for the last time) on Frontier Airlines, which flight included a five hour layover in Las Vegas. This gave us an opportunity to enjoy the AMEX Centurion Lounge Las Vegas, which really made us feel like the high annual fee of our AMEX Platinum card was worth the value provided. (See Luxury Bang for Your Buck: Why You Should Consider the AMEX Platinum). Not only did we have a clean, quiet and comfortable place to rest – we enjoyed delicious free breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks. Something that probably would have cost us nearly $100 without lounge access. (See Is Airport Lounge Access Really Worth It?)
Arriving in Seattle, we picked up our rental car and enjoyed the drive, including ferry crossing, to Port Angeles. The next morning we enjoyed nature at Hurricane Ridge. Though it was a cold wet day and we even got snowed on at the top, it was wonderful to breathe the fresh air and enjoy the breathtaking views and tame deer. The national park was a favorite spot of Jeremy’s parents, so we had some quiet time remembering them.
After we got out of the unexpected snow, we enjoyed some long walks in the foggy forest. There was a misty, magical feeling as we climbed up deserted, quiet paths with moisture dripping from the pine needles and the hoods of our jackets. Though the view was obscured by the fog, the atmosphere was peaceful and our dry Arizona souls drank it all in.
Seafood Feast
Off the mountain again we were ready to eat! Coming from the dry, desert of Arizona, we are always hungry for seafood.
We weren’t disappointed when we went hunting for a place that served Dungeness crab. Jeremy remembers when he was a kid and Dungeness crab was cheap, but these days you have to pay the premium. Salty Girls Seafood in Sequim, WA was worth the drive and really delivered! We tucked in to the fresh seafood feast and then went for a walk along the water in Port Angeles. Enjoying the salty, fragrant air and the powerful beauty of the ocean was a welcome interlude before heading back to get some sleep for the early ferry crossing the next morning.
Ferry to Victoria
I was a bit nervous about our next morning ferry crossing, mainly because of the immigration aspect of crossing over the border into Canada. I hadn’t yet had a chance to get a passport with my new married surname, but my vaccination card already had the new name. So, the two documents weren’t matching.
According to my research it is legal to continue using your old passport. But I was worried the difference in names would be a red flag, so I had our marriage license ready to go.
At this time, Canada was asking those who were coming across by ferry to upload travel documents to an app for pre-authorization and we did so, hoping for the best. We were happy to find that the friendly border agents gave us no trouble and we drove right onto the Black Ball Ferry and then headed to the top deck outside.
I tend to get queasy on boats, but I find being in the cool fresh air makes a huge difference. So we spent the entire hour and a half crossing enjoying the cold, grey sea and the wind in our faces. upon arrival we drove off and headed straight for the famous Butchart Gardens, our main planned activity in Victoria.
Beautiful Butchart Gardens
Garden Path (Butchart Gardens, Victoria, B.C., Canada)
I first heard of the Butchart Gardens from an old friend that mentioned he thought it would be an amazing place to get married. When I started researching the gardens more, I was impressed but nothing online prepared me for their true splendor. Honestly, there are quite a few places I have been that were okay, but just not worth the hype (See Famous Places that Aren’t Worth the Hype). Butchart Gardens, on the other hand, far exceeded my expectations.
Sunken Garden, Butchart Gardens (Victoria, B.C., Canada)
If you do a little research, the official Butchart Gardens website can tell you a lot of history about the 119 year old, 55 acre gardens. Essentially, the gardens, which are actually a collection of several unique smaller gardens, linked together by well-groomed paths, were started by Jennie Butchart. She had a passion for gardening and a large-scale vision for her “backyard” – a former limestone quarry. Throughout the decades her family and descendants helped build and expand her dream to become what is now a renowned touristic site and a National Historic Site of Canada.
Tea with a View, The Dining Room, Butchart Gardens
Afternoon Tea
One of the things we both were excited to try while
visiting the park was enjoying afternoon tea with a view of the gardens at The Dining Room. We made a reservation in advance so as to be sure to get a spot.
The arrangements were everything we could have hoped for, we got a quiet table with a fantastic view of the gardens and enjoyed a lovely and artful arrangement of tea, snacks, and dessert. While the food itself was only acceptable, the setting more than made up for it. You can check out afternoon tea options in The Dining Room at Butchart Gardens yourself here – there are even options for special dietary needs like gluten-free and vegetarian, as well as a children’s tea option for families.
After an evening and night spent in Victoria we returned to Port Angeles on the ferry and then to Seattle, where we enjoyed another nice experience at the AMEX Centurion Lounge Seattle. We would love to return to Victoria another time and visit Butchart Gardens again for sure, but our quick trip to the Pacific Northwest was over.
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