September 2010

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Last Chance: Big, Colorful SALE Ending September 30

September 24, 2010 in Clipper News, Festivals & Events, Promotions, Travel Deals, Travel Seattle, Travel Victoria by Melissa | No comments

From fall culinary teats, to spooky ghost tours, to garden holiday light displays, I can think of at least 50 reasons why I would want to go to Victoria this fall and winter but my #1 reason right now is Clipper Vacation’s Big, Colorful SALE. There are only a few days left to take advantage of this amazing deal which includes round trip Victoria Clipper cruise from Seattle and one night in a 4-Star Victoria, BC hotel from only $100 pp/do, or, for our Canadian friends, round trip Victoria Clipper cruise from Victoria and two nights in a Seattle hotel from only $171 pp/do.

Victoria Clipper Facebook Promo A $100/pp vacation is a great deal but it gets even better when you “like” Victoria Clipper on Facebook. Just choose to “like us” on Facebook and you will instantly be given a promo code that you can use to get an EXTRA 10% off your booking. Now that is an unbeatable deal!

Some Victoria, BC Fall and Winter highlights:

  • Spooky Victoria Ghost Tours show you another, chilling side of Victoria.

    Haunted Victoria Tour – Just in time for Halloween, a 2 hour Haunted Victoria Tour by lantern light including Pioneer Square and Bastion Square on limited October nights only. Find out why Victoria is one of the Northwest’s haunted cities.

  • Fall Colors at Butchart Gardens – The world-famous gardens are truly a year round attraction. Visit this fall for a dose of spectacular colors that you will only see one season a year.
  • Royal British Columbia Museum: Behind the Scenes – The Royal BC Museum turns inside out to reveal a groundbreaking exhibition and year-long schedule of activities with something for everyone.
  • Antimatter Film Festival, Oct 8–16 – Dedicated to the exhibition and nurturing of film and video as art, Antimatter has grown into the premier showcase of experimental cinema in the west. Encompassing screenings, installations, performances and media hybrids.
  • Return of the Samurai Exhibit – A showcase of newly acquired works of art at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. In total, there will be twelve suits of armour and twenty-three helmets on display.
  • Island Farms Santa’s Light Parade, Nov. 20 – The Island Farms Santa Light Parade routinely draws crowds of more than 40,000 to the streets of Victoria to take part in a festive celebration of the winter holidays. Bands, floats and even Santa himself will parade through the streets spreading cheer and joy to all in sight.
  • Pubs & Breweries or Cideries & Wineries – Always enjoyable year round but will help warm you up in the cooler months.
  • Holiday Lights Tour at Butchart Gardens – December/January the whole garden comes alive with holiday lights. It’s a spectacular display of holiday cheer and a great way to spend the holidays with your family. Enjoy a walk through the park to take in the wondrous illuminations that only happen once a year.

Watch a video of the display and festivities here:

What Fall and Winter travel treats are you looking forward to this year?

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A Seattle Tour to Drool Over

September 21, 2010 in Travel Seattle by Kat | 2 comments

I recently moved to Seattle. I have seen and experienced so many great things, but going on the Savor Seattle Food Tour has come out shining as a big highlight.  I had a friend visiting from the east coast and during her short trip here, we decided to take the Gourmet Seattle tour and I am grateful that we did.  How can you go wrong spending an afternoon eating your way through the city?!

Savor Seattle Food Tours offers several options year round.  The Gourmet Food & Cultural Tour fit into our schedule perfectly.  Little did we know what was in store for us— 3 hours of pure indulgence!  Our group had 9 people plus a very informative and entertaining guide.  We assembled at the Mayflower Hotel and were given an orientation as to how the day would go as well as a quick overview of the restaurants that we would visit.  Since this was a small group of people, the guide had us introduce ourselves and say what our favorite food was.  It was fun listening as each person named their go-to food item.  With each one, the group would react with “Yum” or “Oh, I forgot how much I loved…..”.  It was a great icebreaker and became obvious that we all shared a common passion for food.

In my short time in Seattle, I have quickly come to realize how blessed the city is with some many options for amazing food.  The Gourmet tour took us to seven places where we enjoyed tasty treats like seafood risotto at Il Bistro (yummmmmy), mini-burgers at ART (so cute…and yes, burgers can be gourmet), truffle-oil infused potato & leek soup at La Buona Tavola (oh my!) and my favorite of all – roasted mushroom and truffle cheese pizza at Serious Pie (seriously….the best fancy pizza ever!)  After the 6 stops, we ended the tour with dessert at Gelatiamo.

Savor Seattle Food Tours

Just when I did not think I could eat any more, I managed to devour two scoops of gelato.  One of the many things I learned was the way that gelato actually has a lower butter-fat content, so finishing up this bowl after the six previous courses made it go down a little easier.  Who am I kidding—I would have eaten the whole thing even if it was triple the calories because this tour was all about letting yourself savor Seattle’s food delights.

Check out this video of a tour from King 5’s Evening Magazine

For people traveling from out of town Clipper Vacations can book your gourmet tour along with your vacation package. Whether you are visiting the city or call Seattle your home, this experience is not to be missed.  Now that we are settling into the fall season and the crowds have mellowed a bit, it is the perfect time to take a few hours to discover or re-discover the foodie in you.

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Leaves falling on Victoria

September 15, 2010 in Travel Victoria by Barbie | No comments

I know most other communities may claim they have bragging rights to fall foliage, but if you are looking for a quick getaway packed full of autumn colors Goldstream Provincial Park is a must see. Just 10 miles north of Victoria, Goldstream Park is a majestic old growth rainforest and it is teaming with wildlife and history. It is located on traditional First Nations fishing grounds and just off one of the many trails you may glimpse remains of abandoned mining shafts and tunnels left from the mid-19th century gold rush.

By Brandon Godfrey. Click Image to Enlarge

Goldstream Park flora and fauna is diverse.  You walk amongst Douglas fir, Western red cedar, Big leaf maple, Arbutus , Red alders, Cottonwood trees. The forest floor is covered by ferns and salal bush. Listen for the rush of the river and the calls of eagles over head. Along your walk you are surrounded by Douglas fir that is over 600 hundred years old. The Western cedar trees reach a height of over 200 feet tall and the giant Big leaf maples show their spectacular autumn tones. It is a photographer’s paradise.  In fact, photographer Brandon Godfrey, has captured the majesty of this park in the photo above.

From late October through December of each year the Goldstream River is home to the natures amazing salmon spawn. Chum, coho and chinook salmon enter the river via Finlayson Arm from the Pacific Ocean. Their trip really began three years previously…they were born in the fresh waters of Goldstream River, traveled to the salty waters of the Pacific Ocean where they mature before making the trek back to the Goldstream River to spawn.

CowichanValleyPhotos.com

During the spawning migration up river, the male of the species searches for a suitable female. Once male and female fish have paired up for mating, the female takes the role of builder, preparing the spawning bed, the male protects the area by swimming around the activity of the female and aggressively biting at anything that intrudes, including smaller male fish. Often, spawning takes place in rather shallow water, making the fish easy prey for predators such as birds, bears, raccoons, and other animals. This is where you can see wildlife trying to get a paw or beak full of salmon. Wildlife sightings are bountiful during this time.

Call Toll Free: 1-800-888-2535 or click here to book your overnight stay & car rental. Be sure to pack the camera and good walking shoes!

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A Magnificent Local Attraction

September 10, 2010 in Day Trippers, Northwest Destinations by Vicki | 1 comment

Explore the Northwest and visit one of our region’s most powerful attractions. Clipper Vacations offers a 12-hour excursion to view the remarkable scenery at Mount St. Helens. The tour is seasonal and only operates on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays through November 1. It includes transportation, lunch, morning and afternoon tea, selected Washington state wines, other refreshments, all entry fees and a comprehensive narration by a naturalist.

One of the fascinating things about Mount St. Helens is the peculiar silence that has been left behind in the wake of the blast that occurred thirty years ago. Unlike other forests you can look in directions and see an eerie emptiness for miles at a time. This very recent  video found on YouTube shows better in pictures than we can in words the unique beauty.

Video © Jenja Roman Doerig

On the Clipper Vacations tour you start out in a luxury Mercedes or Jeep. Along the way, your guide, also a naturalist, will make stops that showcase the recovery of the ecosystem from the eruption. There are stunning views from the Johnston Ridge Conservatory, just 5 miles from the blast-zone. Your naturalist will share events surrounding the eruption through a variety of stories, facts and short walks. Inside the Conservatory you’ll view interpretive displays and read amazing eyewitness accounts from survivors. Afterward, take a short walk on Eruption Trail to learn how the landscape changed and view the lava dome, crater, pumice plain and the landslide deposit. Don’t miss this tour to witness how the area was dramatically changed within moments. You can book your tour today!

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It pays to be a AAA member

September 8, 2010 in Travel Deals, Travel Seattle by Sara | No comments

Last weekend I got my oil changed at Jiffy Lube. They were having a $5 off sale. When I checked out at the register  I asked if they also offer a AAA discount. Yes, they did. It was an additional $10 off. I was glad I asked.

Also, it made me wonder how many other deals there are that I might be missing out on. For example, when I book at a hotel I always ask if they give a AAA discount and the answer is often yes. At Clipper Vacations you get $5 off round trip adult tickets. Here are some AAA savings that were exciting news to me (not to mention the towing benefits and the occasional, Save Me ! I locked my keys in my car while it is still running incidents) .

Atlas Van Lines – Save up to 60% on state to state moves and full value protection up to $100,000. Also save on international moves and SmartMove portable container shipment

Seattle Seahawks – Save up to 20% on six select Seahawk home games when purchased online in advance

AAA Prescriptions Savings – Your AAA membership can help you save on prescription medications not covered by insurance.

Dell – AAA members save up to 30% off list price on select configurations of Dell systems at AAA.com/Dell

Tully’s Coffee – AAA members save 10% on regular hot or cold beverages at more than 60 locations in Washington.

To see a list of all AAA discounts, go here.

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Your Personal Leavenworth and Victoria Marathon Travel Partner

September 3, 2010 in Travel Leavenworth, Travel Victoria by Sara | No comments

Leavenworth Marathon

Training for a marathon is a big commitment. It takes focus, determination, and preparation. There are some exciting marathons coming up in the Pacific Northwest.  The first kicks-off Leavenworth’s annual Oktoberfest on Saturday October 2nd, 2010. You can run this as a half marathon (which is still an amazing feat) or run the course twice to reach a full marathon, if you are in the mood. Leavenworth is a cozy Bavarian village nestled in the mountains, about two hours north of Seattle.  The marathon course takes you on a peaceful trail alongside the river and loops around through stunning scenery.  Many runners dress in their Bavarian finest and celebrate by toasting pints post-race! Clipper Vacations offers a roundtrip motorcoach to Oktoberfest, which could be a great benefit to those people with wobbly legs after running a marathon and celebrating Oktoberfest in style.

GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon

Another big marathon happening this fall is the annual Victoria Marathon.  The Victoria Marathon is a certified Boston Marathon qualifier, which is not meant to be taken lightly. Runner’s World Magazine deemed this race “One of the top 10 destination marathons in North America”, Runner’s World Magazine 2007. There is a little something for every runner to take part in. There is an 8K road race, a half marathon and the full marathon. The GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon is a beautiful, seaside course with lots of mild undulations, but with a maximum elevation change of only 74 feet.  This is a busy weekend to travel to Victoria, so if you plan to take part in the race or to cheer someone on do not delay in making your travel plans.  Clipper Vacations offers unbeatable overnight packages to stay and “play” in Victoria.

On behalf of Clipper Vacations, good luck to everyone who plans to race in either of these marathons!

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Inside scoop, who you shouldn’t miss at Bumbershoot 2010

September 1, 2010 in Local Happenings by Sara | No comments

This year marks the 40th Bumbershoot festival in Seattle.  In case you didn’t know “the word bumbershoot first appeared in the U.S. around 1915–1920. It is thought to be an alteration of the umber- part of umbrella plus a respelling of -chute (as in parachute). Bumbershoot was chosen as the Festival’s name as a metaphor for the Festival being an umbrella for all of the various arts and performers it encompasses,” Bumbershoot.org.

This year is chalked full of rising stars and famous artists. With popular musicians like Bob Dylan, Mary J. Blige and Rise Against, just to name a few, there is something available for all types of music and theatre enthusiasts.

Not to be missed is well-known comedian, Nick Thune. “Nick Thune is known for seamlessly combining music and humor. His stand-up has been featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and in his own special for Comedy Central Presents. He has also appeared in movies including Knocked Up, Extract, and Unaccompanied Minors”, as featured at Bumbershoot.org.

Nick Thune grew up in Seattle then moved to L.A. to pursue his talent.  And we are all glad that he did.

Nick had some time to answer a few somewhat random questions for us at Clipper Vacations.

Q. What do you like to do to pass the time on Ferry Rides?

Nick: To pass the time on a ferry ride, I like to walk up to the front of the ferry and yell out, “I SEE LAND! I SEE LAND!”

Q. What are the top three things to do in Seattle?

Nick: 1. GET OUT OF THE RAIN. 2. CLIMB THE SPACE NEEDLE AND THEN SLIDE DOWN. 3. FIGURE OUT WHAT SOUND A PUGET MAKES.

Q. What prank are you most proud of?

Nick: Hiding six alarm clocks all around my friends room. Setting the first one to go off at 3am and the rest to go off in thirty minute intervals. He didn’t get much sleep that night.

We are excited that Nick is going to be back in Seattle this weekend for a couple performances.

You can go see Nick Tune live at Bumbershoot this Labor Day weekend:

September 5, 2010 4:30PM – 5:30PM @ Comedy Stage South

September 6, 2010 4:30PM – 5:30PM @ Comedy Stage South

If you don’t have tickets yet, it is not too late to partake in the festivities. Click Here.

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