Pacific Coastal

Ranked in the world’s top 5 cities for quality of life, on a clear day you’ll see as far as distant Mount Baker. Find nirvana amongst the ferns and lofty cedars in Stanley Park, taste oysters in Granville Island market, and explore historic Gastown.

Victoria delivers a delightful blend of British pomp and outdoor adventure. Here you can admire Victorian architecture at Craigdarroch Castle and eat your way around Canada’s oldest Chinatown. Explore ‘Garden City’ floral displays or go cycling in the ‘Cycling Capital of Canada’. From orcas whistling in the harbour to glow-in-the-dark scorpions at the Bug Zoo, Victoria has every adventure covered.

Seattle is a young city, but it’s short history is part of the landscape and charm. Cruise to Seattle and check out the Hiram Chittenden Locks in the Ballard neighbourhood – this impressive feat of engineering passed its first ship through in 1916, and today, it’s one of the busiest lock systems in the US. Then, stroll through the nearby Carl S. English Jr Botanical Gardens, an English-style landscape garden with over 1,500 varieties of plants. Or head to Gas Works Park, on the grounds of the former Seattle Gas Light Company: This former business is now a prime vantage point to view the Seattle skyline. And don’t miss the famous Space Needle: From the top, you can take in clear views of the bay, the Cascade Mountains and Mount Rainier.

The culture of Astoria embraces both its seafaring blue-collar trade history and the burgeoning arts scene that draws artisans and creators alike. Stroll through downtown past the boutique shops, hip restaurants and museums. Check out the Oregon Film Museum housed in the old Clatsop County Jail — this is the spot where the opening chase scene from the Steven Spielberg’s cult class “The Goonies” was filmed — and the Captian George Flavel House, a meticulously maintained American Queen Anne-style mansion. Cruise to Astoria and head to Fort Stevens National Park to see the Civil War-era fortifications and canoe on Lake Coffenbury.

Set 120 miles south of San Francisco, this city has deep connections to the fishing industry and was the inspiration for the John Steinbeck novel, Cannery Row. Today it boasts one of the world’s largest aquariums, as well as a vast offshore kelp forest that attracts divers who share the waters with sea otters and sea lions.

Discover Los Angeles’ multicultural history by walking through its diverse selection of neighborhoods: See the ornate Twin Towers Dragon Gateway in Chinatown and the traditional Mexican shopping stalls and vendors of Olvera Street. Then, chill by the beach at Santa Monica Pier, or take the iconic drive down Sunset Boulevard, one of the most often-filmed thoroughfares in the country.

Santa Monica, Venice, Malibu and Long Beach are four of Los Angeles’ most popular beach destinations. Of the four, Malibu is the most remote and least urban — head here for surfing and stand-up paddleboarding. Depending on traffic, you can get to Long Beach in 40 minutes, while the others take around an hour.

Snap a pic of the Hollywood sign, stroll down the Sunset Strip and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or visit Paramount Studios. You can see all of these and more on the Grand City Tour by StarLine Tours which operates two times a day, seven days a week.

With mild weather year-round due to its inlet location off of the Pacific Ocean, Ensenada is celebrated as a popular location for yachting, sport fishing and surfing, as well as migrating gray whales.

Bordered by the Anza-Borrego Desert, the Laguna Mountains, and the Pacific Ocean, San Diego is blessed with a year-round Mediterranean climate, which only adds to the attraction of its 70 miles of beaches.

To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.