Pacific Coast Highway: Astoria, Oregon to Olympia, Washington USA, then a quick Ferry Ride to Canada to pickup the Start of the Trans-Canada Highway: 
For Wed. February 25th, 2026

Background

These PCH trips (this one #5) total almost 1650 miles from San Diego, South California to Olympia/Seattle, in Northern Washington. This is the last portion of the Pacific Coast and US-101 Highway segment to cover but again a very scenic journey. This trip heads northward from Astoria, Oregon to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington (and more.) 

The coasts of Oregon and Washington are a virtual microcosm of the Pacific Northwest, containing everything from extensive wilderness areas to Native American fishing villages and heavily industrialized lumber towns.

Out of Oregon, US-101 winds past rockbound coast, ancient forests, and innumerable towns and villages. While the region also has its share of strip towns and places where the timber boom went bust, the beach loops, historic restorations, and more state parks per mile than any place in the country soften its few hard edges. Every 20 mi (32 km) or so, you’ll pass through attractive, if moderately touristy, towns populated by at most a few thousand people. As a general rule, it’s the mileage between these hamlets that explains why most people visit: to take in one of the most dramatic meetings of rock and tide in the world. 

And into Washington we go! Northward following the coast for most part then highway US 101 loops west around the rugged Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park. passing near the northwestern most point of the continental United States while allowing access to the unforgettable natural attractions—sandy, driftwood-strewn beaches; primeval old-growth forests; and pristine mountain lakes and glaciated alpine peaks, to name just a few.

The roadside landscape varies from dense woods to clear-cut tracts of recently harvested timber. Innumerable rivers and streams are perhaps the most obvious signs of the immense amount of rainfall (about 12 feet) the region receives every year. There are scattered towns, from Grays Harbor in the south to Port Angeles and the cities on the northern coast. They are staunchly blue-collar communities almost wholly dependent upon natural resources—not only trees, but also salmon, oysters, and other seafood. Though the tourism trade has been increasing steadily, visitor services are still few and far between at times. 

Port Angeles is the largest city on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, serving as the primary, year-round gateway to the 1-million-acre Olympic National Park. Located on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, this seaside-meets-mountain town offers direct access to Hurricane Ridge, providing a base for exploring rugged coastlines, ancient forests, and alpine peaks.

From here, where might we go, you might ask? “Go North Young Man, Go North!

Our Trip

This is part five of the Pacific Coast Highway which covers the highway segment between Astoria, Oregon and Port Angeles, Washington, USA USA. Once we reach Port Angeles, the Pacific Coast highway ends, some 1650 miles we will have travelled along the Pacific Coast from Southern California to Northern Washington. But our trip will not end here. 

We rest for only a moment at Port Angeles then we head across the Strait of Juan de Fuca of the Salish Sea of the Pacific Ocean crossing from US waters into Canadian waters to Vancouver Island, Canada to pick up the Trans-Canada Highway. The Trans-Canada Highway is a 7,821 km (4,860 mile) federal-provincial highway system connecting all ten provinces between Victoria, BC, and St. John's, NL. Opened in 1962 and completed in 1971, it is one of the world's longest national highways, traversing diverse landscapes from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic coast. In this first Canadian portion of the Trans-Canada Highway we’ll visit Victoria, Duncan, and Maple Bay which is home of our C-BERT then finally across the Strait of Georgia to British Columbia’s mainland and to the city of Vancouver.

This fifth and segment of the Pacific Coast Highway and start of Canada’s Trans-Canada Highway is 339 nm with 6 stops before our final destination: Departing KAST (Astoria, Oregon), Stops in Washington at: 2S9 (Willapa Harbor), KHQM (Bowerman!), S18 (Forks), KNOW (Port Angeles), USA, then crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca into Canada stopping in the province of British Columbia at CYYJ (Victoria Intl) and CYCD (Nanaimo) before our final destination of CYVR (Vancouver Intl), British Columbia, Canada.

FP, itinerary, etc can be found HERE.

Aircraft:

Any GA fixed wing aircraft that can travel at least 170 nm. (I will likely use a Turbo Bonanza or Baron or Duke in a stock livery).

Add-on Scenery: 

(ALL airports are in the default sim but there are a few scenery adds that provide some eye candy if you wish!!) (Payware is NOT required but if you have any, please feel free to use!)

 

KHQM: https://flightsim.to/file/62459/bowerman-airport-vintage-edition-khqm (by vbazillio)

KCLM (Fly-Over): https://flightsim.to/file/67788/fairchild-international-airport-port-angeles-wa-usa-klcm (by FreakyD)

USCG Port Angeles: https://flightsim.to/file/89993/u-s-coast-guard-air-station-port-angeles (by Headshothunte678)**

(**Required Lib for USCG Port Angeles: PADQ: https://flightsim.to/file/32972/padq-kodiak (by projectzero3923)

CYCD: https://flightsim.to/file/101066/cycd-nanaimo-regional-airport (by Minhbui)**

(**Required Lib for CYCD Nanaimo: CYXH: https://flightsim.to/file/101064/cyxh-medicine-hat-regional-airport (by Minhbui)

CYWH: Victoria Harbor SPB (Fly over): https://flightsim.to/file/49204/victoria-seaplane-base-part-1 (by MazerMart)

CYYJ: Victoria Intl Airport is either default, which is suitable, or available as Payware by various creators IE: Roman Design, Simaddons)

Vancouver/Area:

CYVR Airport: https://flightsim.to/file/29246/project-yvr-vancouver-international-airport (by Project_SCNE)

Vancouver Bridges: https://flightsim.to/file/5314/vancouver-bridges-vancouver-bc-canada (by FreakyD)

Port of Vancouver https://flightsim.to/file/33073/port-of-vancouver-vancouver-bc-canada (by FreakyD)

Vancouver Foliage & Water fixes: https://flightsim.to/file/23909/vancouver-foliage-water-clean-up-bc-canada (by FreakyD)

                                     OR optionally:

CYVR: Vancouver Intl airport is also available as Payware (by various creators IE: FSDreamTeam, FSimStudios)

CYVR, CYYJ: City Times Scenery is available as Payware (by SamScene3D)

Vancouver Bridges scenery is available as Payware (by RKBridger)

Time and Weather
Prefer to fly real weather if possible but if not, the few clouds, high clouds OR Jeff-Partly Cloudy-Jeff-1.wpr preset (included) would make a nice choice.  For takeoff: set the simulator time to @1630 (ish) local.  (This time simulates a dusk flight and so that the sun will set on the ocean side (left side) as we travel northward!) This should prove to be very scenic as dusk falls and lights illuminate the city areas.

Multiplayer Particulars
Date and time: Wednesday, February 25^th, 2026 - 1900 UTC, (1400 Eastern, 1300 Central, 1200 Mountain, 1100 Pacific)
AVSIM Discord Server: https://discord.gg/K5Vy6UxWNm  - AVSIM GROUP EVENTS-WED. COM1
Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: SOUTH-EAST-ASIA Server

 

If you want to help others enjoy the multiplayer experience, don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer spreadsheet (linked here). Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks!

Last but not least, a single pictorial tribute to our friend in Maple Bay: (It is so nice to have you back!)

(On this flight we'll definitely drop in for some pizza and wine! lol)

Maple Bay BC

Norm Richards
Feb. 17, 2026

Looking forward to it!  🙂

For me, the best scenery package for the Vancouver/Victoria area is Samscene3d Vancouver.  Yes, it is payware, but it really does a nice job for both cities..  

One more view of Maple Bay, from the water side, float plane departure..

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23Feb 23 by Bert Pieke

Check the Screenshots section in Avsim Discord for a picture of the Pizza Patio.. 😉