Victoria BC. What to do??

Victoria BC. We are now doing a b2b on Explorer in September. Now we have 2 days in Victoria.

Any ideas welcome

With that much time in Victoria, not seeing Butchart should only be an option if you hate gardens. It's well worth a visit, and will fill at least 4 hours including travel - if you enjoy gardens/photography a lot, or want to take tea while there, could spend 6hrs and not get bored.

Other stuff - waddaya like? As Scots the 'castle' won't be much of a draw (it's a Scottish baronial Manor - nice furniture & stained glass, but as historic as the average Weegie tenement). Daytime visits enable Parliament tours (free), BC Museum is genuinely good - lot's of First Nations history and a good variety of regular exhibits plus always a touring exhibit. Pretty harbour - take a wee ferry around. The only place you'll find beer at the right temperature on your vacation is here - I prefer Swans Brewpub over Spinnakers (damaged by a fire, should be up & running again by the time you're there but it's a much longer walk - though the wee ferries can drop you close by).

Thoughts....

• Butchart Gardens
  
• Royal BC Museam
  
• Parliament Buildings if they are are open for tours on the days you are in town
  
• Inner Harbour Walk
  
• possibly Craigdorroch Castle
  
• CVS Tours
  
• rental car drive up the island.
  

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Food wise

-Mackintosh Toffee (packaged, found at many shops)

-Empress Hotel (Many go there for Tea)

-Murchies Tea (purveyors of tea and a small tea house)

-Don Mee (for Dimsum, regular menu is also good)

-Rogers Chocolates (they say the original storefront is haunted)

Thank you for all the options.

We had thought about playing golf on one of the days

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Not being a golfer (or a Scotch-drinker - no wonder they kicked me out...) it's not something that springs to mind, but there are a few options around Victoria that offer well-reviewed courses. Most are private - perhaps you're a member of a course with some reciprocal arrangements? - but Bear Mountain offers 2 public courses, Mountain & Valley, both designed by Jack Nicklaus. If you prefer a more old-school course and can wangle entry on your dates, Royal Colwood and the Victoria Golf Course seem to be even better-rated.

Not being a golfer (or a Scotch-drinker - no wonder they kicked me out...) it's not something that springs to mind, but there are a few options around Victoria that offer well-reviewed courses. Most are private - perhaps you're a member of a course with some reciprocal arrangements? - but Bear Mountain offers 2 public courses, Mountain & Valley, both designed by Jack Nicklaus. If you prefer a more old-school course and can wangle entry on your dates, Royal Colwood and the Victoria Golf Course seem to be even better-rated.

Thanks. I will have a look at some courses. Living in Fife, golf is pretty cheap. So it will all depend on the cost.

We are from Seattle and love spending time in Victoria. Our favorite thing to do there is walk. We love walking the inner harbor and shopping at all of the little shops. We like taking the little water taxis around as well. Fisherman's Wharf is a cute little area with good fish and chip stands. Beacon Hill Park is massive and beautiful with duck ponds, a petting zoo, lots of sports fields and play areas, etc. We spend time there every visit and it is just a few blocks off the harbor. If you want a fun breakfast, my favorite is Blue Fox and there is always a line that I am willing to stand in.

We are from Seattle and love spending time in Victoria. Our favorite thing to do there is walk. We love walking the inner harbor and shopping at all of the little shops. We like taking the little water taxis around as well. Fisherman's Wharf is a cute little area with good fish and chip stands. Beacon Hill Park is massive and beautiful with duck ponds, a petting zoo, lots of sports fields and play areas, etc. We spend time there every visit and it is just a few blocks off the harbor. If you want a fun breakfast, my favorite is Blue Fox and there is always a line that I am willing to stand in.

PLEASE help me We will get off of our ship on a Saturday morning...at that time Can you tell us how do we just take our luggage and go to Victoria or get a hotel in Vancouver and go over for the day...We just need direction...thank you in advance

PLEASE help me We will get off of our ship on a Saturday morning...at that time Can you tell us how do we just take our luggage and go to Victoria or get a hotel in Vancouver and go over for the day...We just need direction...thank you in advance

You're going to have to clarify what you mean here. No cruises end in Victoria, so my best guess is that you want to leave the cruise early instead of returning to Seattle?

If that's the case then the very first thing you absolutely have to do is clear it with your cruiseline. Canadian customs/immigration will not be expecting anyone to leave the ship with their possessions so won't be set up to allow it unless you have this cleared in advance. If you just get off and don't reboard and the cruiseline don't know about it, as well as hassle from CBSA you'll also get grief crossing back into the US as your names will be on the ship manifest and CBP will want to find out why you weren't onboard when it returned!

So, assuming that this is what you want to do, and cruiseline are OK with it, you'll meet with CBSA in Victoria to do Canadian immigration & customs. Assuming you're allowed in (we don't like things like DUIs which trips up a lot of US visitors...) then it's like any other vacation. Book a hotel in Victoria if you want to stay there. Getting to Vancouver has a few options:

• a fancy-but-expensive ferry (V2V) goes from downtown to downtown (at least $120pp);
  
• floatplanes and helicopters fly from downtown to downtown for less than the pricier seats on the above ferry (rates from $99pp)
  
• regular ferries cross from pretty far outside Victoria to the mainland pretty far outside Vancouver - either rent a car (in which case use any ferry route you like) or take the BC Ferry Connector coach service which for about $65pp will get you from downtown Victoria to downtown Vancouver
  

Back to the US from Vancouver you can fly to all major US airports, although to FL means at least one change of planes, or you can bus/train/car rental to Seattle where you'll have more flight options (including direct flights and usually a fair bit of $ saving due to the higher taxes & fees to fly across the border from Canada).

You're going to have to clarify what you mean here. No cruises end in Victoria, so my best guess is that you want to leave the cruise early instead of returning to Seattle?

 

If that's the case then the very first thing you absolutely have to do is clear it with your cruiseline. Canadian customs/immigration will not be expecting anyone to leave the ship with their possessions so won't be set up to allow it unless you have this cleared in advance. If you just get off and don't reboard and the cruiseline don't know about it, as well as hassle from CBSA you'll also get grief crossing back into the US as your names will be on the ship manifest and CBP will want to find out why you weren't onboard when it returned!

 

So, assuming that this is what you want to do, and cruiseline are OK with it, you'll meet with CBSA in Victoria to do Canadian immigration & customs. Assuming you're allowed in (we don't like things like DUIs which trips up a lot of US visitors...) then it's like any other vacation. Book a hotel in Victoria if you want to stay there. Getting to Vancouver has a few options:

 

 

• a fancy-but-expensive ferry (V2V) goes from downtown to downtown (at least $120pp);
  
• floatplanes and helicopters fly from downtown to downtown for less than the pricier seats on the above ferry (rates from $99pp)
  
• regular ferries cross from pretty far outside Victoria to the mainland pretty far outside Vancouver - either rent a car (in which case use any ferry route you like) or take the BC Ferry Connector coach service which for about $65pp will get you from downtown Victoria to downtown Vancouver
  

Back to the US from Vancouver you can fly to all major US airports, although to FL means at least one change of planes, or you can bus/train/car rental to Seattle where you'll have more flight options (including direct flights and usually a fair bit of $ saving due to the higher taxes & fees to fly across the border from Canada).

I am sorry I mean we will get off of the ship in Vancouver and then want to go to Victoria and we are at a loss of how to do that...Also do you know if everything Runs on Sundays some things I read say closed on Sunday...

I am sorry I mean we will get off of the ship in Vancouver and then want to go to Victoria and we are at a loss of how to do that...Also do you know if everything Runs on Sundays some things I read say closed on Sunday...

Just for the day? Or to stay overnight?

Storing your bags in Vancouver would work for either if you plan to return - only having a daypack opens up public transit as a viable method of getting to Victoria using the regular ferries. The folks who store at the pier, CVS, also have airport offices - for $40 they'll move up to 4 bags to the airport for you (and even store overnight/multiple days for extra cost).

Victoria is a bit British but not to the extent that it shuts down entirely on Sundays - like here in Vancouver it's common for opening hours to be a bit shorter, and a few restos shut Sun/Mon evenings, and transit generally runs a little less frequently as there's less demand. Parliament closes all weekend so Sat or Sun makes no diff.

The SIMPLEST (not cheapest) way to do a day on the island is to book a tour with e.g. LandSea. Just over $200pp will get you there and back same day and take in the Big Hits of Butchart and Victoria itself (although IMO not enough time at either to really experience them). If time is worth more to you than more, you can upgrade to floatplanes on one or both legs which save over 3 hours each. You can also add a Whalewatching cruise one way for a similar cost, so that your boat trip is more productive than just looking at the scenery from a ferry.

Personally I have done a single day Victoria visit once - but independently with floatplane both ways. We took a whalewatch in the morning (floatplanes land in same harbour as the boats leave from), then a shuttle bus to Butchart and back in the afternoon, then a late afternoon flight back in time for dinner. It was a fast pace, but we got a full 3 hours in Butchart and on the whaleboat, for a total time spend of only ~9 hours (and a cost that wasn't much more than the slow bus/ferry package). Now when we visit the island we spend at least 2 nights there and drive around more of the interior - there's plenty to see away from Victoria.

Overnighting is better IMO - and you still have ample options to return on the Sunday whether it's public transit, floatplane, V2V etc. you choose. But the first thing I'd recommend is checking what it would cost to swap your flights home to Victoria (YYJ) instead of Vancouver. If budget's not a concern and you plan to take floatplane, then it's actually quicker to get from downtown Victoria to YVR instead of taking a cab from Victoria to YYJ (and if you did leave your bags with CVS, you don't even need to come back to downtown Vancouver). If your budget is tight enough that regular ferry is all that's in the cards, then avoiding the 4hr total trip is a good idea though.

I think from your other posts this is all over a year away, so unfortunately there won't be any bookable flights to confirm $ cost - even hotels that let you book over a year away are light on the ground. The good news is you have a shedload of time to compare and contrast your various options, so there's no need to panic - it is quite feasible to get to Victoria from Vancouver whether for an overnight or a daytrip with multiple possible methods. Relax for now and figure out which is best for you when you have a firmer idea of comparative costs.

Just for the day? Or to stay overnight?

 

Storing your bags in Vancouver would work for either if you plan to return - only having a daypack opens up public transit as a viable method of getting to Victoria using the regular ferries. The folks who store at the pier, CVS, also have airport offices - for $40 they'll move up to 4 bags to the airport for you (and even store overnight/multiple days for extra cost).

 

 

Victoria is a bit British but not to the extent that it shuts down entirely on Sundays - like here in Vancouver it's common for opening hours to be a bit shorter, and a few restos shut Sun/Mon evenings, and transit generally runs a little less frequently as there's less demand. Parliament closes all weekend so Sat or Sun makes no diff.

 

The SIMPLEST (not cheapest) way to do a day on the island is to book a tour with e.g. LandSea. Just over $200pp will get you there and back same day and take in the Big Hits of Butchart and Victoria itself (although IMO not enough time at either to really experience them). If time is worth more to you than more, you can upgrade to floatplanes on one or both legs which save over 3 hours each. You can also add a Whalewatching cruise one way for a similar cost, so that your boat trip is more productive than just looking at the scenery from a ferry.

 

Personally I have done a single day Victoria visit once - but independently with floatplane both ways. We took a whalewatch in the morning (floatplanes land in same harbour as the boats leave from), then a shuttle bus to Butchart and back in the afternoon, then a late afternoon flight back in time for dinner. It was a fast pace, but we got a full 3 hours in Butchart and on the whaleboat, for a total time spend of only ~9 hours (and a cost that wasn't much more than the slow bus/ferry package). Now when we visit the island we spend at least 2 nights there and drive around more of the interior - there's plenty to see away from Victoria.

 

Overnighting is better IMO - and you still have ample options to return on the Sunday whether it's public transit, floatplane, V2V etc. you choose. But the first thing I'd recommend is checking what it would cost to swap your flights home to Victoria (YYJ) instead of Vancouver. If budget's not a concern and you plan to take floatplane, then it's actually quicker to get from downtown Victoria to YVR instead of taking a cab from Victoria to YYJ (and if you did leave your bags with CVS, you don't even need to come back to downtown Vancouver). If your budget is tight enough that regular ferry is all that's in the cards, then avoiding the 4hr total trip is a good idea though.

 

I think from your other posts this is all over a year away, so unfortunately there won't be any bookable flights to confirm $ cost - even hotels that let you book over a year away are light on the ground. The good news is you have a shedload of time to compare and contrast your various options, so there's no need to panic - it is quite feasible to get to Victoria from Vancouver whether for an overnight or a daytrip with multiple possible methods. Relax for now and figure out which is best for you when you have a firmer idea of comparative costs.

Thank you,, Thank you ...because of you I feel we can make a correct decision...we would like to stay over night.. but we shall see.

The SIMPLEST (not cheapest) way to do a day on the island is to book a tour with e.g. LandSea. Just over $200pp will get you there and back same day and take in the Big Hits of Butchart and Victoria itself

there is kilt, china, tea, wool and brit, scot Irish shopping in Vikki.

Perhaps another plus of a guided tour is the "time" savings. Public transit, especially with poor connections, can quickly eat into your sightseeing time.

Absolute tosh. Transit buses are timed to meet the ferry arrivals, and walk-on passengers for the ferries don't need to show up early to book in unlike coaches and cars (which are supposed to be there at least 30mins before their departures or lose their booked spot).

No one is going to say Tea at the Fairmont Empress?

No one is going to say Tea at the Fairmont Empress?

It was mentioned already on March 26th...