Victoria evening

[oldmama]

We will be in Victoria in late May docking at 7PM. What excursions are recommended? Will there be enough light for the Gardens or is there an evening whale watch? All suggestions welcome.

[Putterdude]

You certainly will have enough light to see the Butchart Gardens plus they are illuminated at night. Whale watching...well you will be pushing the envelope just a bit. Victoria is a very safe city and walking around is certainly an option or perhaps you may want to consider a horse drawn carriage ride:

 

www.victoriacarriage.com/

http://www.tallyhotours.com/

[Steve H]

There would be enough light for the gardens I would think as it is also lit up so that would be fine. The easiest thing to do in my opinion would be to take a cab to the harbour area and take a walk around, there is always something going on there. The museum is a must see, there is also the Empress and many other attractions there. It would be to dark for a whale watch I think.

[Putterdude]

There would be enough light for the gardens I would think as it is also lit up so that would be fine. The easiest thing to do in my opinion would be to take a cab to the harbour area and take a walk around, there is always something going on there. The museum is a must see, there is also the Empress and many other attractions there. It would be to dark for a whale watch I think.

 

The Royal BC Museum while a terrific attraction, closes at 5 pm so it is not an option for the poster...I had thought it closed a little on Friday nights but according to their website that is not the case.

[joyadvtr]

You can also walk into the downtown main core or cab ( 5 - 10 max) Walk off the cruise ship terminal area - - to the street and turn left it will take you thru a residential area, then past some hotels, then into downtown. Victoria is very tourist friendly and very safe. You will see the Parliament Buildings (PB) light up. On the side street you can take a horse drawn carriage $55 for 15 min. There are also pedi cabs to take you around. There is a wax museum and and underwater acquarium. I went to the acquarium but it was just so so. Across the street from the PB is a large Marina and promendae dock you can walk thru - also lots of places to sit on the promenade , there are usually many street musicians and juggling acts going on. There are also local artisits selling their wares. Some First Nations people are selling their art work, and jewlery and beaded art. Across the street you can walk thru the Empress Hotel and beside it is a wonderful rose garden. If you walk up town past the marina / promenade there are all kinds of wonderful shops, cafes, pubs, and just general people watching, and more musicians. Uptown has the usual shopping along with a chocolate shop, ice cream, and authentic first nations famous "Cowichan " sweater and toques. Most shops stay open late on the night cruise ships are in. Usually there is a shuttle bus on one of the main streets ( Government St.) that takes visitors back to the cruise ship terminal.

[sunnydaze]

Butchart Gardens is all lit up and GORGEOUS at night. I'm a local, and prefer going at night. It is at least 1/2 hr drive to Butchard Gardens fr the cruiseship area. If you go to Butchard - that's all you will end up doing. You can spend a day there! If you are into gardens + flowers + landscaping then you may want to spend your whole time here doing that.

Forget about Whale Watching. You won't see anything in the dark.

There is so much to see downtown, I wouldn't waste my time walking. It will take 25 min. Get a cab ( taxi) ride ( quickest) or shuttle or horse + carriage or whatever to the Government St. area, then you can walk around. You will have to wait for shuttles to fill up before they leave, if you chose this method of transportation. Tell the cab driver to take you to the Empress Hotel. It is on Government St. + in the middle of everything Victoria is about. You will see everything "Joyadvtr" has mentioned. There is all means of transportation waiting for the cruiseship to dock. It will be simple for you. You will get a real taste of Victoria, if you do this.

I'll be happy to answer any other questions you may have.

[Saruman]

Unfortunately, we have only the evening of Saturday (in early June) to do anything in Victoria. We've done the cruise company's Pub Crawl and could easily do it on our own now, but worried that a summer Saturday will be a struggle getting into any of the better pubs. Some in our party would rather see the Empress and might prefer tea or wine to one of Victoria's wonderful local brews (go figure!). Just how packed will the city be on Sat. night?:confused:

[porsena]

Both visitors in the same boat as far as timing is concerned. Nice as Butchart is, you won't have enough time for a decent visit if you dock at 7 PM and leave before 11. Tea at the Empress is out because they don't serve high tea in the evening. I'd forget the Empress too, though a walk-through could be entertaining if you collect hotels and it does have a comfortable lounge. As PD has pointed out, the Museum will be closed. The logic of running a major tourist attraction on regular office hours during Victoria's cruise season is, err, strange. Sunset at the end of May is around 8 PM, so the whales are inaccessible.

 

In scheduling an arrival in Victoria at 7 PM and leaving the same evening, your cruise line is more likely to be more interested in complying with the Jones Act than anything else. I'd follow the suggestions to get downtown somehow and walk around, stopping for a drink somewhere. A walk around the inner harbour in the evening can be quite pleasant.

[Kellie in Texas]

I know the Gardens are the "big draw" for shore excursions, but I have two boys, ages 18 and 9. Just how much interest will the gardens be for them? I would love to see them, just not sure about kids. Any thoughts?

We are on the Golden Princess, June 4, 2011, so we'll be in Victoria on June 10.

[Langley Cruisers]

I know the Gardens are the "big draw" for shore excursions, but I have two boys, ages 18 and 9. Just how much interest will the gardens be for them?

 

Well you know them better than we do, but I'd have to say - very little interest, IMO. ;) Victoria is a beautiful city and you will have daylight until at least 9 pm and then a beautiful twilight after that until maybe 10. There is plenty to do (check out the numerous other threads by typing "Victoria" in the "Search this forum" box back on the main page).

 

Yes, the Gardens are beautiful but honestly, your boys would probably be bored which means less time to enjoy them for you.

[starlit]

Take a carriage ride. They aren't cheap, but you can see the beauty of Victoria while under a blanket. I would just walk around downtown and see the lights of parliament. There are a lot of great restaurants on government street. We enjoyed just walking through town, I personally wouldn't get a taxi for a 10-15 minute ride, but it depends on how you feel. There will be plenty of light earlier in the summer. Closer to September is when you will have less light at 9pm.

[6rugrats]

Take a carriage ride. They aren't cheap, but you can see the beauty of Victoria while under a blanket. I would just walk around downtown and see the lights of parliament. There are a lot of great restaurants on government street. We enjoyed just walking through town, I personally wouldn't get a taxi for a 10-15 minute ride, but it depends on how you feel. There will be plenty of light earlier in the summer. Closer to September is when you will have less light at 9pm.

 

When you pulled this old thread up, did you note that the OP was on his/her cruise last May 2010?

[Langley Cruisers]

When you pulled this old thread up, did you note that the OP was on his/her cruise last May 2010?

 

Indeed it is an old thread but someone else had bumped it in December and it was in the first few pages. Perhaps the info will help someone else. We're all friends here, right? Maybe starlit was responding to Kellie in Texas who is cruising in June 2011.

 

Victoria is a popular port of call - I'm sure this info will be of help to others. :)

[Kellie in Texas]

Yes, Langley, thank you. I am still looking for suggestions in Victoria with two boys. I have to admit, I haven't done a ton of research yet on our stops, but this is one of the threads that I'm watching. So, any other suggestions, bring them on.

[Putterdude]

Depending upon the ages of your sons, Miniature World may be a thought: http://www.miniatureworld.com/

Another thought would be a ride on the Harbour Ferries: http://www.victoriaharbourferry.com/

[emmtee]

I appreciate the bump. :-) My family group (11 adults, 10 kids) are in the same boat (so to speak) as the other posters - We're only in Victoria from 7:00 PM to midnight. We have the early dinner service, so we'll probably stay onboard for dinner and wouldn't leave the ship until 8:00 or so.

 

The harbour ferry looks fun, but their website is only showing fall hours right now (ending at 5:00PM.) I'll check back in March as the website suggests. Miniatureworld also looks good, but it closes at 9:00, and I don't think we'd be there long enough to see it all. I visited Buchart Gardens in my teens. It was amazing - I'd love to see it again when I have more time. Princess does have a whale watching tour, but we're probably going to do that in Juneau.

 

Among the Princess tours are few city highlights tours. I'll likely do one of those, or maybe just take the shuttle into town and walk around. It's the last night of the cruise, so I don't want to stay out too late.

[Langley Cruisers]

We have the early dinner service, so we'll probably stay onboard for dinner and wouldn't leave the ship until 8:00 or so...

 

It's the last night of the cruise, so I don't want to stay out too late.

 

I understand your thinking, but Victoria is an amazing city and I'd hate for you to miss it. Perhaps you could all have an early buffet dinner that night and leave the ship right after 7 pm. This would give you the head start you desire and you could head back anytime you feel is best. Just a suggestion.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

We were in Victoria from 7:30 - midnight last July on the Carnival Spirit. We actually arrived in port late and I was told that was not unusual for this port due to tides/currents. Because of that I was glad we did not book the gardens as people who did had their excursion cut short.

 

What we did was to take a shuttle bus that was parked right outside the port to downtown (Inner Harbor). The driver pointed out a pub across from where he had let us out and recommended it. We went there and had a delicious fish & chips (breaded in potato chips!) dinner. Afterwards we just walked around the town and looked at the pretty lights. We did have gelato that was good before we returned to the ship. I was disappointed that most of the interesting looking shops were closed, even though there were a ton of people downtown. When I owned a shop I would have loved to have that many people milling around, looking to buy things. I would have been open, LOL! Here are our pictures from that evening.

 

I am looking forward to going to Victoria on the Sapphire Princess on her repo cruise in 2012 and having most of the day to spend in Victoria instead of just a few hours. I am planning to visit Butchart Gardens then.

[Goldeneye]

We were in Victoria from 7:30 - midnight last July on the Carnival Spirit. What we did was to take a shuttle bus that was parked right outside the port to downtown (Inner Harbor).

 

Afterwards we just walked around the town and looked at the pretty lights. I was disappointed that most of the interesting looking shops were closed, even though there were a ton of people downtown.

 

I would suggest heading to the actual 'inner harbour' and see all the various artisans that 'show' their work along the causeway...

The weekend 'Night market' (tents) is full of the usual imports interspersed with some genuine artisans but the main causeway is a delightful mix of vendors.. I always take my visitors here to shop, it's worth walking all the way around as there are some hidden gems at the far end. On more than a couple of occasions I've chatted with someone from an Alaskan cruise who said they wished they had waited to do their shopping in Victoria as the prices were way cheaper!

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I would suggest heading to the actual 'inner harbour' and see all the various artisans that 'show' their work along the causeway...

The weekend 'Night market' (tents) is full of the usual imports interspersed with some genuine artisans but the main causeway is a delightful mix of vendors.. I always take my visitors here to shop, it's worth walking all the way around as there are some hidden gems at the far end. On more than a couple of occasions I've chatted with someone from an Alaskan cruise who said they wished they had waited to do their shopping in Victoria as the prices were way cheaper!

We were right down at the waterfront, across from the Empress Hotel on a Monday night. There were no vendors set up to speak of. I am hoping to see more when we are there in May. We will be there on a Friday night. Maybe more action then?

[Goldeneye]

They are set up along the causeway 'down' from the Empress along the water.

I'm not sure what May is like as my visitors tend to come peak season when I think they all tend to stay later..I guess it would depend on how late it gets dark and how many people are walking by.

I enjoy taking my guests to Barbs fish and Chips at fishermans wharf, then walk it off with a walk along the causeway.

Hopefully this year you will get to see them, my last visitors bought a interesting modern twisty distorted picture of a Victoria scene, not exactly to my taste so I was really pleased when they left to discover that they had also bought as a gift for me a watercolour from one of the causeway artists that I absolutely love of the Empress.. At the far end near Undersea Gardens I had bought them all bookmarks from a local 'scratch artist' and they also bought some gift cards, a few pieces of dicromic glass and a flowery hat.

 

I've never been on an Alaskan Cruise, sounds like this will be your 2nd so you must have really enjoyed it.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

They are set up along the causeway 'down' from the Empress along the water.

I'm not sure what May is like as my visitors tend to come peak season when I think they all tend to stay later..I guess it would depend on how late it gets dark and how many people are walking by.

I enjoy taking my guests to Barbs fish and Chips at fishermans wharf, then walk it off with a walk along the causeway.

Hopefully this year you will get to see them, my last visitors bought a interesting modern twisty distorted picture of a Victoria scene, not exactly to my taste so I was really pleased when they left to discover that they had also bought as a gift for me a watercolour from one of the causeway artists that I absolutely love of the Empress.. At the far end near Undersea Gardens I had bought them all bookmarks from a local 'scratch artist' and they also bought some gift cards, a few pieces of dicromic glass and a flowery hat.

 

I've never been on an Alaskan Cruise, sounds like this will be your 2nd so you must have really enjoyed it.

Yes, down from the Empress, along the water - we did walk there. We did see a few musicians, but no artists. Also, almost all the shops downtown were closed which surprised me since a ship was in port. I love art fairs, so hope they will be there for us.

 

I understand Barb's Fish House is very good. I would like to try it. I understand it closes early?

 

We did enjoy our Alaska cruise and hope to do it again someday. However, this cruise will be a Pacific Coastal cruise, visiting ports all up the west coast from LA including Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Astoria, Seattle, Victoria & ending in Vancouver. Except for LA, Seattle and our short visit to Victoria it will be all new places for us. Longer days to explore the sights, too. Our return from Vancouver will be on the Coast Starlight Amtrak train. It will be a different experience for us and one I am already looking forward to.:)

[scottbee]

Yes, down from the Empress, along the water - we did walk there. We did see a few musicians, but no artists. Also, almost all the shops downtown were closed which surprised me since a ship was in port. I love art fairs, so hope they will be there for us.

 

I understand Barb's Fish House is very good. I would like to try it. I understand it closes early?

Barb's Fish and Chips: http://www.barbsplace.ca/map.html

 

Should be open until dark; a great (short) walk from the ship.