Victoria Tours

[ChucktownSteve]

We'll be in Victoria May 21. My DW wants a tour that includes Butchard Gardens, Empress Hotel and Craigdarroch Castle. We dock at 8am and depart at 5pm.

 

 

Any tour operator recommendation please?

[cruiseryyc]

That's a lot to do in 7-8 hours but no need to hire a tour guide. Suggest you look at CVS Victoria to get you out to the Gardens, after a couple of hours there you can get a return CVS bus back and it will drop you at the Empress. Spend some time wandering there, have lunch in the Bengal Bar and then take a cab to the Castle. My personal opinion is the castle is underwhelming and could be missed. The word "castle" doesn't really fit, more of a mansion.

[Langley Cruisers]

My personal opinion is the castle is underwhelming and could be missed. The word "castle" doesn't really fit, more of a mansion.

 

^ This, exactly. It's not a castle in the true sense of the word, and if I had a day in Victoria, my priority would be the Butchart Gardens, and anything else I had time for is "gravy", as they say. :)

 

I agree with cruiseryyc - CVS Tours is a good option, and I see that admission price to the Gardens is included. You pick up the tour in front of the Fairmont Empress Hotel, so there you go. :)

 

http://cvstours.com/butchart-gardens-tour-schedule.html

 

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[ChucktownSteve]

Thankx for your suggestions. I had read in another thread that the "castle" is really a mansion however my DW likes to view mansions as well. She's into architecture and works in a house museum here.

 

The gardens were #1 on her list too. :)

 

Steve

[scottbee]

If you're looking for mansions & gardens, personally I think the Lt Gov mansion is much nicer than Craigdarroch; but only the gardens are available to visit normally and the house is open 1 Saturday/month. If it coincides with your visit, it's a great tour: http://www.ltgov.bc.ca/gov-house/visit-house/default.html

[ChucktownSteve]

If you're looking for mansions & gardens, personally I think the Lt Gov mansion is much nicer than Craigdarroch; but only the gardens are available to visit normally and the house is open 1 Saturday/month. If it coincides with your visit, it's a great tour: http://www.ltgov.bc.ca/gov-house/visit-house/default.html

 

TY. Unfortunately we'll be there on a Thursday. :(

[martincath]

I'd concur with the above - as long as she knows what she's getting, Craigdarroch is worth visiting as a decent example of Scottish Baronial architecture with some excellent stained glass. It is most definitely not a castle though, and I wish they would change the name.

 

Personally the most interesting thing about it IMO was the legal action brought against boardgame publisher Cheapass Games who published a floor-plan of the building as an expansion for their Kill Doctor Lucky game (a highly-entertaining prequel of sorts to Clue where all the guests try to kill the eponymous host rather than figure out who performed the murder). It's now available free to download, including the now-with-no-name-listed Craigdarroch floor plan board, so you can try it out before buying.

[xlxo]

I would visit the castle only if the Leglislature building was not available for free tours. I found the Leglislature much more facinating and convenient around the Inner Harbour.

• http://www.leg.bc.ca/info/2-2-4.htm
  
• https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Legislative+Assembly+of+British+Columbia,+Belleville+Street,+Victoria,+BC,+Canada&daddr=Craigdarroch+Castle,+Joan+Crescent,+Victoria,+BC,+Canada&hl=en&ll=48.422223,-123.356853&spn=0.024094,0.048795&sll=48.422223,-123.357368&sspn=0.024094,0.048795&geocode=FVvS4gId7oKl-CEdbr43LKO4qCmBwm2LhHSPVDEdbr43LKO4qA%3BFerd4gIdLeyl-CFvHeZlctkgsinXe9SAinSPVDFvHeZlctkgsg&oq=craigcastle,victoria,+bc&dirflg=w&mra=ls&t=m&z=15