Advice about Butchart Gardens Please

[Lois R]

:) Hello! I have been reading many posts about the

Famous Gardens and I plan on visiting on Oct 17th.

The Fall Flowers look lovely!

I have noticed for this particular place many of you

recommend the Ship's Tours (which is ok with me).

I sail solo and it is a great way for me to meet other folks too.:)

Just curious though, do ya'll recommend the ship due to the

timing? Are there local tour companies around after you

disembark the ship who offer their services?

And I am under the assumption in October the weather

will be cool? Long sleeves, a sweater and jeans?

Thanks for any help...this is my first time visiting there.

Is it October yet?:D

[jamiski]

Hello there,

 

I don't have any information for you reguarding tours. But I can tell you the Gardens are lovely, we went at Easter 2 years ago.

 

I can help (a little) when it comes to Weather. October can be hit or miss here on the mainland, the bulk of the winter rain usually starts closer to November. Victoria, however, isusually a bit warmer and a bit dryer than Vancouver, so my best advice is cross your fingers and bring layers!

 

I hope you have a great trip!

[Lois R]

Hi:) thanks for the reply. OK....I usually travel with a small backpack

and a poncho will fit inside so I will make sure to pack it!

Guess I will be checking the weather before I leave;)

And maybe some other folks will have tour advice:D

[csk]

I went on the ships tour last year, because of the the short time we were there, and was happy I did, it is really just transportation to and from, once we got there we were on our own, just had to meet back at a certain time. it is an amazing place, one of the most beautiful I have seen, you will be glad you went , enjoy!!!!!!

[Lois R]

Hi csk, thanks...and we are almost neighbors:) :D

[csk]

Your welcome Lois, yes we live very close, it is a small world, sure hot here the last couple of days, just wondering do you always travel solo, could you email me csk7355@yahoo.com, would appreciate it. thanks

[Gunman]

If you want to get a preview of what Heaven looks like, don't miss the Gardens. My wife and I didn't go from a cruise ship, but from a hydrafoil from Seattle. It was a good bus ride from the dock to the gardens but was well worth the trip. To see, and absorb it all will take most of the day, so plan accordingly. This is something you do not want to rush!! The Gardens did offer the use of clear umbrellas (free of charge) in case of rain!

Pat and Betty, Sun City Center, FL

[Gunman]

If you want to get a preview of what Heaven looks like, don't miss the Gardens. My wife and I didn't go from a cruise ship, but from a hydrafoil from Seattle. It was a good bus ride from the dock to the gardens but was well worth the trip. To see, and absorb it all will take most of the day, so plan accordingly. This is something you do not want to rush!! The Gardens did offer the use of clear umbrellas (free of charge) in case of rain!

Pat and Betty, Sun City Center, FL

[Lois R]

Hi Pat, thanks for the information. One of the stops on the itinerary

is in Victoria so I will be seeing those famous Gardens:D

No plans for anything else on that particular day for me!:)

[jamiski]

Can you kindly send some of that Florida warmth here? We have had quite the unusually "mild" summer so far only 1 week where we broke 80F for more than one day.

 

We are holding out that the fall will be more impressive :)

[Gunman]

Jamiski:

I would happily trade some sunshine and warmth for a little rain. You cannot buy a drop of rain here, although it has fallen within a mile in any direction. Temps here are high 80s and low 90s. Not as hot as Montana and Idaho have been!!:)

Pat and Betty, Sun City Center, FL

[Gunman]

Jamiski:

Wow, you are fast, thank you! It is pouring and when I wrote the sun was shining!!!!!

Pat

[maccruiser22]

October on the South Coast of BC can be nice and hot but it really depends on what the summer was like. It's been raining and then we get a heat wave. Its a hit or miss, temps can hit the low 20's but are probably in the high teen's.

[Lois R]

October on the South Coast of BC can be nice and hot but it really depends on what the summer was like. It's been raining and then we get a heat wave. Its a hit or miss, temps can hit the low 20's but are probably in the high teen's.

 

Low 20s??? High teens??? I hope you are talking centigrade and

not farenheight:eek:

[jamiski]

Let me roughly convert for you 60F's low 70s :) I'm originally from the states, so I live in a world of loose metric conversion...all I know is I am happy at 25-30C (mid 80F's low 90s). Which it is suppose to be next week! I guess you Florida folks sent you're weather to me Fedex ground delivery!

[Gunman]

Jamiski:

Sorry, having two cruises booked, we couldn't afford the "overnight" shipping.

Pat and Betty, in Florida

[jmf123]

Lois, you will love the spectacular Butchart Gardens, we booked a tour through the ship (RC's Serenade of the Seas) which included a stop at a Butterfly Farm...lovely to have these beautiful creatures all around and so close, even touching down on us! My husband took some amazing photos at both the gardens and of the butterflies. Enjoy! :)

[insideedge]

The problem in October is tourist season is winding down and the services out to the gardens are less frequent than the middle of summer. The shuttle out to the gardens is on a limited shcedule and the tours from downtown are down from 8 a day to 4. The same company that does the tours for the ship does the tours downtown (Gray Line). The cost of the tour downtown is about 56.00 plus 6.00 for the shuttle from the ship to downtown (you will not have time to walk), so I would recomend booking on the ship. For the little bit extra it is not worth the agravation and possible missing of the ship.

[Lois R]

Hi,:) we arrive in Victoria at 7am and stay docked till 10pm.

I won't have time to walk to the Empress and pick up the bus?

I realize it won't be summertime~but being there entire day

and evening I would think I would have enough time.

[Retired 07]

The problem in October is tourist season is winding down and the services out to the gardens are less frequent than the middle of summer. The shuttle out to the gardens is on a limited shcedule and the tours from downtown are down from 8 a day to 4. The same company that does the tours for the ship does the tours downtown (Gray Line). The cost of the tour downtown is about 56.00 plus 6.00 for the shuttle from the ship to downtown (you will not have time to walk), so I would recomend booking on the ship. For the little bit extra it is not worth the agravation and possible missing of the ship.

 

 

Do you know when the limited schedule starts? We will be there in the middle of September. On Grayline's website I can only find chartered tours, nothing about a shuttle schedule. Thanks for all the info.

[insideedge]

It starts winding down at the beginning of Sept. The shuttle goes from every half hour to every hour and fifteen min. But if your ship is in all day the shuttle would be the perfect way to see the gardens. The cost is 7.00 each way and you can spend as much time as you like at the gardens. The shuttle leaves from the bus depot (behind the empress hotel).

[Lois R]

It starts winding down at the beginning of Sept. The shuttle goes from every half hour to every hour and fifteen min. But if your ship is in all day the shuttle would be the perfect way to see the gardens. The cost is 7.00 each way and you can spend as much time as you like at the gardens. The shuttle leaves from the bus depot (behind the empress hotel).

 

Hi, thanks:)

Yes, we are in Victoria all day and evening:D no rush

at all!!!!

[hvsteve1]

This is just a comment in the hopes there may be those out there who will find it helpful.

 

I seldom see the warning that Butchart Gardens started life as a mine pit. As a result, there is, not only a lot of walking, but quite a bit of walking up and down hills. Unfortunately, we visited the Gardens on the final day of a two week Alaska land/cruise/BC tour and my wife, who is not that old but has some health-related stamina problems, found she was not up to the walking and hill climbing once we got to the gardens. She spent a few hours at the cafe while I walked around and shot video so she could see what she missed. It was very sad as she loves gardens.

[insideedge]

The Gardens does provide wheelchairs free of charge. You do have to push the person around, but the entire gardens is wheelchair accessable.

[Dibbs]

:) Hello! I have been reading many posts about the

Famous Gardens and I plan on visiting on Oct 17th.

The Fall Flowers look lovely!

I have noticed for this particular place many of you

recommend the Ship's Tours (which is ok with me).

I sail solo and it is a great way for me to meet other folks too.:)

Just curious though, do ya'll recommend the ship due to the

timing? Are there local tour companies around after you

disembark the ship who offer their services?

And I am under the assumption in October the weather

will be cool? Long sleeves, a sweater and jeans?

Thanks for any help...this is my first time visiting there.

Is it October yet?:D

 

Lois, I'll will also be on the same cruise. Dibbs from Oregon