Buchart Gardens and Cragdarroch Castle

[Driftwoodgal]

Can you do both of these tours on your own? If so how would you get there, by taxi or bus, or just walk.

 

We will be in port from 7 AM to 5 PM on the Serenade.

 

If you could only do one, which one would you do?

 

Are there other things that we should consider?

[cruiseryyc]

With that amount of time in Victoria, yes you an do both but, no, you can't walk to either of them from the dock. Butchart's is a 40 minute drive away and the Castle would be about a 10 minute drive. Pacific Coach Lines has a shuttle service out to the Gardens ($8/person/each way) I would suggest going to the Gardens in the morning and then taking a taxi to the Castle in the afternoon. If you could only do one - Butchart's wins hands down.

[Putterdude]

Butchart Gardens is some 35 min driive from downtown Victoria ...so walking is out of the question. Often for what the ships tour of the Butchart Gardens cost you could likely rent a car and drive around in Victoria. But I am not sure if the shuttle from the Empress is operated by Pacific Coach Lines or Grayline...right now I can't find it on either of their websites. You will also need to shuttle from the Ogden Point cruise pier to the Empress Hotel (downtown) and that cost is about $7 pp round trip.

As for Cragdarroh Castle, I am not a huge fan of it....it really is just a large mansion and a bit touristy. I would prefer a trip to the Royal BC Museum or even just a walk thru the Empress Hotel, Legislature Buildings and around the downtown area, particularly the Inner Harbour, Government St and Water St.

http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/MainSite/default.aspx

[cruiseryyc]

Just to let you know (and Putt too) that it is indeed Greyline that offers the shuttle to Butchart's but for some stupid reason they don't advertise it on their website. There is a kiosk in front of the Empress Hotel where you can purchase tickets for it. There is no time limit on how long you stay at the Gardens; it literally runs all day long. Also, I do agree with Putt about the Castle; I visited it once at Christmas time and while it was pretty - not worth doing in my opinion. His suggestion of the museum is an excellent one.

[Putterdude]

Thanks for the update on Gray Line....I can see the stand in front of the Empress but Pacific Coach wasn't sitting with me....then I couldn't find the shuttle on either's site. The shuttle service from Ogden Point stops pretty much across the street from the Gray Line stand.