Big Bus Victoria - Need help with stops...

[aruba1983]

We will be in Victoria as part of our Alaska cruise. Our time in Victoria is limited, from 7 am to 2 pm. We would like to do the Big Bus HOHO tour.

1. Is the stop at Inner Harbour within walking distance of Dallas Rd? (Assuming this is where Sea Princess docks)

2. Since our time is short, we will only be able to explore 2 or 3 stops along the route. Which would you recommend?

3. Are 1-day passes available? if so, how much does it cost. Online they only advertise 2 and 3 day passes.

Thank you

[Urban trekker]

The Victoria locals on these threads can correct me but I think the stop at Mile 0 may be closer than the inner harbour or at least easier to get to.

 

For Mile 0 just turn right as you leave the pier which is at Ogden Point and start walking - after a few minutes you should see a sign for Beacon Hill Park - that is Mile 0.

 

If you go left you wind through the city until you get to the inner harbour.

 

I will let the locals tell you which couple of attractions are the most must see.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[scottbee]

We will be in Victoria as part of our Alaska cruise. Our time in Victoria is limited, from 7 am to 2 pm. We would like to do the Big Bus HOHO tour.

1. Is the stop at Inner Harbour within walking distance of Dallas Rd? (Assuming this is where Sea Princess docks)

2. Since our time is short, we will only be able to explore 2 or 3 stops along the route. Which would you recommend?

3. Are 1-day passes available? if so, how much does it cost. Online they only advertise 2 and 3 day passes.

 

Given your short time in town, was there something specific you wanted to look at? Also, if you're looking for a quick tour of the downtown area, the Tally Ho Horsedrawn carriage tour (not the individual ones, the group tour; scroll to the bottom) is a reasonable price http://www.tallyhotours.com/choose_tour.htm

And the pickup spot is about a 6 block walk from the cruise terminal.

[aruba1983]

Given your short time in town, was there something specific you wanted to look at? Also, if you're looking for a quick tour of the downtown area, the Tally Ho Horsedrawn carriage tour (not the individual ones, the group tour; scroll to the bottom) is a reasonable price http://www.tallyhotours.com/choose_tour.htm

And the pickup spot is about a 6 block walk from the cruise terminal.

 

 

I e-mailed Tally Ho tours regarding this particular tour, however I was told that the wagon does not operate on a regular basis. Only the private tours are available.

 

A few things I wanted to do is see the city, Craigdarroch Castle and visit a Tea room.

[aruba1983]

The Victoria locals on these threads can correct me but I think the stop at Mile 0 may be closer than the inner harbour or at least easier to get to.

 

For Mile 0 just turn right as you leave the pier which is at Ogden Point and start walking - after a few minutes you should see a sign for Beacon Hill Park - that is Mile 0.

 

If you go left you wind through the city until you get to the inner harbour.

 

I will let the locals tell you which couple of attractions are the most must see.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

 

Thanks Dennis. With the route the Big Bus takes 'Mile 0' is next to last stop. The first bus stops there at 10:26 am. So our tour will be shorter if we start this late.

If we walk to the stops at 'Coast Harbourside Hotel' or 'Fisherman’s Wharf' we can start the tour 9:30 am.

I looked at the distance from Ogden Point to Coast Harbourside Hotel on Google maps, this is about 1 km so I gues 15 minute walk.

Maybe not a scenic route, but we could end our tour at Mile 0 and walk that route back to the ship.

[cruiseryyc]

Either the Coast or Fisherman's Wharf would be your best bet; turn left as you exit the dock area and just start walking. What are the stops offered on the bus tour? It might help us decide which ones you should get off at.

[scottbee]

I e-mailed Tally Ho tours regarding this particular tour, however I was told that the wagon does not operate on a regular basis. Only the private tours are available.

 

A few things I wanted to do is see the city, Craigdarroch Castle and visit a Tea room.

 

Hopefully someone in Victoria can confirm this, but they're an institution in Victoria, and have been doing the wagon tour for something like 50 years. Up until I left town (5 yrs ago), they still ran all the time, I know because they clip-clopped past my place every 15-20 mins

[Urban trekker]

Here's the schedule of the stops:

 

http://bigbusvictoria.ca/images/stories/bb_schedule_may09v3.pdf

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[quincytoo]

Hopefully someone in Victoria can confirm this, but they're an institution in Victoria, and have been doing the wagon tour for something like 50 years. Up until I left town (5 yrs ago), they still ran all the time, I know because they clip-clopped past my place every 15-20 mins

That post surprised me about Tally-Ho not being on a regular bases cause everytime I am in Inner Harbour (about once a week at least) they are operating does not matter what time of the day it is.....I know this because I often have to drive around them or what not.....

BTW I think getting off at Mile 0 and walking back to the ship is a lovely idea.....just don't have lots of bags. Maybe take a few minutes to dash up Dallas road to Beacon Hill Drive Inn to have some of the best soft serve ice cream in Victoria....Get it in a cone and walk back along Dallas road....:)

 

So NICE :)

[aruba1983]

That post surprised me about Tally-Ho not being on a regular bases cause everytime I am in Inner Harbour (about once a week at least) they are operating does not matter what time of the day it is.....I know this because I often have to drive around them or what not.....

BTW I think getting off at Mile 0 and walking back to the ship is a lovely idea.....just don't have lots of bags. Maybe take a few minutes to dash up Dallas road to Beacon Hill Drive Inn to have some of the best soft serve ice cream in Victoria....Get it in a cone and walk back along Dallas road....:)

 

So NICE :)

 

 

I have e-mailed Tally-HO again. Let's see what they reply this time.

 

Stops on route of Big Bus:

Welcome Center

Spinnakers Brew

St Andrew’s Cathedral

Royal Theatre

Bus Depot

Inner Harbour

Coast Harbourside Hotel

Fisherman’s Wharf

Harbour Towers

Days Inn

Wharf Street

Bay Centre

Antiques Row

Craigdarroch Castle

Oak Bay Village

Oak Bay Marina

Gonzales Bay

Ross Bay Cemetery

Mile 0 10:26 AM

Thunderbird Park

[armymichelle]

Craigdarroch castle is quite easy to get to from downtown, you could walk from there.

 

The james bay tea house is also near the cruise terminal, its great little tea house that you can have the little scones and tea and sandwhiches (compared to the 50 dollar empress tea!)

[armymichelle]

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&q=james%20bay%20tea%20house&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

[armymichelle]

From there, you can catch a bus up douglas.........or walk up menzies street, past the inner harbour and up to douglas street and up to fort street and catch the bus.........it drops you off on the street outside the castle and its just a short (albeit uphil) jaunt up to the castle. The walk to douglas is proablaby about 15, maybe 20 minutes, depending on how fast you walk and if the rogers chocolate shop distracts you. Of course, you can always take any sort of bus that takes you up douglas as there is a bus stop at govt and superior and any busses going the other way will take you up douglas.

[Urban trekker]

The link that you are providing seems to be taking us to Winnipeg rather than James Bay in Victoria.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Langley Cruisers]

Craigdarroch castle is quite easy to get to from downtown, you could walk from there.

 

Woah, have to disagree with you there. It's quite a distance, especially if one is walking from the cruise ship pier already. I would never walk to Craigdarroch Castle; it's just way too far (IMO).

[scottbee]

Woah, have to disagree with you there. It's quite a distance, especially if one is walking from the cruise ship pier already. I would never walk to Craigdarroch Castle; it's just way too far (IMO).

 

However, the #14 UVic bus runs right up Fort street from downtown and puts you 100 yards from the castle.

[aruba1983]

Haven't heard back yet from Tally-Ho tours...

 

From everyone's opinion I get the impression we should walk to downtown and take the public transit to the Castle and back. Is that correct? Is the Big Bus not worth the $35?

[scottbee]

Haven't heard back yet from Tally-Ho tours...

 

From everyone's opinion I get the impression we should walk to downtown and take the public transit to the Castle and back. Is that correct? Is the Big Bus not worth the $35?

 

You don't even need walk to downtown. Take the #30/31 bus to downtown and transfer to a #14. Bus stop is on your left as you exit the cruise terminal (don't even need to cross the st)

[aruba1983]

So we take #30/31 from the Pier to dowtown. Then transfer to the #14 to get to Craigdarroch Castle.

From the castle, is there a bus that will drop us of near Beacon Hill Park? From there we'll walk Dallas Rd back to the ship.

Thanks to everyone for their help....only 5 more days till our vacation!!!

[scottbee]

So we take #30/31 from the Pier to dowtown. Then transfer to the #14 to get to Craigdarroch Castle.

From the castle, is there a bus that will drop us of near Beacon Hill Park? From there we'll walk Dallas Rd back to the ship.

Thanks to everyone for their help....only 5 more days till our vacation!!!

 

Reverse the process, 14 back into downtown, and 30 will get you a couple of blocks from the park

 

http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/?p=1.txt