Travel from Vancouver to Victoria

[aspen151]

We are staying in downtown Vancouver and would like to take a day trip to Victoria. Our main plans are to tour Buchart Gardens and check out the town. We have a rental car and want to know the best way to travel to Victoria and whether or not to take our car. Thanks for your help!

[Budget Queen]

In my opinion, having been there many times, it is not a day trip. I suggest you add at least a day or readjust your itinerary perhaps.

 

 

With a car, your only option is the Tsawwassen ferry, then driving to Butchart. You won't have much time- to "check out" the town, if you devote the time necessary for Butchart.

 

In season, you need reservations for the ferry.

[scottbee]

We are staying in downtown Vancouver and would like to take a day trip to Victoria. Our main plans are to tour Buchart Gardens and check out the town. We have a rental car and want to know the best way to travel to Victoria and whether or not to take our car. Thanks for your help!

 

If all you plan to do is visit Butchart gardens, drive to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, park your car and walk on the ferry. This solves the crowding problem and removes the need for a reservation (it's cars that fill up, not foot passengers). On the Island side, you can take the #81 bus (http://www.bctransit.com) or a taxi (about $30 ea way) to Butchart. Either way, it will be a lot less money than taking your car each way on the ferry.

 

The #81 only runs every two hours, but is timed to meet up with the odd hour ferries (7/9/11/1 etc)

[aspen151]

Thanks for your help!

[North2Alaska]

If all you plan to do is visit Butchart gardens, drive to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, park your car and walk on the ferry. This solves the crowding problem and removes the need for a reservation (it's cars that fill up, not foot passengers). On the Island side, you can take the #81 bus (www.bctransit.com) or a taxi (about $30 ea way) to Butchart. Either way, it will be a lot less money than taking your car each way on the ferry.

 

The #81 only runs every two hours, but is timed to meet up with the odd hour ferries (7/9/11/1 etc)

 

We'd like to do the same thing in Aug 2013 (since it's been 4 yrs since this post) It the info still the same? Thanks!

[scottbee]

We'd like to do the same thing in Aug 2013 (since it's been 4 yrs since this post) It the info still the same? Thanks!

 

Yes essentially, no significant changes. You can get info on the #81 bus at http://www.bctransit.com. Also last year the local area ran a free tourist bus from the ferry to the Gardens and other attractions. http://www.attractionsconnector.com/

 

If you're driving to the ferry, just follow the signs for 99 south, go through the tunnel then exit onto Hwy 17. If you're taking the bus/Skytrain from downtown, take the Canada Line to Bridgeport Station then board a #620 bus to get to the ferry terminal.

[Keith1010]

You will want to take the ferry as noted above.

 

Keith