best way to get to Butchart Gardens

We are 4 people arriving for day on Crystal Symphony in July. We have heard the gardens are fabulous and would like to see them. What is the best way for us to get from the pier to the gardens? Is Uber available? Otherwise are taxis plentiful? Anyone have any idea of how long it will take to get there and what the cost might be?

I have been looking at the Gardens longingly also. Google maps shows a 30-minute drive. I did not pursue taxi costs at this time.

Sorry, must have totally missed the first post on here...

While 'best' is of course subjective, the factual options on methods to get to Butchart are as follows:

• Metered cab (no Uber etc) will depend on traffic, but if you budget for $60 each way that should cover it including tip unless it's a very busy trip (e.g. fireworks on Saturday evenings are packed shows - unless you are among the first folks to leave afterward, the parking lot is a huge bottleneck slowing things to a crawl when busy)
  
• Rent a car - as long as your ship arrives before 5pm, this is probably the best value and most flexible way to do it
  
• Public Transit - the 75 bus runs to the gardens, and can be boarded downtown or else transferred to by hopping on a 31/33 right outside the pier on Dallas Road. Coming back is even easier - the bus stops briefly and changes number, then runs right out to the pier. At $5pp for a day pass, superb value - but does take about 80-90mins each way vs. the ~30min drive.
  
• NB: entry fee needed for all three of the the above methods, approx CAD$35pp
  
• CVS shuttle bus - these run multiple times, and while you can book them in advance you can also just show up and pay as you board. Includes Butchart entry fee and also Butterfly Garden these days, for approx CAD$80pp. Need to get to the Empress downtown - but do this in a cab or walking, do not pay extra for being picked up at the pier as that is about $10pp, whereas an entire cab is about $10!
  
• Cruise bus - always the most expensive options, and usually the worst-quality too (too short a time at the gardens). Only to be used when you have a SHORT port stop, with a genuine risk of not getting back in time - and even then it'll be cheaper for 4 to pay a cab to keep the meter running while sitting in the car park!!! In short, you have to be ridiculously risk-averse, not mind a short visit, and have absolutely zero cares about money to find this a sensible option...
  

• CVS shuttle bus - these run multiple times, and while you can book them in advance you can also just show up and pay as you board. Includes Butchart entry fee and also Butterfly Garden these days, for approx CAD$80pp. Need to get to the Empress downtown - but do this in a cab or walking, do not pay extra for being picked up at the pier as that is about $10pp, whereas an entire cab is about $10!
  

We used the CVS shuttle bus just a couple weeks ago. We were happy with having the flexibility of staying as long as we wanted at the gardens. We had booked ahead but they also were taking walkups. They had a kiosk right in front of the Empress. If it's a nice day and you don't mind walking, the Empress is walking distance from the port.

We used the CVS shuttle bus just a couple weeks ago. We were happy with having the flexibility of staying as long as we wanted at the gardens. We had booked ahead but they also were taking walkups. They had a kiosk right in front of the Empress. If it's a nice day and you don't mind walking, the Empress is walking distance from the port.

How long a walk is it? We'll be in port 10-6, is that enough time to take the shuttle and have sufficient time at the Gardens? Do you recommend also doing the Butterfly Garden?

How long a walk is it? We'll be in port 10-6, is that enough time to take the shuttle and have sufficient time at the Gardens? Do you recommend also doing the Butterfly Garden?

Distance is pretty much bang on 2km from where you exit the pier to outside the Empress; time depends how fast you walk and which route (the less-direct wander around the water taking in Fisherman's Wharf is likely 40mins walk but has more to see). A shuttle at noon would allow ample time to disembark, walk the long way, pick up some sandwiches, and get to the shuttle.

Spend ~3 hours at the gardens, return on the 4pm shuttle leaves you another ~hour of padding for more sightseeing - which could include spending time at the Butterfly Garden rather than downtown (I noticed that they have removed this from the regular tour again, instead it's a discounted extra option like it used to be - never understood why they ever thought that everybody would be happy paying for this as part of the regular ticket, it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea to have bugs flying around you, even pretty ones!)

Spend ~3 hours at the gardens, return on the 4pm shuttle leaves you another ~hour of padding for more sightseeing - which could include spending time at the Butterfly Garden rather than downtown (I noticed that they have removed this from the regular tour again, instead it's a discounted extra option like it used to be - never understood why they ever thought that everybody would be happy paying for this as part of the regular ticket, it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea to have bugs flying around you, even pretty ones!)

To add to the info about the Butterfly Gardens - if you do it as an extra option, the CVS tour drops you at the Butterfly Gardens first. You then will catch the CVS bus to take you to Butchart Gardens afterwards. We didn't do the butterflies, and kind of glad we didn't. Those leaving the butterflies couldn't find a seat on the CVS bus because it was packed full of those just going to Butchart.