Is this a good Itinarary for 1 day in Victoria??

[clb09]

Hi everyone, I'll be arriving in Victoria on a cruise on a Thursday, docking at 11am. Staying till 8pm.

 

Would this be a good itinarary? I've been to Victoria myself but only saw the outside of the parliament building and spent time in the wax museum..

 

- Wild Play (ropes course and all that), if they allow 2 ppl on a Thursday, since I saw that only group of 5+ allowed on Wed/Thurs

 

- Hatley Castle/Hatley Park, if they have tours in May?

 

- Walk along Fort Street and see the Craigdarroch Castle from the outside (probably won't go in for the tour as I heard it's not worth the time and money...)

 

- Walk along Dallas Rd and check out Beacon Hill Park... then to Government Rd and tour the Parliament Building.

 

How long does it take to walk from the cruise dock --> Fort St --> Dallas Rd --> Government Rd and end up at the Parliament?

 

I wanna time it so that I can get the tour at the Parliament..so I either have to do it at first or at the end?

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks!

[Langley Cruisers]

Re: Hatley Park part of your plan -

 

How do you plan to get to Hatley Park? It's quite a ways out of the downtown area. Personally, I would skip this part of it. Hatley Castle is in Hatley Park, as you asked in another thread. It's a historic site, somewhat interesting, with beautiful grounds, but it's not somewhere I would go if only in Victoria for a half-day. I used to live there and there was a library campus on the grounds at one time; also had a friend whose husband was an officer and he took us around one time. Personally - not that interesting, really (IMO, obviously).

[scottbee]

Hi everyone, I'll be arriving in Victoria on a cruise on a Thursday, docking at 11am. Staying till 8pm.

 

Would this be a good itinarary? I've been to Victoria myself but only saw the outside of the parliament building and spent time in the wax museum..

 

- Wild Play (ropes course and all that), if they allow 2 ppl on a Thursday, since I saw that only group of 5+ allowed on Wed/Thurs

 

- Hatley Castle/Hatley Park, if they have tours in May?

 

- Walk along Fort Street and see the Craigdarroch Castle from the outside (probably won't go in for the tour as I heard it's not worth the time and money...)

 

- Walk along Dallas Rd and check out Beacon Hill Park... then to Government Rd and tour the Parliament Building.

 

How long does it take to walk from the cruise dock --> Fort St --> Dallas Rd --> Government Rd and end up at the Parliament?

 

I wanna time it so that I can get the tour at the Parliament..so I either have to do it at first or at the end?

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks!

 

Hatley Castle/Wild Play are both some distance from downtown, are you aware of that?

 

I wouldn't bother walking, given you can exit the cruise terminal, grab a #30 or #31 bus into town, transfer onto a #14 to get to Craigdarroch.

 

However, Craigdarroch is just a big tourist trap, and Government House is much more interesting/sedate, and has nicer (free) gardens. On Rockland Ave (#1 bus IIRC)

 

the local bus system is cheap & fast and clean: http://bctransit.com/regions/vic/?p=2.list

[cruiseryyc]

Agree with other posters, don't bother with Hatley Castle/Park; Craigdarroch; or wild play. The walk you suggested along Dallas Road to Beacon Hill Park would be very nice. Scottbee suggestion of the gardens at Government House also a good one. However, just so you're not confused, Government House is a different place than the Legislative Buildings in the Inner Harbour. As you're there all day, you could easily tour the gardens at Government House and visit the Legislative Buildings.

[clb09]

Thanks for the suggestions. Great idea on the Government House. I didn't realize Hatley and Wildplay is far away.

 

Just wondering, I have left over bus tickets I got from when I was in Vancouver. Faresavers, they're called. Wondering if I can use these in Victoria as well since it is BC Transit as well...

 

Thanks!

[Putterdude]

You could ask about the Faresavers but my guess would be no as Translink which issued them in Vancouver is a completely separate company.

If the weather is inclement you may care to consider the Royal British Columbia Museum which is a superb museum and is about a "9 iron" from the Legislature Buildings.

 

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