Vancouver to Victoria travel query

[JOYCAROL]

we will be arriving in Vancouver for a three day stay on 9/9 after a one week alaska cruise on Summit. We would like to spend one day in Victoria , however I have not found a reasonable day trip, except for a pricey boat . Any info or advise would be appreciated. Thanks . Joy Carol 1/2004 cONSTELLATION sOUTHERN cARIBBEAN....7/2004 MILLENIUM BARCELONA TO VENICE...1/2005 CENTURY WESTERN CARRIBBEAN...3/2005 PANAMA CANAL .

[Coral]

If you do not get many responses here - you may want to post on the Alaska board.

 

From what I understand - Victoria is much better if you can spend one night there. Otherwise, it is too long of a day.

[c-to-sea]

Since Victoria is on an island, there are basicaly only 2 ways to get there from

Vanocuver - ferry or plane.

Admittedly, the ferry takes longer but the trip is very scenic. Gray Line runs one-day tours

which include the ferry cost - see http://www.etix.com/travel/servlet/onlineSale?action=viewTourDescription&route_id=271&franchise_id=31

 

This trip takes 12-13 hours.

Harbour Air floatplanes offer a similar package deal for $249 Canadian Funds per person

- see http://www.harbour-air.com/home/index.php?id=40

 

Since you have 3 days, you should really consider doing an overnight to Victoria.

It would be much more relaxing and you would enjoy the city more.

[Sharby]

Well, you did say reasonable, and if you want reasonable and are not adverse to taking a bus - round trip will be approximately $75 per person - for the day - and this includes your BC ferries fare - both ways:

 

http://www.pacificcoach.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Home.main

 

 

Some of the advantages are that it will be only (approximately) a one hour bus ride - and then a gorgeously scenic ferry ride - and then a one hour bus ride on the other end. This bus will let you off in the Inner Harbour area (where you can get the return bus at the end of the day).

 

Also note that this is transportation only (no tours) - just bus and ferry fares. It is how us regular folk get to and from Vancouver/Victoria.:D

 

So, if you have lots of stamina - and are prepared to get up early - and get back to Vancouver late in the day - you can do Victoria on a day trip - at a very reasonable cost.

 

Edited to add: note that when you take this bus - you are guaranteed that the bus will be loaded onto the ferry that it is scheduled for. If you rent a car, you wait in line at the ferry and there are sometimes waits. :)

[ell52]

I agree with Sharby.

 

The most cost-effective way to do a day-trip to Victoria is to take the Pacific Coach Lines bus. Goes from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria. By the way, could you specify what you mean by "reasonable".

 

You can spend most of the time walking around, see the Provinical museum, Empress Hotel, etc. and/or catch another bus or take a tour to Butchart Gardens, if that's your thing.

 

If you really don't want to stay overnight in Victoria, take the first bus out - last bus back.

 

ell

[Sharby]

I might consider amending ell's advice to take the return bus/ferry back to Vancouver at a time that most of ferry sailing is in daylight or at dusk.

 

At the beginning of September, this would be a 7 pm or 8 pm sailing.

 

Until some Welsh friends visited BC - I had forgotten how spectacular our scenery from the ferries is. My friends considered the ferry ride one of the best bargains and highlights of their trip! They made sure that they timed their return trip home in daylight so that they could see the awesome scenery - they were quite excited by it.

 

You could also save some time by planning to eat breakfast and dinner on the ferry - in the Buffet Room - as it has seating with windows.

[hvsteve1]

We booked Land and Sea tours earlier this summer. The min-bus picked us up at the hotel in the early AM and took us to Victoria by ferry. They take you on a short tour of the city then drop you for a few hours so you can tour and have lunch on your own. They include a ticket to the museum should you wish to go there. The bus then goes to Butchart gardens for the rest of the day followed by the ferry home. I liked L&S because the group was small,they allow for free time in Victoria and take you to the gardens. We took a tour of Vancouver with them the previous day and there were four or five buses going to Victoria from various hotel pickups. All the drivers were uniformly young,good natured,enthusiastic and knowledgable.