Things to do in Victoria

[CruisinLynette]

What do you all recommend for our visit to Victoria. Are there special things that we can buy there?? I know NOTHING about the place. Thanks

[jp2001]

If you like gardens, Butchart Garden is very, very nice. If you're not a big fan of gardens, I would suggest that you avoid the long bus ride for the gardens and simply walk around the city. It's a lovely City, and the Capital of British Columbia. They have free visits of the parliament building (I found it was very interesting and I recommend it). Many hotels and restaurants also serves afternoon tea if it's something you like (Fairmont Empress Hotel is probably the best place for an elegant afternoon tea).

 

Here is my personnal top 5 best Canadian Cities (I've seen very many of them).

 

1. Quebec City

2. Victoria

3. Vancouver

4. Halifax

5. Ottawa

(As you can see, many of these cities are Capital cities too).

[ultimatemaniaccruiser]

There's lot's to do and see here in Victoria. They're a pretty good museum (Royal British Columbia Museum), there's the legislature buildings, the Empress Hotel, there's entertainers along the harbour front causeway (summer time only), butchart gardens, whale watching, fishing, and some great hiking. Let me know if you have any more questions. I live in Victoria.

[agabbymama]

I would recommend renting a car. While it's easy to walk around, the car makes seeing different things easy. Check out the internet for Victoria. There is a Totem Park not far from Parliament. There is Craigdarrock Castle a couple miles up the road from Parliament. There is a Historical House right next to the Museum. Then we drove to Butchart Gardens ourselves instead of taking a bus. On the way back, we detoured to Fort Rudd (I think) where there is Fisguard Lighthouse. My friend and I love lighthouses, so when I spied Fisguard Lighthouse on the map, I had to try and find it, then to my surprise there was Fort Rudd (an old army installation now a museum). The two are in the same place. There is a glass bottom boat to Underwater Gardens (wasn't impressed). The Empress Hotel does do a tea, but it's very costly. I'm sure you could find other places to have tea for a lot less, if that's what you want to do. Enjoy your stay in Victoria, it's absolutely beautiful. So lush and green.:p

[LeftcoastBC]

and along with all that stuff mentioned already.

 

Harbour tours on the little shuttle ferry boats.

 

A very walkable city and harbour area. Even from where the cruise ships dock it's only 15-20 min. stroll to downtown through residential areas. A beautiful spot.

 

oh ...and there are Whale watching tours also. Avaiilable downtown at the tourist info Centre.

[Shoobee2]

We were in Victoria at night on the last night of our cruise. Because it was late in the season, the tour to Butchart Gardens which I would have loved to see was not operating. We signed up for the Ghosts and Graveyards tour which I would not recommend. We did learn a little about Victoria history but standing around in a dark graveyard listening to long stories for over 3 hours was not a lot of fun. It might have made for an interesting 1 hour tour followed by shopping downtown but by the time we got downtown, there wasn't time to shop and so everyone just returned to the ship. Very disappointing.

[CruisinLynette]

Thanks for all the info. i'm glad to hear the review of the ghosts and graveyard tour. We are BIG Gettysburg people and LOVE doing the ghost tours and searches there so I was intregued by that tour. Now I'll know to stay away.

 

Does anyone know about the WINE up there??

[ultimatemaniaccruiser]

Wine is expensive in BC. The tax rate is 200% on all liquor and I'm not joking at all about this. To give you an idea a 6 pack of garbage beer is $12. That being said there are some good wines (not a huge wine drinker so I won't recommend anything!). There's a liquor store in the Bay center mall right downtown.

[CruisinLynette]

Well that won't be high on the shopping list then!!!!! Thanks.:eek:

[LeftcoastBC]

The local wines are certainly more expensive that what we find when travelling. Especially the US. But there are a lot of great BC wines now and well worth a try. With the $ difference around 10% and knowing that all that tax we pay here goes to our social programs..give one or two a whirl :)

Certainly on Par with the smaller wineries in WA and California as far a price and even taste on most also.

[Teri Wimmer]

There's lot's to do and see here in Victoria. They're a pretty good museum (Royal British Columbia Museum), there's the legislature buildings, the Empress Hotel, there's entertainers along the harbour front causeway (summer time only), butchart gardens, whale watching, fishing, and some great hiking. Let me know if you have any more questions. I live in Victoria.

 

 

Hello ultimate crusier,

We will be in Vancouver on May 12, 2007. We need to find a hotel for 3 nights. I am thinking about the Wedgewood. Are you familiar with it? Can you recommend any others? We are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary so I would like it to be something special. Also, what is the weather like in May?Thanks in advance!

[paradise4ever]

Everything every0ne mentioned is great. One thing we did was the Pub Tour. We went to 3 different pubs. One in th city, one by the marina and one out in the country (a nice ride out there). We had a wonderful time and tasted all the beers which were complimentary. Two of the places served Hor derves which were really good/. You can get something to eat off the menu so you don't get drunk. Everyone was able to get acquainted. Have fun.

[LeftcoastBC]

Hello ultimate crusier,

We will be in Vancouver on May 12, 2007. We need to find a hotel for 3 nights. I am thinking about the Wedgewood. Are you familiar with it? Can you recommend any others? We are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary so I would like it to be something special. Also, what is the weather like in May?Thanks in advance!

 

The Wedgewood gets high ratings and is a great central spot. It's not all that close to the Cruise Dock however. Should qualify very easily for that something "Special"

If you want to pop for something closer to the Water.. the Pan Pacific or the "Waterfront" with a water view would also qualify. and also a pretty good arrea to start your days in Vancouver. Westin Bayshore is also pretty nice as is the Sutton Place.

[cruzy-sue]

There's lot's to do and see here in Victoria. They're a pretty good museum (Royal British Columbia Museum), there's the legislature buildings, the Empress Hotel, there's entertainers along the harbour front causeway (summer time only), butchart gardens, whale watching, fishing, and some great hiking. Let me know if you have any more questions. I live in Victoria.

 

 

AHH< i WILL ASK YOU DRIVING QUESTION (S):

 

HOW FAR A DRIVE WOULD IT BE FROM SEATTLE TO VICTORIA?? IS THIS DO-ABLE?

 

HOW FAR FROM VICTORIA TO VANCOUVER??? WOULD A FERRY BE BETTER?

 

IS THERE A BETTTER WAY THAN DRIVING??? TRAIN?????

 

I guess what I am looking into is flying in to Seattle (half the cost of flying into Vancouver)We cruise out of Vancouver on Sept. 5 - would like to see Victoria and Vancouver.

 

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!!

[LeftcoastBC]

AHH< i WILL ASK YOU DRIVING QUESTION (S):

 

HOW FAR A DRIVE WOULD IT BE FROM SEATTLE TO VICTORIA?? IS THIS DO-ABLE?

 

4 1/2 hours of freeway and crossing border/get out of airport should be about right. (Border is an unknown on long weekends and other times too)

 

HOW FAR FROM VICTORIA TO VANCOUVER??? WOULD A FERRY BE BETTER?

You can drive from Seattle to Port Angeles 3hours or so & Take ferry to Victoria 2 more hours or so. Drive from Victoria to Ferry to Vancouver and mainland 30 mins. Ferry is 2 hours give or take and then you drive from where ferry lands to Vancouver it'self about an hour for beginers.

 

 

IS THERE A BETTTER WAY THAN DRIVING??? TRAIN?????

 

Yes. Train from Seattle leaves at 7:40 each morning (take business class.) Highly recommend that. Gets to Vancouver around noon.

 

Reverse train goes in evening at 6 PM.

 

I guess what I am looking into is flying in to Seattle (half the cost of flying into Vancouver)We cruise out of Vancouver on Sept. 5 - would like to see Victoria and Vancouver.

 

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!!

.....

[jp2001]

AHH< i WILL ASK YOU DRIVING QUESTION (S):

 

HOW FAR A DRIVE WOULD IT BE FROM SEATTLE TO VICTORIA?? IS THIS DO-ABLE?

 

HOW FAR FROM VICTORIA TO VANCOUVER??? WOULD A FERRY BE BETTER?

 

IS THERE A BETTTER WAY THAN DRIVING??? TRAIN?????

 

I guess what I am looking into is flying in to Seattle (half the cost of flying into Vancouver)We cruise out of Vancouver on Sept. 5 - would like to see Victoria and Vancouver.

 

http://www.victoriaclipper.com/victoria_clipper_ferry_service

 

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!!

 

I did that, I flew to Seattle, took the express ferry to Victoria (4h00 if I remember weel), spent 1.5 day in Victoria then took the bus to Vancouver (obviously, the bus also included the ferry to the mainland... it was not a floating bus :D)

 

I liked it and the ferry brings you directly to the harbour area of Victoria, close to most touristic attractions and buses to Butchart Gardens

[LeftcoastBC]

oops..

 

HOW FAR A DRIVE WOULD IT BE FROM SEATTLE TO VICTORIA?? IS THIS DO-ABLE?

 

4 1/2 hours of freeway and crossing border/get out of airport should be about right. (Border is an unknown on long weekends and other times too)

 

This info is Seattle to Vancouver sorry.

 

& of course the Victoria Clipper is nice and direct to Victoria.

There is no train Service to Victoria.

[Parker1]

I had the opportunity to spend time in Victoria when a friend was living there and it's a lovely, very walkable city. One suggestion I didn't see listed was the Kabuki Bike Kabs. They can give you a wonderful tour and can customize the tour to what you want to see. My husband had never been to Victoria and when our cuise only allowed 5 hours in the town, we took a cab to the Inner Harbor (walkable, but my husband has bad knees), enjoyed a glass of wine on the porch of the Empress Hotel and hired a Kabuki Kab for a tour of Beacon Hill Park and through the James Bay neighborhood, ending back at the ship. Their website is Kabukikabs.com.

 

Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure you'll enjoy Victoria.

[hayesktrm]

We will be arriving at 6 PM on a Saturday. Are the shops still open? Until what time? We are originally from the PNW and have been to Victoria several times...we just love walking around looking at the shops. Would love to go to the Empress for tea, but would they be having tea and crumpets that late at night?

[Ldybandt]

We will be in Victoria May 19th. I would like to go see the gardens. Which is the best bet to get there, with the exception of renting a car or doing a cruise excursion?

 

Thanks for in imput, Joan

[Luckysll]

We will be in Victoria May 19th. I would like to go see the gardens. Which is the best bet to get there, with the exception of renting a car or doing a cruise excursion?

 

Thanks for in imput, Joan

 

Grey Line operates several tours to Butchart Gardens (on red double decker buses). http://www.grayline.com/Grayline/destinations/canada/victoria.go

 

They run from in front of the Empress Hotel at the Inner Harbour. You can either walk from the cruise terminal or take a cab to the Inner Harbour.

[LeftcoastBC]

Until OCTober

 

SS Titanic. everything you did or didn't want to know. The travelling exposition with all the artifacts and pictures is in town.

[aussie jb]

We will be in Victoria in about 2 weeks time and I was looking forward to going back to the museum anyway, but now that I know that will be on, I know what we will be doing for at least half a day :) Thanks Leftcoast!

 

Debbie

[sea scaper]

What hotel would you recommend staying at in Victoria