Vancouver/Victoria pre cruise

[stjohnrocks]

We will be in Vancouver for 4 nights before our cruise (3 days). I am using hotel points (Westin Bayshore) for 3 of the nights. One night I was unable to get right in the middle of our stay. We are planning on taking Pacific Coach Lines tour to Victoria for one day. Do you think it would be best to overnight that one night in the middle of our trip in Victoria? If so should we take the early bus back to Vancouver the next day or a later one? We plan on going to the garden with Pacific's tour and maybe whale watching later (5:30pm). Looking for suggestions..Thanks

[LeftcoastBC]

Seems like a great plan. Stay in Victoria for the one night. Pick a place near the downtown/harbour area. You can walk from the whale tour area and the city/harbour area is great. Catch first bus which is also leaving from that general area right behind the Empress HOtel.

 

FYI: the Gardens have a night/evening tour with lites also.

 

Time involved in bus Downtown to downtown and ferry would be around 4 hours so it does take a chunk out of your day. But the bus is "First on First off"

[stjohnrocks]

Seems like a great plan. Stay in Victoria for the one night. Pick a place near the downtown/harbour area. You can walk from the whale tour area and the city/harbour area is great. Catch first bus which is also leaving from that general area right behind the Empress HOtel.

 

FYI: the Gardens have a night/evening tour with lites also.

 

Time involved in bus Downtown to downtown and ferry would be around 4 hours so it does take a chunk out of your day. But the bus is "First on First off"

 

 

Thanks! The four hour time is good info that I was wondering about! I'm thinking about the Marriott Harbour for Victoria. Do you think 5:30 pm (May) is too late to try to squeeze in the whale watching? I was really unhappy about having to switch hotels in the middle but maybe it worked out for the best after all.:)

[LeftcoastBC]

The Mariott is behind the Empress. If you look at the Mariott's web site it shows the Convention centre in green. It's actually attached to the Empress. So you are in the area for sure.

 

5:30 PM will give you lots of time light wise at that time of yr. Closer to 21 JUN the better. Don't know about whales at that time of the evening though. If I was them I'd be napping after supper. I'd check with a whale expert. ??

[weathermom]

you could do the whale watching in the daytime & hit Butchart gardens for dinner & a stroll. They are beatiful at sunset & in the evenings!