Victoria Tour Help

[CL2 Mermaid]

Hi, Everyone and Happy Holidays

We will be traveling to Victoria this spring and would love to find a tour or some other way to see both Butchart Gardens and Craigdarroch Castle in one day. Anyone know of a tour company that does both or a good way to see both of these sights on our own. We will be somewhat limited as to time and the cruise ship we will be on does not offer a tour that sees both. Thanks, any info would be appreciated---

CL2 Mermaid

[thinfool]

We will be somewhat limited as to time and the cruise ship we will be on does not offer a tour that sees both.

 

 

Consider renting a car. You can research the locations of the sights that you want to see and you will be in control of how long you spend at each site.

 

We were not on a ship visit, but we took the ferry (no car) to Vancouver Island, rented a car there (Enterprise..."we'll pick you up") and had a great time. Distances are not far and the roads are good.

[quincytoo]

Hi, Everyone and Happy Holidays

We will be traveling to Victoria this spring and would love to find a tour or some other way to see both Butchart Gardens and Craigdarroch Castle in one day. Anyone know of a tour company that does both or a good way to see both of these sights on our own. We will be somewhat limited as to time and the cruise ship we will be on does not offer a tour that sees both. Thanks, any info would be appreciated---

CL2 Mermaid

 

I agree with the above poster and would rent a car for the day. Both sites are worth seeing (have had seasons passes to both places) and you will most likely spend a few hours each at both places. Parking on both sites is good and it is very easy to get from castle to gardens or reverse LOL.

 

Also if you have time do a drive down Beach Drive thorugh to Dallas road with a stop at Beacon Hill Park and make sure you go to Beacon Hill Drive Inn for the best soft serve ice cream that Victoria has to offer :)

[Putterdude]

I am inclined to agree with the suggested car rental idea however Butchart Gardens is some 30 mins from the Ogden Point cruise terminal, add to that the time in getting and returning the car you have used about 1.5 hrs of your time in Victoria. The Gardens themselves take about 2-3 hrs to enjoy.....so depending upon the amount of time you have in Victoria it may just prove that the ship's tour is the better way to go.

[quincytoo]

Actually 30 some mins from Ogden to BD is too long of a drive even in rush hour. I would say 20-25 mins tops.

 

Straight down Dallas Road, left at Douglas, merge onto Blanshard and then straight down Blanshard which becomes the Pat Bay Highway and then turn left at the turn-off for BG, I think it is Mt. Keatings turn-off....I am awful for remembering road names but it is well marked with signs and such.

 

I travel from Broadmead to Sidney three times a week and it rarely takes me longer then 15-20 mins to get out there.

[Putterdude]

Actually 30 some mins from Ogden to BD is too long of a drive even in rush hour. I would say 20-25 mins tops.

 

Straight down Dallas Road, left at Douglas, merge onto Blanshard and then straight down Blanshard which becomes the Pat Bay Highway and then turn left at the turn-off for BG, I think it is Mt. Keatings turn-off....I am awful for remembering road names but it is well marked with signs and such.

 

I travel from Broadmead to Sidney three times a week and it rarely takes me longer then 15-20 mins to get out there.

 

Woops I may overestimated by 5 to 10 mins but one fender-bender on the Pat Bay Hwy and a cruiser is catching the Victoria Clipper to Seattle to collect their luggage.:o

[scottbee]

Actually 30 some mins from Ogden to BD is too long of a drive even in rush hour. I would say 20-25 mins tops.

 

Straight down Dallas Road, left at Douglas, merge onto Blanshard and then straight down Blanshard which becomes the Pat Bay Highway and then turn left at the turn-off for BG, I think it is Mt. Keatings turn-off....I am awful for remembering road names but it is well marked with signs and such.

 

I travel from Broadmead to Sidney three times a week and it rarely takes me longer then 15-20 mins to get out there.

 

 

30 minutes is a reasonable estimate time for Ogden Point -> Butchart Gardens, I might even think 35 is closer. Keating Cross Road is the road you want, it's a (suicide) left off Hwy 17 (Pat Bay), but well marked.

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=199+Dallas+Road,+Victoria,+BC+V8V+1A1,+Canada&daddr=48.562976,-123.397064+to:800+Benvenuto+Avenue,+Brentwood+Bay,+BC+V8M+1J8,+Canada+(Butchart+Gardens+Ltd+The)&hl=en&geocode=%3B%3BFa0E5QIduhak-CHvUHko1Dmnug&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=11&via=1&sll=48.486121,-123.412857&sspn=0.252585,0.727844&ie=UTF8&ll=48.516832,-123.350372&spn=0.126216,0.363922&z=12

I've certainly taken an hour to go from the parliament buildings to Swartz Bay in rush hour, and in tourist downtown, things can grind to a complete halt in the summer. Also, beware that Blanshard Street (divided, limited access 6 lanes) is only a 50kmph/30mph) zone until you reach approx McKenzie Ave, and speed traps are common, especially between Bay and Saanich Rd (the access at Topaz being their favourite)

 

Broadmead->Sidney does only takes 20 minutes as it's 80 and 90km/h all the way, it's downtown to McKenzie (roughly) that takes all the time.

 

How long do you have in Victoria? Tryiing to squeeze both in, will take at least 4-5 hours visiting plus probably 1-1.5hrs of driving to get between the three (and that's if you know where you're going).