Vancouver to Victoria: Seaplane & Butchart Gardens Day Trip

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Free cancellationTravelers' pickLikely to sell out

1/16

Duration6h–8h

GroupUp to 14

Mobile ticketAccepted

Fly over the Gulf Islands, walk through world-class gardens, and return by air—all in one day from Vancouver.

You fly from downtown Vancouver to Victoria by seaplane, spend two hours walking through Butchart Gardens at your own pace with admission included, have free time to explore Victoria's waterfront and shops, then fly back to Vancouver the same afternoon. The day includes return airfare, bus transport to and from the gardens, and a driver's commentary on both routes. Arrive 40 minutes early for check-in.

6h–8h

Step-by-step itinerary

Seaplane flight and Butchart Gardens visit

Arrive Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre
Check in and safety orientation
Board floatplane and take off
Fly over Georgia Strait and Gulf Islands
Land at Victoria Inner Harbour
Check in at Fairmont Empress Hotel kiosk
Board bus to Butchart Gardens
Tour Butchart Gardens for two hours
Return by bus to downtown Victoria
Free time to explore Victoria downtown
Board floatplane for return flight
Fly back to downtown Vancouver

The Experience

"You'll see things from up here you can't see from the water," the pilot said as we settled into our seats at Coal Harbour, and he wasn't exaggerating. The 35-minute seaplane flight from Vancouver to Victoria isn't just transport—it's the main event. You take off from downtown, climb over the Georgia Strait, and watch the forested Gulf Islands scatter below like someone spilled a box of puzzle pieces across the water. The whole thing feels less like a commute and more like you've stolen a private moment above the coast. Forty minutes before your flight, you're checking in at the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre, going through a quick safety briefing, then boarding the floatplane itself.

Landing in Victoria's Inner Harbour puts you steps from the Fairmont Empress, where the Gray Line bus picks you up for the drive out to Butchart Gardens. The driver narrates the route, pointing out neighborhoods and local landmarks as you go. Once you arrive, the gardens are yours to explore at your own pace—no rushing, no group schedule. Two hours is the recommended minimum, and most people spend longer. The themed landscapes shift as you walk: sunken gardens, rose gardens, Japanese gardens, Italian gardens. It's the kind of place where you stop thinking about time and just move from one section to the next, following the paths. After you're done, you head back to the bus pickup and return to downtown Victoria with the afternoon still ahead of you.

Victoria's downtown is compact enough that you can actually use the free time between the gardens and your return flight. The waterfront is a ten-minute walk from where the bus drops you, and there are cafés, shops, and the Royal BC Museum all within reach if you want them. Or you can just sit by the harbor and watch the boats. Then, as the light starts to shift, you board the floatplane again for the return to Vancouver—this time watching the coastline from above in that golden-hour angle that makes everything look like it's been painted. You land back at Coal Harbour where you started, and the whole day is done.

What’s included

Your day includes return seaplane airfare between Vancouver and Victoria, admission to Butchart Gardens, a self-guided tour at your own pace, return bus transportation to and from the gardens with scenic driver commentary, and all taxes and fees. A sustainability fee is also included.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Harbour Air Ltd

Is this one for you?Right for travelers based in Vancouver who want to see both the coast from the air and a major garden attraction without arranging separate transport or tickets. The full day—flight, gardens, free time, and return flight—means you leave downtown and come back downtown, with everything in between handled.