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Victoria & Butchart Gardens Day Trip from Vancouver

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/13

Duration13h–14h

GroupUp to 24

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Ferry, Gardens & Victoria's Inner Harbour in One Day

You board a coach at Canada Place, ride BC Ferries through the Gulf Islands to Victoria, walk the Inner Harbour and Chinatown with your guide, then explore Butchart Gardens' 55 acres on your own before sailing back to Vancouver. Ferry, gardens entry, and driver-guide are all included; you return by evening.

13h–14h

Step-by-step itinerary

Meet at Canada Place
Drive to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal
Explore ferry terminal market
Ferry cruise to Vancouver Island
Visit Victoria Inner Harbour sights
Explore Empress Hotel and Chinatown
Visit Fan Tan Alley and Government Street
Free time in downtown Victoria
Meet guide and travel to Butchart Gardens
Tour Butchart Gardens
Return ferry cruise to mainland
Drive back to Vancouver

The Experience

The guide was already at Canada Place when we arrived, coffee in hand, checking his list. He mentioned the ferry fills up fast in summer, so we'd be on the water by mid-morning—a 90-minute crossing through the Gulf Islands where you actually see why people vacation out there. The route takes you past Active Pass around the 40-minute mark, and that's when the water opens up and you realize you're not in Vancouver anymore. The bus holds a maximum of 24 passengers, so it stays small enough that you're not herded through stops like a school group.

Once the ferry docks at Victoria's Inner Harbour, the real walking starts. Your guide takes you through the core—Mile 0, the Parliament Buildings (worth a photo), the Fairmont Empress Hotel sitting right on the water, and then into historic Chinatown where Fan Tan Alley cuts through like a secret. It's the narrowest commercial street in North America, which sounds like a fact until you're actually standing in it and realizing how tight it is. After that guided section, you get free time to wander Government Street for souvenirs, grab fish and chips at Fisherman's Wharf, or just sit by the harbour. The guide gives you restaurant and brewery suggestions before you go, which saves the usual "where should we eat" argument.

Then comes Butchart Gardens—55 acres of themed displays including a Japanese Garden, Italian Garden, and Rose Garden spread across a National Historic Site. You're not rushed through; the admission is included and you explore at your own pace. The drive out takes maybe 20 minutes from downtown, and you'll have enough daylight to walk the paths without feeling hurried. On the way back to the ferry, the evening sailing gives you time to stand on deck and watch the Gulf Islands fade as you head toward the mainland. You're back at Canada Place around 9:30pm, which means a full day without an early morning that leaves you wrecked.

What’s included

Your day includes roundtrip ferry aboard BC Ferries, mini-coach transportation with an experienced driver-guide, admission to Butchart Gardens, onboard entertainment and commentary throughout the journey, and all fees and taxes. The coach holds a maximum of 24 passengers, keeping the group intimate.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Discover Canada Tours

Is this one for you?Right for travelers based in Vancouver without a car who want to see Victoria and Butchart Gardens in a single day with transport and entry handled. Plan for a full day out—you leave Canada Place in the morning and return around 9:30pm, which is what makes fitting both the ferry crossing and the gardens possible.