We are family of 4 (mum, dad & 2 kids aged 7 &8 ) from Singapore coming to Canada at the end of next May. We are planning to go to Rockies, Calgary & Vancouver. While we are there we want to spend 3 days in Victoria.

Can you suggest an itinerary for us? We dont want to see museums but we would love to see gardens and sight seeing. Another must is whale watching.

Can you suggest budget accommodations like B&B or motels which ever is cheaper?

I was initially planning to rent a car when I arrive from Singapore. NowI am thinking of getting the car after the Island trip. I am not sure if I need car to travel in the island as I understand it can be costly while doing the crossings on the ferries. Any suggestions here?

Question... What city are you flying into from Singapore? It would be helpful to know that before offering advise on planning your itinerary.

Sorry. We fly in & out from Vancouver.

There is already lots of good advice on this forum regarding transfers from the city of Vancouver to Victoria. At the top of this webpage, type in Victoria in the 'search this forum box'. Then highlight British Columbia in the 'and/or topics' area. For more detailed information, go to the following website for everything you could possibly want to know about Vancouver: www.maxvr.com/tourism_vancouver/downtown.asp For accommodations, I would suggest using the British Columbia website: hellobc.com/accommodation/index.asp? I have made online reservations using this site in the past. I believe that you can trust that the facilities listed here are ones that are well maintained, etc.

While in Victoria, be sure to visit Buschart Gardens and take the kids to the Butterfly Garden and the Bug Zoo. Enjoy your trip!

You'll love Vancouver and Victoria - both great cities in their own way. In Vancouver, there are tons of sight-seeing, including Stanley Park just outside the city. The largest suspension bridge in Canada is about 30 minutes to the north called Capilani Bridge, which we enjoyed. It has nice walking paths through woods overlooking the deep gorge over which the bridge is suspended. About 15 minutes further north from there is Grouse Mountain where you take a gondola to the top where there are spectacular views of Vancouver and the ocean. Price of the ticket gets you ringside seats to lots of outdoor entertainment activities on top of the mtn. My kids loved it and I'm sure yours will too. Back in the city I'd suggest strolling around Gastown. Be sure to see the large steam-powered clock on one of the streetcorners. Perhaps other readers will offer suggestions.
One overlooked small garden within the city is Sun-Yat Sen gardens. Its contained within a walled enclosure-I cannot recall the admission price. It is a peaceful and rewarding stroll around this Chinese-inspired garden.

Getting to Victoria will be by ferry, whether you rent a car, take a bus, or walk on. The ferry terminal is about an hour outside the city, and there's at least one bus line which will take you onto the ferry and into downtown Victoria. I don't know its name but perhaps someone else will jump in. It's my opinion that while car rentals can be somewhat expensive, having one's own car to go where you want and when you want makes it worthwhile. If you rent a car to take on the ferry to Vancouver Island you very well may want to reserve a space aboard the ferry as far in advance as you can. (Taking the bus or walk-on will not be a problem at any time). I am unsure how busy the ferries are in late May/early June. When we were there in late July we were very glad to have advance reservations because hundreds of cars didn't and they were waiting in line for hours and hours. Go to www.bcferries.com and check it out.

On Vancouver Island, there are at least 2 whale watching excursion companies located down at the harbor area which use small inflatable boats to zip you out to the local pods of orcas. These boats seem to hold about 12 people or so. You'll get a wet suit (the water is very cold) and you will get very wet from the bumpy 30-40 minute ride out to the orcas. Another company, located at a resort hotel about 30 minutes outside Victoria (I canot recall its name) has a larger 40' boat with an enclosed seating area. It can hold up to 30 people or so, and they serve a nice box lunch as part of the price. We chose this tour and were very pleased - we saw lots of orcas close-up. Tourist literature will have plenty of info, or you can browse around Victoria's website and find loads of good info.

Up about one block off Victoria harbor is Thunderbird Park, which is a small park/gardens with very large old totems. Its free and you can get a close look at these magnificent carvings.
As for gardens, Butchart Gardens is a must. I think it takes about 30-40 minutes by car from downtown Victoria. Your hotel can provide info on getting there with public tranport or a bus company. The place is truly remarkable.

If saving money is important, you might consider buying Entertainment Books for both cities. They contain hundreds of discount coupons for restaurants, hotels, rental cars, tourist attraction/areas, etc., etc. We used them extensively last year on our 12-day odyssey and saved over $500. You can order them online for $10.00 each and $5.00 shipping. Go to www.entertainment.com - Have a great vacation.