Victoria to Vancouver
 

Hi...
We have plans to use the Pacific Coach Lines to get to Vancouver from Victoria and see the Butchart Gardens en route. The only problem is that we will get into Twassawsen at 9:40 and we would live to arrive earlier. Does anyone know of another method? Would it be better to tour the Gardens and then ferry across without the bus? I am the hypothcizing...:)

Do you mean 9:40 pm? How are you getting from Butchart's to the ferry at Swartz Bay? Is there a bus tour that does both?

April.
PCL is now offering round trips from Vancouver to see Victoria and Butcharts in a day. Times are vague on their website.

Mycuppajava.
The option exists to do the bus to Victoria via Butcharts, then bail and fly harbour to harbour back to Vancouver.

Just checked on the cost of the Harbour to Harbour, which is about $122 to downtown Vancouver and takes about 35 minutes. Would we miss a lot by not taking the ferry from Victoria to Vancouver? The ferry from Victoria, after the Butchart Garden, leaves at 3:00 and doesn't get to Twassawsen until about 9:40, and 10:35 plus to the bus depot. I want to make sure before we fly that we don't miss too much scenery. Thanks much.

This is very confusing. You say the ferry leaves at 3:00 and doesn't get to Twassawsen 9:40??? What exactly to you want to see and accomplish that day and what is your time schedule?

Okay it only takes an hour and 40 minutes to travel via ferry from Victoria to Vancouver. So a ferry leaving Victoria at 3:00 p.m. would arrive in Tswassen at 4:40 and it doesn't take five hours for the bus to get from the ferry terminal into downtown Vancouver.

The Pacific Coach Lines leaves Victoria at 3:00 p.m., Butchart Gardens tour, ferry to Twassawsen...arriving at 9:40 p.m.

How can I get to Butchart Gardens, tour that, get to Swartz ferry for Twassawsen...and get there at an earlier time than 9:40? Maybe this is clearer. If not, let me know. Ok?
Thanks much.

Now I think I get it. You leave downtown Victoria at 3:00, go to Butchart Gardens, then onto Swartz Bay to catch the 8:00 p.m. ferry to Vancouver. I presume you've checked that this is the only time Pacific Coach Lines offers this type of tour?

Yes, last one that leaves for the day.

Please look at this plan and see what you think....
11th-Seattle
12th-7:00 Clipper for Victoria,
11:00 Victoria - Legislative Bldg., BC Museum, High Tea at Murchies, Scooter ride around waterfront, drinks at the Bengal Room in Empress. Meander around.

Next day...Meander around, Lv Victoria 11:10 via Gray Lines to Butchart Gardens, Allow 2 hrs.,1:51 use City Bus #81 for BC Ferry. 3:00 Lv Swartz Bay for Twassawsen. 4:35 Ar Twassawsen.
Either be picked up there or use PCL for hotel. If anyone needs any of this info., I have the costs.

Please see if I have enough time allowed for downtown Victoria and the Gardens. Thanks.

Hi Again

It sounds like you really have a full schedule for your visit. I think you will be fine with the time allowed for meandering around. The good thing is that it stays light until 9:00 pm or so and there is lots to do in the evening around the inner harbour.

I think you might be cutting it a bit short at Butcharts - why don't you consider the 4 PM ferry and give yourself a little more time at the gardens. Other than that - sounds great have a wonderful visit!!!

We will leave Victoria an hour earlier and that will give us another hour at the Gardens. We still can catch the 4:00 ferry and get into Twassawsen by 5:35. Thanks. I was thinking that I didn't think I had enough time for the Gardens. There is a place for lunch, right? Thank you so kindly for your help.

Sounds like you are pulling it together.

An option. If you rejig the order, on your scooter ride, you could stop at a place called the White Heather Tea Room for your tea. It is located on Oak Bay Av 3 blocks closer to the marina than Richmond Av.

Yes there is restaurant service at Butcharts. You can also catch a city bus to Butcharts. Much luggage?

You can buy tickets for PCL on the ferry soon after you board.
What happens after that?

Thanks for the clarification, Icithecat.

Yes, where is your luggage during all this? You could take a bus to the gardens (I like to at least have a cup of coffee and a snack there) and back into town, then take the float plane. Do you miss anything? You either cruise through the islands or fly over them. The only thing you miss by flying, in my opinion, is a lot of driving and ferrying time. But there again, I don't know where your luggage would be. Maybe you could keep at the hotel where you had stayed the night before.

Now, that is a good idea! See the gardens, then the float plane.

Our luggage...we were going via Grayline Express ($6) to the gardens. They will store luggage free. We, then, were going via city bus #81 to the ferry ($3). We would be loading our luggage on Grayline/off at the gardens, into the city bus, onto the ferry.

If we used the bus to/from the gardens...then the float plane, we would have to go back to Swartz Bay, right?

The float plane leaves from the inner harbour so you could leave your luggage at your hotel.

Mycuppajava, I was talking about the option of taking the float plane from Victoria to Vancouver, in which case you'd have to go out to the gardens and come back into town. You wouldn't be going to Swartz Bay at all in that case.

Thanks so kindly for all of the great ideas!

Two more things.
The float planes leave Victoria from the inner harbour and land in Vancouver inner harbour, which is why I asked what comes after Tsawassen. The inner harbour of Vancouver is a long way from the ferry terminal at Tsawassen.
The float planes do not carry very much luggage, so check into their allowances.

Think I have it together. We were originally taking the 3:00 PCL, stopping at the gardens, and then to Vancouver. The only drawback was getting in at 9:40. I think a friend can pick us up at Twassawsen, and that will put us in Vancouver for dinner.

Before, my thinking was that we would not get enough time in Victoria or getting into Vancouver later than I wanted. Now, I think we can cover Victoria, plenty of time in the gardens, and get to Vancouver at a good time. Now, where around the Buchan Hotel is there a good restauran? We will not have had time to case it out. You guys have been so thoughtful in lending me your thoughts. Again, thank you!