Day Trips in Victoria: 5 Worth Every Dollar

1.Victoria and Butchart Gardens Day Trip from Vancouver

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,242 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $232Our pick

Travel from Vancouver to Victoria by coach and BC Ferries, then spend free time downtown before visiting the 55-acre Butchart Gardens. Guides such as Tim, Gavin, Zack, and Carol add history and humor along the way. Expect a scenic but very long day, with ferry rides, countryside roads, and limited time at each stop.

“I loved the day trip to Butchart Gardens and Victoria. It was a lot of travel with the bus trip and ferry but I enjoyed these experiences too.”

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2.Vancouver to Victoria Day Trip by Seaplane + Butchart Gardens

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 200 reviews · 6 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $525

Fly 35 minutes from Vancouver Harbour to Victoria, then ride by narrated bus to Butchart Gardens, with admission included. You get at least two hours in the gardens, plus free time in downtown Victoria before your return flight. Drivers such as Rob and Pam have provided especially helpful local commentary on some departures.

“This is not a “proper Viatour Tour”. It is a Harbour Air floatplane, a Grayline bus and a ticket to the gardens packaged together. There is no tour guide or Viatour representative. The instructions were dismally lacking. There is no one along the way to inform you of where things are. The Viatour itinerary was dead wrong. It said our outbound flight from Vancouver to Victoria was at 11:15 AM which meant a required 10:35 AM check-in. Fortunately I called Harbour Air directly the day before and found out the flight was at 11:00 AM. If we had followed Viatour’s itinerary (emailed to me) we would have missed the flight…”

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3.Vancouver-Victoria Day Trip by Seaplane + Whale Watching by Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 142 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $546

Fly 35 minutes from downtown Vancouver to Victoria, then join a three-hour Orca Spirit whale-watching trip. Your small group may ride a covered vessel or Zodiac, with guides such as Shannon, Josh, Luke, or Liam sharing local wildlife knowledge. Round-trip flights, taxes, and sustainability fees are included.

“Plane ride was by far the best way to get to the island. We had plenty of time to experience downtown before the boat trip. Be prepared for a cold, bumpy ride, but it will be worth it. We were able to see a humpback, sealions and seals.”

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4.Vancouver to Victoria Seaplane Day Trip + Butchart Gardens

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 141 reviews · from $504

Take Harbour Air’s morning seaplane from downtown Vancouver to Victoria, then ride a narrated coach to Butchart Gardens. After exploring the 55-acre National Historic Site, return to Victoria for free time before flying back. The $504 trip saves ferry hours and combines aerial views, gardens, and city sightseeing in one May-to-October day.

“A fantastic day trip. The flights were amazing and the gardens spectacular.”

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5.Day Trip from Vancouver to Victoria and Butchart Gardens

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 10 reviews · 12 hours · from $247

You’ll travel from Vancouver to Victoria by coach and BC Ferries, with stops at Mile 0, the Empress Hotel, Chinatown, the Inner Harbour, the Royal BC Museum, and Butchart Gardens. English-speaking guides such as Mark, Dan, and Anthony lead the day. Expect about 12 hours, plenty of scenery, and a long but useful introduction to Vancouver Island.

“Gardens were excellent. Really enjoyed Mark’s local knowledge and commentary.”

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