Most Popular Tour - excellent for first-time visitors to Victoria

Details

• 4.5 hours - fast-paced with some walking
• All ages - Up to 6 people (5 adults)

About

Victoria is a charming city full of beautiful historic architecture, ocean views, and stunning gardens. This tour will offer you a sprinkling of our most popular sights and a trip to the world-famous Butchart Gardens.

City highlights and historical stories include the significance of Victoria’s Inner Harbour and its connection with the gold rush. Stories include the BC legislative building, the Empress Hotel and our historic Chinatown, Canada’s oldest.

The Butchart Gardens are Victoria’s #1 attraction, with over one million visitors per year. Learn the story of how Jennie Butchart transformed her husband’s abandoned lime quarry into one of Canada’s national historic treasures.

This is an excellent tour for first-time visitors on a limited-time schedule.

ITINERARY

The order of this itinerary may vary depending on your pick-up location. It is a fast-paced tour and stops are limited due to time. We can adjust along the way to accommodate a slower pace.

STOPS:

• Inner Harbour, BC legislative building, and the Empress Hotel
• Chinatown, the oldest in Canada, and the infamous narrow Fan Tan Alley
• Fisherman’s Wharf: a quirky and colorful gem, it’s colorful float home neighborhood
• Butchart Gardens: this stop will be 1 to 1.5 hours
• NOTE: If you have mobility issues, I recommend pre-renting a scooter. Alternatively, you can use the available wheelchairs at the gardens.

DRIVE THROUGH/BY:

• Thunderbird Park (view Indigenous story poles and hear some history)
• Craigdarroch Castle: a baronial bonanza castle built in 1908 by Victoria’s legendary coal baron, Robert Dunsmiur
• Government House: the official residence/offices of the Lt. Governor (provincial representative of the Crown)
• Beacon Hill Park with the world’s tallest totem pole, and Mile Zero, with a tribute to Canadian legend Terry Fox

What's Provided:

Private transportation and professional tour guide

What's not included:

Personal expenses, food and beverage, and admission to Butchart Gardens ($39.50/adult, 2023 price)