Itinerary
- Day 1
Vancouver to Victoria
Start your morning in Vancouver and head to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal to catch the ferry across to Vancouver Island. The crossing takes a couple hours, so bring something to read or just enjoy watching the water. Once you dock at Swartz Bay, you'll drive into Victoria where most of your time goes to the big attractions. Butchart Gardens is the main draw here, with 55 acres of planted grounds that take a solid 2-3 hours to walk through properly. After that, swing by Craigdarroch Castle to see the Victorian mansion from the 1890s. The Parliament Buildings are worth seeing from the outside at least, and the Empress Hotel is the iconic place for afternoon tea if you want to stop by. End the day around the Inner Harbour and Fisherman's Wharf area, which is nice for grabbing dinner and watching the light change over the water.
- Start point
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Travellers can enter their own pickup location. We can pickup from some Air B&B locations. We also pickup from the Rocky Mountain Station and other Railway Stations.)
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the Hotel)
Included Activities
- Ferry crossing to Vancouver Island
- Butchart Gardens - stroll through vibrant flower displays across 55 acres
- Craigdarroch Castle - explore 39 rooms with intricate woodwork and stained glass windows, visit tower for panoramic views
- Legislative Assembly of British Columbia - explore Parliament Buildings overlooking Victoria's Inner Harbour
Optional Activities
- Whale watching with Prince of Whales boats at Inner Harbour
- V2V speed boats service connecting Victoria to Vancouver
- Dining at Fisherman's Wharf - seafood options available
Landmarks Butchart Gardens Craigdarroch Castle Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Empress Fairmont Hotel Inner Harbour Fisherman's Wharf 
- Day 2
Victoria to Nanaimo to Vancouver
Leave Victoria early and drive north toward Nanaimo, but don't go straight there. Stop at Hatley Castle first, a beautiful spot set up on grounds from the 1900s. From there, head to Goldstream Provincial Park where you can walk around the trails and see waterfalls if the water flow is good. Later in the afternoon, go through the Malahat SkyWalk, which has a 32-meter spiral ramp that takes you up high for views toward Mount Baker and the Coast Mountains. If you have time, pop into Duncan to see their collection of totem poles around town. Then drive into Nanaimo and catch the evening ferry from there back to Horseshoe Bay. The water crossing takes about an hour and a half, so you'll be back in Vancouver by late evening.
- End point
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Travelers can enter their own Drop off location. We can Drop off from some Air B&B locations. We also pickup from the Rocky Mountain Station and other Railway Stations.)
Included Activities
- Hatley Castle - brief exploration of historic former military college and film location
- Malahat SkyWalk - 600m TreeWalk through arbutus forest with 32m spiral ramp to sightseeing lookout
Optional Activities
- Goldstream Provincial Park - explore provincial park known for annual fall salmon runs and bald eagle congregations
- Duncan - City of Totems with world's largest outdoor collection of publicly displayed totem poles
- Snack or beverage at Malahat SkyWalk
- Explore Nanaimo bustling island port if time permits
Landmarks Hatley Castle Goldstream Provincial Park Malahat SkyWalk Duncan
