Victoria Cruise
Hints and Tips:
 If
you're stopping in Victoria, it is likely the last stop of your
cruise and likely later in the day. Even if time is short,
you should make what you can of this stop and get out and enjoy
just a taste of all the beauty that Victoria has to
offer.
Once you exit the cruise ship, you will find that bus
transportation is readily available for a reasonable fee into
and out of town. Although possible to walk, to make the
most of your time go ahead and hop on the bus. There are
plenty of fine walking opportunities once you are in town!
The bus will deposit you at the corner of the Empress
Hotel. Take some time to walk the beautiful garden and
take the public entrance to visit this grand old hotel. If
you find yourself here in the afternoon, you may wish to stay
for their elegant tea.
 Just
across the way, you can take a stroll and enjoy the local color
of the waterfront, which is constantly sporting some sort of
entertainment. From here there is a very nice view of the
Legislative Buildings, which glow nightly with their magnificent
display of lights.
Should you find yourself lucky enough to have a bit of time
in Victoria, by all means go and visit Butchart
Gardens. The garden is 21 km north of the city, and
during peak hours, public transportation to the garden is
possible. I can easily spend the whole day walking around
admiring and photographing this beautiful place, but must admit
that on our cruise stop we decided not to go due to the late
hour of arrival, shortening days, and short amount of time in
port.
If you're not the type to stop and smell the flowers, I can
also highly recommend the Royal British Columbia Museum just
across the street a short way from the Empress Hotel. Once
you get a taste of Victoria, you'll want to visit again for a
longer period of time. Victoria offers both a lively city
and many opportunities for side trips, including ones into the
Vancouver Island's fiercely
rugged mountain wildernesses. This is a large island with
many different faces. Happy cruising! -Therese
& Reid return to Victoria index
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