​​Victoria Day Trip from Vancouver​​

We took the ​​BC Ferry​​ from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay in early October—perfect weather, not too hot or cold, with great lighting. ​​Pro tip​​: Book ferry tickets in advance on the BC Ferries website! We took the ​​7:00 AM ferry​​ (arrive 30+ mins early) and caught a beautiful sunrise. Arrived in Victoria at ​​8:35 AM​​, and booked the ​​9:00 PM return ferry​​ (back in Vancouver at 10:35 PM). Round-trip fare: ​​$38.40​​. 🚌 ​​Transport Tip​​: Bought a ​​Day Pass​​ on the bus right after arrival—​​bring $5 CASH​​ (drivers don’t give change, and they don’t accept cards or Compass!). ​​🌸 Butchart Gardens​​ ​​Ticket​​: $32.80 (bought on-site; online booking failed for us). ​​Highlights​​: Each themed garden section is stunning—​​super photogenic!​​ ​​🏰 Hatley Castle​​ ​​Free exterior visit​​—classic European castle vibes. ​​Photo spots​​: Different angles of the castle + the ​​back garden & lawn​​ (perfect for pics!). ​​🐟 Red Fish Blue Fish​​ ​​Must-try​​: Famous fish & chips—​​super tender fish​​, but expect a ​​30-min wait​​. (~$20/person) ​​🏢 BC Parliament Building​​ ​​Free to explore outside​​ (inside tours available Mon-Fri). ​​Nighttime bonus​​: Beautiful when lit up! ​​⛩️ Chinatown & Fan Tan Alley​​ ​​Narrowest street in Canada​​—cool shops to browse! ​​🏖️ Glass Beach​​ ​​Mixed reviews​​: Didn’t find many "glass gems," but the ​​harbor sunset​​ was worth it. ​​☁️ Malahat SkyWalk (If You Have Time & a Car)​​ ​​Not ideal for a 1-day trip without a car​​, so we skipped it. ​​Final Thoughts​​: A ​​perfect short getaway​​—great for unwinding and exploring! ​​#VictoriaBC #DayTrip #VancouverLife #CanadaTravel #TravelGuide #ExploreCanada​​