A day trip to Victoria

A Day Trip to Victoria: Ferries, Gardens, and a Few Surprises 😅🌸 Ferries: We’d pre-booked the 9 AM ferry—$135 CAD for a car. We set off at 7:40 AM, but hit terrible traffic 🚦. The ferry gates close 30 minutes before departure, and we were sure we’d miss it—our hearts were racing the whole way! 💓 We finally pulled into the terminal at 8:28 AM, then had to queue for tickets. By the time we reached the checker, it was 8:33 AM. “You’re cutting it very close,” they said, “but you’re still good.” What a relief! 😮‍💨 Pro tip: Arrive at least an hour early, especially during morning rush hour—don’t risk it like we did! Butchart Gardens: The ferry took an hour and a half to reach Vancouver Island. We drove straight to Butchart Gardens—about 40 minutes away—and paid ~$79 CAD for two adults and one child. It’s absolutely a must-visit in Victoria! 🌸 The gardens are stunningly well-kept, with hundreds of flowers; the air was thick with the scent of hyacinths, making cherry blossoms feel almost ordinary by comparison. The Rose Garden was still bare—May or June might be better for that 🌷. The Japanese Garden, though tiny, was adorable and meticulously designed 🎋. Plan 1-2 hours to wander—you won’t want to rush. Hatley Castle: It’s only a 20-minute drive from Butchart Gardens, and entry is free! But when we arrived, they were filming—no entry allowed 🎬. We asked around and found out it was X-Men—no wonder there were hundreds of trailers; it felt like a huge production! 🎥 We could only snap photos from outside, which was a bummer, but still cool to spot a movie set! Fisherman’s Wharf: The kid was starving, so we drove to the wharf to try the famous Red Fish Blue Fish 🐟. We ordered fried cod and halibut—both crispy and fresh—and the salad and fries were solid too. Quick, casual, and hit the spot! BC Legislative Buildings: Free to enter, no reservation needed! We even popped in to watch MLAs debate—it was surprisingly interesting 😲, but we were short on time and only stayed a bit. Craigdarroch Castle: We rushed over at 4 PM, but it was already closed—another exterior-only photo stop 😔. But on the way, we stumbled onto Moss Street, lined with gorgeous cherry blossoms—total happy accident! 🌸 ❌ Glass Beach: Our last stop, since we had a 7 PM ferry. After the morning scare, we left downtown at 4:30 PM. Big mistake—this “beach” is a dud 😤. The “glass stones” are clearly artificial; don’t waste your time! We reached the ferry terminal at 6 PM, but the boat had mechanical issues—delayed an hour ⏳. It finally left at 8:30 PM, and we didn’t get back to the mainland until 10 PM. Four-plus hours of waiting drained us 😩, and our plan for a final Sichuan meal in Vancouver went out the window. Victoria has so much we didn’t get to see. Day-tripping from Vancouver is doable, but so rushed—staying overnight and spending two days would be way better ✨. Next time! #Victoria #VancouverIsland #Vancouver #VancouverTravel #Canada