Pacific Coach Victoria Tour: Ferry, Butchart Gardens and Downtown Victoria in One Day
Quick answer
The Pacific Coach Victoria tour is a 13-hour coach and BC Ferries day trip from downtown Vancouver for $163, rated 4.7/5 from 1,549+ GetYourGuide reviews.
It includes ferry fares and Butchart Gardens entry but not food, and the 95-minute crossings are a public ferry, not a sightseeing cruise.
Pacific Coach Travel Services LTD
Victoria, Gulf Islands Cruise, & Butchart Gardens
4.7 (1,549) · from $163
The Pacific Coach Victoria tour is a 13-hour day trip from downtown Vancouver that combines a coach ride, a 95-minute BC Ferries crossing, two hours at Butchart Gardens and about 90 minutes in Victoria for $163 per person.
The detail that changes the decision is the word "cruise" in the listing title. The Gulf Islands part is a scheduled public ferry, not a sightseeing boat.
The segment times the listing publishes add up to about 8 hours 15 minutes of the 13. If you want a vessel that exists for sightseeing, a Vancouver boat trip is a different product.
Compare it with the options on my Vancouver boat tours hub, or go back to the Harbour Advisor home page if you are planning another city. The next sections cover the pickup, the day plan, what you pay for and the months when the gardens' opening hours change the trip.
| Operator | Pacific Coach Travel Services Ltd, sold through GetYourGuide |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | Coach with washroom and air conditioning, plus a scheduled BC Ferries sailing in each direction |
| Price | $163 per person (about CAD 231 at 1 USD = 1.4161 CAD) |
| Duration | 13 hours door to door; the departure time is not stated on the listing |
| Pickup | Five downtown hotels, collected up to an hour before departure: Fairmont Waterfront, Hyatt Regency, Sandman Signature, Sutton Place and Holiday Inn & Suites |
| Route | Vancouver, BC Ferries Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (95 minutes), Butchart Gardens (2 hours), Victoria downtown (about 1.5 hours), ferry back |
| Included | Coach, ferry fare, Butchart Gardens entry, driver-guide, taxes |
| Not included | Food and tips |
| Languages | English |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before the start, full refund |
| Rating | 4.7/5 from 1,549+ reviews on GetYourGuide |
What is the Pacific Coach Victoria tour from Vancouver?
It is a guided full-day excursion to Vancouver Island by luxury coach and BC Ferries, with a driver-guide, an admission ticket for Butchart Gardens included and free time in downtown Victoria.
The operator, Pacific Coach Travel Services, collects you at one of five downtown hotels, drives to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, crosses to Swartz Bay and carries on by road to the gardens and then to Victoria. The same coach drives you back on the evening ferry and drops you at your pickup hotel.
| Segment | Listed time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | 45 minutes | Guided drive through the city |
| BC Ferries crossing | 95 minutes | Lounges and decks; watch for seals and seabirds |
| Victoria | 20 minutes | Guided drive past the harbour and Chinatown |
| Butchart Gardens | 2 hours | Self-guided walk, entry included |
| Coach to downtown | 30 minutes | Transfer |
| Downtown Victoria | 1.5 hours | Free time |
| Return crossing | 95 minutes | Ferry back to the mainland |
Those seven lines total 495 minutes, or 8 hours 15 minutes. The remaining 4 hours 45 minutes of the 13 are not itemised, so they cover hotel pickups, the drive to the terminal, ferry loading and the final drive back. That is why I treat 13 hours as real, not a rounded number.
Is this really a Gulf Islands cruise?
No: the water portion is a scheduled BC Ferries sailing between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay, which the ferry operator lists as non-stop with a 1 hour 35 minute duration.
The listing title says "Gulf Islands Cruise", but the description only promises views of the Southern Gulf Islands and possible orcas, seals and bald eagles.
The listing does not say the crossing is narrated, and the ferry follows its normal route and timetable (BC Ferries schedule, checked 2026-10-17). I trust the structured itinerary over the title, so plan this as a coach tour with two ferry rides.
Where does the Pacific Coach Victoria tour pick you up?
It picks you up at one of five downtown hotels, 30 to 60 minutes before the stated departure time, and returns you to the same one at the end of the day.
| Hotel | Map |
|---|---|
| Holiday Inn & Suites Vancouver Downtown | Open on Google Maps |
| Hyatt Regency Vancouver | Open on Google Maps |
| Fairmont Waterfront | Open on Google Maps |
| Sandman Signature Vancouver Downtown | Open on Google Maps |
| Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver | Open on Google Maps |
The listing does not publish the departure time; you see it after choosing a date.
One reviewer says the operator sent WhatsApp messages with the exact pickup place and time, which is the practice to look for in your confirmation. If you sleep outside those five hotels, plan your own walk or ride to the nearest one, since the listing offers no other pickup.
What do you see and do on the day?
You get a city drive, a ferry crossing, a two-hour visit to Butchart Gardens and a free-time block in downtown Victoria that is usually 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Butchart Gardens - the Sunken Garden, Rose Garden and Japanese Garden are the named areas; the gardens are a national historic site, designated in 2004 (Parks Canada directory).
- Victoria Inner Harbour - the waterfront the coach shows you on arrival on Google Maps.
- Royal BC Museum and the Fairmont Empress - the two landmarks the listing suggests for the free hour museum on Google Maps.
- Chinatown - the coach passes through the neighbourhood the listing calls Canada's oldest.
The listing says you may visit the museum, the Empress or cafés during free time, but 90 minutes forces a choice. One reviewer spent nearly all of it at the museum and skipped the parliament buildings.
What is included in the Pacific Coach Victoria tour?
The $163 covers the coach, both ferry crossings, Butchart Gardens admission, a driver-guide and taxes; food and tips are extra.
| Item | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Executive coach with washroom | Included | Luggage storage on the coach |
| BC Ferries fare, both ways | Included | Food is sold on the ferries and at each stop |
| Butchart Gardens entry | Included | Adult gate price is CAD 36.75 in October and CAD 28.60 in November |
| Driver-guide commentary | Included | Reviewers praise the driver-guides |
| Lunch and snacks | Not included | Pay on the ferry or in Victoria |
| Tips | Not included | Optional |
The entry price is useful when you judge value. In November the admission alone is CAD 28.60, about US$20, so the coach and two ferry sailings cost roughly US$143 on top. Hours and prices come from the Gardens' own rates page.
When do Butchart Gardens' hours change this trip?
The gardens' hours change several times between October and March, and two periods can break a daytime tour: December evening hours of 3 PM to 9 PM and a closure from 18 to 31 January 2027.
| Period | Gate hours | Adult price (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM | 36.75 |
| November 2026 | 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM | 28.60 |
| 1-24 December 2026 | 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM | not listed |
| 26 Dec - 6 Jan | 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM | 41.00 |
| 7-17 January 2027 | 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM | 25.20 |
| 18-31 January 2027 | Closed | - |
| February 2027 | 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM | 33.75 |
| March 2027 | 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM | 33.75 |
The listing does not say how the tour changes during the Christmas lights season or during the January closure. Before booking a date from December to January, ask the operator whether the itinerary runs as described, and read my checked date above, 2026-10-17, as the point after which hours can change.
How does the Pacific Coach Victoria tour compare with a boat cruise?
It is the cheapest per hour of any Vancouver product I compare, at $13 per hour, but only the two 95-minute ferry sailings are on the water, and the listing does not describe them as narrated.
| Trip | Price | Duration | On the water | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Coach Victoria tour (this page) | $163 | 13 h | 2 x 95 min ferry | 4.7/5, 1,549+ |
| Bowen Island dinner cruise | $161 | 4 h | Whole trip | 4.9/5, 46+ |
| Prince of Whales catamaran | $181 | 3-5 h | Whole trip | 4.8/5, 3,141+ |
| City and seals zodiac | $77 | 1.5 h | Whole trip | 4.8/5, 430+ |
Related options on the same island theme are the Bowen Island dinner cruise, which stays inside Howe Sound and gets you back for the evening, and the covered whale watching catamaran for a dedicated wildlife day.
Is the Victoria and Butchart Gardens day trip worth it vs a boat cruise?
If your goal is Butchart Gardens and a look at Victoria without a car, yes: the ticket price covers two ferry fares, the coach and a garden ticket that would cost CAD 28.60 to 36.75 on its own in autumn.
If your goal is time on the water, a Vancouver boat cruise is the better use of a day. The platform's own review summary praises the guides, the ferry and the gardens, and the recurring wish is more time in Victoria. At 1.5 hours of free time, you see the harbour, not the city. I'd book this trip as a two-stop garden day, and I'd skip it if I wanted a cruise.
11.3 million overnight visitors came to Vancouver in 2025, so peak-season boats fill early.
When is the best time to take the Pacific Coach Victoria tour?
The gardens suit May to September for flowers and long daylight, while October and November are quieter and cheaper at the gate; the weather table shows why summer has the best odds of a dry day.
| Month | Avg high | Rain days | Sunset | On the water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.5°C | 18.5 | 4:44 PM | Cold and wet; full waterproofs |
| Feb | 6.5°C | 16.5 | 5:34 PM | Cold; whales are scarce, check the schedule |
| Mar | 9.2°C | 16.6 | 7:19 PM | Cool; first cruises, layers and gloves |
| Apr | 12.0°C | 15.3 | 8:06 PM | Cool; spring sailings start, dress warm |
| May | 16.4°C | 9.0 | 8:51 PM | Mild and drier; peak whale season begins |
| Jun | 19.3°C | 10.0 | 9:21 PM | Long evenings; sunset sailings possible |
| Jul | 22.4°C | 4.9 | 9:15 PM | Driest month; sun hat and sunscreen |
| Aug | 22.5°C | 6.4 | 8:30 PM | Warmest; best odds of a dry deck |
| Sep | 18.3°C | 11.8 | 7:27 PM | Still mild; rain returns late |
| Oct | 13.2°C | 15.6 | 6:23 PM | Wet again; cabin seats matter |
| Nov | 8.6°C | 18.5 | 4:32 PM | Cold rain; shoulder-season sailings only |
| Dec | 5.6°C | 20.3 | 4:16 PM | Darkest month; sunset before 5:30 PM |
Sunset on the 15th is 9:21 PM in June but 4:16 PM in December, and a 13-hour day that starts in the morning ends after dark in winter. Environment Canada publishes the live forecast (weather.gc.ca Vancouver). The next statutory holiday is Christmas Day on 25 December, when the gardens are closed.
What do passengers say about this tour?
Passengers praise the driver-guides, the gardens and the smooth logistics, and the one repeated criticism is that Victoria gets too little time.
- Guides - sub-score 4.9/5, and reviewers name drivers who told stories during the drive.
- Gardens - called spectacular by several reviewers.
- Time in Victoria - three reviewers wanted more.
- Length - one calls it a very long day that was still worth it.
- Transfers - one reviewer fell leaving the ferry while looking for the coach, so allow extra time to find it.
The ten reviews I can read are all five stars, so they are positive-only; the platform summary and the 4.7/5 average over 1,549 reviews are the better guides.
Who should skip this tour?
Skip it if you dislike a 13-hour day, need more than 90 minutes in Victoria, or want a real cruise.
- Travellers who want a narrated boat: choose the city and seals zodiac.
- Anyone staying outside the five pickup hotels, since no other pickup is listed.
- Visitors on 18 to 31 January, when the gardens are closed.
The listing does not state accessibility or age rules, so ask the operator before booking for a wheelchair or toddlers. More choices are on the Vancouver boat tour list.
How do you book the Pacific Coach Victoria tour?
The day trip is $163 per person with coach, both ferry sailings, Butchart Gardens entry and a driver-guide; I would pick a May to September date for the best weather.
Check availabilityI earn a commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Pacific Coach Victoria tour from Vancouver?
It lasts 13 hours, of which the listing itemises 8 hours 15 minutes; the rest covers pickups and transfers.
Is the ferry included in the Pacific Coach Victoria tour?
Yes, the round-trip BC Ferries fare is included, along with Butchart Gardens entry and taxes.
How long is the ferry crossing to Victoria?
The listing says 95 minutes and BC Ferries schedules the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay sailing at 1 hour 35 minutes.
Where does the tour pick me up?
At one of five downtown Vancouver hotels, 30 to 60 minutes before departure, and you return to the same one.
How much time do I get at Butchart Gardens?
About 2 hours of self-guided time; the Sunken, Rose and Japanese Gardens are the named areas.
How much time do I get in Victoria?
About 1.5 to 2 hours of free time downtown, which several reviewers found short.
Is food included?
No, food and tips are extra; you can buy food on the ferries and at each stop.
Does the tour run in winter?
The listing does not say; Butchart Gardens has evening hours in December and is closed 18 to 31 January 2027, so ask before booking.
How much does it cost?
It is $163 per person, about CAD 231 at today's rate, with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Is it a Gulf Islands cruise?
No, it is a scheduled BC Ferries crossing that passes the Southern Gulf Islands, with no separate cruise vessel.
Sources: The Butchart Gardens hours and rates; Parks Canada, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations; BC Ferries Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay schedule; Environment Canada Vancouver forecast; Destination Vancouver; Open-Meteo archive API; sunrise-sunset.org API; Frankfurter API; GetYourGuide listing 32627 (itinerary, inclusions, rating).
