Wondering how to best be prepared to board one of our tours? Here is everything you need to know! Please check-in at our kiosks located in front of the Empress Hotel at 721 Government Street.
Hop On Hop Off CitySights Tour
Dress for adventure! Our tours take place aboard an open-top double-decker bus, so you’ll want to be ready for whatever Mother Nature has in store. On warm, sunny days, be sure to pack a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a reusable water bottle to stay cool and comfortable. While Victoria is known for its mild coastal climate, summer temperatures can get surprisingly hot!
If the forecast calls for cooler weather, dress in layers so you can stay comfortable throughout the tour.
Wear comfortable shoes. Although you’ll be travelling by bus, there are several exciting stops where you’ll have time to get out, stretch your legs, and explore. Comfortable walking shoes will help you make the most of every stop.
Bring your camera! From stunning waterfront views and colourful gardens to historic landmarks and hidden gems, there’s no shortage of incredible photo opportunities. You’ll want to capture every moment of your Victoria adventure and take home memories that will last a lifetime!
Butchart Gardens Experience Tour
While our double-decker buses feature a comfortable enclosed bus ride, The Butchart Gardens are entirely outdoors. We recommend checking the forecast and dressing accordingly so you can enjoy every beautiful pathway and garden. If rain is in the forecast, there’s no need to worry, The Butchart Gardens provides complimentary transparent umbrellas for guests!
Come hungry—or plan to treat yourself! Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or a leisurely meal, you’ll find plenty of delicious options at The Butchart Gardens, including a café, restaurant, tea house, and ice cream stands. A variety of choices are available for guests with dietary restrictions.
Enjoy the scenic journey. The Butchart Gardens are located approximately 40 minutes from downtown Victoria. Along the way, your driver will provide live narration, sharing local history, fascinating stories, and highlights of the surrounding area.
Return on your schedule. Once you’ve finished exploring the gardens, simply board any of our scheduled return departures back to downtown Victoria. Choose the departure time that works best for you and enjoy your visit at your own pace
Accessibility
We do our best to ensure folks with accessibility needs have these needs met. In terms of wheelchair accessibility, all of our buses are wheelchair accessible. Whenever possible, we board folks in wheelchairs first.
Strollers/prams are able to fit on all of our buses, either in storage compartments or on the lower floor of the double decker buses.
Unfortunately, the only language offered for our tours at this time is English. We also regretfully do not have any ASL guides available on our buses. However, we do have an amazing team of drivers and customer service agents who do their best to communicate clearly and ensure guests have a pleasant experience.
Guide/Service dogs are more than welcome on all of our tours! The Butchart Gardens also allow dogs.
Washrooms
None of our buses have washrooms on board. We recommend using the washroom before boarding our tours. Public washrooms can be found across the street from our kiosk location at stop number 1 and staff can help point the way. There are public washrooms at most stops along our tour, though some stop locations may require purchasing something from a business to use their customer washroom.
Have a question that wasn’t answered on this page? Check out our FAQs page!