Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada 8-day RV Trip

Day 1, May 25, 2025

Ferry

We took an early morning 8AM ferry to sail from Tsawwassen to Victoria (Swartz Bay). It was a non-stop, 1.5 hour ride. Soon after the boat left the Tsawwassen terminal, it sails through U.S. water then enter the Canadian territory again. The scenery around was absolutely beautiful, especially during the last 1/3 of the trip when the boat approaches Swartz Bay Area. Before entering Swartz Bay, it zipped through the strait with Sturdies Bay and Fulford Harbour on the north, and Village Bay and Otter Bay on the south.

The ferry is gigantic, with several floors of passenger space over 2 bottom decks for vehicles. There are cafes servicing breakfast/coffee and shops for snacks and souvenirs. You can choose to stay inside warm and cozy, or visit the deck watching the ocean on either sides in fresh air. The sail was smooth, and the water was peaceful. I almost stayed outside the whole time taking photos, and didn’t feel chilly or windy at all.

BCFerries: https://www.bcferries.com/routes-fares/schedules/daily/TSA-SWB

BCFerries Route Map: https://www.bcferries.com/web_image/h81/hcb/8805916246046.pdf

Butchart Gardens

Driving off the ferry, we headed to the garden in Brentwood Bay on our way to Victoria. The Gardens has been designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, and remains within the Butchart family.

You will need at least 1.5 hours as these are a series of gardens, each of which has its own style and plantations. We followed the order on the map: Sunken Garden -> Bog Garden -> Rose Fountain -> Dragon & Surgeon Fountains -> Rose Garden -> Japanese Garden -> Italian Garden. There are also Rose Carousel, Star Pond, Butchart Cove, and Greenhouse in the mid of the trail as well. A lot to see, take photos, and enjoy.

Butchart Gardens: https://butchartgardens.com

Victoria

Parking our large size RV near the center of the town was a challenge, but we finally found a spot several blocks away from the Chinatown and hiked. This blog was very helpful for us to plan our half-day tour of the city: https://vancouverislandbucketlist.com/experiences/victoria-in-a-day/

  1. China town

    Entering through the Gate of Harmonious Interest (同济门) at the cross of the Government Street and Fisgart Street, we arrived at the Canada's oldest Chinatown. Similar to many other Chinatowns in North America, it is lined by little shops and restaurants on both sides of the street. Lucky us, the Awakening Chinatown 2025 celebration was in sessio while we visited. There were booths and activities everywhere, adding more festivity to the experience.

    It took us a while to find the entrance to Fan Tan Alley, which in old time was home to opium factories, dens, and gambling hubs. That’s probably why it was built with so much secrecy. The alley houses shops and a museum showcasing the Chinese history and cultural.

  2. Crossing the street after exiting the Fan Tan Alley, we are not that far from the Market Square in the next block south. The open-air courtyard has boutiques, eateries, and artisan stores. A very nice spot to take a break and relax.

  3. The Waddington Alley in the next block south is more a passage than a gathering spot. The distinctive wooden cobblestone flooring is the uniqueness of this area. Walking on it feels like steeping back in history.

  4. Continuing our journey, Bastion Square is hard to miss as it is a vibrant market with colorful painted letters on the ground tents of artists and craftsmen on both sides of the street.

  5. Government Street outside of the Bastion Square is a major street of the city. This portion is closed for traffic so very easy to stroll either sides for shopping and dine.

  6. Further down the street, near the Inner Harbour is the Victoria’s Visitor Center. The bottom of the visitor center by a short descent down the stairs has restrooms. The Inner Harbour Walkway offers very nice view of the historical Empress Hotel and Parliament Buildings.

  7. We toured the front of the Parliament Buildings and the Statue of the Queen Victoria next. We didn’t make reservation to tour the inside of the parliament house, and it was too late.

  8. From there, we then hiked a short distance to the Thunderbird Park on the east. This small park has a display of totem poles of the First Nations.

  9. Close by is the St. Anne’s Schoolhouse, which was a girls' Catholic boarding and day school. Now it is a national historic site owned by the Ministry Citizens' Services.

  10. Beacon Hill Park is adjacent, so we eased into the oasis of forest without too much efforts. The park’s landscape changes from hilly, woody north to garden & lakes in the middle, then prairie and coastline in the south. By the time we reach the waterfront, it was almost dark. We called a cab to take us back to RV and called it a day.

  11. Our RV site is Fort Victoria RV Park (129 Burnett Rd). 10% discount for CanaDream drivers.