The Butchart Gardens

History

The Butchart Gardens is 55 acres of gardens and a National Historic Site. It began with Jennie Butchart in 1912, when she started to transform a limestone quarry into today’s Sunken Garden. Generations of Butcharts have expanded the garden and added attractions such as an evening fireworks show in the summer and the children’s carousel. The current owner is Robin-Lee Clarke, who is Jennie Butchart’s great-granddaugther.

Admission and Hours

In May, ticket prices are $31.45 for adults, $15.75 for youths 13-17, and $2 for children 5-12. Admission is good for the whole day and re-entry is permissible with a stamp. You can also bring your ticket back the very next day and pay only $3.50, $2.50 or $1.00 for adults, youths and children, respectively. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Since online tickets have no dates assigned, note that you will be charged the highest rate (summer) and only be refunded the difference when you enter. We recommend buying tickets at the door.

In May, admission is open between 9am and 5pm. As long as you enter before 5pm, you will be able to wander around the gardens until 6pm.

What to do

During the conference, the garden will be well in its “Spring” season. To see a regularly updated blog of plants growing now, see:https://www.butchartgardens.com/category/gardening/. Currently, the gardens has tulips in bloom, lots of bulbs and blossoms on trees.

They also have some nice dining options, however, their dinner service does not begin until June 1. Instead, their formal service restaurant, the Dining Room (https://www.butchartgardens.com/restaurant/the-dining-room/) is currently open for afternoon tea from 11am to 4pm daily as well as lunch from 11am to 3pm. They also have a more casual restaurant, The Blue Poppy (https://www.butchartgardens.com/restaurant/blue-poppy-restaurant/), serving lunch from 11am to 4pm.

How to get there

The address is 800 Benvenuto Ave, Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1J8. It is accessible by car (free parking), public transit and with transportation companies.

For car or public transit, click here for Google Map directions from the Conference Centre to Butchart Gardens. Driving takes about 30 minutes without traffic. Check Google Maps for bus schedules.

CVS Tours offer regular service from Downtown Victoria to the Gardens starting at $70 (includes admission and roundtrip travel). Tours leave hourly from 9am to 3pm in front of the Empress hotel and there are also return buses every hour. There is a stop at the Victoria Butterfly Gardens (add $10 for admission) which is near the Butchart Gardens. The trip takes about 40 minutes one-way, including this stop.

Additional information / Good to know

• Their website says all but two small areas of the Gardens are wheelchair accessible (a lookout in the Sunken Gardens and the path to the wharf). You can borrow a wheelchair from them for free ($10 deposit).
• You can also borrow a stroller for free ($10 deposit).
• If it rains, you can also borrow a free umbrella.
• If you are heading to the airport after your visit to the Gardens, you can store your luggage and other small items for free while you visit.

Whale Watching

30% Discount on Whale Watching

We have over 25 years experience sharing Victoria and Vancouver Island’s marine ecosystems. SpringTide’s Whale and Marine Nature Tours will take you through some of the world’s most breathtaking scenery that British Columbia has to offer. Join us on our comfortable 61ft Covered Yacht, or for a more adventurous ride hop aboard one of our high speed open Zodiacs.

Enjoy a Whale Watching tour Wednesday morning during our break (tours at 2 p.m.) or any other time. In order to receive the $30 discount just reserve directly with SpringTide. Click this link https://www.victoriawhalewatching.com/whale-watching-booking-form/ and enter the word “CONFERENCE” in our promo code section of the booking form and the discount will automatically be applied. The cool thing about this promo code is that is extends to all attendee’s family & friends and it is valid all year round! If you would like to reserve over the phone with Springtide, you can do so by calling either 1250.384.4444 or 1800.470.3474 and their awesome staff will book you in!

Biking in Victoria

Victoria is a beautiful area to cycle and it is very bike friendly, with many bike paths and bike lanes. A few rules to keep in mind:

• Bike helmets are mandatory: you will get one with your bike rental
• Bicycles get stolen regularly, so make sure to keep an eye on your bike or lock it up
• Although it is bike-friendly, keep the road rules in mind: stay in the bike lane and always look behind you before changing lanes
• Victoria downtown has many one-way streets: this also applies to bicycles except in designated bike paths.
• Victoria is hilly: be prepared for some climbing and fast descending, make sure you know how to use your gears and brakes.
• Deer are known to cross the road: be alert, especially around dawn.
• Bicycles can usually be rented per hour up to 3 hours or for a full day. Prices listed below are for the full day.
• Be aware that bike rental places close at 5 or 6 PM, while sunset is not til 8.45 PM: if you want to keep the bike for the evening, you will likely have to pay extra to return it in the morning.

Bike rentals

The Pedaler Cycling tours:

• 321 Belleville street
• Opening hours: 9 AM – 6 PM
• Guided bike tours:
  -    “Castles, hoods and legends” ($50) at 1.30 PM, 2 hours
  -    “Hoppy hour ride” ($95) at 1 PM, 3 hours   
• Road bike tours moderate and intermediate ($79-89), at 2 PM, 2-4 hours
• Bike rentals: $30-65

Cycle BC Rentals and tours

• 685 Humboldt St
• Opening hours: 9 AM – 5 PM
• Bike rentals: $28 – 35

Sports Rent

• 1950 Government st
• Opening hours: 9 AM – 6 PM
• Bike rentals: $35-59

Bike routes

• Galloping Goose to Sooke (easy bike route mainly through the forest)
  -  80 km round-trip, no major climbs, entirely on a bike/hike trail (Galloping Goose)
  -  From downtown go across Johnson bridge, take a right on Harbour road and turn right onto the Galloping Goose trail: stay on the trails and keep following the signs for Galloping Goose.
  -  Obviously you can return at any point to make this shorter.
• Lochside trail to Sidney (easy bike route mainly through the forest)
  -  60 km round-trip, flat, entirely on a bike/hike trail (Galloping Goose + Lochside)
  -  From downtown go across Johnson bridge, take a right on Harbour road and turn right onto the Galloping Goose trail. After a few kilometer is a little roundabout where you can choose either Sooke or Sidney (Lochside trail): take the latter. Stay on the trail and keep following the signs for Lochside trail.
• Butchart gardens (easy bike route to the beautiful gardens which are open to visit til 5 PM)
  -  40 km round-trip, some climbing (bonus: pass by the Observatory!)
  -  From downtown go across Johnson bridge, take a right on Harbour road and turn right onto the Galloping Goose trail. Turn right onto Interurban road, at the end turn left on West Saanich road (use the bike trail on the left), turn left on Wallace drive. Eventually the Butchart gardens are on your left.
  -   If you want you can go up to the Observatory which is along West Saanich road, about 1 km after Interurban road. Take the sharp turn up to Observatory road. This is a moderately steep hill (7%) with a climb of 140m over 2.5 km. Go up for the beautiful view over the peninsula, and enjoy the way back down. Careful for cars, deer and other cyclists along the road.
• Coastal road (beautiful bike route along the coast)
  -  30 km round-trip, no major climbs
  -  From downtown go along the harbor to Fisherman's wharf. From there, follow Dallas road along the coast along Beacon hill park, Crescent road, Beach drive, Willows beach and Cadboro-Gyro park. From here you can either return the same way or return along the campus of University of Victoria (up Sinclair road), and go back to downtown via Foul Bay road, Fort street and Pandora avenue.
• Prospect lake route (fun winding route along Prospect lake)
  -  40 km round-trip, some climbing and descending (bonus: pass by the Observatory)
  -  From downtown go across Johnson bridge, take a right on Harbour road and turn right onto the Galloping Goose trail and follow the directions to Sooke at the roundabout. Just beyond Victoria General Hospital, turn right onto Burnside road and turn left onto Prospect lake road. Follow this winding road to the end along Prospect Lake and further, until you cross West Saanich road. Turn right and turn right again onto Interurban. Just you cross the highway, go left onto the bike trail, which is the Galloping goose trail that will bring you back to Johnson bridge.
  -  Be careful for motor cyclists!
  -  If you want you can go up to the Observatory which is along West Saanich road, about 1 km after Interurban road. Take the sharp turn up to Observatory road. This is a moderately steep hill (7%) with a climb of 140m over 2.5 km. Go up for the beautiful view over the peninsula, and enjoy the way back down. Careful for cars, deer and other cyclists along the road.
• Mount Douglas (fun climb to one of the major viewing spots of the area)
  -  25 km round-trip, major 200m climb
  -  From downtown go across Johnson bridge, take a right on Harbour road and turn right onto the Galloping Goose trail. After a few kilometer is a little roundabout where you can choose either Sooke or Sidney (Lochside trail): take the latter. When you cross McKenzie avenue, turn right and turn left on Cedar Hill road. At Mount Douglas parking, turn left onto the road to the summit.
  -  When you arrive on the summit parking, walk the bike on the little trail going to the actual summit, which is only a 5 minute walk. Beautiful views!

DAO Excursion

The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (DAO) is Canada’s national telescope, and has been continuously used for research for 101 years this month.  Conference attendees are welcome to visit DAO during their free afternoon on Wednesday.  DAO is about 30 minutes drive from the Victoria Convention Centre.  Carpools to DAO are being organized HERE.  DAO Director James Di Francesco will lead a free tour of the DAO’s 1.8-m Plaskett Telescope and dome at 3:30 pm, and afterwards visitors can explore NRC’s Centre of the Universe, adjacent to the Plaskett Telesscope.  Come see some of Victoria’s astronomy history and see the great views of the local countryside this Wednesday!