Several day trips from Victoria have official travel details. The Butchart Gardens is a 35 to 45 minute drive or about 50 minutes to 1 hour on BC Transit route 75. Hatley Park describes itself as 25 minutes from downtown, and its formal gardens are free. Goldstream Provincial Park is about 16 km from downtown. Salt Spring Island is a 35 minute ferry from Swartz Bay at $12.75 return per adult on foot. Where a source gives no travel time, none is shown.
Day trips: what the official sources say
The Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay
Show gardens about 22 km from Victoria.
- How long: 35 to 45 minute drive depending on traffic; BC Transit route 75 generally takes 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Cost: Route 75: $3 per ride or a $6 DayPASS. Taxi from downtown approximately $55 CAD. Garden admission: see the Butchart Gardens page.
Victoria Butterfly Gardens, Brentwood Bay
Indoor tropical garden minutes from Butchart Gardens, about 20 km north of downtown.
- How long: BC Transit route 75 takes about 50 minutes to an hour from Belleville Street at Government Street.
- Cost: Route 75: $3 per ride or a $6 DayPASS (CAD). A cab is approximately CAD $55 each way. Admission from $9.50 (child) to $20.00 (adult).
Hatley Park and Hatley Castle, Colwood
A National Historic Site and university campus with formal gardens (free to enter, daily from 10 am to dusk) and a castle that can only be visited on a guided tour.
- How long: The park describes itself as “just 25 minutes from downtown Victoria”. BC Transit buses stop on campus.
- Cost: Formal gardens: free. Pay parking in all Royal Roads lots. Daily guided tours of the castle have ended for the season (checked 18 October 2026).
Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse, Colwood
Two Parks Canada National Historic Sites: a coastal fortress and a 150-year-old lighthouse.
- How long: Parks Canada gives the address (603 Fort Rodd Hill Road) but no travel time from downtown.
- Cost: Daily admission: adult (18–64) $10.00, senior (65+) $8.50, youth 17 and under free. From October 16 to April 30 the lighthouse and historic buildings are open Saturday and Sunday only; the grounds are open daily.
Goldstream Provincial Park
Old-growth forest, about 16 km of trails, Niagara Falls (47.5 m) and an annual chum salmon run.
- How long: BC Parks says the park is about 16 km from downtown Victoria. It gives no drive time.
- Cost: BC Parks’ page lists no day-use fee; camping is reserved separately.
Sooke Potholes Provincial Park
Deep, naturally carved rock pools on the Sooke River.
- How long: BC Parks gives directions (Sooke River Road, 5 km north of Highway 14) but no travel time from Victoria.
- Cost: BC Parks’ page lists no fee. Parking next to the park is managed by the District of Sooke.
Salt Spring Island by BC Ferries
A ferry from Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour on Salt Spring Island. The island’s attractions are not covered on this site yet.
- How long: BC Ferries lists a sailing duration of 35 minutes (Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour). Swartz Bay is about 50 minutes from downtown Victoria by BC Transit route 70.
- Cost: Return fares in the fare guide effective 16 June 2026: passengers 12+ $12.75, children 5–11 $6.40, standard vehicle up to 20 ft $37.70; a 5% fuel surcharge is added at payment.
© OpenStreetMap contributors. Map data generated from the Protomaps basemap build 20261017.
How we choose and show day trips
Each card shows only what an official source states: the travel time or distance, the fare or fee, and a link to that source. If a source gives no travel time, the card says so rather than estimate one. We add places to this page when we can verify their details on an official site.
Combining a day trip with a ferry
Salt Spring Island and the Gulf Islands sail from Swartz Bay, the same terminal as the Vancouver to Victoria ferry. Hatley Park and Fort Rodd Hill are both in Colwood, so they can share a day. The two Brentwood Bay gardens are close together, so they can share a day too; see the Butchart Gardens page for hours, prices and accessibility.
More to do
For things inside the city, use the filters on the things to do page, and for a wet-weather alternative look at the Royal BC Museum or Craigdarroch Castle.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest day trip from Victoria without a car?
BC Transit route 75 serves Butchart Gardens and the Victoria Butterfly Gardens from Belleville Street at Government Street in about 50 minutes to 1 hour, for $3 per ride or a $6 DayPASS. Both gardens warn that not every trip goes in, so check the timetable for your return.
How do I get to Salt Spring Island from Victoria?
BC Ferries sails from Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour in 35 minutes. The June 2026 fare guide lists a return fare of $12.75 for passengers 12 and over, $6.40 for children 5–11 and $37.70 for a standard vehicle up to 20 ft, plus a 5% fuel surcharge. Swartz Bay is reached from downtown by BC Transit route 70 in roughly 45 to 55 minutes.
How far is Goldstream Provincial Park from Victoria?
BC Parks describes it as “a mere 16km from downtown Victoria”. It lists about 16 km of trails, from short riverside walks of 5 to 15 minutes to hikes of several hours, and Niagara Falls at 47.5 metres.
Is there a fee for Goldstream or Sooke Potholes?
BC Parks’ pages for both parks list no day-use fee. Camping at Goldstream is reserved separately, and parking next to Sooke Potholes is managed by the District of Sooke. Check the park pages for current notices.
Where can I find drive times?
Official sites give a drive time for Butchart Gardens only (35 to 45 minutes); the Brentwood Bay gardens also give a bus time. A full travel-time matrix built from OpenStreetMap road data arrives in a later phase; until then we show only what each official source states.
More in Things to do
- Things to do in Victoria BCHub
- Craigdarroch CastleGuide
- Butchart GardensGuide
- Whale watchingGuide
- Royal BC MuseumGuide
- Afternoon teaGuide