British Columbia
Victoria and Vancouver: Glorious West Coast Gardens
Program No. 2679RJ
Discover the botanical beauty of Victoria and Vancouver, where a blend of Asian and European aesthetics combine to create some of the world’s most stunning gardens.
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Protecting the Environment
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
8 days
7 nights
16 meals
7B 4L 5D
1
Check-In, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Vancouver, British Columbia
2
Intro to Vancouver, Van Dusen, Queen Elizabeth Gardens
Vancouver, British Columbia
3
Plant Presentation, Nitobe, UBC Botanical Gardens, Free Time
Vancouver, British Columbia
8
Program Concludes
Victoria, BC
At a Glance
Cradled by sheltered waters and dramatic mountains and freshened by a gentle coastal climate, Vancouver is a city filled with parks and forests whose gardens reflect the city’s blend of cosmopolitanism, natural beauty and art. Across the Strait of Georgia, on the southernmost tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria’s Edwardian architecture accentuates the city’s Britannic refinement, of which no lovelier example exists than the world-renowned Butchart Gardens. Explore both cities and their gardens, uncovering rich history, natural beauty and historic architecture.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking 3 - 4 miles over some rocky and hilly terrain.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Discover Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Garden, a classical Chinese garden.
- Join a horticulturalist who will take you behind the scenes to the elegant Victorian Gardens to experience the area's colonial past.
- Explore the renowned Butchart Gardens where some 900 varieties give you uninterrupted bloom from March through October.
General Notes
Given the nature of gardens visits, the amount of walking varies depending on each individual. You may enjoy our easier paced Signature City program, "Signature Cities Vancouver & Victoria" (#20578).
Featured Expert
All trip experts
John Adams
John Adams is the author of “Old Square-Toes and His Lady: The Life of James and Amelia Douglas.” Part historian and part storyteller, John has turned a passion for the past into a long career in history. His family-owned business, Discover the Past, provides a variety of historical educational programs for the community. His natural, lively, humorous and clear style makes his presentations both informative and memorable.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
John Adams
View biography
John Adams is the author of “Old Square-Toes and His Lady: The Life of James and Amelia Douglas.” Part historian and part storyteller, John has turned a passion for the past into a long career in history. His family-owned business, Discover the Past, provides a variety of historical educational programs for the community. His natural, lively, humorous and clear style makes his presentations both informative and memorable.
Phil Foster
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A lover of math and physics, Phil graduated from Exeter University in England with a teaching degree. His long career in education has spanned three continents; he spent time in small communities and cities throughout England, Australia and Canada teaching and learning about each country’s unique culture. Truly passionate about spreading knowledge to others and about travelling, Phil loves nothing more than taking people on educational walks through historic Victoria, showing them what makes his home special.
Chris Adams
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Chris was raised in Victoria and attended the University of Victoria where he received his BA in history. Chris spent many years of his early adult life in the UK and received a diploma in human ecology from Strathclyde University in Glasgow. He and his wife now live in Victoria with their two children. Chris is a historian, storyteller and interpretive leader. In his spare time, he is a hard-working urban farmer, tending flocks of chickens, ducks and quail, along with many hives of bees.
Routes Adventures Mobile Phone
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Please call the toll free line at 1-866-745-1690 during regular business hours or for non-urgent matters (Mon - Fri 8:30 - 4:30 EST). The mobile phone #1-613-331-5777 is for after hours and weekends for emergency use only. The phone is carried by a staff member.
Alasdair Butcher
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Alasdair Butcher is a Vancouver-born and based local expert, community organizer, and educator. He has a B.A.H. in human geography from the University of British Columbia and a master's in urban studies from Simon Fraser University. In 2008, he founded Vancouver DeTours with the aim of reclaiming travel as an act of educational empowerment. Since then, he has taken more than 100,000 guests on explorations of Vancouver's social history, architecture, urban planning, public art, and contemporary topics through an approach he calls "pedestrian pedagogy."
LoriAnn Bird
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LoriAnn Bird is an Indigenous Metis herbalist, educator, and mother of two daughters, with a deep knowledge of wild, medicinal, and edible plants that grow in everyday spaces. By cultivating and promoting "wild spaces," LoriAnn believes communities can rediscover local foods and medicines, supporting collective ecological healing. Lori envisions co-creating insightful dialogues, and remediating and reconciling with Indigenous plants as they are re-introduced into urban landscapes. LoriAnn is the author of 'Revered Roots: Ancestral Teachings and Wisdom of Wild, Edible, and Medicinal Plants.'
Greg Holmes
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Greg Holmes, international wanderer and grizzly bear greeter, has navigated a number of destination marketing roles for the better part of 25 years. Roles as varied as leading visitors in Moscow to bringing the 2010 Olympic torch to hundreds of communities across Canada have kept Greg busy over the years. In his spare time Greg is completing renovations on the 1949 Burnaby Heights bungalow home he shares with his wife and their two dogs. He enjoys sailing, sea kayaking, tennis, biking, and hiking.
Suggested Reading List
(6 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Victoria and Vancouver: Glorious West Coast Gardens
Program Number: 2679
Moon Victoria & Vancouver Island: Coastal Recreation, Museums & Gardens, Whale-Watching
Discover a place where the rugged and the cosmopolitan blend seamlessly. Inside Moon Victoria & Vancouver Island you'll find:
Flexible, strategic itineraries
Unique outdoor experiences
The best local flavor
Honest advice on when to go, where to stay, and how to get around from expert writer Andrew Hempstead
Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout
Thorough background on the culture and history, wildlife, and geography.
The Island Within
EXPLORATION, 1996, PAPERBACK, 284 PAGES
A beautifully written tribute to the Pacific Northwest. Drawn from the author's journals, this is an account of the natural and cultural history of an island in the waters of Haida Strait, focusing on geology, marine life, wildlife, habitats and Koyukon heritage. Much in the tradition of Barry Lopez, the author focuses on the relationship between people and the land.
Klee Wyck
Originally published in 1941 this is the memoir of Canadian artist Emily Carr. Through short sketches, the artist tells of her experiences among First Nations people and cultures on British Columbia's west coast. The book won the 1941 Governor General's Award and occupies an important place in Canadian literature.
This and That: The Lost Stories of Emily Carr
Readers are given a new glimpse into Emily Carr's life with this collection. Carr stated that these stories were small when read on their own but when put together illustrate her life her life.
The Raven Steals the Light
A classic collection of 10 Haida myths and legends with accompanying black and white etchings by Vancouver artist Bill Reid. These stories capture the storytelling traditions of the Haida.
Cougar Annie's Garden
Cougar Annie's Garden tells the haunting tale of a five-acre garden in the wilderness of Vancouver Island's West Coast. Surrounded by rainforest and mountains, inaccessible and remote, this garden has endured for over eighty years. It is powerful with story, rich with legend and history, and Margaret Horsfield's book brings all these elements together in her critically-acclaimed book. Cougar Annie's Garden has been widely acclaimed in Canada since its publication.